Why?

Having taken life's knocks for a little too long I've decided to assume control of my destiny just short of reaching 70.  Too late?  Not likely!  Life ain't over yet.

Last summer I let my cottage to a guy I thought was a friend.  Boy was I wrong.  Many of you will know who I mean. He certainly will!  He abused my home, ran up massive phone bills calling sex lines, failed to pay rent and lied and lied when I took him to court.  Did I win my case?  Oh yes.  Did I get a penny of the £000s he owes me?  Oh no.  The courts protect vermin like this. The honest ones pay.  So I've learnt my lesson and now I call the tune.  I don't suppose my inate character has changed but my outlook on life has, just a little.  Enough of my griping.  We're here to have fun and I hope you'll join me along the way.

A little history

Last year I bought a yacht. It's not a fabulous yacht, except to me.  It won't win any trophies for design or racing prowess.  But it satisfies me.  And that's important. I still swear at it when it shows a mind of its own.  I still complain when I bang my head for the umpteenth time on the cabin door frame or stub my toe on the genoa track ( I know I shouldn't be on deck in bare feet, but I make the rules here).  

Lying at anchor in the back of beyond with a glass of whatever in my hand is a real pleasure.  And that is what I am seeking as I approach 70.  The taxman can holler all he likes.  I don't care.  David Cameron can postulate till the cows come home, I'm not listening.  I'm surprised anyone does. I do today what I want to do today.  Not what some self appointed bureaucrat tells me what to do.  I bend to the wind and toe the line - just.  But I don't let it dictate to me.  No one has that right.

So here I am in the Baltic.  The Aland Isles in Finland to be precise. I sailed here from Scotland last year. I hadn't done much single handed sailing until then, just a little in the Med and Adriatic.  Now I can add the Baltic.  It's nice here.  People are clean living and friendly.  But they still know how to charge.  It cost me 69 Euros this morning to have a new co-axial cable fitting fitted to my VHF radio antenna.  It took the guy less than15 minutes. He said it needed a 'special tool'. But good luck to him, he had the tool!  Tomorrow I'm off to Rodhamn, a tiny island and one of my favourite harbours. A lady travels from Sweden each summer with her two young daughters to run the (only) shop and harbour 'office' there.  I doubt she'll be there tomorrow since the season hasn't started yet and her daughters are probably still at school. That's a shame because the smoked fish she sells and fresh bread she bakes are worth the visit. She's also good looking. But I'll catch her on the way back, hopefully.