Dear Diary, Unpacking and arranging things, has not been a problem, everything is still in boxes after a year...........shows you hey? we need very little. Going shopping and getting the chores done, is also easy, it takes a whole day......you see you get waylaid........and find yourself at lunch time still chatting to the third person you met on the way...dum dee dum..........I mean there is tea to be drunk......some folks even have a sit down lunch at 3pm......what can one do?? YOU HAVE TO JOIN IN!!! It is compulsory...else you will offend. Lord Ha Ha has built himself the cutest little factory in the centre of the village, where he will continue to make Barometers and weather instruments, which prior to retirement, was his "side-line"...........he is very famous for these instruments, and also his incredible hand made furniture.........oh! and number one son, will display his works of art...........and hopefully sell some. 

Then maybe I wont have to work so hard to support him....hey?

You do realise don't you that I am in my element now?......this has always been my motto.......(see pic)

Marina or village life, has the capacity to teach you so many things one has forgotten in the big cities, friendliness, sharing, caring for ones neighbours............drinking in copious quantities....and da cooking? Do you realise dear diary, that in my 28 years of married life, I have seldom had to cook a meal?.......that is when not threatened by someone........I now have to COOK! at least I have been let off the hook, and can get away with one meal a-day...........and yet for all of that......I have learnt from the farmers store the one where the ladies bring stuff to sell? that they have baked, that one can disguise every dish and make it look like I have made it? The grocery store is a hive of yet undiscovered boxes of goodies, and from these I can cook up a meal in a jiffy! No peeling of veggies for me! A meal that used to take ages former maid to cook, now takes no time at all! There are blessing all around me.......tra la la...........

Then there are the "characters" that one meets in the daily course of getting settled......like Fred, who when totally drunk, falls off his boat, yet is still able to smoke his pipe.....(IN THE WATER??)........

There dear little lady, who out of her own pocket, feeds all the stray and wild cats in the village........EVERYDAY!!!!!! Daily, you see her walking around, carrying a huge packet of food.....she knows every cat, every hidey-hole......

Dear Mrs Hills, who unfortunately met her "maker" a little while ago.......she was delightful.........she had not cleaned out her house in 50 years!!! She was as rich as anything, yet a true eccentric, and never spent a penny if she did not have too.......oh the fun they had when they had to clean up later.......newspapers from 60 years ago in HUGE piles..........confidentially, she met her demise because she was too mean to use her electric lights.......so one night a candle caught alight!....err.......she did not suffer I am told...the smoke got her first.

There are many delightful people here on the marina, and as in the normal practise of things, one gets to know them intimately..........."we" also tend to give them nick-names, some of which are not very complimentary...LOL!!!!! Gossip abounds and heaven forbid that the ONE thing, you wanted to keep quiet........gets told to a marina-ite! Looooong before you have started your rounds, the "clan" have all heard it!

There are certain compensations attached to living and working at home.............like you can get up in the morning at the last moment...and be in time for work.......err....run home for a mug of coffee, if you are not offered....catch a quick nap after lunch, and pretend you were on the computer....

There are also the dangers as well......like nearly burning down the house, while supposedly preparing supper.....and getting side-tracked examining the new flower buds you see through the kitchen window.......dropping the roast on the floor in excitment when you spy a HUGE fishing boat coming up the river fully laden!

(hey! no one knew.....I dusted it off).

Then too, the most entertaining hobby that "happened upon me" was the contributions I make to the marina magazine. This keeps me really alert....LOL!!!! I gather all the gossip I can, take note of whos who..........make up what I think is funny....."snap" all and sundry......and spend hours faxing or emailing this through to the editor. I guess we got a bit much for a lot of the people here.....they booted us! So? what do a jewish lioness and a gooselady- editor do? We are starting our own magazine. Its easy.....simple see??

I will paste an example of our fun stuff here......enjoy.......

THE GREAT LIQUORICE-ALL-SORT SWAP MEET!

In the interests of peaceful living on the island, it is rumoured that certain parties are getting together anyday soon, to hold, what will be the event of the year! Lady B, Baron M and a certain "Black Bandit", have discovered a mutual undying love, for a certain candy, known far and wide as "Liquorice -all-sorts". These mouth-watering, delectable sweets, which come as we know, in an assorted variety, are to the "experts" very carefully sorted out on purchase, and eaten, or not, according to taste and colour. It would seem that Lady B, Baron M, and B.B, have discovered that what the one likes that other doesn't!............

Our sources tell us, that B.B has a HUGE tin of these "unwanted sorts" which he is willing to swop with the other two parties............if they will part with the kind he likes.

Interesting part of all of this, is that the spouses of these 'swoppers' will have to sit on the sidelines and mediate, also, one supposes, eat any 'sort' that are totally out of favour?

Success is a journey of trials and beliefs, Not measured in dollars but the length of your reach, How far you will travel is not up to me, Your dreams once unravelled, are your future to be.

Success is a discipline you must embrace, To leave your mark on the human race, For the road is rough, and the journey long, And life can play a bitter song.

For life is a hard master, we do not deny, The rewards are only for those that try, For those who don't, or won't or cheat, A more cruel master you will not meet.

Your future is a choice, so make up your mind. Time stand not still, for all mankind, The passing moment, your jewel to treasure, So live out your dreams, a life of pleasure.

(I am not sure who to compliment for this poem, but it is really nice......)