YnysMon

Spent a couple of nights above Potter last week but as that’s not allowed on this thread I would recommend Barton Turf Staithe Parish moorings. Lovely and quiet!

I thought it was fine to start off at dawn...just not to sit on the mooring running your engine.

We’ll be on Hunters Yard Lustre next week, so if you come across us tacking, please give us a wide berth! Unless of course we are moored nearby...would love to meet you. Mind you, we are hoping that if tides/wind/river levels allow we might get under ‘that bridge’ the first day, so if that comes off we might be a bit elusive for the first part of the week. Helen

Yes, but mostly you can distinguish between the ‘numpty’ reviewers and the genuine ones. What I would recommend is not to just look at the rating as that might be a disservice to a change in ownership. By looking at the actual comments you can mostly judge whether the overall rating is accurate or wildly out. I really think that Trip Advisor should allow new owners to start with a clean slate.

Yes, I’d heard that The Recruiting Sergeant had been taken over last year. One thing that I’ve learnt with the Norfolk Broads is not to assume pubs/restaurants that are poor one year will be as poor the next year, or even the next month. Failing places frequently get taken over, and new owners need supporting. I tend to check on Trip Advisor and Google for that...never rule anywhere out!

When was that, hasn’t it changed hands?

Can’t wait! We have booked Hunters Yard’s ‘Lustre’ from 29th June. We have sailed Hunters boats the same week every year since 2015, except last year when we went to Anglesey instead. Really missed the sailing last year (though Anglesey was wonderful...right in the middle of the heat wave...account in Members Out and About section). Last time we sailed in July 2017 we hired Lustre’s sister boat Lullaby (account in this Holiday Tales section) which had been used in the BBC series of Arthur Ransome’s ‘The Coot Club’. This year we’re even more excited as Lustre has been fitted with an electric Torqeedo engine (Hunters Yard boats are a heritage 1930s fleet, so most have been kept as original as possible apart from a modern pump out sea toilet). So this year we hopefully won’t have to quant when the wind fails or trees or Potter bungalows get in the way. Eldest son Harry and our collie dog Seren are coming with us. All the positive emojis! and this... and this...

So never mind ‘Where’s Wally’, do we have a new thread of ‘Where’s Maurice Mynah?’ (I bet I’ve spelt that wrongly too!)

Happy birthday. Trust you are enjoying some sailing! Helen

Ooh me back! Graham got allocated an allotment a week ago. It’s just at the top of our street, so a lot handier (is that a word?) than the one I had a few years back, that was in a different neighbourhood (had to give that one up when we were looking after my Mam). We have managed to clear a few of the small raised beds during the last week, but not many. Yesterday (my day off work) it was torrential. We made good use of the time though...we were looking for some veg plants, as it’s now too late to grow stuff from seed. Finally managed to find a good selection of veggie seedlings in Buckingham Garden Centre, having tried a few other places in and around MK. Rain all morning today, but we had a good spell on the allotment this afternoon. The soil on the beds that have been cultivated recently is so much better than my previous allotment, so we managed to clear a lot more than we anticipated. Way easier than my last allotment. That was heavy clay and still difficult to work after several years of feeding the soil with compost. We’ve started to plant stuff! (Sweet corn, courgettes and squashes). Feeling stiff this evening though. All that digging was a good workout! (I don’t do gyms.) We do have a problem that the plot that was free is a corner plot, so overlooked by trees, and half seems to have been neglected. However, out site rep has checked that we can tackle the trees and there are lots of friendly plot owners around keen to help, some of whom are handy (expert) with chain saws.

Sorry, I’m a bit muddled. Aren’t schools half terms at the end of May? I thought May Day was the bank holiday at the beginning of May, not the one at the end of May. (Happy to be corrected.) And there was me thinking that next year we’ll avoid the early May Bank Holiday by booking for the second week of May starting 8th. Huh!

Love this vlog of narrow boaters negotiating the River Ribble. Helen

Really love how Graham's collie fused glass has turned out. He's now working on a design that he hopes to make into a lamp shade, based on a Mackintosh rose design. I thought it might be interesting to show some of the process involved> Cutting out the pattern. Cutting the glass. Grinding the glass to shape. I'm working on this design. Being less creative than Graham I've found a design for a daffodil suncatcher on the internet. Have been busy cutting and grinding the glass.

Happy birthday Robin! Helen

Appreciate the notice that you've posted Alan, it needed posting. I agree with Vaughan though that we don't need a re-run of last year's debate, especially as it got so long and fractious! Helen

You can make wine from other fruit too! Might try that in the summer. It will make a change from trying to use the fruit up by making jam.

Yes, I'm waiting for the berries! Currently they are all green.

In reply to Jays post about 11 hours ago...gave us a chance! We’ve only just taken over the flipping allotment last weekend. Have already done a few stints of digging though and hoping to get something planted this next weekend. Found some strawberry plants struggling among the weeds and cleared some space for them. Have also inherited some raspberry canes and some red/blackberries (not sure which yet).

Thanks Jay. Loved the Weatherspoons rant. I so much agree with you about their anti dog policy. Have ‘voted with my feet’ the last few years and avoid their pubs like the plague. Sorry, I meant to have posted about our early May County Durham holiday in the members section before now. Have got slightly distracted as we’ve gained an allotment! Helen

Brilliant, can’t wait for more! In a word...heartwarming! Helen

I don’t think you’ll have any problems...sounds like you’ve had a lot more experience of river navigation than we had before our first visit. The thing about ‘being a nuisance ‘ applies everywhere. Some people are considerate, others don’t seem to care. Sounds to me like you’re on the ‘caring’ side. Enjoy the Broads! Helen

Great tale...more please! Love the Felties

Thanks Bryan. Will look out for your video. Your account of ‘the grumpy swan’ did make me chuckle. 😁 Helen

Good to hear from you again Alan, and thanks for posting the account of your weekend. Sounds like you made the most of the wonderful Easter weather. Helen

I've finally got around to finishing off the cross panel I started off last term. Classes started off again this last Thursday, and both Graham and I have signed up again. This is what the panel looked like at the end of last term: and my progress on Thursday: Finished off the soldering. Here's the completed panel, but without the 'patina' applied to the solder... Here's the finished cross with the patina... ...and with the light behind it... Meanwhile, Graham has been working on his first piece for fusing: When it's finished, he's hoping it will turn out looking like a collie.