addicted

We moved from London to a rural part of Cambridgeshire and find the tractors a real pain. Particularly the way they leave the roads filthy it's impossible not to acquire a chipped windscreen in this area. I wonder why, instead of spending goodness knows how much money installing cycle paths that the cyclists mainly don't bother using the council don't install tractor paths instead in these locations. Carole

I'm sure I qualify as elderly although not yet 91. I got a smart phone - the name is I think a contradiction of terms as it was the most stupid thing ever. I swapped it for a doro andI managed to set that up without even referring to the instructions and it's great. it's a flip phone so Tony doesn't cut people off instead of answering them. Carole

One of my favourite places to moor up and watch the world go by is outside Coldham Hall. On a Saturday afternoon I used to love watching the hire boaters at the start of their holiday being put through their instruction period prior to taking the boat off. Carole

Hi Alan, My daughter was told she couldn't have antibiotics as they would be ineffective. However I popped into my local Lloyds and the pharmacist gave me a cough mixture which was very effective, it sorted out both my and Tony's coughs it was one of their own brands with a long hard to remember name which I cannot remember and unfortunately I left the bottle on the boat when last there so I am unable at this time to tell you what it is. If you're still suffering it might be worth going to see a pharmacist to see if they can come up with something. Carole

After a week listening to the cuckoo the "you're cuckoo" could be nearer the truth! Carole

Hi Alan, I'm glad to hear it. You were very lucky as the boats adjacent to us had the same problem . It was really bad. Let's hope you not having the same problem is a good omen for you to have the same good fortune during the whole of your holiday. Carole

Hope you have a great time Alan. We were aboard in Brundall over the weekend and the rain that incessantly poured down on us on Saturday was the dirtiest we have ever experienced. Being full of black greasy smuts that covered the boat leaving it so filthy Tony had to hose it down before we came home yesterday morning. We've had "brown" rain before but never anything as bad as this was. No doubt you found it's presence on Ranworth Breeze when you arrived. We can't think what could have caused it. I dread to think how much of it is still lurking in the canopy! Carole

My daughter has had this virus it lasted for 8 weeks, doctor said antibiotics would not help so didn't prescribe anything. Myhusband Tony caught it and was really poorly, the worst I've seen him since he had the millennium flu. Fortunately I just got the cough,which was bad enough, the first cough I've had since having whooping cough aged 3 years old! I managed to thrown it off in 2 Weeks luckily . So anyone out there suffering my best wishes for a speedy recovery . Carole

Heard the cuckoo just now so glad it's safely back. By the end of the week no doubt it's repetitive and constant call will be driving me cuckoo! Carole

When we moored on the Cambridge Great Ouse we were hesitant to come to the Broads because we saw the likely hood of being hit by inexperienced hire boaters and were assured by Sheer line Boats that they could sort out any damage caused as hire boat companies on the whole were good to deal with in such circumstances which was fine by us as wouldn't want anyone else to work on our boat other than Sheerline . They do work on other makes of boat other than they're own and the standard of work is consistently first-class, likewise the standard of service. Carole

Arrived on the boat at lunchtime to find during our absence something flying over the boat which had to be the size of a camel I should think had dumped a message onto our front screen which has actually "burnt" into the vinyl window and it's not even the soft fruit season. Carole

Thanks for the good wishes really appreciated Carole

We both finally shook off the horrible virus that laid us low for a month or more and managed to get to the boat on the Thursday before good Friday and had a lovely few days on board. Did we go anywhere much? Of course not! It's cleaning time this time of the season and although Tony had given the boat a good wash last time we were there, this weekend was polishing time Although to my great surprise my patience was rewarded with a short cruise to the Postwick viaduct and back which with the glorious weather that was in place was a real joy. We're back again tomorrow for a long weekend which even though the weather isn't promising to be very accommodating will be lovely I'm sure. Tomorrow we're celebrating our Pearl wedding anniversary and I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than on board, Although we will be having dinner at one of our favourite Norfolk venues The Wildebeest at Stoke Holy Cross. Carole

When we moored on the river Gt. Ouse the then marina owner used to ask if we would tell them when we were going to be away so that he could let it for casual moorings. he claimed the revenue from this helped to keep the cost of the mooring fees down. We used to think it was a bit cheeky really and could prove awkward if circumstances arose forcing an early return then you'd be unable to access your own mooring also we had static fenders and didn't fancy coming back to find them covered with bitumen from a narrow boat as happened once. It had transferred onto our white fibreglass hull before we realised it was there. It did come off but with a lot of effort. Carole

When moored at Womack Water last Summer we were just getting ready to go to bed when the Richardson boat next door started up their engine. It was getting for 11-00pm. We called out from our saloon window that it shouldn't be happening at that time and he duly turned the engine off. End of situation we thought till they pushed off next morning doing their best to side swipe us with their stern (anticipated fortunately by Tony who using the morning dew to mop down fended them off with his mop) Their language and obscene gestures were a delight. Carole

We were perplexed recently to notice a defibrilator had been installed on the flank wall of the local undertaker! Carole

I had faith in Tiger Roll so he was my choice, What a great little horse. Carole

Grand national day today and inevitably one's thoughts turn to the late great Red Rum. When that wonderful horse retired he used to make celebrity appearances and I am reminded of an incident during the 1970s when he was the celebrity appearing at a town carnival that was organised by an old friend of mine who did an enormous amount of work for charity, As she also had stables at her home Red Rum also boarded with her for the duration and a lovely photograph of her toddler grandson up on his back was taken.|Ironically it wasn't this grandchild of hers that went on to achieve greatness while on a horse - it was her granddaughter a certain Charlotte du Jardine. Carole

We have a cuckoo who returns each year to somewhere very near our mooring on Brundall Bay marina. I'm always so relieved to know it's made it back again We usually hear it about now. I don't think we'll be hearing it any time soon as Tony has contracted a really nasty virus which is preventing us from getting to the boat. My daughter has had it for about 7 weeks so I can't see us going anywhere any time soon. Carole

We lived on our 29' Fairline Mirage for 2 months when in between houses, A fridge with a decent sized freezer section is really handy and storage for clothes is important. LED lighting wasn't around in those days but we would have found that very helpful in conserving battery power had it been an option Also unless you plan to shop on a virtually daily basis ample food storage is very helpful. We converted a wardrobe in the forward v-berth cabin into a larder for this purpose. As we had the "luxury" of friends living opposite our mooring who kindly allowed us to store clothes in their spare bedroom we were able to spare the wardrobe for this purpose. Carole

I think someone has! Carole

Your mother-in-law was spot on with that observation. We had a Sheerline 950 aft cockpit when we first arrived on the Broads which we promptly changed for a Sheerline 1050 aft cabin. The only thing we miss is not being able to access Barton Broad when we go over to the North and of course the trip over to the North requires a lot more planning with our air draft of in excess of !2'. The extra room and vision makes up for all that though and we wouldn't have it any other way. It all boils down to what you want from a boat. Carole

Of course if all you want to achieve while traversing the Broads is to creep carefully under low bridges and look at reed beds then a low draft boat is fine, if however you prefer to see the beautiful countryside that is the essence of the Broads while you cruise rather than just a reed bed then a loftier boat fits the bill. We've had both while here on the broads and the low line we kept for 2 years the latter we've had for 10 so no guesses as to which we've found best! Carole

Back in the 90s we bought a house where the previous owners had already had a maintenance contract with British Gas for the central heating system so we decided to continue it as it wasn't exorbitantly expensive in those days. I used to get them in regularly each Autumn because the radiators would always needed balancing and there was one particular chap who did a superb job on this' which wasn't easy as the house had been extensively extended over the years and still had the same boiler that had been installed when it was built which meant that strictly speaking it was under sized for the size of the house however it never broke down' although on one occasion I thought the pump didn't sound right so I called the engineers to come and have a look at it. 2 turned up, disappeared into the airing cupboard (where the pump was housed) emerging some time later to report that it did indeed sound a bit rough and went on to point out that if the cause turned out to be "aggressive water" then I would have to bear the cost. "Sharks in the header tank perhaps? I asked. " Dunno about that" said one but them's the rules these days. Fortunately the funny noises ceased and the boiler carried on as normal. These days I do as had been suggested here, no more ,maintenance contracts. Having had a new boiler installed 18 months ago I have it serviced by the plumber that installed it in order to keep the guarantee valid and that's it. Carole

Hire out our pride and joy? Wash your mouth out!! Carole