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If you have a copy of Aaron Copeland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’, I think you should play it, or at least call it to mind, as you read…It always makes me think of new centuries and from this day forth, minstrels and centurions…stirring stuff.
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So here we are, on the brink of a new era….The Day of the Centurions. How does it feel to be on the cusp of a whole new century, eh? Chocolatey heaven as it does here? May your day be sweet and delicious – you deserve it after all this time trekking about the ocean. Are you dizzy yet from all the loops?
It occurred to me during my minstrels munch break, that real Roman Centurions (the only sort I know about) did rather too much fighting for my peaceable liking, so I figured that for our D of the C we would celebrate in our usual style with a day of rowing, instead. During said rowing I have hypothesised that our pals the Romans may actually have evolved from an earlier race of folk who were very much water-borne and are reputed to have invented oars. They were the Rowmans. Logical isn’t it? Latterly, the ‘w’ was dropped from the name, they retreated to land and having discarded boats they discovered chariots, togas and grapes and and built lots of unwiggly roads. Then, needing some way of travelling said highways, invoked a bit of jiggery pokery and turned their oars into horses. Only a small step for our clever friends. Stranger things have happened, I assure you.
My saving the minstrels for a whole century, for example…And survivng said century at sea on my little island without going completely insane. Happy to be here and happy to be trotting Westward still.
Here’s hoping the final 15 degrees are swift enough to ensure I get a renewed chocolate fix before the shakes set in, for I fear that my chocolatey days will be over before I make the Rum Punch. Gulp.
From your very own Rowin’ Centurion,
Outey Toot Tootin on Day 100 x
PS
Visitor this morning, all very exciting… Telegram from the Queen! ‘Have marvellous day STOP Be assured One will partake of minstrels in solidarity as requested STOP As long as Duke not found them STOP Corgis lack sea legs or One would delight in sending to help row in STOP The Queen x x
Lovely surprise though I was puzzled as to ‘corgis lack sea legs’… Last time I saw a corgi it lacked any sort of legs at all, no?
PPS
Xtina – That’s rubbish news for the boys – please send my hellos. I try ringing each day but guess they’re busy pulling their hair out. Tell them I’m on my way to the North Pole with all the Southerly winds up here. Shocked you broke open the bag before time – even I saved mine till the proper time!
Laura- Those 13 mars bars weren’t munched all at once! Spread over a few sittings in 36 hours 🙂
Rosie B – Wohoo! Congrats & enjoy.
Craig -No such thing as an anticipated arrival date until I am a few hundred miles away…anything can happen out here! There’s a few weeks left though I reckon.
Marcel – Fear not, we are Mauritius bound
Tricia – Good staying power!
Rowmans LOL
absolutely brilliant work Sarah,
shore crew for Guy and Andy here – hair pulling definitely going on this end…
hope you enjoy the chocolate, you’ll get through to FF eventually, they’ll find a space in their social diary somewhere to fit you in.
North is a nice place to go, hope you enjoy it
Well done for 100 days at sea
Jem
Hi Sarah ,
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 100 DAYS AT SEA, YOU ARE SURE A CENTENERIAN
ROWMAN ,BRILLIANT WORK !!! just keep rowing,you might need to pull on the left oar a bit if they don’t shift mauritius north for you ha ha
good luck, be safe as only you know how .
Sarah (sorry)
My first bag of Minstrels was opened three days ago if not four can’t remember …. Before we decided the 100th day and I am working and there are five of us to share ~ and they all love chocolate so i am sort of catching up on you by the end of my day.
Enjoy and big happy Smiles for 100 days!!!!! Well done!
Hey Brilliant to get a telegram from the Queen! Guy and Andy should soon get one then? ~ hope the concrete rowing changes, your arms must be finding it diff’…
Lets all think POS’ for kind winds and currents.
lv
xtina
I make it roughly 3/4 of the way from Freo to Mauritius and about 30 days left to go. Well done Sarah!!
Happy hundredth!
Enjoy the Centurion day, the Minstrels, and the knowledge that everyone is thinking of you and paddling you forward, even phantom legions of Rowmans… and their rowlocks.
All roads lead to Home now, best wishes Jane
Wow Sarah!! Fantastic effort – the Hollands are all thinking about you and hoping that the winds and currents are favourable! All at SES very proud. Annabelle x
Congratulations on yuor 100th day at sea – keep going and keep eating the chocolate!
Well done Sarah. Keep up the fantastic work. We’re all celebrating D of the Cs with you at Arthritis Care today.
Do you know that my dad believed he was a Roman Centurion in a former life! It’s true – well that he believed it rather than he really was! I hope he’s willing you on in a very peaceful way right now!
Kate x
Very well done on your 100 days at sea Sarah – we are all still following your progress daily with great interest and admiration and look forward to your entertaining updates. Keep up the fantastic work as you approach the home straits. ( Ps – Minstrels – my number one choice every time!)
With love Julian, Cathy, C & E xx
Omnibus salutem dicit Susie.
Getting into charaacter with said Toga attachment. Well done Sarah – mostly for eating so much chocolate – is it a dual challenge, rowing single handed across the Indian whilst continuously eating chocolate of any description? Natracare SISTERS will be partaking in the chocfest, of the organic kind you understand.
Let the festivities begins – break out the paddling pool we’re going for a bit of celebratory top bombing!
Well done Sarah, great achievement and the rowing’s pretty good too. Susie and the Natraare Sisters x
Congratulations!
Will spend the day humming ‘Fanfare’ and other similar tunes!
(had to give all sweetie goodies to number one son for his coach trip to the Forest of Dean – ho hum…)
Best wishes!
Glo
well done sarah not long to go , this saying that all roads lead to Rome is a myth as well , i left my flat yesterday took said road and ended up at work in Cowes , how many Minsterals in an average bag ?. yo ho , tony
Hello Sarah,
You are in the news on television this evening. Keep it up!
selvina
senior news editor
Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation
Hi Sarah
Congratulations on reaching 100 days. Where is that little imp now? Nowhere to be seen or heard.
Can’t tell the girls about your success because we have broken up for the summer but I think some will still be tracking you. I enjoy your daily updates.
Hope the next few weeks go well.
Chocolate Rules OK!
Best wishes, Dyl Powell
I think the Rowmans did rather a lot of rowing (but mostly by proxy ?) Some coxes of eights have been likened to Galley drivers !
Good news/bad news –
Good news: The stroke rate will be down this morning to conserve energy.
Bad news: The Centurion is going water skiing this afternoon !
Bag of Minstrels duly consumed.
MMnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice very nniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice
And we had Rowman Swords in our Smithy’s delivery too ~ no kidding ~ must have known!?
Enjoy your phone call tonight!
Tx
Well Sarah.
I see Selvina has beaten me to it.
Yes. You were on the MBCTV news this evening and they will be following you from now on. The MBC Radio might arrange an interview but I have been unable to get a response from Amy to my last mails. Is she still around?
Serendipity’s cradle should be on its way from Fremantle.
The guys from “Rowing for Prostate” came in today too.
Actually,it looks like the guys from FF will should be coming in round about the same time as you.
On August the 2nd there will be a “Grand Bazaar” in Mahebourg where some 300 women entrepreneurs will be selling their wares from handicraft to Textile to FOOD. It is organised by the Ministry of Tourism. So if you arrive on that day, you are guaranteed Rum Punches and Mauritian Curries and Creole Delicacies…until you drop!!!!
hi sarah,really enjoyed the 100 day celebrations here,beer and minstrels,good match,who knew?didn’t quite manage the toga for mostly”technical” reasons but did try to get my cat into one,doctor tells me i’ll have use of my hands again in about a week and someone else finally managed to get the cat off the roof so i’ll not be doing that again in a hurry!hope all is skidding along at the moment and that dippers is in good fettle.
regards
ian