Life's A Picnic

I've Got...The Bug

Did I tell you what a dreamboard was...is?

Well, when my life was a bit shitty after the 'best, worst friend, husband thingy stuff going on, my brother bought me a bit of white board about 3 ft by 2 ft. He told me to stick up cuttings of stuff that I wished, liked, wanted on there. Try it yourself, if you're ever feeling a bit low or want to feel inspired. So, off I went to the supermarket and bought the following magazines: Classic Car, Yachting World, Country Living, A Place In The Sun, GQ and Men's Health. I picked out all sorts of stuff and began my collage. ranging from tropical shores, an Oyster Yacht, Jaguar XK150 'S' 3.8 litre Roadster (cream with red leather seats), 1958 2220S Ponton Cabrilolet (silver with red leather seats), a hammock between 2 palm trees, a log cabin, bunting, cool wedding cake, a families legs and shoes in a line on the beach, cool kids in funky, shabby chic clothes playing in the woods, a wall display of family framed photos, an indoor swimming pool, a luxurious bath, some poetic quotes, some stripy and dotty cutlery, a picture of Uma Thurman and a pic of a Great White shark. Hmmm....now...

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It's The Animal Protection League Calling...

Let me set the scene. January this year, I was sat at my desk, being intermittently distracted from accounts to a dating website, when the phone rings and I put on my telephone voice to say, '' Hello, Liz speaking.''

The chap on the other end of the line was making an enquiry for The Picnic Boat.He was interested in booking a trip as a present from 'The Animal Protection Society' for two of it's oldest members. I talked about the various trips on offer and he started asking me how easy would it be for me to get them on board; did the deck have a good non slip surface and also was there a toilet on board. I answered all these questions and as he was implying they were both quite old, I asked what sort of age. To which he responded both one hundred! A little unusual I thought, but carried on, suggesting he consisted a shorter trip for them, so they wouldn't need the loo and so on.

He liked the look of The Lobster Lunch and decided that was what he was most keen on for them, but before he booked he wanted to ask me a few questions regarding the source of the fish. Fine I said.How are the lobsters caught he asked. I replied telling him by a fisherman with a lobster pot.How were they cooked? In a pan of boiling water I said and not by me, by the fisherman. He started to go on about animal welfare and at this point I was thinking, Ok, I've had enough of this now. Is this guy a bit of a pain? So I asked him how would his Animal Protection Society suggest the lobsters are caught and cooked for future reference. He replied that it would be ideal to pick out the older lobster and to cook them in overly salted water which would be more like their natural enviroment. Oh my God I thought! Ok then, so I said could I take his name and details.

''It's Chris,'' he said.

''Chris,'' he added with his surname. Up on the screen I had the details up of a guy with the same name on the dating site that I had been emailing for a couple of weeks. I looked at his picture. I held my hand over the phone's mouth piece and burst out laughing. Could this be the same guy doing a massive wind up on me? I had to think in a flash. What if it were genuine and I replied words to the effect of, ''You ....tard!'' This wouldn't be good if the call was a coincidence and a real enquiry would it?! So, I carried on. ''Can i take your address sir? Your phone number?'' He gave me these and then said.

''No, Lizzie. You haven't got it, have you? It's Chris.''

Of course, then I did reply, ''You absolute bloody b......d!!''

And this, was the first time we had ever spoken.

Dog Lover's and Autumn

You know how I love my dog? I guess you do. Well tonight was our first winter beach walk and it was none other than LUSH! A damp evening causing the near sunset behind all the cloud to give off a wonderful light and rolling, mixed up waves to the beach and a beach full of happy dog owners. Millie was truly pleased to know that yes, it was official, she can once again enjoy many, many winter walks on our lovely beaches. And I was pleased, because there is nothing I love more than any type of day on the beach. I love the wet days, I love the cold crisp, blue sky days, I love the hot days, I love the windy days when the sand blows hard like a Sahara sand.

My dog was smiling. And so was I!

More reasons for me to smile this Autumn...

Toastie fires, hot chocolate's, kicking up autumnal colored leaves from the trees, the welcoming lights on in the houses in the dark of night offering a cozy warmth, the sight of the Kingfisher on the river banks, the spider's web with a pearly dew, the acorn's crushed on the ground and the busy squirrels.

My Castle, My Home

My lovely little boat has done ok enough to give me a little bit of money towards the winter months. This is great, as it means, despite the rubish summer we have had, I have built The Picnic Boat up to become a proper, real thing, business.

However it does not leave me not having the next 6 months off by any means. Still alot of hard work needed to pay all the bills and the wondering of how to do this.I'm very lucky, because I trained at the famous Norland College as a nursery nurse and this means I can ring the job agency at the college tommorrow and line up some temp jobs for the winter season. This jobs pay incredibly well.It does though, take me away from my home, Millie, my new B & B. At least if I find myself short, there is a way out.

Tonight I came back from a 3 day weekend away, leaving someone else to take care of the boat trips, unlocked the door to a very welcoming Millie and my beautiful house. Sat on the sofa now writing this, with Millie beneath me on the floor, Michael Palin's New Europe on in the background, the lights on gently, I'm lapping up how much I love what I've created.

There's no place like home. A safety net. A place to love. Full of my things. Full of warmth and now, happy to share it with guests of the b & b kind. I have to keep it. What ever I do, I must kep my home and the boat.

Great Britain

I set off yesterday by 7.30 and made an intentional stop at Fistral Surf Co. surf shop .This place is not far from Plymouth on the main road to Cornwall. A good choice of clothes, boards and suits. Bit understaffed though, however a good sale on and for me, away from the hassle of buying in town. Everything under one roof with parking right outside. By 9.30 I had tried on 4 wetsuits and almost worked up a sweat! Came away with 3 birthday presents I needed to buy, a cool Billabong suit for me, boogie board and boogie board bag.Have to say, it felt great finally buying this stuff as it had sort have been on my wish list and I saw it as a reward after not only working my arse off last week, but bringing in a very healthy sum of money.

Cornwall was gorgeous. I was in the water boogie boarding at 3.30pm just this afternoon at Perrinporth beach. Yesterday I surprised my friend Liz and we all went to Godrevey. No dogs allowed there, so I left them all to it and hiked with my new board, wetsuit and Millie along the cliff tops to the beach much further up where dogs were allowed. We had just the best time and I know thats funny, just my dog and me, but it's true! Straight in the water with Millie following. She was grabbing the board in her mouth and trying to tow it and me back to the beach. Hilarious! Then on the beach she did this thing where she goes completely nuts, like she had a firework up her arse running round and round. We both lay drying off in the sun for a while and drifting off before the hike back to meet the others.

Mr X met us after work and the two of us went back surfing. A beautiful summers evening, in the water 8 o'clock at night, rolling waves with the sun in the distance ahead of us and people taking in the best part of the day.

Back at the campsite later, we erected my £29.99, 2 man tent from Millets and set up the bed. Mr X didn't look too happy about the size of the tent and the quantity or lack of good gear, by way of comfort and warmth. To this I just said it was a little adventure, so to make the most of it. When we finally made it to bed, we lay in this tiny tent and just sort of giggled like school kids.

So come on, don't sit and watch the rubbish on the box. Do whatever takes your fancy. Life's an adventure if you want it to be. Do something different. We live in the most stunning country that is Great Britain and I'm just pleased I'm finally appreciating this country more and more.

Life's What You Make it

I made a decision that this year would be exceptional. I would (pardon the pun), push the boat out on all areas of my life and so far it all seems to be pulling off.

One element that I decided I would change would be to expand my social network of friends and to use my boat as host. I always loved having dinner parties at home, but decided The Picnic Boat would be the new venue. That way, although there was still work involved for me, I would get to enjoy 'me' time and 'friend' time.

Sunday night saw the first of these parties and it was brilliant! A mix of neighbours, friends younger and older. Everybody bought a dish with them, so we had yummy canapes done by David and Holly Jones (Manna From Devon Foods), Rich & Hailey brought two delicious salads, Marilyn brought an amazing cheese plate & blackberry posit, Nicky brought a fantastic home made raspberry Pavlova, Rob some delicious breads from Occombe Farm deli and I brought a quiche. There was sparkling wine, rose and red wines. The weather rained on us the whole time, but that only added to the atmosphere.

So. 11 of us cruised from Kingswear to Dittisham, picked up a mooring buoy and sat under cover in the rain for 3 hours eating and drinking and talking. It truly was special and just added or should I say re assured why people love The Picnic Boat. She's not a huge, flash, snazzy boat, but she's cute, quaint and with lots of character and style.

Roll on the next party on !st July. So life is what you make it. A few so simple things can make huge changes. I wonder what the next lot will bring to the table?!

A Break In St Ives

I have just spent a miniature, minuscule two and a half days on holiday in St Ives, Cornwall. My friends had hired a wagon, trailer, caravan thinghy for the week and I invited myself down to butt in. And glad I did. Despite the strong winds and the heavy, heavy rain I loved it.

St Ives is a pretty, pretty place. Kingswear and Dartmouth might be prettier though, but St Ives has beautiful beaches and I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, the beach.

So nice to spend some quality time with my friends and their children and great to get away from home and explore some where new.

Inspiration for May then?

A sort of poem, but not...

Whats inspiring me at the moment, in general, this April?

The bluebells in the woods. Deep purple surrounded by green.

The warmth of the sun during the day.

And the thunderstorm occurring with the hard rain..right now!

My dog, lying asleep, on my bare feet, hiding from the storm.

This blog, with it's opportunities.

My close friends children, growing everyday.

The blue and white check summer dress, that I saw my Goddaughter in this morning,bringing back many happy childhood summer memories!

The uncertainty, that whatever path my life takes next I certainly don't know what it will be.

And the river....as always.