Not a knot

No ... it's not a proper knot.  I looked through my Freds knot book and this knot does not exist.  Or perhaps it's just not named yet.  I shall call it the Not Knot (not guaranteed at the dock).

M'wee skiff!!

I launched her on the pond last week.  There was quite a crowd gathered at the time.  They were actually here for my Mums send off, but I took advantage of the opportunity.  

A few drunk gents pretended they were a New Orleans brass band and they tooted out a tune across the top of their beer bottle as the skiff hit the water.  The other (drunk) guests stood along the edge of the pond and fluttered their serviettes in the air.  The children gathered fallen magnolia petals from the garden and sprinkled them across the water.  It was quite grand, and no one fell in and drowned!

It's a shame Mum missed it.  She died Christmas Day.  

We'd been up to see Mum Christmas morning, with a box full of Crabtree & Evelyn soaps and a trio of hand creams.  She was in good form for an 88 year old, although she seemed to have a bit of an unnerving rattle in her throat that day.  My sister set off down the hall to find a nurse and while she was gone I gave Mum a nice chocolate, to clear her throat.

Then Christmas lunch was called and Mum shot off down the hall in her wheelchair, Liz and I running along behind, blowing kisses.

Came back to mine, did the turkey, served up a righteous dinner, opened presents, and just as the last ribbon fluttered to the floor the phone rings! 

Anyway, we sat out on the deck til it was a reasonable hour to phone our relations in England, Wales, France, Portugal, South Africa etc etc etc and tell them the whole story.

The Welsh cousin says, "Best not order an autopsy.  They might find a chocolate stuck in her throat".

We gathered in Victoria from far and wide last week and gave her a lovely send off.

Liz and I are working our way through the box of Crabtree & Evelyn soaps.