[My Day]

I have spent the day proving the adage "there's no fool like an old fool" I drilled into a mains cable, right through the middle joining live and neutral at the drill bit. Very big bang and flash... after 10 minutes or so I was able to let go of the ceiling and change my trousers lol

Thank goodness for modern consumer units with ultra fast trips!

[My Day]

I ordered some pet meds online and they arrived today. They and the box they came in are pictured below... I almost put this in the joke section 😂

 

[My Day]

I bet they tasted better than any you could buy 👍

[My Day]

Don't give up... it's amazing when it works! But don't work out how much you've saved. Having to start from scratch I think each small tomato comes in at about £3 😂

[Broads Authority Integrated Access Strategy]

1 minute ago, Mouldy said:

My God, am I getting cynical

Not so much cynical, we all just become experienced!

[My Day]

After 67 years of indifference for some reason I became interested in growing vegetables this year. I started with a small leftover tomato at the bottom of the fridge which I took the seeds from and an overlooked potato that had sprouted. The single potato gave the 2 of us enough for 4 meals each and the tomato is the gift that keeps on giving.

I've now built a raised bed and have carrots, runner beans and late crop potatoes coming ready and a whole plan for expanding next year.

Meanwhile here is a picture of the first ripe tomatoes just picked and all from that one left in the fridge.

[Broads Authority Integrated Access Strategy]

I don't know if it is just the current method of drafting such documents but this and others I've read (coastal defence for example) seem to be worded in a way which can so easily end up (and often does) with a result somewhere down the line along the lines of "We would have liked to [fill in the blank with an idea popular to users] however our consultation revealed this to be unfeasible/not cost effective/have a negative impact on the lesser stripped giraffe goose. Therefore as an alternative we shall (do excatly as we planned all along) and (ban engines/access/holidaymakers) as far as we can with this consultation as proof of necessity if there is a pesky complaint/enquiry.

[Cancer And Me.]

Great news Ian 👍

[A Bargain?]

1 minute ago, Mouldy said:

The trouble is Ray, Sundays have been incorporated into a normal working week for so many people now, that couples seldom get to spend time together, or with their families.  Working in the logistics industry, I’ve worked nights for 14 years, weekends, stupid hours, twelve hour shifts, four on, four off shift patterns, started work at 02:00 in the morning etc.  Fifteen hour days were frequently worked, not from choice, but necessity.

I’ll never forget having a row with my son when he was about 18 or 19.  I can’t remember what started it, but he said to me ‘You’ve never been here for me.’  It was true.  I’d worked weekends, long, antisocial hours and hadn't been there to take him to the cinema, or out with the wife, or to his ice skating training and competitions.  We get on fine now, but all those times are lost.  I missed so much of his growing up, trying to earn a living, that being there at the weekends just took second place.

I did it for the right reasons - to keep a roof over our heads.  I have a few regrets in my lifetime, but that is probably the one that hurts the most when I think back on what I missed.  Family time is so important, but these days so difficult to achieve.

It can't of been easy Malc, I get that. When circumstances were unavoidable you stepped up and did your best for your family. You can be proud of that and so can your son now he is old enough to understand 🍺🍺

[A Bargain?]

In a multicultural society there are days of importance other than Sundays for some people. Many years ago when I briefly worked for the railways, there were always people happy to cover someone's "special" day in exchange for their own celebration day off duty.

It really does depend on the industry and the workforce.

I do 100% support the right of workers not to have to compulsorily work "off days" something which has become widespread lately and ironically is widespread in the railway industry. Instead of hiring enough drivers the timetable can only work with rest day working - which is why a work to rule is so effective!

Basically nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems.

 

EDIT - also of course not all workers have families.!

[A Bargain?]

3 minutes ago, C.Ricko said:

I wouldn't say its a lack of a bit of effort, Id say its quite an undertaking to grow a hire fleet these days, Its just a personal choice, our fleet is not a chore to run, its a quarter of what we do but it still needs to work for my work /life balance and I don't ask my team to do anything i would not be prepared to do, perhaps this is why so many family operated boatyards don't have the interest from the 'next generation'. I have heard too many people say about working all weekends and  holidays and missing their kids grow up, if people want to work Saturdays or have a Saturday as a start day then there are other yards which turn boats round on Saturdays, we don't need to.  We pay overtime rates at time +1/2 and double time as well as double time and a day in lieu on bank holidays.  I don't think any other yard does this for new starters, BUT it seems to work ok for us as we are busy, we have increased from 3 boats to 9 in 2 years and have a relatively busy season, 

Things change and I am happy to adapt and change with them as long as it works for me and the team, despite being there every day I don't involve myself with the day to day but I can have the weekends off happy in the knowledge that the team is getting a break too. Fridays and Mondays are the busiest turnaround days so I'll stick to them, historically Saturdays were busy (and sometimes the only option) but alas the game has changed. 

We were out on the southern rivers at the weekend  (we were asked to leave Waters Edge Brammerton) it was lovely down there but I wouldn't start up a new fleet as boats book better on the northern rivers. 

Proof that as I said above, my comments were not aimed at individual Broads Businesses

[A Bargain?]

Hard work for minimum wage and/or zero hour contracts wouldn't have appealed to our generation either. The workplace has changed, they create the workforce they deserve.

I mean this in general as Fred understandably widens the context, not to any individual Broadland Business.

[A Bargain?]

It would be good for the BA and "partners" to read that, take it on board and plan appropriately, unfortunately no doubt the Lesser Pointy Flying Hedgehog Duck will need it's habitat protecting as a higher priority.

[A Bargain?]

If you can't get under the bridge and don't know your way around you simply turn around and probably pass back through Horning where you also can't moor!

It's no criticism to say that today's families and youngsters need and want more than that.

Just because I prefer a quiet mooring in the evening where I can enjoy nature doesn't mean other facilities are wrong!

I do feel that the tourism aspect of The Broads is taking second place to the environmental aspect. I'm very much in favour of wildlife and habitat preservation but it needs to be balanced with modern families way of life if it is to thrive in equal measure to tourism.

Surely it can't be that difficult to fund hubs like Wroxham, Potter, GY etc to provide holiday facilities in scale to help fund the preservation of the rest of the network. Young people are among the most aware of environmental issues, give them centres of "entertainment" along the routes of special interest and they can fuel both their passions.

 

 

 

[Water Rail Out And About.]

20 hours ago, grendel said:

Departed short dyke about 8.20 this morning and  did a slow poodle against the tide to Chedgrave,  passed sapphire lady (I think that was the name or was it sovereign lady?) at cantly moorings and waved back to them (one day I will manage to remember which forum member belongs to which boat, so sorry if I don't manage to put 2 and 2 together.)

Currently  having a coffee, I will wander into Loddon later for some shopping.

It was me, Sovereign Lady, the boat that is lol. I tried to shout across having learned nothing about how hard it is to hear when underway 🙂 Good to see you 👍

[My Day]

Looking good Ian 👍

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

Good ideas, like many rescues she is a bit insecure and "clingy" even after 3 years. She has a wonderful temperament but slightly nervous which is part of her breed up to a point. Thanks Smoggy 👍

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

We aren't out as often as I'd like but she's been with us 3 years now so she has got used to it a bit, night time seems the worse as during the day she snoozes on the bow v-berth quite happily.

She has a boat bed but your idea Smoggy is definitely worth a try as it means that when she wakes up her environment will be comforting and reassuring.

The cave beds look great, not sure she would take to it but it could be an ideal place for me to escape to 🙂

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

Day 2.

Dog stop play, returning to base. We have had an ongoing problem with settling our dog onboard overnight. We had hoped the bigger boat would help and tbf she seems content during the day and underway. But at some point in the night we get crying and whining to go ashore, sometimes it's for a toilet break other times there is no discernable reason but she is stressed.

Last night once again I ended up on the bank getting cold and wet while she just seemed scared. Eventually getting a little uncomfortable sleep as I allowed her choice of sleeping position and I was folded up into a corner. Half hour later she is throwing up on the cabin carpet and outside we go again.

So, I'm pretty much exhausted and exasperated, I've tried everything and there's no one we can leave her with for a few nights.

Heading home for now... there is btw  no way I would hand her back to the rescue centre, she's family now for better or worse.

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

2 hours ago, Lulu said:

What’s Danni done now? 😂

Put her nose on Gill's burger as the plate was served, whined for food the entire meal and generally gathered admirers while I was trying to enjoy lunch and a pint 😂

 

1 hour ago, Mouldy said:

When were you in The Heron, Ray?  I read on FB that they’ve introduced a new menu, which does sound a bit more than basic ‘pub grub,’ not unless it’s the same stuff and they’ve just translated it all into French! 

Today Malc, not sure if it was a new menu as we hadn't been before but it was very nice and it was a cut above ham, egg & chips or a frozen burger. Gill had the homemade burger and said it was the best burger she'd ever had! Trust me, this is a difficult woman to please! 😁

I had a sirloin steak chibatta and it was cooked perfectly, trimmed and sliced so that you could just eat without resorting to cutlery .

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

Sounds good to me 👍😁

[The Sailings Of Sovereign Lady]

Day 1.

The White Heron, very nice, dog misbehaved.

Passed Grendel on his mooring at Rockland - Boat beautiful, Peter missing.

Moored at Cantley, the usual suspect has appeared with much engine revving and loud music as usual. We are at opposite ends of the long mooring but may have to move anyway 🙄

[A Bargain?]

Won't all large businesses have people who can evaluate the benefit of a special offer now against possible future lost business, no one has a.crystal ball but it's much more than a guessing game I would have thought.

[Luna’s Log]

Lovely pics Sam 👍

[A Visit To Walsingham]

It often amazes me just how many churches and denominations were built and supported in villages throughout Norfolk. Fascinating history 👍