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Diana Naindenel
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Jun 06 2020
Inspiring Prep Time
Patrik and I have been busy in preparing for the sooooo loooooong desired green light to travel to Loano!
Well, since the 03rd June the border to Italy is officially open, but we decided to wait until mid July. Firstly we can’t take vacation right now, plus we want to see how the new situation develops.
But I must say it was worth it to have a bit of extra time!
Among other things we ordered – and meanwhile received – an anchor chain counter. Since we have no marks on the chain, we first planned to do it by hand.
You know, winding off the whole anchor chain on to our pontoon, rinse off the sea water, let it dry and then mark every ten meter with colour. Let it dry again and – voilà – a whole day would have been wasted successfully used!
On second thoughts, however, this procedure has to be done every, or every second year. Plus, what’s more worrying, the tiny colour particles would be lost in the oceans and consequently pollutes it with microplastic! Not a sexy thought!
And the colourful plastic clips you can buy and attach to the chain will surely get lost sooner or later – so no option either!
Well, therefore we decided to buy a whole new remote control, incl. counter! (pssst…. Plus we only have to do the work ONCE, which probably will take a day too, but that’ll be done once and for good …hehe 😉!)
What else did we purchase….? Ah, yes, finally a rope cutter! We read about it a lot and still weren’t convinced if we need one (the price was also worth an thought). But since we do have a sailing yacht which naturally includes a lot of ropes…… *check*
Then we invested in safety, such as a new fire blanket, in order to replace the old one, which must be the original one (= 15 years). Also automatic extinguisher for the engine room. It will be triggered as soon as the temperature rises above 93 deg. C. Then a portable VHF as a backup and for contact marinas durring arrival.
And two life lines. We still need to buy the safety lines to mount on the boat, but we need to measure her exact length first.
Another topic was storing veggies and fruits aboard.
A lot of times we have seen (fishing-?) nets hanging from the ceiling, with two hooks attached on each end. They look like mini hammocks. Apparently, that’s the most efficient way, and the food stays fresh. But where do you get these nets?
Patrik read on one of the blogs that railing net simply does the job – cheap and functional!
Great! So I started to think about how to do these things in a nice-looking way…. I might be able to sell them to other sailors, who knows?! Definitely worth a try!
Meanwhile, Patrik found railing net on SVB’s website (as so many other cool gadgets), by the meter! So after considering, how many meters I might need – for a start – he simply decided on 30m!!! hmmmm….
OK, in case I won’t be producing tons of these veggie-/ fruit “hammocks”, we still could make our Luna Azzurra safer….
Nevertheless, theory seemed a lot simpler than the actual making. It took me a couple of hours – and countless tries opening the unsuccessfully created ends again – to figure out the neatest way! And, ta-daaaa, it’s even a looker 😊
Other colours will follow later. Among with possible slight changes in the hangers – design still under construction 😉
And the name? “Catch of the Day”, of course?! *chuckle*
I’ve ordered a number of these labels a while ago, for another project actually. So they come quite handy now!
Ready for takeoff
We wish you all a great time and take care!
May 23 2020
Happy Day !
Thursday was a holiday this week, therefore, Patrik and I took Friday off as well.
The whole week the weather did what it was supposed to do at this time of the year: Shine and be warm!
Well, until Saturday afternoon at least, then it changed to rain and the temperatures dropped below 20 deg. C. So today we have a mix with clouds, sunshine and rain. Tomorrow should be better again according to the forecast.
Anyway, on Thursday afternoon Patrik and I visited my parents! They invited us for pizza to say thank you, as we did some grocery shopping for them a while ago.
Meanwhile they do their shopping by themselves again, with the necessary caution of course.
It was so fantastic to see them finally again, in spite of keeping the recommended distance…. that felt a bit strange indeed, without hugs and kisses (we are a very emotional family 😉). But we were more than happy to see each other and to see that they are safe and sound!
Always busy with their bees – at this time of the year especially, their house and gardens (my mums flowers and my dads veggies, fruit trees and berries).
As usual, when you have a good time, time flew by! We had a lot to talk about and catch up with things, and it became clear that a phone call (however long) does not replace a personal visit!
The homemade pizza was superb, as usual, as was the wine, and coffee and desert later! Thanks again Mum and Dad, it was wonderful to see you again 😊. Next time it will be at our place!
By the way, as you probably guessed, Patrik and I cannot travel to Loano next week…… The borders between Switzerland and Italy are still closed. Understandable of course, but nevertheless a little disappointing….
My parents would have driven to Loano as well and we would have met and enjoyed a few days together…. Well, we postponed it and hope we can make it up sometime during the summer!
We wish you all a great weekend – take care and stay healthy!
PS: Regrettably we forgot to take more pics….for example at the beginning with champagne and aperitif. We were too excited, I guess….
May 09 2020
Quo Vadis?
A very philosophical start, isn’t it?
Well, as everyone else, Patrik and I won’t get any younger (OK, Patrik stays “25 Plus” forever…. *haha*). Those of you, who know us, also know about our future plan/dream: To spend our (remaining) lives aboard our own ship – preferably a well equipped catamaran!
So far, we planned and worked for that aim. We completed the necessary education, read tons of books and even rented specifically a Leopard twice, in order to get a feeling for a multihull.
We experienced fantastic summer weather in the Med, but also quite uncomfortable winds, storms & rain (a lot), and even leakage into our cabin.
Nevertheless, in the end Patrik and I were convinced, that’s the life we want and we definitely found the perfect type of boat for us – and Odin The Admiral – of course! With…erm…. just one tiny little flaw….no suitable (mostly moneywise) cat was within reach!
In the end, we bought LUNA AZZURRA in 2018, a 2005 Bavaria 42 Cruiser, in 2018! Admittedly, we were incredibly lucky and she was a bargain! Mint condition and she turned out to be absolutely reliable.
The big “BUT” though remained, that she isn’t a cat and we actually thought of her more as a business model and holiday yacht for us. But permanently living on her wasn’t really an option for us.
However, time went, we read more books and blogs about others who have fulfilled their dreams and live aboard a ship – on cat’s but also on smaller ones than LUNA AZZURRA. We also informed ourselves what such a life actually costs. And we mean the TOTAL-TOTAL costs for two people, from paying the monthly pension fund, over to overwinter in a marina, travelling home from time to time, down to buying toilet paper. We came to an amount of CHF 3’000.- per month – and that’s for both of us (including Odin)!
Well, it slowly occurred to us that, by continuing dreaming about a catamaran we probably would never be able to live our dreamlife and sail away from the rat race we want to escape. We would continue to chase our dream and in ten years we would still be here. With the difference that until then we most likely wouldn’t want to do it anymore, we probably would have lost the enthusiasm, the drive so to say, plus I can imagine we would be worn out talking and planning our life on board, without it ever happening. Plus with over sixty starting a brand-new life? I’m not sure if Patrik and I are the kind of people who would do that…Or maybe we are…?!
Anyway, lately we’ve started to consider if maybe a life on board LUNA AZZURRA could be possible. After all, we do own a well-sized boat in super condition!
I mean, if we could sell our house with the desired profit, we could live an easy life for ten years. Exploring the Med, visit all the beautiful islands, gather impressions and experience – and just enjoy our so long dreamed dream! And in ten years, we would be near to retirement, and we would draw our pension.
It does sound very tempting, doesn’t it?
Another thought to get it finally done is that now we both are motivated and healthy! We wish we would be ten years younger, though… But who knows what happens in the future…in five years, in two months? One could get seriously sick or has an accident.
Wouldn’t it be bitter having to admit, that instead of daring our adventure, we wasted all the time in finding excuses and 100% security?
Soooooo, as a first step, Patrik and I have started to write a list, what has to be done on our monohull yacht to life a comfortably life on board. Some major things need to be changed, for example we need solar panels and a watermaker, then an inverter, a generator/batteries…… then simpler stuff, like a washing machine, a new mattrass in the master cabin, probably a new stove…. Well, the list is quite long and growing 😉.
Right now, we give ourselves two years to complete the tasks. Until then we’ll be 55, which seems just in time to start our new lives! We’ll see what happens next, right?!
In this spirit:
May 02 2020
Glimmer of Hope
.Welcome to May, everyone!
So far, Patrik, Odin and I continue to be happy and – most of all – healthy! Patrik is still doing home office and – luckily – I still drive to work every day.
On Friday, 1st of May we were off work and my qualifying period has ended. – three months already gone – so on Thursday my boss and I had the mandatory chat. I can stay!
Meanwhile, some restrictions have been loosened. Hairdressers, cosmetic and nail studios, tattoo shops, garden centers and hardware stores were allowed to open again last Monday!
Also, the restaurants, bars and pubs will be allowed to open on the 11th of May. With restrictions of course, not more than 4 people per table. or a family and the distance between a group of people must be 2 meters. I bet the owners are super happy!
We heard in the news, that Italy also starts to loosen their cutback, like some shops will open soon. Schools remain closed though, until September. Travelling too is still very limited within Italy….
Nevertheless, Patrik and I keep our hopes high that end of May people may be allowed to visit Italy – even if still limited. We keep our vacation plans so far for week 22 and hope pray we will be able to visit our Luna Azzurra.
By now it’s pretty tough to see the marina through the webcam and not being able to be there. The only (little) consolation is that no one else is being in the marina and/or on their yachts. But still…..
It just would have been nice to get all the work done on the boat, which was planned doing on the Easter Weekend.
We still have the last three weeks in August planned for our sailing vacation…… If not end of May, we hope that at least in August it will be allowed travelling to Italy again (a lot of “hopes” in this post…haha…..)!
Nevertheless, meanwhile we enjoy the local aspargus season and look forward to the first Swiss strawberries, which will be ready soon! *yummy*
All righty, that’s us for this week! Be good and stay healthy 😊
Apr 11 2020
EASTER GREETINGS
As most of you guys know, Patrik and I would actually be in Loano since yesterday.
To be with Luna Azzurra and work as much as possible on her. The new sprayhood would be fitted, the length of the anchor chain measured (we still have no meter marks on the chain – yet) and a lot of other small things would have been accomplished.
Well, as instructed, we stay at home instead. At least the weather is fantastic, sunny and between 20 and 24 deg. C! Plus we keep Odin company and didn’t have to arrange for a cat sitter. Which is a good thing!
This afternoon we’ll go shopping again for my parents. So we get to get out nevertheless…
Anyway, we would like to send our best wishes to you all, stay well and enjoy the little things in life!
Have a gorgeous Easter Weekend!
Mar 29 2020
Greetings !
We hope you’re all well.
So are we, coping with this new life, like everyone else.
Luckily, Patrik doesn’t show any symptoms of a cold, so his guest room time will be over today. He’ll still be working from home, though.
I’m glad that our company is still open and functioning. Although, with less people. Many have to stay at home, since they belong to the high risk group. That means not enough people in some productions departments.
Since our office is pretty quiet at the moment, I offered to help out wherever needed. So last week I worked at the cable confection. Instead of approx. 10 people they are reduced to 2-3, trying hard to keep up the production.
I enjoy working there. Despite the crisis, people are in good spirit and we do have a good laugh every now and then. Plus I learn a lot, how things are done! A win-win situation, indeed!
Igor from Albenga, Italy, told Patrik about his and Donatella’s last grocery shopping. Apparently, some people haven’t lost their humour and are creative. Look at the cheese they’ve found *hahaha*
Besides all this Corona influenced situation, nature’s wildlife continues, as usual: Birds are building their nests, collecting small branches, moss and hay – Odin’s winter hair as well – in order to make it as warm and comfy as possible for their little ones.
A week ago I’ve heard martens on our roof. Chasing each other and playing, I suppose. Well, as long as they stay outside, I’m happy for them!
Yesterday, Patrik and I went grocery shopping for my parents. Finally they agreed, that maybe they should take our offer and let us do that for them. It was quite awkward, leaving the shopping at their front door and only talk to my mum, from the distance, when she opened a window. No aperitif as we would have done normally….
Afterwards, I called Pascale, our friend in Luxembourg. It was her birthday and of course, she also had to stay at home, no dinner in a nice restaurant for her. Well, we clinked our glasses through Whatsapp!
All right, that’s all for now. We wish you all the best and stay safe!
Mar 21 2020
The Madness Continues…
Well, last Saturday, the Swiss border allowed Patrik to enter the country, after his skiing holiday in Austria!
However, he wasn’t allowed into our bedroom…. We’ve made that decision as a precaution after we’d said “hello” (with the necessary distance, of course). We’ll keep it like that for another week, so it’s a bit of a strange situation at home, saying good morning and good night without a kiss or a hug. I think Odin also looks a little bit confused…
It might sound ridiculous and I never thought we would go that far. But as everyone knows, the situation changes continuously, so better safe than sorry, right!?
The irony is, while he was in Austria, I actually sent him a WhatsApp (as a joke) that he would find his sleeping bag and food for two weeks in our basement… *hahaha*
His Swedish friend Lasse, who he’d spent the week with, had a worrying moment on his drive home. Suddenly the news said that Denmark had closed its borders, so how should Lasse get to Sweden? In the end, transit was allowed and he arrived at home on Sunday evening.
Since Monday all schools, non-food shops, restaurants, bars, gyms, hairdressers….you name it, are closed! Only grocery shops and pharmacies are open! And people a going nuts, by doing panic buying (especially toilet paper….God knows why….?!).
And in some shops, even fresh food is sold out, ridiculously enough! I mean how long can you keep fruits, vegetables and salad fresh? There will be tons of food waste, I’m sure of it and it makes me so angry!
Anyway, since Tuesday Patrik is doing home office. Not only him, though, but the whole company is shut down until April 03rd.
I’m wondering how long we, in my company, are allowed to go to work…. hmmm, so far, so good – finger’s crossed!
On Wednesday evening I was greeted not only by Patrik, but a beautiful flower bouquet! He had to go somewhere during the day and saw a flower shop which had placed a trailer filled with flowers and a sign saying “For Free”.
That was a lovely gesture, instead of throwing away all the innocent plants! (And of Patrik of course, by thinking of me 😉)
This evening we actually wanted to meet our friends M&M’s….. Well, we agreed to skip it for now and will find another date instead….that’s really sad!
At least the weather is wonderful and “spring-ish”. So everyone who’s is forced to be home, can at least enjoy a nice promenade – certainly alone or with the appropriate distance – or do some gardening!
But hey, you know what? I believe we have a silent winner here: The environment and the wildlife!
Suddenly, people are doing home office, travelling less, cancelling journeys and holidays. This means less flights, less cars, generally less traffic, which causes less pollution. Plus ski resorts for example have been closed down recently, so finally animals – who’s natural habitat are the mountains – have their peace and quiet back. I bet they appreciate it a lot!
And have you seen the pictures and YouTube videos from Venice and Cagliari in Italy? The canals are suddenly clear and with fishes in it. And dolphins are visiting the harbours and its surroundings! Clearly they appreciate having their habitat back for themselfes. Fantastic!
So that’s the other side of the coin, a bit after Monty Pythons’s saying: Always look at the bright side of life 😊
S/V Luna Azzurra
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