Spinning plates, crashing boats - chaotic summer!

[Suzbekistan]

Nice to see you back again! I'm glad you were able to rescue Leola! She sounds like a tough old girl! What happened to the other boat? I have just as much fun hanging out on the boat as sailing...especially since I'm a wimpy sailor!

[flydarling]

The other boat had a big hole in her side which had to be patched before she could sail off. The couple were on the 1st day of their holiday and had meant to cross the sea to France, instead they had to hug our coast to Kent and back as the boat wasn't 100 percent. I feel a bit wimpy worrying about the kids but we show them our brave side so they won't feel scared LOL. Cheers, Lesley

[Riverman1971]

Sorry im late Lesley, welcome back..Im glad you're still smiling after all the chaos. Really enjoyed that vid, cant wait for the next sailing one...Being afraid of water, its the closest i'll get to it.lol

[flydarling]

Hey Rob thanks. Well if you don't laugh you cry and I know what I prefer. Sorry to hear you're afraid of water, my mum is too so my dad had to wait till I was old enough for a sailing partner. Now of course he has a whole family of them! Cheers, Lesley

[Pippilly]

What a lovely comeback video. My heart sank when you mentioned the boat.. I'm glad everything worked out well and that you enjoyed the summer. REALLY nice to see you. Lovely video. Off to see your new one I saw posted. thought I better catch up on you = ) You only missed one video of mine lol My Bad! XOXO

[flydarling]

Thanks Michelle. We're glad it was only hearts sinking and no boats. I'm so behind with videos I'll look yours out though. Some people are into the 3 a day thing and it sometimes swamps the page when you aren't up to date. Hope that we'll see more of you as and when you get time. Cheers, Lesley

[kalacaw]

Lesley, I'm so sorry about what happened to the Leola. I'm glad you're back. :)

[flydarling]

Hey Betty it was a real upset but everything is fine now and just one of those sad episodes you look back on and laugh about. I'm still not sorted out with my routines and have a ton of catching up to do but I'll get there. I owe you a long e-mail dear friend. Cheers, Lesley x

[dl737]

So glad to see you back. I have to admit I was a little concerned - thinking you would leave something on your page. But you're back - I am happy - and we are all the richer for it. Sorry about Leola though - but she looks great again.

I just got back from vacation - so playing catch-up with everyone's vids :)

[flydarling]

Hiya Danny I've missed seeing you too. I did try and update the first line on my channel page when I could. I am back but I've still not figured out when to do what now all my times are changed with both kids at school. Leola is a survivor and she's doing really well. Cheers, Lesley x

[ShaunClarkRobertson]

I'm sorry to hear about 'the boat', or I should say Leola, shouldn't I? You seem to be very attached to her. Thanks for the guided tour.

[flydarling]

Comments munched! Yes boats are one of those things we tend to speak of as if they were a female person. She's a really lovely old lady and very much part of our family. Cheers, Lesley

[NaturalTwentyFilms]

Glad you're back! I vanish from YouTube for months at a time, too. Not sure why but there you have it.

Hi there!

[flydarling]

We vanish but even when we're back our comments vanish ay! Hey there glad to see you're back too that means I've got giggles ahead tonight. Cheers, Lesley

[dabiribd]

good to see you back

thank you

[flydarling]

Comments munched! So good to be here again even if it's only briefly at the moment, friends are great 'cos they just wait for you. Cheers, Lesley

[phekwig]

Good to see you again! I really enjoyed coming along on the boat...

[flydarling]

Comments munched! Glad to be back all be it rather sporadically till my new routine kicks in. Hope you enjoy the sail next! Cheers, Lesley

[fehquig]

I'll be taking a look. Only 50 more emails to plow through...

[flydarling]

It's astonishing how it all moves so fast here in TubeLand. I make a point of trying not to send out e-mails to more than one person to make sure I really do want to say something to that person! L

[fehquig]

Well, a lot of those emails are just messages telling me that someone commented or replied to my comment. When people send me videos it takes longer because I really want to see them! Take good care, Leslie...

[anniehiggy]

We missed you too - welcome back to Tubeland!

And three cheers for Leola - she looks happy to be back and ready to sail again. I love the perspective of your shot of the ropes against the mast!

We all look forward to footage of the future sail.

XO

[flydarling]

Comments munched! I've still not figured out when Tubetime is but I'm gradually making up a new routine. Glad you liked that shot as it made me lose my balance a little and me and the camera nearly ended up overboard! Cheers, Lesley x

[bugsinrug]

So good to see and hear you once again Lesley. Sorry about your dear boat, but I am sure that you will get some sailing in before the end of the season and hopefully some video for us. hugs, Chris

[flydarling]

Chris I have missed my friends here but you've all popped into my mind over the summer. Leola's accident was s shock and a disappointment but we're hopeful that we'll get those sails up again before the end of the season. The advantage of the kids both at school is that Joe may take a day off so we can just sail together! Cheers, Lesley xxx

[ajdpadbury]

Nice way to start the video, we get the point! I am glad your boat is not as badly damaged as it could have been:)

[flydarling]

You see Anthony my time away from TubeLand wasn't completely wasted, I have a new skill and the kids think it's cool! We're looking on the bright side and being thankful no one was hurt and that she wasn't written off. So sad to lose most of the sailing season though. Are you going to the Polish picnic this Sunday in Christchurch Park? Cheers, Lesley

[ajdpadbury]

There is a distinct possibility we may pop in after Dominika has been to church at 12!;)

[MissTruly]

Lovely to see you again, and thanks so much for the bit about Leola, and the boat education.

[flydarling]

Jenny it's great to be back with my friends after the summer. Joe always laughs at the things I put in videos. But I figure there are other information junkies like me out there and we like to know new stuff! Cheers, Lesley

[anakin1814]

Welcome back! Life gets in the way, doesn't it? Well, it's great to see you again. So sorry to hear about your boat. Ugh, that really tugs at my heart strings. Good to hear you finally got some time on the water (even though not a proper sail) with the old gal and that the family had a great day!

[flydarling]

Thanks Gary, it's so good to be back with my friends. There are always a couple too many plates but I think I had an extra dinner service too many this summer LOL. You'll know exactly how sad we were to have the boat out of the water just as the sailing season began. Still on the bright side the old girl fought that other boat off and isn't showing her age. We'll have many more happy days on the water. With the kids at school, Joe and I may even get in a daytime sail together! Cheers, Lesley

[nancyleeould]

Lesley!! It's SO good to see yo back!!

Poor old Leona..hope she feeling full sail shortly!

Funny you should be spinning a plate as my last video we did plate spinning in our annual family and friends Olympics!! It was a great summer and I hate to see it come to an end. But, there is something special about each season. :-)

Hugs & Love, Nancy

[flydarling]

Thank you Nancy it's great to be back though the YouTube gremlins are still here I see and they ate all the replies I made this morning! I'm very behind but will look out your Olympics video. The kids think my new plate spinning skill is 'cool'! We'll get those sails up soon and take you along dear friend. Cheers, Lesley xxx

[SunnyDazStormyNitz]

Hi Lesley!!! So good to see you again, we've missed you. Sorry to hear about Leola's misfortune, but glad it wasn't more serious.

[flydarling]

I missed you guys too though you weren't far from my thoughts. Too many times this summer I saw bad driving nearly take out a bike, people just don't seem to be getting the 'think bike' message here in the UK at least. It was miserable to lose a sailing season but we're so thankful that there was so little damage to the old girl. Cheers, Lesley

[LIQUIDAVIATION]

Hey Lesley, you're back!!! Excelent, excelent to see you! I'm glad to hear you are all ok, but blimey, poor Leola! Some folk just havn't got a clue have they? But its good to hear all is well now, good good. But i feel quite sorry for poor Joe too, that was one hell of a tangle to sort out!

Good to hear the kids are well and now in school full time. But most of all its great to see your beaming smile and rosey cheek's again Lesley.

Jim.

[flydarling]

Jim it's great to be back though I see the YouTube gremlins are still here they just ate a page of comments! The boat accident wasn't anyone's fault, just one of those things. We have to think ourselves lucky we're all safe and Leola is afloat again. Hope you had a good summer and the wedding plans are moving forward. It is so strange being home without the both kids during the day, I miss them all the more after the summer together. Cheers, Lesley

[GreatGig1]

So good to see you back!! Yippie!! And spinnng plates!! :-) Time seems to fly by faster with each passing day! Poor ol', Leola! Sorry you weren't able to spend more time sailing this season! I hope you will be able to sail her before the season is over. I am looking forward to going with you...:-) *hugs*

[flydarling]

Arg all my comments went! Glad to be back Caylyn even if the YouTube gremlins are still all here. Yup I have a new 'skill' to show for my time away LOL. We'll get those sails up soon; we're hoping there'll be an Indian Summer this year. Cheers, Lesley x

[flydarling]

There was so much salt in that wind on Sunday that our hair was sticking out as if it had been set that way! We're really hoping for some good weather and we'll get those sails up and go up the river. Joe and I may even get out to see if we get a good day and the kids are at school. Cheers, Lesley

[andymooseman]

And we're all very glad to have you back as well Lesley.

Good to hear that Leola wasn't damaged too badly, what happened to the other boat?

Welcome back :)

[flydarling]

Thanks Andy it's been hard not talking but everyone has been in my thoughts, life brings our friends to mind all the time. The other boat was patched up and sent on her way though she didn't cross the channel as planned. They had to sail round the coast to Kent on their 2 week holiday, it was their first day when they had the accident. It could have been much worse for both boats so we're looking on the bright side. Cheers, Lesley

[bohogirl1]

lesley what a joy to see and hear you again. i'm sorry your summer wasn't quite what you had planned.

hugs, bonnie

[flydarling]

Thanks for the welcome back Bonnie you're lovely. Life happens while you're busy making plans. We still filled our days with fun and memories. Cheers, Lesley

[LeSaMilano]

Yay! Lesley it's wonderful to see you!

Glad to here Leola's damage wasn't terminal.

Summer down here weather-wise was a real bust - now I'm heading to the States for 3 weeks I'm sure indian summer will kick in! lol

It's been lonely here without you my dear, just not the same! I'm envious of your plate spinning talents. :)

[flydarling]

I've missed my friends here Lesley, oh so much! But it was good to have a break and come back eager; rather than trying to battle on with no time and feel I was letting everyone down.

Thank goodness Leola is such a sturdy old lady, she fought off that other boat and lived to tell the tale. Hope you have much better weather in the States but please leave behind an Indian Summer for the rest of us to enjoy.

LOL I learnt to spin a plate with the kids at the Folk Festival! Cheers, Lesley xxx

[pyramiaou]

Really good to see this video as well as getting your messages - thank you for those too. Sorry to hear about all the boat problems! But it's really great to see you back!

[flydarling]

It's hard to be separated from something you enjoy, I missed both YouTube and the boat over the summer. But it really is great to be back and chatting to my friends again. Cheers, Lesley

[UTD111]

Sorry to hear about Leola but glad she survived and is back! If you'd been up here, you wouldn't have missed much - our summer has been rubbish and its a joke to say we've had a sailing season at all!! I've had enough...Tokomaru is being lifted out for the winter on 20th September!!! Take care

[flydarling]

We really are at the mercy of the weather us boat owners. Sorry to hear it's been that bad up there. We had a fantastic first week it was like the summers of my childhood, then the rain started and some days it really was too miserable to sail so we didn't miss it. We're hoping for an Indian summer now! The old girl's as good as new so she deserves to get a decent sail this year. Cheers, Lesley

[billpg]

Welcome back. Its good to see you again.

[flydarling]

Thank you Bill, it feels a lot longer than two months. But I'm just going to try and jump in where I am and catch up slowly so I don't drop one of the other plates. Cheers, Lesley

[Blinkazoid]

Nice to see a new vid from you Lesley! Sorry to hear about Leola. Hopefully you'll get a sail or two out of her yet this year. Nice spinning plate metaphore:). You looked pretty accomplished with that plate. I'm sure you could get more than one spinning at the same time:)

[flydarling]

Robert it's great to be back I've missed everyone but thankfully most people are still here. We do hope we'll get an Indian summer and manage another sail or two. Now the kids are both at school during the day, Joe may take a day off and we'll just go by ourselves like the old days! Glad you liked the plate spinning I learnt to do it at the festival, with the kids circus skills thing LOL. Cheers, Lesley

[timido66]

So glad you are back. Summer was a bit lonely without you. I'm glad Leola is OK.

[flydarling]

Van you have been in my thoughts many times this summer I expect your ears have been burning. Looking forward to catching up with what you have been up to while I was on enforced leave!

We shouldn't get too attached to things I know but that old boat is part of my family. I have to confess I kissed that old gal when I climbed aboard on Sunday. Nutty as a fruit cake I know, that's us English for you! Cheers, Lesley

[P1X1E56]

Being a boat owner I can understand how you felt when you heard the news. We managed 2 weeks away on Dragonfly and had a wonderful time. I did take some pictures and video so maybe I'll post it.

[flydarling]

The fact that it was a letter on the mat from the boatyard made us really fear the worst. Fortunately the boatyard were still open and we rang straight away to find out what happened. Of course the insurance has been the thing that's held everything up! There's only one boatyard there on the Deben and they wanted us to get several quotes, as if lifting and transporting her would be viable? Please do post your footage of Dragonfly. The kids are insisting on another sleep on Leola! Cheers, Lesley

[Class377Trainspotter]

Awesome Video Lesley.I missed you.

Your so cool.

[flydarling]

Hey Luke I missed all my friends here but just couldn't make the time it takes to really be here in TubeLand. Cheers, Lesley

[oneiblind30]

Poor Leola, I've never sailed before my boat has an engine. It just looks like so much work to me to be relaxing.. But I would love to see ya'll take her out sometime I enjoy looking at sail boats and the only experience I've ever had with one was towing someone with mine when something on there's broke. Boats are like holes in the water you just keep throwing money at! LOL

[flydarling]

It's all true Huey. We worked out that she must be the most expensive way to travel after a space rocket. It costs thousands of pounds per mile but we love her, she's family! Hopefully we'll get some decent weather at the end of September and we'll get those sails up and take you along. The smiles on Joe and the kids faces is worth it trust me! Cheers, Lesley

[oneiblind30]

I will say the smiles on my boys faces are worth it. I'm at a cross road with mine.. sell it or just keep it and all the bills that go with it. I had it running a couple weeks ago and that got me thinking about just keeping it. see my dilemma here?

[flydarling]

Yep it's a dilemma if you don't use it much. But sometimes even if something's a rare treat, it makes it something to truly savour. You'll have to get out on your boat again and think if you would get those feelings you get when you sail, any other way. L x

[popebenadict16]

welcome back.

[flydarling]

Feels great to be back and so nice to 'see' familiar faces. Hope you had a great summer Stuart. Cheers, Lesley

[Hippiefied1]

YAY!!!!! Lesley is back!!! I truly missed you dear heart however I knew in my heart that it was most likely that you were busy. I knew you would never just up and leave us without so much as a goodbye. I'm sorry to hear about Leola but at least it wasn't as bad as you thought. And I hope you get to enjoy her at least one time before summers end. You were very missed.

Love you sweety.

xoxoxo

[flydarling]

Yay! It was so wierd not being able to talk to my friends and I kept thinking I should make a video to say I was busy - but I was tooo busy LOL! Deep down you feel all your friends are just here to pick up with and they'll understand so that takes the pressure off a little. So glad you are still here; I was so sad MsOphelia had to bow out and I missed her goodbye. Starting back slowly so I don't go nuts at how much I've missed. Love you too matey, Lesley xxxx

[Cmkrug]

Welcome back! You were missed.. Loved the plate thing.. I can't even spin 1 plate.. It's a strange feeling when our babies go to school all day. What a lovely boat. I'm glad nobody got hurt. When does boating season end.. Here in Michigan our season is almost over too.. Except for a few crazy people who go out until the lakes start to freeze.. lol

[flydarling]

Thank you, I missed everyone here, but it's great to start catching up again.

I learnt to spin the plate at the Cambridge folk festival, they have a circus school bit for the kids LOL! I was hit hard by Hannah being out at school the whole day for part of last week. I'm so used to all the chatter and now there's silence. We'll sail into October but then she has to come out for insurance reasons. Cheers, Lesley

[Clemburke1111]

I am so sorry about your boat, sometimes life seems so unfair.I am glad you have a good attitude about matters like this ,it shows:)

[flydarling]

She feels like family, so we really felt awful to know she was damaged. It's a pity insurance companies take so long over these matters and because of it we've pretty much lost the sailing season this year. But, we still have our lovely old boat and it could have been so much worse so I try to keep it all in perspective. Cheers, Lesley

[Dlorezzz]

It is so marvelous to see you again. I have missed you terribly and I am so glad that Leola is back in sailing condition..

[flydarling]

Hey Dolores it's been crazy you know how it is, but I've really missed talking to my friends so much! It's taken me two months to almost completely forget how to make a video too, I forgot to compress my footage so it wouldn't load yesterday LOL. Still I'll be back in the groove catching up on what everyone did over the summer holidays. Cheers, Lesley