Greetings from Ohio in the American Midwest, Ned!
Though the vast majority of my PIC time is fixed-wing, I do have five hours of instruction in a Bell 206L. I also play the pipe organ; the two beasties are very similar and require both hands and both feet to "get off the ground!" (Sometimes an extra hand and/or foot would come in handy.)
My LongRanger instructor said that hovering was like a monkey trying to have sex with a football. He wasn't lying...
I hope you are enjoying a glorious antipodal spring!
- Ed