Oh, I’m so happy! Can you imagine, I finally met my little sister! Altough little… she is 10 ft longer than I am. And she must have a different father, because she doesn’t look like me at all. I consider myself as (kind of) posh, she is more a working class girl. But we got on very well. Like a boat on fire, so to speak.
I had seen her on my way into Liverpool, last week. I got moored up just across from her. Only for one night, so we didn’t have a lot of time to get to know each other (and we also didn’t want to shout, during the night).
But after this race to Liverpool and back (Magda sometimes had me on 2000 RPM (thus doing more than 5 miles/hr), way too fast for an old girl like me, so I could but overheat) we moored alongside my sister. And it felt great. It was good to hear the voice of Christine again, and Andy, sitting on the front door step, brought back a lot of happy memories.
Should have gone to Specsavers?
Lawrance and Magda had invited them to a real Dutch meal: Boerenkoolstamppot met rookworst, and with Vlaflip as a desert. It was very late when they went to bed, so me and my sister didn’t get a lot of beauty sleep, that night. And I certainly needed that. The state I was in, when they went to bed… Disgusting! Dishes piled up in the galley, and the well deck full of empty beer cans and wine bottles.
Piled up dishes
The next day was a beautiful and warm day. Magda did the dishes, tidied up, and even polished (half of) my porthole. During the evening I had me all to myself, they gathered at my sister’s. I heard them speaking about cruising together. That will be a disaster for the NHS! Because our name sticks in people’s heads, and these people get utterly confused when they walk past one boat and get to the next boat with the same beautiful name. Then they either want to visit an eye clinic straight away (being not drunk, but strangely seeing double), or need a psychiatrist (seeing things that can’t be there). Or needing new hips, because they keep walking back and forth, to make sure they see what they think they see.
I noticed Andy, Christine, Lawrance and Magda forever explaining to everyone who passed me and my sister, that yes, there is nothing wrong with eyes, there are two Wea-Ry-Tireds, that I’m the oldest (and wisest, of course) and that she is an unplanned addition to the family.
From what my sister told me, I realize she has the same experience as I have.
When cruising, every second person makes a comment about our name. No doubt, when we cruise together, every person will make a comment. I even heard Magda saying she would make a book about the Wea-Ry-Tired family, that they could sell to passers-by. (And no doubt, using the revenue for more beer and wine (alcoholics…)).
But it was good, being reunited with my family. I showed Felix (who, although no longer with us, is still with me) to William, the new ship’s cat. And I told Christine that I have forgiven her. I did have a horrible 18 months, but I’m very happy now (that is… as long as Magda keeps my revs down).
Felix, still with me