Well, What A Year That Was!

 Finally got around to another post!

Well, 2021 flew by, I can't keep up with how fast time is going! It was a fabulous year all be it a bit restricted but lots of nice things happened for me regardless!

We now have two new rooms on Tickety boo, We have had two new recreational spaces added to the boat. To say I am thrilled would be a total understatement! I have longed for bow and stern covers for years but it was just a distant dream until now, thanks to a certain somebody!

We decided to go with Amtrim boat covers and what an excellent choice that was. Their attention to detail is superb and the advice and suggestions to make the covers look their best was outstanding, to say the least. We had to wait for a while as they were very busy but in my book that's the best advert a company can have, it means they are in demand for an excellent service!

 After waiting a couple of months the two lovely guys came out and measured, they then got back to us with a price and in no time the covers were ready to be fitted. I was blown away at just how lovely the boat looked. We decided to go for black with green trim to match the boat. I must add at this stage I much prefer to see boats without covers, aesthetically I think they just look better without but I was pleasantly surprised at how Tickety boo suited them, especially with the matching green trim! The company come highly recommended and couldn't have been more helpful.

                                                     T Boo in her new cratch cover.

                                                 Our new conservatory/garden room.

                                                 ( Oh ok it's the back deck but I quite like the new names)

                               We were really surprised at how roomy the cruiser stern is undercover.

                                There has always been a bistro table and two chairs on the back deck

                                 but now we can eat out there even when it's raining instead of just on a

                                 sunny day!

    

                               The bow is cute too. Al has laid astroturf  bow and stern. I wasn't 

                               sure about the turf but I like it now it's down.

                                        So two more little rooms to use. I am just in the middle 

                                        of cosying up both bow and stern to make them a bit more 

                                           comfortable but all in all we are really pleased!

                                         A big bonus is the engine bay will stay dry!

            

                                                         My little gateleg table in the bow

                              

                                                Astroturf and cushions!       

    

That was the first exciting thing of the year. Al and I are still dancing our little legs off! It's good fun.

We also had a fabulous holiday to look forward to...

Al surprised me with a two-week Christmas and New Years' cruise on the beautiful Queen Elizabeth!

There was a lot of protocol to go through to sail but it was so worth it. The Christmas decorations onboard were stunning! What a truly beautiful ship. We had a ball lots of dancing, eating, drinking and theatre. We had some lovely excursions my favourite being Madeira.

We docked in Madeira on new years eve so spent the day touring the breathtaking private gardens we then took the cable car and when we got to the top we took a toboggan ride back down again, it was hysterical! It's a wooden sledge type thing that is steered by two men down the sloping streets of Madeira. I have never seen anything like it but it was a great experience.

The highlight of the holiday for me was New years eve. The ship moved away from the port so we had a full view of the island ready for the firework display at midnight. It was one of the most breathtaking things I have ever seen, it was spectacular watching the whole island light up with a fantastic display.

           The fabulous Toboggan ride down the streets of Madeira, great fun!

  The stunning gardens in Madeira 

         

  

    New Years' firework display, the photo doesn’t do it justice it was stunning!

The whole cruise was fantastic until a couple of days before it was due to end. All the passengers on board had to have a Covid test before we sailed back home and guess who tested positive, ME!

I couldn't believe it I had worked in retail all through the pandemic and managed not to catch it!

We were shocked to be told that anybody with Covid would have to leave the ship so we were escorted off by men in white suits and masks. We had to be wheeled off in wheelchairs so we didn't touch anything and there was a person following us with a spray to kill any germs. All we were short of was a little bell to ring and to shout out that we were unclean! Luckily they closed the floor off to other passengers so we had at least a little dignity while being turfed off!

The hotel we were put up in was ok but the food left a lot to be desired especially after the gorgeous food on the ship. We had to stay in the hotel room for 6 days! Poor Al had tested negative but still had to isolate with me bless him. Now Al and I get on really well we have a pretty carefree happy relationship so we got on fine over the six days locked up together we did a lot of laughing and just looked forward to being set free from our prison in Spain! There were other couples in the hotel who had left the ship too I just hope they all coped with being locked in together as well as Al and I otherwise they would have been ripping strips off each other!! The only food I kind of enjoyed was eggs benedict that we had for breakfast but after six days of it I would be quite happy to never see another one as long as I live!!

We were so happy to leave that hotel and get our two flights home. We arrived at Manchester tired but happy to be home only to find they had lost our luggage!!! Could things get any worse?? Thankfully they found our luggage eventually, it was still in Spain! It was delivered to us a couple of days later.

To be fair to Cunard they treated us well, they paid for the hotel and the two flights home, reimbursed us for the days we lost on the cruise and sent us a beautiful hamper! Thankfully it was at the end of the cruise so we didn't miss much!

So, this year is well on it's way too! It's flying by with amazing speed! We had a lovely visit with an old school friend of mine and his wife who were visiting from Australia. We had a day out on the boat and we all really enjoyed a  nice meal in a Canalside pub with lots of chatting and laughs, Brian and Lorraine were great company. We have some nice dance weekends away coming up and a  wedding abroad. In the meantime, we are still loving our dancing especially when we had a day at the Blackpool ballroom a lovely place we love dancing there.

            

                                               The lovely Blackpool Ballroom.

I went to the boat yesterday it was lovely weather cool but sunny the space we have to sit in on the back deck is so lovely and really warm, like I have said the addition of the covers on the boat has made a vast difference to how we utilise the space we cane dine out there in all weathers now too!

             I would like to say a big hello to Judy Grange who has been kind enough to read my blogs and often gives me a gentle reminder to write another! I can't think why she enjoys my waffleings but apparently, she does so thank you to her and anybody else who takes the time to read them. I hopefully won't leave it too long this time before I write another! I am living my best life at the minute I have a lovely partner and a beautiful place to live plus we have the boat whenever we wish to just escape for a while. All this I am truly grateful for and just makes me a really happy bunny! Catch you all soon!