Happy New Year!

I believe in getting into hot water. I think it keeps you clean.

G.K. Chesterton (1874--1936)



Definitely my mantra for 2009!

Roll on 2009.

Well as 2008 comes to a close I am looking forward to 2009......

Although we knew when we left to go cruising that we would have to stop for a year or so after a few years in order to complete TBH's project the reality has been more difficult than I had anticipated.

We were talking the other day about what it was about sailing that we really enjoyed and I said it was the self sufficiency that I loved so much. Sadly we haven't practiced a lot of that this year. Being in a marina is the closest I have EVER lived to other people in my whole life and it is not an experience that I am in a hurry to replicate. We were talking about what have been our most satisfying times as cruisers and we both agreed it has been the periods when we have been on our own, reliant totally on our own skills in order to live. We need to get back to that!

Meanwhile of course we are very much in the 'real' world at the moment. Watching the dismantling of the World Economy. Aghast at the appalling waste of human life and the misery of war and hunger. It breaks your heart every day in so many ways.

My wish for 2009 is happiness, health and the courage to follow my heart more. Scary stuff.

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing we wish you all that your own heart desires. Happy New Year!

Thought for the day.

www.theschooloflife.co.uk is a new fascinating site that addresses some weird and wonderful issues. Every day you can have sent to your inbox a different aphorism. Some good some great and some downright odd!

Our son received a gift voucher for a course with them for Christmas, he was delighted and says he is looking forward to 'going back to school'!

Christmas Day.

We had a lovely Christmas, and hope you did too.

For the past few years we have taken part in 'potluck' events to celebrate Christmas lunch. This year we decided to pass. It is inevitable that at times, like holidays, cultural differences become highlighted and this year we felt that we wanted to celebrate our 'Britishness'. And to be totally honest nobody cooks Christmas lunch quite like we do!

So we planned a day around our own self indulgence. It was wonderful...

We had coffee early in the morning with our good friends over in the restaurant and then settled down to our own world for the day.We spoke to our children, all celebrating together at home, and spoke to parents and sister on the moors of Devon.

After cooking TBH's breakfast we read our Christmas books. I had a copy of Dervla Murphy's new tome on Cuba. The island that dared. It is fascinating reading and should be on the 'to read' list of anyone with even the faintest interest in Cuba. I love her travel writing, she doesn't hold back in her criticisms and observations and from our own experiences in that country we agree with the vast majority of the perspectives that she writes about.

Smoked salmon and a bottle of really excellent champagne gave us a break from reading as we sat in the sun in our cockpit. Just listening to the birds, the occasional slap of a wave on the hull and the scuttling buzz of outboard engines as the small boats flit around the river.

There are no roads here, all travel is done by water. Sometimes I forget that this is an isolated location and then you remember!

Back to the book interspersed with cooking. Roast chicken, roast potatoes, bread sauce, cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts(!), carrots, sage and onion stuffing and thick gravy. Oh it was good! No room for pud, which was a good job as I hadn't made one...

Then as the rain began TBH pulled his ace, he had managed to obtain a copy of 'Slumdog Millionaire'. I couldn't have had a better present if he had showered me with diamonds and furs!
We settled back in our cosy saloon to enjoy a simply superb movie. Accompanied by a box of chocolates . Bliss!

Every Christmas is different isn't it? We have has wonderful one's with the family, one's spent in the middle of oceans but this qualifies as one of the best. Sometimes the simple things in life, the company of your best mate and an unexpected pleasure add up to deeply satisfying times. This was one of them.

Greetings from Guatemala.

One potluck down, breakfast, one to go, 'heavy' canapes!!?

Made sausages in maple and mustard for brekkie, easy and tasty...

Cook sausages in pan until browned. Put to one side and empty excess fat from pan. Add 1tbsp Maple syrup and 1tbsp dijon mustard. Heat until combined. Slice sausages in to bite size pieces. Add to pan and toss until well coated and sticky. Yummy!

Tonights contribution will be minature Yorkshire puddings, first batch just out of the oven. Topped with a slice of bbq fillet of beef with a horseradish cream on top. I am having great trouble keeping TBH away from the Galley!

Merry Christmas!!

Christmas carrots.

My recipe tip for Christmas lunch!

Maple and pecan glazed carrots.

Boil carrots until just cooked. Drain pan and keep carrots warm. Put 2tbsp maple syrup, 1tbsp butter, 1tsp sugar in pan and heat until combined add 1/4 cup chopped pecans and the carrots. Toss until coated with glaze.

That's it! It is delicious and soooo easy. Bon Appetit!

Cartoon Time.

Well it may be political but at least it has a Christmas theme....



That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!