2020: The beginnings.

From nine people aboard, the Smalls and I went and stayed with SWWNBB in an AirBnB in Taroona – a very beautiful suburb, but lacking any shop whatsoever. Woe betide if you run out of milk or tea. They had a little Belling stove and a great vegetable patch!! It was an awesome house and we are very grateful to SWWNBB to letting us stay. Small Z defected after a day or so, but Small DB and I stayed a week. She cooked this amazing dinner for her sister’s birthday – oh, how she longs for an oven!

We op-shopped, visited the Botanical Gardens and took our hosts for birthday breakfast at the wonderful Cat Cafe. Then we op-shopped like demons and got some seriously good reading matter, as well as a suitcase for Small DB for our impending journey to see the Mothership.

During my time as a Taroona dweller I went out on my own (!) at night (!!) to the Brisbane Hotel (an excellent venue) and saw my friends in their production of Rocky the Third – it was great!! (And I’m not just saying that because they are my friends – it’s very funny.)

In my head I had presumed that they would have a million people they needed to catch up with and things to do – but no! They were happy to come for a sail out across Storm Bay with Small Z, M and I. It was so lovely to spend time with them – for years we have only caught up with them at birthday parties or housewarmings, so it was serendipitous opportunity! ❤️

We returned to Bella Luna and the Smalls had a brief respite from socialising as we moved in between our mooring at Sandy Bay, the jetty at Bellerive, and the city.

About four days after returning to the boat, the Smalls and I flew to Melbourne to hang with the Mothership and assist in celebrating her 70th birthday. She had organised for me, my siblings and our offspring to go on a one week cruise on the Queen Elizabeth. WHAT THE? More about that here…