YnysMon

Well that was different! What a great way of conveying your holiday tale, and super photos too. Thanks!

I agree, I'm not advocating that everyone should go to Uni, although a lot of Uni's deliver higher apprenticeships these days. Actually, I have had a new job since the 1st September, I'm now working within the Apprenticeships Team at the OU. The OU's apprenticeships include ones in Nursing, Social Work, Police Constable, Cyber Security and Software Development.

I didn’t do a ‘useful’ degree, I studied English Lit. Also, I ended up in a job that didn’t require a degree after 6 months of unemployment. In mitigation I should mention that a soon as I had the opportunity I got promotion to a ‘graduate’ job. It took a few years though. Immediately after graduation I was based in Anglesey, which was officially categorised as the most economically depressed place in the UK in the early 1980s, so I felt lucky to get any sort of job. (It must have been official as Cilla Black on TV organised a street party in Holyhead to cheer everyone up…luckily I’d moved down to MK by then and missed the ’fun’.) Do I regret going to Uni…not for one moment. It broadened my mind, not least in the variety of people I met within a very short time. Making friends with people from all over the UK and abroad (including special friends from Kenya and Hong Kong) was an eye opener. Just the opportunity to meet up with people and discuss all sorts of topics was an education. I was lucky, we had student grants, not loans. Would I go to Uni if I was young now? Yes, I think I would grab the chance, despite the changed funding.

Loved this, especially the advice toward the end of the video on safety, delivered by no less than the Vicar of Ranworth.

Good luck Carole. Helen

That really bugs me too. I used to mostly wave anyway, but felt a bit of an idiot waving when I couldn’t see anyone. Are the dark windows making the Broads a less sociable place?

Does anyone here know which path(s) this article refers to? https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/ludham-potter-heigham-dog-ban-norfolk-broads-8357926

Bridgestones at Potter Heigham do a good breakfast.

I found a YouTube video from the Broads Authority this evening which linked to a series of others. They are audio recordings of people who worked on the Broads and I was amazed at how few viewings they had attracted. Less than 600 views for those I’ve checked out so far. Here’s one…

I was hoping that someone could advise whether the supply of bottled gas had improved. Calor Gas bottled were as rare as gold dust the last couple of times were were on the Broads in May and July.

Has the availability of gas bottles improved since the summer?

I don't have any problems typing staithe either. Not sure about spillchecker though!

I saw this post appear on my unread page earlier, when I didn't have time to delve. I did wonder what you were on about, but it makes perfect sense now.

Can you fit in an extra seat Malcolm? Harley's pose there reminds me of Seren. They both like to see what's ahead.

We are due to go to a cottage in Minehead week Friday, which we'd originally booked for May last year. There are seven of us sharing the cottage, so the original cost of just over £1,200 seemed quite reasonable split between us. When we postponed to May this year we got a refund of just over £100, then we had to postpone again and paid just over £200 more for the September week of our choice. I've looked at May and September for the same cottage next year and the price has been hiked to over £2k! I think we have had a bargain! I got a call from the owner today, as she contacts all the renters personally to given them the low down on the cottage, that's a first and very encouraging. As Graham said earlier...only ten more sleeps to go! On a different tack, I wonder how we'll fare this autumn, given that more and more people seem to be behaving as if it's all over? Are we due a resurgence? One of our holiday party (my cousin's wife) has a friend who works for the Ambulance Service in North Wales. The friend caught Covid last year and has now caught it a second time, not as badly fortunately, though she still hasn't recovered taste and smell properly after the first time. So I don't think we are out of the woods yet. Despite that, I'm quite looking forward to having my first meeting with a small number of colleagues on campus this coming Friday morning. The first time I've been to a face to face work meeting since the first lockdown. We've been sent a list of strict instructions, including not to close windows and doors in the meeting room, and not to move the (socially distanced) furniture, so I think I'll feel quite safe. I've started a new job (12 month secondment) this month, so it will be nice to meet new colleagues face to face for the first time.

More please! Very much enjoying your tale. What a special trip!

It's no joke having to quant your Hunter's sailey through a throng of other boats almost to the end of the Ludham Bridge moorings because some numpty thinks it's okay to moor on the de-masting section. Been there, done that. Last time we hired one with an electric Torqeedo engine, so that wasn't so bad. Still...

Loved the account Liz. Your complaint about the high bunks did tickle me though, having struggled slightly in Water Rail’s front cabin.

Enjoying this, and it was a nice touch providing a map of NBD yard!

A big welcome from me and Graham!

Looking forward to hearing how you get on Jean.

Predictive text catches me out again and again. Sometimes I spot it, other times not. I find with proof reading I tend to read what I think is there rather than the reality. I once had the job of doing an annual edit of a set of information leaflets for students. This was in the late 80's when PCs were just appearing, and only a few choice individuals had them on their desks. As for me, I had to check the (paper) copy that my Secretary had produced on a word processor from my handwritten edits. I had to really slow my reading pace down. It was painful and very inefficient. Two or three years later we were given our own PCs. However, we were told we shouldn't be trying to use Word ourselves - that was the job of our secretaries. That edict didn't last long!

Those early morning shots at How Hill are great, very atmospheric. At the one of Norfolk Lady with the Mill looks like an advert for the Broads. Brill!

Apart from that one week of scorching weather earlier in the summer (seems ages ago - July?) I think you've had the best week there was to be had this year.