frayed at the edge

Far-flung friends

When we were in Sydney, we visited our friends Lee and John, and their beautiful daughters Taylor and Lilly.  Taylor was busy studying for her major school-leaving exams, and Lilly had been singing with the school choir, so was still wearing her uniform.  With a bit of toing and froing, we tried to get everyone in the photos!

 

then it was on to Melbourne and my lovey quilty friends.  When we went for lunch, the lovely waitress patiently took photos of us all with various cameras ........ from left to right Helen, Meredithe, Maree, me and Karen

 

when we visited Patch n Quilt, Mary, the owner, was being in helped by her daughter Claire ....... quite a contrast to Claire's proper job of midwife.  Claire was so lovely that I decided to adopt her -she was quite agreeable, as she fancied travelling overseas to her new home!

 

at the weekend, we were entertained by the seal, who had caught what looked like a salmon and was tucking into it  with relish (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

there weren't very many swans about - this one appeared this morning before it was fully light

 

yesterday, just as it was geting dark, this boat appeared and came in to the the dock at such a speed I only just managed to get a photo as it came through the opening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

then I got up this morning just in time to see the boat leaving, with lights blazing

 

to finish, I know some of you have been worried about the recent lack of sconnage in our diet ....... but we put that right yesterday, with this magnificent cheese and spring onion beauty!

 

 

When does a boat .......

......... become a ship?  I'm not too sure, but we certainly had several to see over the weekend.  When we arrived on Saturday morning, this one was being unloaded

 

and by the time we came back from a walk, the tide was up and the pilot boat

 

was supervising the ship turning

 

and leaving the dock

 

over in the corner, a small boat was being lowered into the water

 

I wonder if it is against regulations to stand on the boat while it is being lowered, especially when not wearing a life jacket (given how obsessed with elf'n'safety this country has become)

 

after the pilot boat had seen the ship safely on its way, it about turned and brought in another ship ....... but not before this yacht came in

 

after some discussion with someone on the dockside, the yacht left again, getting clear before the big ship came in

 

again the pilot boat supervised, as the ship turned and moved sideways, to moor across the top of the dock

 

I didn't see the small boat being lifted out of the dock, but caught it being deposited on the dockside

 

then yesterday evening, just as it was getting dark, Malcolm saw this beauty arrive offshore

 

as the tide was high, we hoped that it would come into the dock, but it stayed offshore

 

it was still there this morning, when we, and the sun, got up

 

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you what we did yesterday, and I'll finish with some photos of the seal, who is as elusive as ever!