kpnut

They certainly are. I always thought people encouraged them onboard but no, she decided to just fly up as we were going along. Good thing she didn’t fly straight in through the sunroof and land on a dog! Finlay’s training would have really been put to the test. Not sure she’d have fared so well with a Jack Russell!

June trip. This will be a brief log (sigh of relief by many) as I won’t be doing much walking, but written ‘for the record’. Wednesday 14th June. Springer’s Retreat had been delivered back to my mooring the previous Friday after it’s final but of work. George at LBBY had had an issue when 2packing the shower floor and didn’t want me having the boat back till he was 100% happy with it. Kind and conscientious of him, if frustrating. The end result is wonderful. With this fantastic weather I therefore decided to arrive a day earlier than originally planned. After a thorough watering of the allotment and leaving Tony with a list of instructions for the rest of the month, I made a day of the journey, heading for Holkham Hall, near Wells Next the Sea. I’ll put a post about it in the ‘places to visit’ thread, if I can remember it’s proper title and find it. An excellent choice of day out. Well worth the detour. On arrival, immersion heater was switched on and in a while I was able try out the new shower. I don’t like showers at the best of times and this one had been horrible to use as the space was only 500mm square and the curtain stuck to you. The controls were on the other side of the room! And difficult to get the right temperature, entailing numerous ‘stick your hand out of the curtain, lean over to the controls to adjust, getting the toilet and the floor wet’. The floor was also bouncy. Well, now it’s a dream. Still a curtain as I couldn’t work out how a screen could be fitted without vast expense of bespoke shaped glass and even then it would be in the way as on a piano hinge it would still have stuck out too much. So curtain it had to be, but with the floor being taken up to rectify the bounciness, George cut the lip at the edge of the shower tray off, meaning I could extend the space with the new curtain long enough to divert the water into the tray. Although the bottom of the curtain still has a 500mm square footprint, the rail at the top is about 750 x 1000 and the useable space while having a shower is so much nicer. It’s thermostatically controlled using controls in the shower itself! The wc has also been turned 45 degrees, with the plinth being reshaped and lowered and somehow the whole room just seems much bigger. So a complete revelation. As it turned out, the floor was really the only bit we wouldn’t have been able to ourselves, but that’s hindsight and with a husband nearer 80 than 75, the work would have taken just as long, with a lot more frustration in the form of arguments!!!!!!! Thursday 15th June A day of little jobs getting done, going nowhere in the boat, just relishing having her back. Friday 16th June. First full day of the fishing season and I was amazed to see so many wild moorings down the Ant still unoccupied as I followed MM on Nyx down the river. I pulled in at Johnny Crowes and there I stopped in the heat. My aim was to walk to Catfield Fen to see if the swallowtail butterflies were out. Having no red shirt like advised by Grendel I made do with blue! I knew the walk there would be generally shady, so wasn’t too worried for the dog about setting off in the early afternoon heat. Once on the Fen, there is no shade but the reeds along the path were as tall as me. And I found three butterflies just getting on with life, taking nectar from a purple-red thistle looking flower. I’m hopeless at plant ID. On the return to the boat, Finlay had a swim and was happy to lie in the shade on the stern for the rest of the day. Saturday 17th June. After spending the morning reading and watching boats go by, we explored more of the area’s footpaths, ending up at How Hill for an icecream. Sunday 18th June. I arrived back at Stalham at 9.30am to prep the boat for guests later. Not a lot more was done, the general banter of the moorings passing the day. My guests duly arrived, a feat in itself considering Lesley had contacted me the previous Tuesday to say she had prolapsed another disc in her back and could only crawl on the floor at home. A mixture of the body’s healing power and more probably strong painkillers has meant she’s mobile enough to get on board with crutches and will probably not disembark till Friday. Her husband Ray, dog Alfie and I with Finlay will still do some exploring. Her recovery doesn’t surprise me as having had three prolapsed discs myself and a discectomy operation 12 years ago, I know how quickly the acute problem can resolve. That doesn’t mean the problem disappears, just means it becomes bearably painful!!! One episode I had was on a Friday and I was walking up a Wainwright in the lake district on crutches the following week, probably doing more harm than good? Monday 19th June. 2 excited guests and a little Jack Russell now settled, so after a bacon butty breakfast we set off. The rain overnight had cleared the air somewhat and it turned out to be a beautiful day. A leisurely journey down the Ant following a couple of equally leisurely hireboats, noting again how many wild moorings were free. We could also have stopped at either mooring at Irstead if we’d wished, our destination of Cockshoot Broad soon arrived and we had choice of mooring spot, choosing the river end of the Horning side with its lovely view onto the river. MM waved on his journey back downstream as I was mooring up. Why is it that every time I take a wander to the bird hide at Cockshoot, there’s never anything to see? For an expanse of water protected from boating and human traffic, there’s a noticeable absence of wildfowl on that broad. There’s far more on the main river, including a duck that decided to hitch a ride on my sunroof, peering down at me for quite a while, not at all bothered by the two dogs below and neither did they take any notice of her.

Sorry from me too. On the boat , limping along with under 100mb data left so thought I daren’t join in. Only got to last till 9pm tonight. Serves me right for deciding to have a very quick view at a video last trip and falling asleep - it ate my data!!!!

What a lovely uk mini break you two have had. The real reason for being there must be so disheartening for you but you have managed to turn the week into a very positive experience. Thankyou so much for sharing.

I can wholeheartedly second that recommendation. I’ve only been once, quite a few years ago, my sister took me (she lives in Cambridge). I enjoyed it so much I’ve always wanted to return but didn’t actually know where it was, so thanks Sam. Good luck with the rest of the week, Ian. You seem determined to make the most of it, well done you.

Yes, due to the thinning of the ozone layer, more of the harmful uv rays get through the atmosphere. It is repairing now by all accounts after the removal of CFCs from coolant products etc.

Part of my degree is in oceanography and I still don’t understand them!

Not sure if I’m misreading this as I’m looking at it on my phone, but if I’m not mistaken, broads.org tide tables have now been update until 2028 (be aware GMT only from 2024). I know some folk were asking about them. I printed some tables off for my next few trips only two or three days ago and it said up to 2023 then, very recent. Sorry if I’ve got it wrong, but worth a look for anyone needing to know.

You do have some beautiful places round you Grendel. Are they hopvines or grapevines in that photo of the sloping field?

That was jolly Helen, enjoyed it, just right in a sunny afternoon. Nothing can beat a brass band for cheering you up. Funny how you can always tell when a brass player is about to start playing again, the licking of the lips gives it away!

Just in time to get sucked in to the big commitment of the banding world on your retirement. I’m surprised they have too many trainee trombonists. It’s a scarcity instrument across the country. Did you see that video of the poor trombonist at the trooping of the colour rehearsal. He fainted. Once they’d sorted him out, a trumpet player stepped forward to play his trombone. Only thing was the slide inner had ended up in the sand/dust so I expect the trombonist won’t be too happy with his colleague once he finds out. Grit on the slide is not good news.

It certainly was warm. Yesterday morning I went out in my winter fleece across the fields. Today short sleeves. Winter to summer in 24 hours. First peas and strawberries picked at the allotment. And after 6 days work, I have caught up enough to be able to return to the boat later in the week, leaving Tony in charge of harvesting and processing the above produce, along with broad beans, rhubarb, salads and spinach, I don’t really like missing out on the harvest, but most will be eaten by Tony and friends or frozen and the strawbs will end up as icecream, so not a bad deal.

You’re right, the shape makes a big difference to the storage. I have plastic boxes that hold just the right amount for a day. And luckily 4 fit very neatly inside the freezer compartment on the boat. Another 8 in the bottom of the fridge. I defrost so they are just cutable at home, portion them out and refreeze. They stay pretty much frozen in the bottom of the fridge until I need each one. If I’m there longer, Finlay goes into a cold pressed biscuit thing called ‘Guru’. It goes rather mushy if I add water, but he likes it well enough. I like the idea of the Pilchards. I sometimes buy whole fish to add, but usually buy an ‘oily fish and tripe’ pack. But it’s a bit watery and disgusting compared with the meat packs. I’ll often buy a pack of chicken mince, 50% bone and do half and half with an ox and lamb no bone mix (has the meat and offal) it’s cheaper than a ‘complete’. Maybe two days a week with that as the bone content is still a bit high. I went in the pet shop in Wroxham, by the bridge, but their cheaper frozen raw were from a firm I don’t like, smelly and far too much bone. And the other brands they stock are expensive. Hence finding the one in Norwich, but not exactly easy to get to halfway through a trip on the boat! Anyway, maybe this all ought to be in a different thread -feeding dogs on boats - so I won’t take up any more of your holiday blog with it. The day looks stunning already. Enjoy. I’m hoping to get the tail end of it by coming down halfway through the week.

I feed Finlay raw food too Warren, usually ‘the dogs butcher’. And can manage 12 days food in the fridge/freezer at a push. For you, with two dogs and both being about twice the size of Finlay, I’m interested to know how you manage on the boat. Also, did you know there’s a raw food specialist shop on the way into Norwich. Raw Dog Food Company in Taverham. Unit 3 Beech Avenue Business Park, Beech Avenue, Taverham, Norwich NR8 6HW Tel: 01603 869707 Sounds like you’ve had a wonderful first day’s holiday.

Our thoughts will be with you Ian. Not a nice treatment to go through, but the sooner started, the sooner done with. Xx

Thanks for that Warren, didn’t know about it. You’re in for a wonderful week weather-wise. Enjoy yourselves.

Where’s pets at home near Tunstead/Wroxham/Horning? Asking ‘cos I sometimes go in the one near b and q in Yarmouth but didn’t know of another one.

I think it was you that posted some lovely photos of woodland last year when you were out walking. My godmother lives in Westgate, I might look up some of these places you mention when I visit her later in the year. My mum’s family were fishermen out of Ramsgate, unfortunately her grandad and 3 uncles all drowned in the same trawler sinking.

Wish my cholesterol level was that low! My high reading is cos of the reverse of yours. HDL being very high. The higher the HDL, the higher the total reading. So they also do a ratio reading of HDL compared with total. I got kicked off a medical trial once when it got to 10.something. But then got told it was nothing unduly worrying ‘cos of that ratio. When I then screened for a medical trial that needed people with previously diagnosed high cholesterol levels, I was too low for their parameters!!!!!!!Typical. Goodness knows what reading they needed. You’ll probably find the increase in exercise and the decrease in pounds will naturally increase the HDL, especially if you tweak your diet to a lower fat content. Bearing in mind, I’m not a medic!!!!!!!! Good luck, the consideration of It all along with your bike excursions are the good first step. Keep telling us all about it and it’ll be even more motivation. I like seeing the photos you take on your trips out.

HDL is the ‘good’ stuff. Hence why you want it higher (within reason). Bottom line Grendel is you are doing something to help yourself get fitter. It takes motivation, so well done you.

Maybe not Grendel, but your heart is being exercised which can only be a good thing. It’s a muscle like any other and needs exercise.

That is good news indeed Helen. When I saw your thread come up in recent posts, I wondered if you’d somehow managed to slip in another week on the boat. June 30th will come round soon enough.

I used www.Funkymonkeyboatnames.co.uk DIY but with full instructions on how to do it. And I rang the man who was really helpful with advice on font size, positioning etc. Really quick turnaround too. Once I knew the space available I drew it out on a cardboard template so I could get the font size right. Richardsons had taken the old ones off but the ‘shadow’ of them could still be seen. Isopropanol got that off and cleaned the area I was putting the new ones on. Sold in Stalham diy, and Roys diy in Hoveton. If you zoom in on the photo you can see better.

I was going to say exactly the same thing. Silent Gliss. I got some (track and hook eyes) off Amazon a couple of years ago. Comes in plastic or metal if I remember rightly. I also then use normal size curtain hooks to go into the eyes.

The start of a new adventure. Welcome to this friendly bunch.