The blog

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Jan
25

…stimulating my grey matter…

Hello there one and all (more likey to be one than all at this point)
After fervent cajoling from various members of my family and an inate desire to “contribute” to this new fangled phenomenon of cyber space everyone is “twitter-booking” about, I thought I’d bring to the table a short composition intermittently to let you all know whats going on throughout my international globe trotting adventures.

Imminently, I am about to embark on what is rather an epic series of journeys, even by my standards, as on Saturday I leave the UK for what will be six weeks in total. Thanks to the current state of the British Economy, I have taken what appears to be a sagacious decision in principle to “get my head down” and deposit six weeks of solid earnings into the bottomless pool that is ones mortgage debt, in an attempt to switch to a better deal on my return. And whilst my finances are doubtless of little or no interest to you, now you understand my motivation for my self imposed excile on the seven seas, you might show me an occasional iota of sympathy if I wander into the realms of feeling ever so slightly sorry for myself on the world wide web.

I ordinarily take much shorter contracts than these with regular flights back to the UK and therefore some semblence of normality. Whilst that qualifies me not only for a plethora of various airline loyalty schemes and an indepth knowledge of world wide panini fillings (an airport favourite internationally, I discover) I think the best way to acheive my said goals is to grit my teeth and get on with it .All at once…so I cant spend the money on shoes!!
Saturday 7am sees me take my first flight to Miami to perform at the Addison Reserve Golf Club Delray beach’s annual cancer fundraiser. And whilst I appreciate a lassy from Lancashire might not be the obvious choice for Joy and Russ leavitt, responsible for helping to organise the event, I was lucky enough to make their acquaintance onboard a ship last year and subsequently am very much looking forward to re visiting their home. They were kind enough to accomodate my husband Steve and I on a recent pre cruise christmas visit to Florida in their splendid home on the reserve, and in return for Steve giving Russ the occasional bunker lesson (my husband is a golf pro for those of you who were unaware) they made us the best breakfasts we’ve ever had. If you’ve been lucky enough to try a “Flagel” you’ll know why.
Sunday the 30th January is the show at the golf reserve and then at some point that week I will be making my way down to Barbados to join the “Windsurf” on Sunday, the worlds largest sailing yacht at sea. At a little over 300 passengers, its an intimate and incredibly personable vessel, on which I was fortunate enough to perform several times last year, and indeed where I met Joy and Russ. (and Alan and Joan…hi Alan and Joan!!) Its the largest of three vessels in the Windstar fleet and will be “home” for me for the duration of the 4 x 1 week itineraries around the caribbean islands I am to be a part of during the month of February. After the harsh winter we’ve experienced in the UK in 2010 (well, you did, I was in Singapore, Chile, Brazil, Bali…etc) I must say the prospect of a permanent tan and the excellent hospitality onboard and what I deem to be the BEST BED I’ve EVER slept in would lead you believe I am indeed the luckiest woman on the planet. And that I am. No complaints coming from this corner. I am effectively being paid to sit on a sunlounger for four weeks and drag myself to the lounge for two shows a cruise. Stupidly easy job… I know. But obviously there is some level of personal sacrifice involved in undertaking a contract of any length…and there are some things I will miss… a lot.
However, throughout the next six week I endeavour to mildly entertain myself updating this “blog” (sounds like a blocked bowel to me!!) and letting you in on some of the stories and adventures, folks I meet, places I see and with as little meretriciousness as possible.
Thanks for joining the “following”
Keep me updated on what you’re up to.

And before I leave… a huge thank you to everyone whos mademy current international venture possible… by supporting me on my 84 flights a year, listening to me whine on when I miss connections, lose my luggage, get heckled, miss home and all the other tribulations involved in living life as a veritable sea-gypsy
You know who you are

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