Update from England: Minnie, festive food and ankles.

It was a quiet time on the home front over the Christmas and New Year period for us. Minnie, our beloved girl, continues to amaze us with her strength and determination.  Here she is on Christmas Day…

Minnie.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes.

She is no longer able to use her hind leg other than as aid to balance, but she gamely hops about on her other three legs and continues to enjoy life. Naturally she is unable to go out for any long walks but fortunately she remains unfazed by the fact. She loves to lie outside on an assortment of mats and rugs which keep her off the wet ground.  She sniffs the air with appreciation and is alert, keeping an interested eye on all that is going on around her. And lets us know in no uncertain terms when she thinks we're not paying enough attention to her. Minx!

One of Minnie's skills is being able to 'tell' us what she needs or wants and so far, it's been fairly easy to tell when she's in pain, when we need to up the medication etc. I'm very conscious of her comfort levels and very conscious that she needs to enjoy her life rather than just be alive/existing and have no enjoyment of the process.  As much as we want her to stay with us and for longer than is probably possible.

Our hens often keep her company or, should I say, try to keep her company. She has always been slightly wary, a little nervous of them. Unusual for a Labrador. Tilly, our senior hen, is determined to chat to Minnie and desperately tries to stay with her on the mats and cushions. Minnie remains unimpressed. 

Tilly hen and Minnie.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Minnie knows that she's now pretty vulnerable and becomes distressed if we both have to leave her alone in the house. So we make sure that at least one of us (Crew) is home all the time. Medications every 4 hours also means the alarm clock is set for 3am to ensure she remains pain-free.  Skipper does an amazing job looking after her, lifting and carrying her up and down the few steps in our little cottage.

Skipper's weightlifting exercises.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Evenings at home, in front of the fire with a book and a glass of wine have been relaxing and enjoyable. A time to chat and a time to cuddle our girl. Or to listen to her snoring loudly peacefully as she sleeps beside us. We have deliberately contracted our lives inwards so as to look after her and to keep her as happy and as comfortable as possible.

Sound asleep with her toys to keep her company.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes.

It's been a good time for Crew to recover from a rather nasty stupid fall she took on Pirramimma in late October. Several broken ribs, a colourful ankle/foot injury plus a fractured tibia have kept her on the quiet side of things. Annoyingly, it's all taken far longer to heal than Crew would have liked. Sorry, no pic of rib bruising!

Not so clever, but nice colours.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Fortunately, the Galley Slave kept us well fed and very content over the Christmas and New Year feasting festive period.  Vintage Champagne together with smoked salmon and sweet, brown prawn canapés kick-started the day…

Cheers!  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Mmmmmmm!   Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Followed by home made Gravad Lax with mustard dill sauce and sweet pickled, dill cucumbers…

Bright, fresh tastes and flavours…    Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

...before moving on to Hot, home smoked duck breasts - and for which I have no pic of the 'smoked/cooked' phase… just the lead-up to that point, I'm sorry… 

Duck breasts in the brown sugar salt 'cure'…  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

The 'curing' process complete and ready for smoking.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Galley Slave served the duck breasts with an assortment of roasted vegetables and her rather delicious Spicy Asian Coleslaw. This coleslaw regularly features as part of our in-cabin lunches on our ferry crossings to the Netherlands and Pirramimma. Made the night before we sail, it's absolutely delicious; we usually eat it served with some bbq chicken pieces and fresh bread rolls. We love it!

Galley Slave's excellent Spicy Asian Coleslaw in the making.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Our 'dessert' of Christmas pudding was also delicious though again, there's no photograph. Galley Slave whipped up a caramelised brandy, brown sugar and double cream sauce…..  mmmmmm!!

On Boxing Day, Galley Slave made a delicious Prawn and Fennel Risotto for our evening supper.  She made the seafood stock fresh on the day - prawn shells/heads and crab shells zapped in the pressure cooker with a melange of fresh tomatoes, carrots, onions, brandy and some other goodies - which made for some rather fabulous, heady aromas in the kitchen and which transported us, figuratively speaking, to the south of France.

Seafood stock, strained and cooling ready for use.  Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Fresh, Italian fennel bulb being sautéed in butter and olive oil for the risotto...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

before the Carnaroli (GS prefers it to arborio) rice was stirred into the mix.  Then the seafood stock, white wine, lemon juice and a large slug of Ricard for good measure and flavour. Five (yes, 5) minutes at high pressure in the pressure cooker. Then add the prawns and cook them through the risotto, stir in some grated Parmesan and some finely chopped dill. That's it...Serve and enjoy!

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

I hope you were able to relax and enjoy your Christmas/holiday period as much as we did. I have to admit that it seems such a long time ago now - hard to believe that January 2016 is well under way.  Here in Suffolk, England the days are already lengthening and the evenings are becoming lighter for longer. If that makes sense!  Galley Slave has been continuing the good work in the kitchen since the New Year - trying out lots of new recipes for Pirramimma's galley, making preserves and liqueurs to take with us for the summer cruising season.  But more on that for another blog post!

Vxxx

Gratitude: photographs and memories Part 2.

Happy New Year! I wish you a joyous, prosperous, healthy 2016, filled with laughter and friendship. Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

This post continues the theme of reflection and gratitude with some more photos from the many taken over the course of 2015. Looking through all the digital photo albums for these blog posts has forced me to look more closely and remember so many little details along the way of those cruises. Such a nice way to refresh my memory!

The photos that follow in this post are pretty much devoted to our summer cruise to Leeuwarden, Dokkum, the Reitdiep and onwards. It was a magical time even though the first part of the cruise included one of the worst storms in recent history in the Netherlands. We were fortunate to have sought a safe harbour earlier than most. 

This first photo was taken about 0730 hours, local time. The Deck Hand has just completed the morning duties of drying off the topsides and it's also just before we pushed away from our mooring in order to head to that safe harbour I mentioned.  The little sloep had motored past so quietly, so slowly. There was no other movement, no-one else to be seen. We pushed off the mooring so as not to wake anyone either. Who wants to hear the whine from bow and stern thrusters at that time of the morning!!     …Ssshhhhhh...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

In Leeuwarden we were able to snug down for the storm. This was taken early on the afternoon we arrived; after lunch and after a little jaunt to the excellent Friday market in town. And I *finally* found the glass/bottle disposal units: I couldn't find them on our first stay in the Prinsentuin. It's the little things sometimes...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

This photo was taken at the De Marrekrite mooring on the Dokkumer Ee waterway. We are looking southwards towards Leeuwarden and another heavy band of rain and wind is moving through.  This one missed us but the next one made sure to well and truly get us! And to wash the boat for us…

I know I shared this particular photo on my FB page but it's new, I think, to everyone else. This is the Dokkum windmill, Zeldenrust, which we were so fortunate to be able to moor beneath.  This photo was taken at 2150 hours on our first night in Dokkum. A brief respite from the torrential heavy rain, but it was still blowing the proverbial hoolie...  

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

This next photo has absolutely nothing to do with this cruise but I've thrown it in  for fun. It's the very charming little 'Welcome' gift we received when, back in June, we moored on the outskirts of the village of Wergea. Looking at it reminds me of the kindness and the happy conversation I had with the farmer who owns the land…  

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

A closer view of the little jachthaven we visited with Pottle on the Lauwersmeer...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

This time, Crew has the helm on Pottle. Taken on the little waterway to the village of Sauwerd, just off the Reitdiep…

Look closely and maybe you can see the canoe with the two gals paddling their way in what turned out to be circles. Never found out 'why' but maybe they'd dropped something overboard. Or rescued something. Or some other nice thing happened...

Funny; but I have absolutely no recollection of cruising under this set of power lines. Twice! Focus on the good things, the things that bring you joy…

The other side of little brug and sluis leading to the Reitdiep… we turned to starboard to return to Pirramimma…

We had visitors when we returned to Pirramimma...

Sleepy, hazy, lazy late afternoon sunshine. Taken from our aft deck at our nature mooring on the Reitdiep...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

A little later, mother and child paddled swiftly by - intent on finding their evening meal...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

The beginnings of another stunning sunset and looking in the other direction. Our visitors had by now moved on in their search for the perfect blade of grass. The reflections in the water entranced me...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Next day and we're moving down the Van Starkenborgh Kanaal towards our next overnight mooring near Earnewald. In the distance, one of the lifting brugs we had just cruised beneath. I love watching our wake and the path we've travelled just as much as I love looking ahead…

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Well. How could I resist...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

I took so many photos of this sunset but chose these three to show you. Absolutely no filter and no effects for any of them. The skies and the waterways in the Netherlands conspire together to provide the most stunning sunsets and sunrises. What a gift!...

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes

In the photo below, it's possible to just make out the stuurhut of the huge commercial barge which had just passed by. It's almost centre of the photo…

Photo copyright Veronica Hayes.

It's hard to go below decks on evenings such as these! I'm still mesmerised by and still grateful for these fabulous skies and waters. 

Vxx