Dory & Custodite Euntes!

No wind! Georgie sailing in St Thomas on Columbus Day. Photo by P. Clark

As I generally write my blogs on a Sunday afternoon, I'm always tired and vaguely harassed by the long list of things which had been earmarked "weekend" and still need doing.  Today is no exception, with the added frisson that the Baker had his first Sunday provisioning baking gig this morning (ie a 7 day week). Needless to say we have both spent the entire day dozing (under the guise of 'reading' 'relaxing' and 'catching up') with Tyler nobly dragging himself off for a spot of fishing [and catching fish he has phoned to tell me: we'll have it tonight!] with James & William, before he picks up Georgie from his first international regatta in St Thomas.

It was Georgie's 10th birthday on Monday, taking the number of children on double digits up to two. As a late starter (I had James when I was 38) I did consider what it would be like to combine menopause with toddlers (now I know) but I never banked on having such a gorgeous child as George. He is an enormously special person: Kind, thoughtful, sentimental and quirky and we are so pleased he could go off and sail this weekend, due to the kindness of friends.    

The bakery has now been open a whole month, which frankly feels more like a decade.  Our first full time employee started on Monday as did our provisioning contract. We are in the process of drafting the lease for our new premises and worrying about plans, deadlines and cash flow. We have so much on the go everyday, that our weeks just whizz by in a blur which leaves one stupefied with exhaustion at night. Tyler fell asleep mid-sentence on Friday evening as I was saying to him "We've been invited to the Dove for drinks...." which I guess was a 'no' and joined him not long after.

We love the bakery, and so too - thankfully do others, but I wouldn't even begin to pretend that any of this has been easy. A friend the other day said 'what gives you 48 hours and the rest of us only 24?" to which I can only reply - very little sleep and a rather short temper. I don't entirely believe in coincidences and find myself reading and rather enjoying Max Hastings' biography of Winston Churchill. Whilst I would never make the mistake of "Doing a Martha" (Martha Stewart compared herself to Nelson Mandela when jailed for insider trading. What!) I do find the psychological character of Churchill very interesting, and how complex but how simple the achievement of great things is. There is no secret apart from "Keep Going" . Translated on Babel Fish ("Bobble Fish" as George would call it) this is 'Custodite Euntes!'  which I rather like. If we had a family crest and motto, this would be it.  By the way, I only did Latin for a year (amo, amat, amaram, whatever) so feel free to correct me.

Well, I'm off to pour myself a G & T and get ready to receive my menfolk  and then we can all watch a bit of America's Cup and then stare down the painfully long list of things that still needs doing (Hello QuickBooks my old friend, I've come to talk to you again...). Anyway in Dory-language we've got to "just keep swimming, swimming, swimming swimming".

I love Dory and so does George.