Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I received a very nice gift for Christmas this year - the doctor took off my cast! I'm still using crutches but slowly starting to walk again.  

Writing A Memoir

Everyone should write a memoir. It doesn’t matter if you have led an interesting (in the world’s opinion) life or not. Write it as a story to pass on to your children and grandchildren if you have any and if not, to add to the world’s history (or herstory), especially if you are a woman.

Leg fracture at six weeks

I've been back on my boat for three weeks now and it's six weeks since I broke my leg. Most of the time, I've been staying on board, only getting down the ladder three or four times. I've had groceries delivered and I have Internet onboard so can manage. Inside the cabin, there is not much space for walking with crutches, so I've been using the furniture to move around. I'm able to cook and generally look after myself.

I've been knitting, making sauerkraut, baking bread. I've even put a few coats of varnish on the trim outside and have started writing and editing again.

At night, I've been unwrapping the tensor bandage from the cast so that I can gently massage part of my leg and stimulate blood flow for healing. 

I've not used the anticoagulant injections since my flight. 

The fractured fibula saga - continued

Original fracture

On Friday, I went back to the hospital for another x-ray and a follow-up visit with a specialist. He said that he couldn't see any change from the initial x-ray but it was too early. However, the fracture was still closed and stable.
"So how much longer do I need to have this cast on," I asked.
"Six to ten weeks in total before you can put your weight on," he said. 
"In that case, I will go back to Greece." 
"That's fine, I will open the cast  so that you can fly."

Week two and three

After one week on crutches, lifting my weight with my arms and shoulders and placing it on one foot, I feel achy. This is not good. My muscles should strengthen but instead, my joints are taking a beating. 
So, I am taking it easy and hobbling only when absolutely necessary to the kitchen for breakfast, then to the living room where I stay most of the day on the couch supported by pillows. It also doesn't help that the cast presses on my ankle and rubs the top of my shin bone from inside - making it painful to walk. But I am able to wiggle my toes, which means blood circulation is good.

Broken leg and Writer's Retreat on Ibiza

Portinatx Club Hotel

After a busy summer sailing and working on Eidos, I hauled her out for the winter and decided to do some traveling in search of sun, sand, and sea. 
At the end of October, I flew to Ibiza for the annual, week-long, Ibiza Tantra Festival and with about 350 other people, did a lot of yoga, also chanted, meditated, danced suntanned and swam in the sea in the nude. I also attended seminars, ate a huge amount and slept like a log. It was an extremely busy, exciting week. I plan to write an article about it.
But on Sunday, the last day of the festival, I slipped on a wet path heading towards the beach and hurt my right ankle.

Taking The Plunge

My story, Taking the Plunge, won the Confession of the month in the September 2018 issue of Yachting Monthly and my prize is a floating handheld VHF radio and a copy of the drawing by Bill Caldwell. I'm happy that the editor liked my story but even more so, I'm ecstatic that I survived the mishap. It could have had a sad ending. Be careful out there!

If It's Nine O'clock, Then I Must Be In Spain

One of my stories, "If it's nine o'clock, then I must be in Spain," has been published in the August issue of Practical Boat Owner.
Also, I won a portable VHF radio for another story that will be published in the September issue of Yachting Monthly.
And thirdly, I made the news by donating a copy of Salt Water In My Veins.
So, it's been a good month.

My Writing Assistant: Scrivener

Thanks to Kevin and Sandy Chilvers from s/v Tiger Bay who were moored in Vathi Marina for a few days, I am now the proud user of Scrivener writing program. The only thing I wish more than this is having had discovered it many years ago. 
Kevin is also a writer, who is working on his next crime adventure thriller and he was so enthusiastically gushing about it, I was initially taken aback. I am a bit of a conservative cynic (ok a lot) and so was a bit reluctant to try it. 
But after the second visit to Tiger Bay and another pitch by Kevin, I decided to give it a try. Free for 30 days, what have I got to lose, right? Besides, my writing had come to a stop for the past several months and I couldn't get myself motivated. 
So, today is the fourth day that I have been writing and copying old drafts of forgotten manuscripts to Scrivener and I just paid my 46 Euros for the license to use it forever.  I highly (enthusiastically, gushingly) recommend it. 

The Ionian Magazine - visit to the past

Almost eight years ago, in winter of 2010, I needed a job and decided to create one instead. Thanks to a generous angel seed money from my younger son, Justin, The Ionian magazine was born.For the next five years, the magazine hit the streets of the Ionian islands and neighbouring coastal mainland every month for the six or sometimes seven months between April and October.

However, in 2014, I became ill and after recovering, decided to change my priorities - it was time to go sailing again and focus on my own writing. My older son, Ryan took over the publication in 2014 and the October issue of that year was the last one published.

Enjoy reading.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

As an alternative to Christmas cards, I would like to share with you this article on Astronomy merging with the Biblical Christmas story:

Celebrating Winter Solstice – The Sun is on the Southern Cross

For thousands of years, carvings on temples, cave walls, monuments and artefacts have honoured the sun: bringer of warmth, security, life and light.  As the days grow shorter in the period leading up to the winter solstice, December 21st, the sun appears to stop moving south or north and stays still for three days (in the northern hemisphere) – the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December. This is the meaning of the word ‘sol-stice’ – sun standing still. To our ancestors this period symbolized the death of the sun god (son of god) and when three days later on the 25th of December the sun started moving again, the sun was reborn – hence the birth of Jesus at this time – the sun god or son of god, the saviour of mankind. It is no coincidence that our principal day of worship is called Sun Day.

The Bible tells us that three wise men came from the east, following a star that led them to Bethlehem to celebrate the birth of Jesus the Messiah.  Sirius is the star in the east, the brightest star in the sky, which on December 24th aligns with the three brightest stars in the constellation of Orion (Orion’s belt). The stars were referred to by many ancient cultures as the Three Kings.

During this three day period, the sun resides in the vicinity of the Southern Cross constellation and appears to ‘hang’ on the cross, hence the story of the crucifixion. However the resurrection of the sun or son is celebrated three months later at the spring equinox when the nights are equal to the daylight (Easter) and when once again the forces of light ‘defeat’ the forces of darkness, and the days grow longer than the nights. (Author: Stella Woods)

“May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you and the pure light within you guide your way on.”

Barbara

Look inside and read on Kindle for free: Salt Water In My Veins

CLICK TO BUY

You can now look inside my new book, Salt Water In My Veins as well as read it for free (today only) on Kindle. What a great deal! Feel free to leave your review after reading!

Just do it

I finally found a way to discipline myself to write for at least an hour every day.

You know that brushing teeth is not something we long to do each morning or evening. But we don't think about it, or ask whether we feel like it, or are inspired to do. We just do it. It's a habit that doesn't allow input from the mind.

Since I love early mornings and prefer to write then, I decided to treat writing the same way I treat brushing my teeth: I wake up, get dressed, put the coffee on and open my laptop. And then, I write for an hour before doing anything else such as checking my email, reading the news or making breakfast.

So far, it's been easy and I have been very productive, often working much longer than the one hour with pleasure.

The rest of the day, I allow myself to do anything else I want: nap, read, surf the Internet, knit, go for a walk, talk to friends and family on Skype or reluctantly, write or edit. I also need time to contemplate, let my mind wander and absorb my surroundings for the creative part of me to have something to use in my work, so I try not to write any more in the afternoon unless it's quick notes for future reference.

And guess what? The book I have been trying to write for years is finally complete!

Writers' Co-operative, Co-housing Retreat on Ithaka, Greece

 Be inspired. Be amazed. Be surprised. And write all about it. Ithaka, Greece. Homer wrote about it and it's a place of pilgrimage for all writers.

You know how expensive most writers' retreats can be. You save your money all year and go for a week or two and by the time you get oriented and familiarized with everything, it's time to leave and you haven't even began to write. 

Here is an opportunity to stay for up to five months, yes, five months on the island of Ithaka, Greece for the price of a three week retreat elsewhere.

You will have time not only to write as much as you want to but also to see this beautiful island, hike its many paths, experience its history and enjoy its festivals. Spend Christmas Holidays in Greece.

We will share a villa with as many bedrooms as needed for the participants, socialize together (when we want to), cook together, read parts of our manuscripts to each other (if desired) and share the expenses of rental (cheap in winter) and food. 
No one will make a profit, and there is no overhead costs to consider. A two bedroom villa can be had for E600 Euros per month in winter. It will sleep four, so price per person is only $150 Euros per month. If we have more participants, we will rent a bigger villa.
Your participation for the retreat requires a commitment between December 1 to April 30 for at least a month to take advantage of this low price. Participation limited to eight people and the deadline for your application is November 15. Non-smokers only.
Please use the contact form to the right for more information.

Things that inspire and moments that take my breath away

Have you ever thought about the two phrases? Inspire means to breathe in. Something that takes my breath away is breathing out. Breathing is what keeps us alive and so being inspired and witnessing breathtaking moments is what keeps us spiritually alive.
So what inspires me and takes my breath away? Here are a few examples:

• Sunrise
• Sunset
• Bonfire
• Wood burning in a fireplace
• Walk along a sandy beach
• Planting seeds in a garden
• Listening to a live concert 
•  

So, what inspires you?