One of the major downsides of long term cruising to far flung parts is that you don’t get to see the family, although, some might say that’s a major reason for going.

In our case, we’ve missed the little darlings, especially watching the grandchildren growing up. We’ve been grandparents in absentia making guest appearances by video link.

In our absence, certainly for the Scotland based grandwinkies the local grandparents have done a sterling job. They’ve babysat on demand, done weekends away and all manner of truly supportive, hands on grand parenting. I’m not entirely sure our son knows how to open a can of paint.

We on the other hand have been lounging around in the sun or, most recently, the fogs, lightning storms and just plain and simple rain of a very unseasonable New England summer.

These days, it seems as if everywhere we go, the locals are saying, never seen weather like this before. Instead of cruising north in the balmy summer sun, various extreme levels of precipitation have smacked us in the face, mist, rain, fog, you name it. We had it all. I nearly drowned the other day having fallen asleep with my mouth open during a major downpour.

We left Norfolk in the mist which farther north turned into fog. We were beginning to feel we’d developed cataracts and our vision has yet to clear several weeks later. We had a rare lovely day for going around New York, anchored under the Statue of Liberty waiting on the tide to turn. However, mist and fog descended for our sail up Long Island Sound and we only saw the coastlines on the plotter. Weather like this really makes the sunny days special and we finally enjoyed a glorious summer day as we sailed through the Cape Cod Canal. I think we were meant to motor but hey, diesel’s expensive.

I mentioned previously we were in a rush to get to Boston to meet the relocating elder son and family - the aforementioned winkies. We just made it, albeit to the wrong terminal. We’ve been to the baby gear store, Toys r’ Us, the supermarket and hauled mountains of luggage to remote car parks. We’ve babysat, helped spread yogurt around a child’s face and finally, like eager team substitutes sat on the bench for years, we’re on.

Everything but diaper changing that is.