Sorry for two postings all together and even sorrier for the next one coming at the same time too! Out of contact is the answer!

We had a wonderful day on Holy Island. Breakfast, a short sleep, some boat chores and then we got out the dingy (depending on your point of view, alternately called Gin or The Titanic). We lunched on the Island, went for a walk – attempted to re-provision, with limited success and then returned to the boat where we sat in the cockpit and watched the sun start to go down We ate together with a glass of not so good wine from the small store on the Island and hit the hey in preparation for the trip down to Newcastle the next morning. I’ve already posted on this one, so I won’t repeat myself, but taking the helm and entering the River Tyne was awesome (wish it had been under sail – but the lack of wind and space meant it was entry under motor).
There is a lock system to get into the Marina in North Shields – and while refueling and waiting – a voice called out to me no it was my old school friend Vince (Taylor) standing above looking down – together with his son Tommy. Vince had followed the blog and reached out to me and offered to come and meet the boat as we came in – and of course, head out for a pint, which is exactly what we did. This was the third old friend to make time to meet up with me (Anthony and Jacquie in Peel) and it was excellent. We caught up and chatted and generally agreed we should make more of seeing each other. We had worked together a few years ago on pulling an old friend’s Memorial together, which included a boat trip down the Tyne with some musicians and a load of booze. It was only afterwards that we thought that it might not have been an appropriate final tribute to someone who died from the consequences of Alcohol! Still, we all have to go from something and we can’t all tread on egg shells. 

Seeing Vince again served as a timely reminder of the many paths I’ve been lucky enough to have crossed, of people who influenced me and shaped me (don’t worry Vince, I’m not blaming you for anything here – but you probably had more influence over my musical taste and my attitude to in home entertaining than anyone else). Vince used to host great Saturday night parties that I would go to after finishing work at the Gosforth Park Hotel. The best thing about the parties was that our Head Master, Fr. Walsh would call us up to his study the following Monday morning to question us about them. “What would your parents say boy if they knew about these going’s on”

“Have a great party Vince” I remember was the answer Vince gave.

“This is not the behavior of lads from this school” – which is really silly if you think about it because it clearly was – given that 90% of the boys there went to the school (and 90% of the Girls went to The Sacred heart Convent). We never found out how he knew about the parties – but sure enough – he did and he continued to embarrass himself with his intervention. The consequences of our gauche behavior was to be banned from being Prefects and not to be allowed to go to visit Trinity and All Saints College in Leeds (poor examples of St. Cuthbert’s boys). Well Fr. Walsh (now departed), or Slug as we used to call you – it seems that those errant boys have become socially adjusted, semi responsible members of society who are fully capable of putting away a few Guinness’s on a Friday afternoon when we see each other.

Stopping in Newcastle allowed me to go to my sister-in-law’s retirement dinner with the rest of the family. After 32 years of teaching at the Sacred Heart (the very same one who’s girls attended Vince’s parties) – she is giving up her classroom to effectively retire. Great for her. What dedication she has shown to the school and the kids. I seriously think she and my brother are all that is good about the dedicated folks who each day go to work (or not now that they are retired) with the intention of positively effecting change in our kids lives and preparing them for the future. So Newcastle was magical – I stayed with Gill and Gerry (sister and brother in law), had 2 showers in the space of 12 hours, a very comfortable bed, 2 very nice whisky’s before bed, a great conversation and bacon rolls for breakfast. What a stay!

Pip pip,

N