Changing moods and pretty pictures

"Your hot then your cold, you're yes then you're no, you're in then you're out, you're up then you're down..."

Pretty much everyone would recognise those lyrics from the Katy Perry song, "Hot n' Cold", or from the opening of the Australian TV version of Masterchef.  I've been pretty much like that over the last couple of days.  The boat trip is weighing on my mind and I find myself thinking about it all the time. Sometimes good thoughts, "This is going to be a terrific trip!"; and sometimes not so good...

• "What if the weather is bad!"
• "Will Mr G be kind and understanding if I get scared (he isn't always)!"
• "Will Steph be OK in the house?"
• "Will Molly be OK and how can I manage to be away from my dog for 6 months!"

Stephanie used to tell me when we were training together and often discussing my changing moods - on everything - that I was, "Batshit crazy!".  Maybe so.  I have an awful tendency to think too much.

We were on the boat 5 days last week and, I have to say, it was a good break.  I was full of good thoughts and Mr G was sweet as he can be. 

Of course all that had to change with something unexpected and scary happening to bring me back down to earth on the way back to our mooring.  We were motoring along into about 16-18 knots of wind about to round into Pittwater when I heard a strange sound like a plastic bag rustling in the wind.  Mr G was in the galley making us a cup of tea and Miss Molly and I were in the cockpit...the boat was on autopilot.  Suddenly our roll up spinnaker unfurled and the ocean in front of us was blocked out with a mass of huge red sail!  The boat lurched sideways.  I jumped to the wheel, punched the autopilot button and steered us into the wind shouting at Mr G the "thing" (at the time I couldn't form the word spinnaker) was loose.  He came running up and ran out to the front of the boat to try and tame the runaway sail.  At first he was shouting for me to turn the boat away from the wind... which wasn't practical because the force of the wind could have blown the sail out.  So, we worked together.  Me keeping us into the wind as much as possible and him wedged on the bow trying to furl the sail on is mechanism.  All came good...as usual...but then the negative thoughts came about much more wind, night sailing, ships, etc, etc.  Batshit Crazy!

Anyway, as they say in showbiz, "it'll be alright on the night" or once we get out of town and DO IT.

Here's some more pretty pics from last week on the boat.