January 14 th 2018

Dear Heidi,

Everyday I check the map, but you are still anchored offshore! I cannot believe how frustrating that must be for you all. Staring at the beautiful beach just across the water, in 30’ heat, and still being on board. I asked if you all were going to go ashore and was told that the school work needed to be done first... that was a few days ago now!

I hope that your new teacher has settled in and not been as seasick as everyone else was when they were new. That he has begun to get you all back on course and making strident progress! We read Maria’s blog post on crossing the ocean, and that watch wars have begun. So who “killed a bird” and why would they get points for that?? I suggested that maybe it was a chicken from the market for dinner?

D and Pappa are working over at the Farm felling and trimming back some of the dead and dying trees. We still have good deep snow, with temperatures around minus 5. It has been a proper winter so far, which I don’t mind, generally. It’s not too cold, and not icy. But it was hard to leave England with its flowers, lambs and sunshine.

Uncle G is still hanging on. He has a hospital bed at home, placed by the window so he can see out and feel the sunshine.

W is back at school, he is off to see the new Star Wars movie today. His friend A has been off sick since the beginning of term. I hope he will be back soon, as W must miss him.

We have had so many birds in the garden this winter. Huge flocks of finches especially, sometimes a hundred or more! Even Tante was impressed! The main problem is keeping Dickon inside. He is obsessed with the birds! Miss Smudge enjoys watching through the windows, but only goes out when absolutely necessary, but master D has earned himself the not very polite nickname “Tjukken”. The only way to trick him inside is with ever more cat food.

Well, I hope that you do get to visit Barbados. Sitting offshore for nearly a week is just too bad!
Lots of love from your own little Mamma.