We have left the boat in Malta on the hard getting lots of work done. Mostly cosmetic on a 12 year old boat but some general servicing too. While the boat was out of the water we stayed in a large comfortable apartment right on the waterfront. Very cheap off season.
Malta is a lovely ancient quirky place that we are looking forward to exploring more when we return from Australia.
Well, where to start to catch up! Three months worth since leaving Malta and the boat and arriving back here to bushfires. Luckily Brisbane was largely spared but it didn’t stop a haze of smoke hanging around for many days. Our house at Cowan Cowan on Moreton Island narrowly escaped with a bush fire right to the side of the township track. We were in the air on the way home so didn’t hear anything for a few days! Bit nerve wracking. Since then there have been severe floods and Corona Virus.
We had two lovely stays over at Cowan with visits from friends at various times. The weather was lovely and the house and gardens were looking fabulous. All credit to our managing agents. We took over two new couches to replace our rather old worn ones and they look good.
It has been a very busy trip back this year as not only did we have our usual catching up with friends and family but we had met a few new Brisbane people sailing who were also home for Christmas and it was good to see them again. Tam and Bronwyn we met in Tunisia and Craig and Nelli we met in Menorca. A group of us all made up a team for the Story Bridge Hotel annual Australia Day Cockroach Races. It was a lot of rather silly fun. The annual round of doctors, dentists, accountants etc took up time but all went well. We’ll both live to sail another day. Tam invited us sailing on his racing yacht out on Moreton Bay. It’s very fast and enters the Brisbane to Gladstone race among others. There were 14 crew and us. After the first two tacks we were told to get in the cockpit for the rest of the time – hot much help I think! It cured Peter of ever going mono sailing!! Lot of fun though. We started last and came 3rd. They have a good chance of winning this years Brisbane to Gladstone at Easter.
while we were away this year the Howard Smith Wharves redevelopment was completed. Very impressive dining indoor and outdoor precinct right in our back yard under the Story Bridge. A few meals were had there…..
We also spent a night in Springbrook with Pete’s long time work associate Bob and his wife Mary. They have a fantastic home here where they make the wine they grow at their Kerry property. I only wish I had taken some photos of the wine cellar and bottling area - very atmospheric. They originally bought the house as an owner build from a hippy, you can imagine what a clever renovation has created.
To add to our general busyness we decided to take the Kangaroo Point unit out of the holiday let pool and renovate it to keep for our own use in the future. So this has entailed all sorts of running around to kitchen people, flooring people, builders etc. In a giant leap of faith we are having it done while we are away this year. I am confident in the people we have chosen and we will be able to be in touch the whole time by email. Fingers crossed. Actually I think it will be easier for them not having to work around us – certainly for us anyway!
There are now only a few days till be travel back to Malta amid all the panic and uncertainty of CV. We’ll obviously be taking all precautions but as we are not going through bad outbreak areas all should be OK.