YnysMon

That’s very true. However, I’ve feel I’ve been very fortunate that I’m able to work from home and my job isn’t at risk. I’ve been trying to empathise with those whose livelihoods are at risk, and who have few options.

You’ve made me think (painful!)...I’ve been thinking back to how we used to moan about tourists when I grew up in Anglesey, so I might need to rethink my earlier post. On the other hand, those who have been working in the tourism industry have probably been so worried about potential business closures and job losses, they might be even more welcoming than usual, and I say that as someone who finds Norfolk residents very friendly.

I’m sure those who rely on tourism for their living will be very welcoming and, as it trickles through to the local economy I expect most people will be too.

Me too! As we have booked a Hunter’s boat for 4th we shall probably sneak under ‘that bridge’ and dodge the crowds.

I’m so glad we took the kids on camping and self catering trips to France and Germany when they were school age...travelling broadens the mind. I still think so, even though we have chosen not to renew our passports over the last five years. Also, when we were younger Graham and I enjoyed travelling by train through Europe. However, we now find travelling any distance, either by train and boat, or by plane, a bit too stressful. Holiday in Norfolk is ideal, with a short drive home at the end. Different things suit different people. Also, we have found that what we ‘like’ changes as we pass though different phases of our lives.

I’ve heard there are spikes in the virus in some parts of the country. I’m still crossing my fingers that we’ll we able to take up our booking on 4th July (cannily...I hope...postponed from the previous week). Planning to take all our food with us. As it’s a Hunters boat with no power, apart from an electric ‘quant’, so lots of tinned stuff. Back to camping mode! Corned beef hash, lots of spam etc. The irony is that our allotment is really powering up. First courgettes appearing, lettuce thriving, good crops of turnips, spinach etc. Wonder if I can persuade our neighbours to look after it, in return for free veggies?

You are naughty, Mr MM, to launch a really confusing message about our dear chairperson on an unsuspecting newbie. Our Timbo is...let’s just say ‘a character’ (he’ll probably say I’m a character assassin or similar). I tend to just check in on ‘latest posts’ nowadays, but when I was new to the forum I checked out how the ‘structure’ works, and had a delightful few weeks dipping in on other form members past holiday blogs. There are areas reserved for non-Broads topics (the ‘Broadscot lounge’ renamed a few years back after the demise of a particularly well loved and genial ‘mod’). Bear in mind that the forum definitely isn’t at its best at present. It’s still in ‘winter’ mode, when people are frustrated that they can’t get on the water. Once restrictions are lifted and we can get on our boats again it will be back to better times. Helen p.s. I forgot to mention that there’s a thread for syndicate boats, but that’s in the members section that you’ll have access to after your first 50 posts.

What, what, what? (As Spike Milligan was fond of saying.) now I’m doubly confused...about what? Okay, my memory is not what it was.... Welcome back!

That was beautiful. Thanks Malcolm. Nice choice of music too. Very relaxing to watch, and just reminding us of how much we want to be on the Broads again. Lovely.

Can’t beat wonky allotment strawberries though.

Hi Pauline. We will (hopefully) be on Moonlight Shadow the last week of September, actually two weeks, into the start of October, and (if it happens) we are planning to get ‘oop north’. Any chance of meeting up, perchance? Socially distancing, naturally. (It’s pretty much ingrained by now).

Hoseasons and Waterways Holidays are now taking booking from 4th July, but I gather that the Government have just indicated that holidays ‘might’ be reinstated then, so it’s not a certainty.

Thanks for the update Malcolm. Looks idyllic!

'maybe a case of not having spent too much time lost in trying to read everything and plan everything' Your comment made me giggle Jean, especially as nowadays I go completely overboard in planning and make sure we have a chart of the tides for the week with us. On the other hand...we were advised not to go beyond Acle bridge on the Hunters boats due to the lack of an engine.

She looks beautiful! Hope you can be back on board soon! Helen

Brilliant topic Jean, and I love the bunny! It spurred me to search out our first Broads photo. In July 2015 we hired Wood Violet from Hunters Yard. My eldest son joined us, and we had our dog, Marvin, with us (he sadly died the following Spring, shortly after our first motor-cruiser experience on the Broads). The photo above was taken just after we had been shown to the boat and before we loaded our stuff on board. The first day was scorching hot, and after we had been 'shown the ropes' we had a beautiful sail up to Potter H and through the bridge. We were blessed with beginner's luck as we hadn't checked the tides, but luckily got under the bridge without difficulty, especially considering it was Harry's first go at quanting, and then had a wonderful sail up to Hickling Broad. The magic of the Broads kicked in. All I could hear was the creak of our ropes, water under our keel, wind in the reeds and bird song. Wonderful! We reached the end of Hickling Broad just as the wind was dying, where we mud-weighted...brilliant timing (again beginner's luck). It was the most beautiful, warm summer's evening. Ah! Bliss! ...and we did light the gimble lamps!

Hi everyone. This is an excellent thread. Thanks for posting it Simon. I’ve been dipping Into the forum every day or so but, as others have mentioned, haven’t seen much that I’ve wanted to engage with recently. Hopefully, if we are allowed back on the Broads in July some holiday tales might start appearing.

Not sure whether this is a change to previous policy, but I’ve noticed today that Hoseasons and Waterways holiday companies are accepting bookings for 4th July. A few weeks back I decided to change our booking with Hunter’s Yard from 27th June to 4th July. I’m now crossing fingers etc. I gather that there’s no confirmation yet that 4th July will see holidays start up again. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

No, no no! Sacrilege! German wines are wonderful. They just don’t let the British get their mits on their good wines. Well, not unless you want to fork out a lot. We have been fortunate enough to stay a couple of times in a self catering place in a small village on the Mosel River. Enkirk, near Traben Trarbach. The place came with a reasonably priced wine list, as the owner has his own vineyards. Even better, our second stay coincided with the owner’s own wine fest. Wonderful wine! It was also interesting to stay in a place with a balcony overlooking a lock on the Mosel. Very large locks with lots of ginormous barges and cruise boats passing through. We happened on the place by accident, having been foolish enough to think we could drive there and find accommodation in Traben Trarbach without booking in advance, as online it looked like there was plenty of accommodation. Firstly, we arrived too late to get a hotel, so spent the night in our car. Next morning when the tourist centre opened we found that most of the accommodation in Traben Trarbach was taken as it was the weekend of their summer wine fest, which is why we ended up staying in a village nearby. A village full of character and old buildings. We were so glad. We ended up staying in such a lovely place. The Traben Trarbach wine fest was pretty good too, especially the wine and music, so all turned out better than we had planned. Sometimes ‘winging it’ does pay off. Great walking country too. The place we stayed was called Weingut Stifshof. I would so much like to stay there again.

My employer sent out a message warning staff not to use Zoom for any official business, as it’s not secure, so I’ve decided not to participate in Zoom based social gatherings. Bit of a shame really, but that’s my choice.

Agree, not a good idea to use unrotted manure. I’m going to stick with no dig though, as it worked really well last year.

Had a bit of a setback. The peas and beans that I planted a couple of weeks ago have been looking more and more unhappy. I had heard of a problem with weedkiller lurking in composts/horse manure and googled to find out more. There is a very helpful YouTube video by Charles Dowding, and it confirmed my suspicions that a couple of the beds (ones I topped up with hose manure in March) are tainted with aminopyralid weedkiller. The tips of the plants are curling up. Sad looking peas. Fortunately, I had some more broad bean plants to put out, and I've tried moving the peas to another bed. Not sure if that will work. The good news is that sweetcorn is not affected by the weedkiller, as it is a member of the grass family (the weedkiller is designed to suppress weeds on grassland), so I've planted out my sweetcorn seedlings in those two beds. At least my seedlings in the polytunnel are doing well. With gardening, you win some, you lose some.

So, I finally couldn’t stand all the hair in my eyes any longer and screwed up my courage to submit to Mr Graham’s hair salon. He used his clippers on the longest hair setting, and did warn me half way through that it would be ‘the liberation of Paris 1944 look’. Typically for Graham he also commented that one of my ears was lower than the other, and he could level them out for me. I bet Mrs Jenny Morgan didn’t have to go through all that when Peter cut her hair. Anyway, despite all the teasing, I think I can live with the result without having to slink around the neighbourhood in a hat.

That sounds like a brilliant day. One question...suitably attired? or even

That’s a very good thought Jaws. I wonder how the wild fowl are getting on?