kpnut

I presumed it was some subtle pun that I couldn’t work out!

Friday 19th May Getting ready for the meet. Washing sheets and changing the bed for Helen and Graham, refitting the old vinyl to protect the new flooring from 3 dogs, food shopping. Then the hour I’d been looking forward to arrived, with a car plus trailer full of 3 adults and 2 dogs arriving. Helen and family settled in, dogs were introduced to each other and the boat. And after a leisurely lunch we set off for Fleet Dyke. The dogs were very excited on setting off, but soon settled into the pattern of Pozzick chilling and Seren on look-out. Finlay just sleeping as always once underway. By evening, the bend moorings at Fleet Dyke were about half full, so the season is still young. Going for a dog walk confirmed Finlay had an issue. He’d unusually wanted to go out early that morning. And when trying to ‘empty’ himself of undigested food (I’m trying to be polite here!) nothing doing except a few drops of liquid. This continued in the afternoon. I decided that part of the piece of wood I’d taken away from him on Thursday afternoon because he was chewing it, had been ingested and now he had a blockage. Hmm, see how it goes. Saturday 20th May NBN Meet day had arrived. Graham and Harry had decorated the boat with bunting the previous afternoon so we were well qualified to join the CinC at Malthouse for 11am. We timed it just right, joining the flotilla as they left the moorings. The rest of the cruisers arrived halfway down the Dam and we must have made an impressive sight, 12 boats in all, wending our way past two yachts and a wherry. Last year I hadn’t dared join the CinC so was fairly nervous of a mistake, but Helen did the first half to cockshoot and then I took over, really enjoying the whole thing. Being in the middle, there was plenty of space on arrival at Salhouse so I didn’t have to squeeze in between two boats. I won’t relate stuff about the meet as it’s on another thread, apart from saying that Helen did a super job baking some buns and Nigel’s quiz had some superb questions. Many thanks to them, and to everyone else involved with organisation and leading the cruise. And thanks for having us. Finlay was still ‘poo-less’ but seemed very happy racing around all day, eating and drinking as normal. Overnight though, he woke me at 2am and I spent half an hour wandering the grass area with my torch, trying to keep up with him as I needed to inspect every ‘squatting venue’. Unsettled once back on board with what sounded like gulping, and at 3.30am he was sick. I couldn’t sleep from then on and at 5.30am when he whined to go out again, we went for a long walk for the next 2 hours. A rather surreal experience wandering around in jimjams, bedsocks and wellies. No luck for Finlay and I rang the emergency vet as soon as I thought was polite, at 6.30am. Considering he was bright and breezy in himself, she said ‘no need to panic, see how it goes’. My gut feeling was by Monday he’d be having surgery. After our goodbyes, we set off back to Stalham, witnessing an incident at Ludham Bridge when the boat in front seemed to having an issue with helm changeover from below to upper. It reversed into two boats moored on the private moorings opposite LBBY. We took photos and further to that I contacted the hireyard this morning and also passed the details to LBBY to pass on to the private owners. I was well pleased to get past this errant boat soon after the public moorings as it was all over the place and seemed totally oblivious of any other boats around it, including us. On passing, I noticed that rather than the one person we’d seen running between down and up a number of times, there were actually 4 people on board. A stop at Paddy’s Lane to drop Harry off to paddle board back to Stalham, and as the sun got stronger and hotter, we arrived back home to reverse the process of packing up. A final buffet lunch and Graham then collected me from dropping the car off at LBBY. I would certainly need it down there if I have to get to get to the vet in a hurry. After saying our goodbyes, and Finlay trying out Seren’s bed in the car, the boat then had to be taken down to Ludham Bridge again for one more day of finishing off. The broken night caught up with me, it was a struggle getting down there but after a bit of a fright, I woke up, gave myself a good talking to and focused a bit more, spotting Griff and BA on the Ludham side moorings, tooting a ‘hello’ to him on my way past, I slotted into the space that had been left for me at the yard. A very early night with the worry about how the dog would get on. Monday 22nd May Completely relieved to announce that Finlay finally did something resembling a poo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Excellent start. I’ve never been so happy to have to find a poo bin😂 And another later, so hopefully the worst is over. 🤞🤞 My apologies to those of a delicate disposition who didn’t want to know quite so much detail! Tomorrow I will be moving the car back to Stalham, getting back down to the boat and going on my jolly way for a week or so. And I haven’t forgotten my daughter in amongst all this worry; she’s still intact, baby now overdue.

That was Helen (Ynys Mon) Simon, and a fine job she did too, especially seeing as my oven is a bit temperamental.

Best wishes Ian. You can only ‘go with the flow’ so to speak and by doing so it hopefully takes away some of the anxiety.

I’ve kept the old vinyl so will lay that back down for the weekend. Then you can relax and not worry about him.

You’ve certainly done plenty of miles this trip. Will make Salhouse and back at the weekend a bit of a pootle!

Saturday 13th May Back on board, collecting boat from LBBY in the afternoon. Very chuffed with the work done, even if I could do with a small mortgage to pay the bill 😂 Back to base with at least two and a half weeks stretching out in front of me. Sunday was a morning of tidying, cleaning etc, the main one to see to was cleaning and re proofing the canopies. I ran out of waterproofer just before finishing. Grrh. I spent a lovely afternoon driving to Womack staithe where as soon as I parked up I spotted Simon, Katie and Bramble sitting out on the grass. We had a nice chat before I set off down to Womack Dyke to find Sam, Graham and Desmond on Luna Aurora. What a wonderful sociable afternoon all round, with a good dog walk round the riverbank towards Potter Heigham. Desmond and Finlay got on well again. Mondays first job was driving to Catfield to buy a longer bow rope from Ropes Direct. My current one is just too short to use as a spring. I only have one bow rope, with the cleat in the middle by the mudweight. Then to Hoveton to get more waterproofer and a few bits and bobs from Roys. The traffic was horrendous due to 4 way traffic lights on the two mini roundabouts. It was backing up past the bridge in one direction and up past the Boulters industrial estate turnoff in the other. Luckily the road from Horning was fairly free so I diverted round by Norfolk Marine and up onto that road, getting to the lights a lot quicker. Then there were more traffic lights past the bigger roundabout up by the line of houses where the pavement was being upgraded a few months ago. The sun came out as I finished off the canopy waterproofing - good job ticked off. Garry and Oscar came across for a chat, Oscar going straight to the boot of the car to invite Finlay out to play. New flooring in the boat has been done, chuffed again by the result from Chris at Stalham Carpets. I now have what feels more like a mini house than a boat!!! I just wish I was more skilful to do these jobs myself, not only for the cost but for the pride of it too. And a visit to How Hill secret garden along with a walk down the riverbank and a dog training session on the grass field by the car park, and another visit to Brundall just to see what was there have completed my trip so far. I spoke to a lad painting quay heading at Brooms. He said the new visitor moorings along the roadside by the Heron (?) pub would be marked in one colour and private moorings in another, one blue, one black but he wasn’t sure which was which. I had a quick wander around NYA to ogle the massive boats for sale. The most expensive I saw was £280,000!! Tomorrow will be preparing for the meet at the weekend, getting the boat ready for my visitors, namely Helen, Graham, Harry, Seren and Pozzick. I’m so looking forward to this weekend and then continuing to be out and about on the boat after all this time waiting for her. Of course, bearing in mind the imminent arrival of grandchild no.1 any day now.

That’s put the mockers on it then 😄

I bet it was going great guns in this wind!

I’m going to look that up on the map when I get to the boat. Hope your men got back to you safe and sound.

That was a good long walk Helen, so pleased the rain allowed you to stretch your legs. I don’t think I know that track you describe, another one to explore. I also forgot about the Horning marshes quay closure. Although I thought the path up to Neaves mill and Griff’s corner was the other side of the dyke to the quay heading. Accessed via a gate opposite the far end of the lay-by on the Horning side of the bridge. Thanks very much for the photo. Glad she’s all tucked up away from the paddle boarders/queuing boats in the area tomorrow morning. I’m picking her up mid afternoon, very itchy feet.

Stand Up Paddleboards

Well, maybe when let loose in Lathams.

Just to confirm, yes dogs allowed on short leads.

That yellow azalea is Azalea luteum and has the most wonderful scent. It travels a very long way. The garden is on my list for my next trip.

Oh, that’s a real shame.

Reading on, it does sound like you talked to the pilot. BUt on the chance that all you did was read the sign, (which does say they don’t), it’s worth ringing the pilot as I was assured last year that they will take private boats through for £15 return, and I availed myself of this service three times altogether before deciding I could manage on my own.

What a lovely bit of news. She’ll always get that date right in a pub quiz!

Must be funny when they are first learning that skill.

I did hear that comment too Helen. I’ve just watched the programme that Lulu put me on to, Coronation Tailors. It was on BBC2 a few days ago. Totally fascinating, how the troops are made. We need more industry like that in this country! Without wishing to offend any ex-service personnel on the forum, I do think on the music side that the RAF band and the Royal Marines band are by far the best. But also how on earth do the cavalry musicians play their instruments while steering a horse with their knees (presumably) and being jiggled up and down with an instrument attached to their face -sheer skill!!!!!

My future nephew-in-law (if there is such a thing) was playing French horn with the RAF band. But the coverage didn’t show the RAF musicians at all, (the non musicians did get seen briefly). The RAF uniform just isn’t showy enough! You’re right, the massed troops in the garden were very impressive.

Wouldn’t worry. Finlay won’t notice whatever. He’ll be off doing his own thing. 😁

And that’s right legally as well, for the crop and the seed potatoes. They can’t be called jersey royals. So ‘jersey royal’ seed potatoes in garden centres over here come under the less romantic name of ‘international kidney’. If you feed them with liquid seaweed, which I can’t for the life of me remember what it’s sold as by ‘gardening naturally’, they taste pretty good.

grow your own in an old compost bag. you can get 4 potatoes in and you get many, many more out!

That sounds fun.