You may, or then again may not, remember that I had a boat stolen from the Oxfam window display.

I set out to find a replacement. Given that these model boats were individually handmade and each was different, it was never going to be an exact replacement but I did hope I could find one which would look as nice – in our sitting room I hasten to add, need again would I risk something as valuable to me in the Oxfam window.

Anyway, I needed to find the shop in Corfu where we had bought it – along with a pair of earrings and icky had kept the earrings in their box which had a hone number on it.

But the number rang and rang and though I tried to leave a message, there was no response. I also sent an email having got what I hoped was the right email address – but nothing.

So, I went the old-fashioned way of hunting – the stuff I did as a young journalist many many moons ago when typewriters were the order of the day.

I would have contacted the ex-pat English ‘speaking’ newspaper – bound to be one on an island like Corfu, so long popular with the British.

These days though it was online.

So I contacted them to ask if they knew about these boats and how I might get in touch. They didn’t but suggested I posted something on the facebook group Corfu Grapevine.

So much for old-fashioned hunting then.

I did and was hugely gratified by the response.

There were people who thought they knew the shop, to those offering to hunt around in the old town to find it, to someone who said she was going to Corfu for five weeks and would bring back a boat if one was located.

Then I got an email from the very nice Elli who said the boat-maker had retired and stopped making boats for sale but that he had a few left and would send me some photos.

He apologised for the delay in replying but said there had been a few English people coming in and asking about the boats for someone back in England who had had one stolen.

My lovely Corfu expats basically nagged him into action.

The Best Beloved and I decided on a boat and within a week, Elli had it packed up into a box which would have practically contained a life sized boat, and sent it to deepest Sussex.

And with thanks to complete strangers who restored my faith dented by the Oxfam thief, here she is.