MotorBoater

We gotta stick togevva bruvvers ! Just because the b*****ds are back on the water don't mean we let'em through.

It's not over, it's not even nearly over, we are however over the first peak.....Simples !

Committee meeting at Wroxham ! Guidance = Hold meetings outdoors if possible - Check Guidance = Maintain Social Distancing - Check (Sort of)

Definitely one for the notebook !

Nice bit of work, I see what you mean about rounding off the edges though !

I've had some success with Meths on a tissue or old cloth, rubbed repeatedly it takes the stickyness off. I can't tell you how long it lasts because the torches and stud finder I did with it haven't gone bad again yet, it's been about 9 months so far.

Gotcha

As someone who used to enjoy woodworking, until emphysema made me give it up, I have been following your pieces with interest. Sorry but I have to ask - am I missing something here ? "eventually I got them to remain straight in the clamps and remain straight long enough to plane them, glue the lid to the box and clamp it all up." Are you perhaps planning access from the bottom of the box ?

Granted hysteria is probably not the right word but continually bemoaning the efforts currently being made, on a forum the likes of The Boris, Hancock, Raab et al are never likely to read, serves only to wind ourselves up. Let us instead cheer the Front Line Angels, the volunteers, the public services and the delivery drivers. I wish I could believe any inquiry will be as thorough as it should be. I am already worried about 2021.

Not sure what we are seeing here, is it some kind of stir crazy mass hysteria ? To rush into some kind of blame game is premature and a waste of time and brainpower. Sorry webntweb, there is bound to be numerous "expensive 'who can we blame next' inquiries'". At least they will carry the Inquiry label but then they can't call themselves "Pass The Buck Committees" can they. We have long had a two tier system of government in this country. On the one hand the elected politicians with little or no experience of running even a milk round, and on the other the advisors and the civil service who are supposed to do the donkey work. Who ever the politician, the machine (Civil Service) is still the same. We can kick out the politicians but who holds the civil service mandarins to account ? Never been sure if their medals and honours are for exemplary service or ability to stay out of trouble. I cannot see any government getting through any crisis without mistakes and unfortunatly it costs lives. A sad result. Just think back to poor equipment issues in Afghanistan (Land Rovers) or aircraft carriers launched with no aircraft for two years. There are probably other examples but I'm too tired to think right now. Nothing has hit the "Home Front" this hard however. In an ideal world there wouldn't be room for mistakes but then an ideal world wouldn't have a Coronavirus would it. Mistakes will arise from taking the apparent best advice at any given time of any given emergency. It therefore follows that the PPE crisis is more than a mistake, it is a disgrace, since this was flagged as a problem two years ago, or more. This crisis is about a virus, but it is also about the people, 50+ years of dealing with the public means no real surprises there. No surprises from the authorities either, kid gloves to start with lest anyone shout "Human Rights", then jump in with both feet when it's too late. Incidentally I had a phone call this morning from a friend of mine who owns a newsagents/post office, who I obviously haven't seen or spoken to for sometime. He has long had a reputation for helping locals with various dificult supplies and was sourcing eggs, cereals, toilet rolls and the like. He told me he felt he had to shut the shop for FOUR days in March because the local population was out of control, and even waiting by his back door attempting first pick of his deliveries. His father, who took over a large hardware and homewares shop I ran next door, is trying to get hold of me. There is no way I'm entering that bear pit again so he can keep trying. The Boris is to make his announcement tomorrow and no doubt the media will pore over every phrase and full stop, I shall watch him, and probably give the news programs a miss for a couple of days - unless he says boating is allowed, see Marshman, back on topic !

Money paid up for our July holiday today, also upgraded the boat from Melody 4 to Glistening Horizon 2. Looking forward to it obviously so we will have to wait and see. If it again takes a couple of days to sort the steering out I might consider getting the wife to walk in front with a red flag but that presents an obvious problem. In the process of finalising things I discovered this on Richardsons website, dated yesterday. "Latest Bookings Updates Last updated 09:42, 06.05.2020 We know our guests have concerns and queries regarding the COVID-19 situation and we understand those concerns. This page is intended to keep all of our guests up-to-date with the latest information surrounding the current situation and we will work to keep this updated as and when we receive new information. MAY BOOKINGS We are not currently cancelling May bookings. However, we do understand the current situation has created some concerns for our guests regarding their holidays. In order to operate smoothly, we will not be cancelling holidays until the day of arrival, up to 21st May 2020. In the meantime, we will be offering guests with an arrival date up to 21st May 2020 the opportunity to transfer their holiday. We are waiving the administration fee. If you are due to arrive before 21st May 2020, you are able to transfer your holiday to the same tariff either later this year (after 4th June 2020) or the same tariff in 2021. If you would like to transfer your holiday to a different tariff, then you will need to pay the price difference if any applies, however any extra to be paid will be due 8 weeks before your new arrival date as shown on your updated confirmation. All transfers will be subject to availability. F.A.Q.s Q. If I pay my balance what are the options if it doesn’t go ahead? Can I have a refund? A. We cannot deal with any bookings after 21st May 2020 at this time. However, if your holiday does not go ahead we will be able to either transfer your holiday, or offer you a refund." As always, wait and see. Hopefully Sunday will bring good news from The Boris. Stay safe.

I'll second that one.

Absolutely loved the film. I'm sure I'm not the only one to remember televisions like that. "Premier boating centre of Europe" "200 miles of cruising waterways" Taken from BA website: "The Broads is a National Park , and more.... of the 15 National Parks in the UK it has the greatest level of biodiversity and of course 12,000 boats which utilise the 125 miles of inland navigable waterways. The Courts (High Court and Court of Appeal), Government and the 14 other National Parks all support the Broads Authority’s decision to refer to the area as the Broads National Park." What's happened to the missing 75 miles (37.5%)

I too have commented elsewhere on this. I don't wish to repeat everything here but I wouldn't be surprised if Which were not looking for easy targets as warnings to others. If so they should be careful of opening the flood gates. I can see people sitting indoors thinking "If company A has been reported then what about company B,C,D,E etc".

Had a phone call from the local Council saying, among other things that Age UK will help with picking up prescriptions from chemist. They were supposed to email contact details but never turned up so I found local contact on line and rang them. Age UK will indeed collect for those with the government letter and are ringing early next week to finalise details and arrange to collect one already there. I order my medication from the surgery online, an arrangement I made months ago.

Youtube and various search engines are full of suggestions, most of which look likely to destroy the anodized finish. One even says that to clean it properly you have to remove the anodized finish completely with drain cleaner. However, try this link from a company called Alumeco, elbow grease is extra ! https://www.alumeco.com/knowledge-technique/surface-treatment/cleaning-of-anodized-aluminium

If MAMIL = Middle Aged Man In Lycra Then does OMIL = Old Man In Lycra Or more aptly = Oh MI My Lord ! ??

A succinct description of the issues on this thread over the last few pages. It still boils down to discussion and compromise, on both sides if possible. I'll be paying our money to Richardsons at some point next week, unless the lady on the phone says they don't want it.....

A bit like the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

I understand your point of view but I am moved to point out two things, neither of them in a spirit of confrontation, The legal route is there by act of parliament and can only be removed by the same. I would not advocate such action but the possibility should not be ignored. However it will take exceptional stamina to progress far under lockdown. Someone who has struggled on minimum wage to save for a year, or more, to save for a family holiday will not see it as selfish if he is trying to protect that investment. He simply wants to know what is happening to his money and why he can't get it back. He will probably re-invest it in another holiday as that was the idea in the first place and thinks he might try a different way. As for Hoseasons, and other firms in a similar situation, if they did not respond positively to a solicitors letter asking for a refund I would start to wonder (As previously expressed in this thread) do they have the money, or can they get it. That might be the time to give Trading Standards, or similar, a call.

By 15th May we are due to pay a balance to Richardsons for our July holiday. We have decided to pay and sort out when we are likely to get our holiday afterwards. One consideration is that as the wife is furloughed and the firm basically closed so no-one is available there to discuss altered holiday dates at the present time. We could have paid it by now but we are hoping for a clearer idea of the overall situation and I don't think that is unreasonable, purely for peace of mind. And peace of mind is surely the key here. I have "Stood off" the debate around Hoseasons waiting for someone to state the bl**dy obvious which is recourse to the Small Claims Court. A company can be found in breach of contract and ordered to pay monies due, plus costs, and if they don't you upgrade it to the bailiffs. Anybody who has seen the bailiff program on BBC morning programs will know there is nothing like the bailiffs turning up at a large company to concentrate their minds. If you don't want to do it yourself hire a solicitor and add their costs in as well. BUT.....There may be consequences in pushing a company to the brink if they suffer multiple assaults in this way. Surely if anyone is anxious about their money the way forward is a complaint to Trading Standards or maybe the relevant government quango (I think it might be called The Competition & Marketing Authority, or some such.) and it needn't take the usual one or two years either. Just ask three simple questions, have you got the customers money, if not who has, if you have why have you not repaid it ? It is amazing what these people can do, once they wake up. If a company can't honour their financial obligations then they are trading insolvently in breach of the law and the directors are liable in law. They don't have to be dishonest, just insolvent. This is a bit rhetorical because, Hoseasons aside, it seems to me that a lot of this issue is sorted by consensus between parties. Peace of mind, you might not like where you end up but at least it's sorted out. Now you have to find something else to worry about. We are paying our money and we don't see it as taking a chance. We were planning a further trip up around October, maybe September, but having sampled the Broads in March we are hoping for something a bit warmer and calmer first ! There's too much doom and gloom on here lately, I prefer to concentrate on the great pictures, and memories, of the old Broads and the more recent too. None of us will forget the friends and family lost, or the wider picture, but I think those of us of "A certain age" still have a duty to look forward and try to instill in present and future generations a sense of history and, yes, pride in our environment, our institutions, particularly our health service, not to mention our nautical heritage ! So plenty to be getting on with - including sorting the shed/garage. Another Great British Institution being kept afloat in these pages !

Fine work sir.

Beautiful indeed. Thank you.

Reminds me of when we started feeding the birds in the garden. In my wisdom I ordered 15kg peanuts, 15kg bird seed, a box of 150 fat balls and 2 x 10 suet cakes. Never gave a thought to where I would actually put it. Wife not particularly happy.

No wonder aliens are supposed to be visiting, There are some wonderful sights to see.