kpnut

Thanks Mouldy. We’ll get there. I’m glad that you feel more at ease now you’ve did the honours for your mum.

Now I see why you weren’t there, just read Cambridge Cabby’s account of his day on Pipedreams.

A most disconcerting morning yesterday having no sound on the zoom meeting (couldn’t download zoom on the phone and turns out my very old iPad, which has zoom on it, needs a microphone) so we reverted to WhatsApp. Wierd seeing people on a phone call using what I think of as a glorified text messaging function. Goodness knows how much of my measly monthly data it gobbled up. And unsatisfactory due to not really reaching a concensus. But a MUCH more cheerful afternoon meeting SwanR for coffee in Wroxham. She was taking me to the riverside cafe which looked lovely when we got there but they were winding down to shut in half an hour so we went next door to Hotel Wroxham. I’ve always been intrigued by it, so had my chance to see inside. It was very busy as I queued at the bar but there were plenty of tables outside in the sunshine. We sat and chatted about this and that and watched a few boats mooring up. Altogether a very pleasant time, thank you Jean, and a much needed break from all this family stuff. Today has been a very long day. Far from having a lovely lie in with the clocks changing, I woke and the clock said 4.15. Try as I might I couldn’t get back to sleep. So might as well get up, only for it to start raining, stopping me from doing the jobs I wanted to do on the boat. A trip to G. Yarmouth to glean ideas for kitchen cupboard and worktop colours in a diy shed was useful in a way, if only to rule out colours I don’t want. When I got back, via a quick look in Lathams to get some dog treats, and a walk along the river as far as the mill upstream of Potter, the rain had dried up so I replaced the fender lines and measured up for new draught excluder on the sliding sunroof. And took a walk round the yard to spy all the boats back in for the winter. So a day of not achieving much and I must go home tomorrow as paperwork awaits. This trip was meant to be my reward for a busy summer of having guests on board, just me and the dog pottering about. It wasn’t to be and I’m going home quite stressed by the ‘negotiations’ with my siblings regarding funeral arrangements. I had a good talk to myself this evening and have decided it’s best to go with the flow, even if it’s not my or my kids’ thoughts of how I think mum would have had it if she’d still been around to tell us. Better trip next time!!!

Glad to hear your afternoon was well spent pondering. I walked past your boat but couldn’t see any signs of said pondering, I was going to say hello. That looks a beast to cook with.

I can sincerely say to one and all - please have conversations with your kids about any wishes you might or might not have for being dispatched when the time comes. Mum had plan A, for medical students to have her for practice, unfortunately it can’t happen, so now we don’t know plan B and this weekend has been very difficult as we (me and 3 siblings) all have different ways we want to go about things. I’m not leaving my two kids to sort it out! To Malcolm, xxxx

Thanks for that info Neil. I think mine might already have some of the second one or similar. I’ll take as better look tomorrow.

What lagging can be put round the eberspacher ducting? Surely not just normal ‘grey pipe’, I’ve never seen it with a large enough diameter Mine has something wrapped round it, sort of stuck to it. Is that insulation? Or can I do more?

I get grumpier by the day Helen, you’re not alone. Of course, upstream or upriver is away from the sea. How could it be anything else?

I can’t persuade all family to come on the boat for Christmas, boat probably a big small for that. So I suggested a cottage with mooring, move the boat round to it and do day trips. We’ll do it, but not this year as too short notice. last year I was out over new year, had Womack to myself on New Year’s Eve, and fleet dyke to myself the next night. Wonderful. Resets the batteries for another year.

Simon’s right about the last weekend for most yards. I was talking to reception at Richardson’s, 26 more boats to come back in on Monday and then that’s it for another season. The yard looks odd with all the boats lined up. The lads were already swarming all over them, getting jobs done and saw them still at near 5pm working.

Good to see you’re out and about Simon. Have fun.

It was heaving down with rain this early morning, so I delayed my departure a while. Bonus of being later was spotting and waving to Simon and a Katie on Pipedreams as we crossed Barton Broad. Now for the thing I’ve most dreaded all week. Having to work out how to do a zoom call with my brother and sisters. For techie people, it’s easy but for me, on a phone, with limited data, and having to download the app first, ugh!!! I might cry off and just send a text with my input to the discussion!!!! Do I dare? Pleased to say the day has cheered up a lot, lovely sunshine now.

Forgot to add that st Benets was very busy this morning but fleet dyke near empty, one boat on the wild moorings and none on the ‘bend ‘ moorings. Someone(s) had discarded a broken fishing net and a full poo bag on the EA moorings, so I asked the boatyard if they would put the net in their rubbish skip and I dropped the poo bag in the bin by the parish staithe. Not too much to ask really is it?

Well, what a difference a couple of months make. Not taken from the same spot, but the same path that I battled with in august and just in september Helen (Ynys Mon) and I walked along with the dogs, still overgrown then but not as bad as august. The path has obviously been strimmed right back, it’s not just the vegetation dying back in the autumn. I wonder if it’s down to our and others reporting, or just co-incidence. The Ludham to Potter riverbank path was much better after putting in a report too. Although I have a feeling it’s nothing to do with the reports submitted, I’d urge anyone finding an awful path next year to report it and perhaps they won’t end up so bad. It must be a far more soul-destroying job to clear it when do overgrown than to just do a maintenance visit. We’ll see!!!

Just lost what I’d written, so here goes again! Friday 28th October I didn’t wake till 8.30, taken in by the dark mornings. I think it was the wash from passing boats that woke me and Finlay, bless him, never bothers till he hears me. I then hear a thump as he jumps off the sofa and pads up and down the corridor with his pheasant toy in his mouth. The morning was glorious, with the sun on the golden reeds looking magical. Before setting off for a walk, a hire boat came in next to me and as they weren’t mooring up but just holding the ropes, I asked if they needed a hand. They were ‘mooring hopping’ as the engine was overheating and they were trying to get back to their yard. I told them where suitable future stopping points were, they did like the sound of Thurne, but as it was the last day of their holiday they shouldn’t have to be doing this and I said to ring the yard and get them to sort it out. Also I gave my advice, for what it’s worth, if they were to break down completely between moorings. I said to just drive into the reeds which I have no idea if it’s right but it’s what I would do. When I returned after my walk, another family had taken their place. First timers and completely hooked. Finlay and I walked along to Fleet Dyke end and down to South Walsham and back up the extremely muddy track to the boat. Pleased to report the riverbank path is 200% better than even a month ago. It’s been cut back. Didn’t matter about mud today as Finlay could have a wash in the river seeing as the bank at the spot I’d moored was low. Thrn off towards Wroxham w with the idea of going under the bridge either this afternoon or tomorrow morning for a coffee date with Jean (swanR) tomorrow afternoon. Along the way I’d phoned the pilot and was surprised to hear it was only 6’3” ( it was nigh on high tide but I didn’t expect that). So this afternoon was out. He said low tide this morning was 6’5” and he expects maybe 6’6” tomorrow, still a bit tight for my liking seeing as I’m still a bit of a newbie with the bridge. I hadn’t realised the water levels are still quite high following the really high levels last month. So aboutturn and get as far up the Ant as the light would allow so I can moor at home in the morning and drive to Wroxham later. Got my favourite spot along the Ant, scattered the flowers I’d brought from mum’s garden into the river and watched them float off. That’ll do me as a goodbye. Accompanied by a beautiful sunset and reflections on the water, oh and a couple of swans for good measure.

Thursday 27th October. No idea what time I set off but I did post the height at Ludham Bridge about mid morning I think. I had no particular place I wanted to go apart from somewhere I could walk lots. But I also needed to run the engine a bit so the plan emerged to head for Acle or Stokesby, then retrace my steps and access Upton marshes from a suitable mooring spot. I thought about stopping at the Dunes cafe at Acle, and nearly got tempted by the Acle Bridge Inn, but I was enjoying just being on the boat. sometime after Acle, I turned round and went back upstream to one of my favourite spots, down from st Benets on the opposite bank. Finlay and I found as great deal of enjoyment and peace walking across the marshes on the concrete road, into Upton, calling in on Eastwood Whelpton to renew my acquaintance with the owners after their kind lift bsck from the Beccles wooden boat show in august. But they weren’t there. I sat at the end of the dyke on the bench watching the boats go by and carried on round the riverbank path to the boat, stopping on the way for a chat with two lovely sets of families moored along the river. I’m do pleased I made the effort of a walk, cheered me up no end, as usual.

Go for it Sam!!!! They’ll fit somewhere even if you get turfed out of bed yourself.

I think so. Charlie does it but more because he’s unsure how to introduce himself. But it’s not usually taken kindly by the other dog.

It’s now possible to have your heart pacemaker tweaked and upgraded remotely while you sit in your home. So if they can do that, why not renew an implanted credit card in the same manner? All this use of tech is a bit beyond necessary surely?

Ludham bridge 8’ this morning, 90 mins after LW, for anyone who needs to know

Wednesday 26th October (I think!) Firstly, many thanks for all the support, much appreciated. So on to less gloomy things. I say Wed 26th Oct but unless I take a good think about it, it might not be!!! Lost track at bit. After a super and much needed night’s sleep back at the boat, Finlay and I set off in glorious sunshine late morning, destination unknown. I thought a nice wild mooring somewhere down the Ant would fit the bill. Irstead staithe was available and I pondered but would have had to move on the next day whether I felt like it or not. I passed many of my favourites, all empty but the other important aspect of keeping going a bit was to get a tankful of hot water. I hoped for what Griff and co call ‘Griff’s corner’ and could have asked the occupant to shift down a bit but the family looked like they were having so much fun fishing, and I preferred to be on my own, that I moved on to the drainage mill, which sufficed. I’m still not 100% whether you should moor there, but there are no signs to the contrary at all. It’s a bit awkward as the quay heading is so high the fenders tend to slip underneath, but I have a spare fender to run horizontally along the side that seems to do the job. Just after arriving, the sun disappeared and we had a heavy downpour for half and hour or so. This at least served the purpose of forcing me to stay indoors and remember to eat something. Once the sun came out again, a good long walk was in order, up the riverbank and round the marsh, turning right at the t junction, following the bank again to go through the wood and out into a set of open grass fields. The stunningly beautiful cows (probably Aberdeen Angus) came to say hello and escort me through the last gate. They hadn’t forgotten their babyhood and were quite happy sucking on my outstretched fingers, always a good way to keep them calm. I was going to walk past the RAF museum and into Horning to sit by the staithe awhile, but found a footpath sign that I hadn’t been down before so decided to explore. Trying to follow the farmers wishes of a diverted route so as not to mess up a cropped field, I lost the diversion signs but presumed I was meant to be skirting the headland. That proved right and after ducking through a bit of a gap in the hedge, came across the original path again. After crossing a sugar beet field and walking down a track it ended up on the Ludham to Horning road, just on the Horning side of Upper Street. The verge is wide there, so no problem walking along the road side but the last bit, round a bend, looked a bit more dicey, so I took a right turn down the lane and then doubled back on myself across the field path to the left of the next junction. Very muddy! A newly sown field with the wheat or barley now about 4” high, too young yet to tell which it was. Crossing the road again and walking down the track past a few houses and some more curious youngsters on the marsh led me back along to the first t junction taken near the river bank so it was just a case of retracing my steps. This walk is shorter, at about 3.5 miles than going right into Horning and back along in a circular route, but still really pretty, so is one I’ll add to my list. And that was it. I felt restored and back into the real world, if that’s what you can call being so privileged as to be able to play about in a boat on a river! I was lulled to sleep again by the sound of the outfall discharging it’s drainage water for what seemed like hours.

I agree. Any snap will be done by one of them as a warning of ‘I’ve had enough of this mate’. They should read the conversation and if they don’t the first time, will soon get the message the next time. Don’t be thinking that a snap is due to an aggressive personality. It’s exciting for Seren to have a playmate and she’s just being the annoying sister!!! When Charlie gets excited playing, he gets so hyped up he starts ‘humping’ everybody. That’s when we stop the play.

And I used to drop my cash into the tub at the Dartford tunnel/bridge and enjoy seeing it sort itself out as it hot gobbled up. Of course, coming over the bridge on Friday and having so much on my mind with my mums death, I completely forgot to pay till too late, so now I’ve incurred a penalty charge. Hope they have an appeal process. I remembered 6 hours too late. Hey ho, that’s life but unnecessarily complicated when it was straightforward before.

Oh Malcolm, I wish I could give you a a hug. For me, mum’s way was as she would have wanted so I’m at ease with that.

Good on you both, worth every day of hard work.