kpnut

Well done, Bern, Nik and Jean. Hope it was a hotly contested evening. I am looking forward to hopefully being there next week. I have to have an unscheduled visit to the boat next week to get my snapped throttle cable replaced. Very annoying and as is said, BOAT! (Well, maybe not quite that much)!!! Kate

It did Jean, thanks very much for all your wishes. Even the sun shone versus forecast. And Tony and as the oldies won the canoe treasure hunt! Just goes to show that teamwork pays off - he listens and does what he’s told and it all works!!!!!!! Lesson for married life?

Have a good evening all of you. Probably won't be thinking of you at the time! (will be in the midst of welcoming guests to daughter's wedding weekend in the Lakes). Just filled car with all the catering - and I do mean filled, not one more box can fit. Kate

I’ve been wondering where these are for 5 years. I’m sure the sign has been pointing in the wrong direction, into HW yard. So I’ve always just used the yard wc! a family asked me the other day if I knew where they were as they’d also followed the sign into the yard. Maybe I’m wrong and just going daft! Thanks for the info.

Sorry Grendel, after all that quick work from you, I’m going to have to give my apologies. In fact for the next two weeks. Tomorrow driving back from Croy in Scotland having painted the exterior stonework of my son’s house in this fantastic weather this week. (He acted as apprentice this week which was so lovely to see him wanting to get involved at last, at the age of 29!!!!!) And next it’s my daughters wedding up in the Lake District. All my catering is now done and in the freezers, including the cake (sponge) so I’m going to be able to have a more stress free week than I’d anticipated. Have fun as usual all of you tomorrow evening. Kate

You’re right Grendel about fresh yeast giving a better flavour. For a 7g ( of one sachet ) dried yeast recipe, use 15g of the fresh yeast. And as you said, yeast keeps for months in the freezer.

Fun evening Polly. Lots of excellent random answers to your questions. Many thanks.

I like the sound of ‘mine’s a pint’ Polly! Will hopefully be there if boat connection is playing ball. Thanks.

My daughters dog had an op in October to straighten his front leg and was on crate rest for weeks, still only allowed on short lead now. He also didn’t have the cone thank goodness as he would have kept bashing it on the crate sides. They gave him like a slipcover poncho thing with a flappy collar that covered his legs. I was amazed it worked as I thought he’d have been able to just push it to one side to get at the bandage, but it was brilliant and he really didn’t seem to be bothered by it at all.

I suppose if they and their kayaks were packed into big boats it won’t be Hickling direction then!

Yes, a group from the Perse school in Cambridge, first outing since covid started, so lots of very excited youngsters. I noticed them and sent a message to my sister who works there to confirm they’d arrived safely!!!! She wasn’t sure where they were heading, but thought maybe under the bridge. They have camping gear stowed on board and will have prearranged fields for camping with various landowners. They’ve used the campsite at salhouse before now.

Well done all. The titles of the rounds looked interesting Jean, sorry I couldn’t be there. Accompanying daughter to wedding dress fitting and her sorting shoes for my dress and then me cooking a ‘practice’ meal this evening to get them to taste test the menu took precedence. Will be in attendance next week though, signal on boat permitting.

We too have a woodburner (Tony has a business as a hedge layer so plenty of wood available), solar panels and a contraption that diverts the electricity generated to heat the hot water tank, but I’d be very interested to hear more about the storage batteries Griff - initial outlay, what the power is then used for and at what times of day and size (eg do they fit in the loft or the garage?) A few years ago, we had considered buying storage heaters and ‘charging them up’ so to speak with the solar power, (as the diverter thing has space for 3 more diversions before sending to the grid), discharging evening and early morning, but they were quite costly to buy. But with the economics of it all changing, they might seem more reasonable now.

Yes they were just fine beforehand (if the font size on one or two was slightly oversized eg corfu). I really hate looking back; embarrassing to be looking nosey!

I totally agree Jean. One of the fun things is to guess the name of a richos boat as it comes towards you, then tick it off as it goes past. Not only do you now have to crane your neck to look at the stern, but small silver writing on a white background makes it virtually impossible to read. Not a good marketing exercise I’d say, as a lot of hirers spot a boat they like the look of and want to look it up for its layout etc. Make it easy and more people will do it, more bookings follow. Can’t see it? Won’t bother to follow up.

Lulu, it’s not very far but a lovely amble, stopping on the way at what I think is the sluice or at least a sort of platform sticking out into the dyke to peer into the clear water to see the creepy crawlers. The hide at the end is peaceful. And yes, you can take a dog on a lead so Desmond will be entertained. The rest of the boardwalk used to go round in a circular route, but last time I was there, maybe February, it was still closed off and rather overgrown. You also used to be able to walk down from the head of the dyke along the river boardwalk towards the moorings opposite the Ferry Inn, but officially it is closed now and in a rather dangerous condition in parts of the boardwalk. It was a nice walk along the flooded road to the Fur and Feather at Woodbastwick back in the winter, wading through about quarter mile of flood, but as I say, not meant to access the boardwalk any more unfortunately.

Yes Jean, it was so good to catch up with you. While you were cruising along to Womack and partaking of your lunch, Finlay springer and I walked round the marshes from south walsham moorings, had a sit down at the end of Upton dyke to watch the world go by, then couldn’t resist a half of cider in the white horse at Upton along with a pasty from the shop, and then back round via Pilson Green to the boat. That’s why I was only just leaving as you came back again! I did enjoy a drink in the Kings Arms the previous monday, it was truly heaving even then early on a weeknight I was very surprised Fleet dyke is one of my favourite mooring stretches, on the mooring posts if I want it easy, or with the rhond anchors if feeling less lazy! Looking forward to your Monday tale. Xx

A very fun evening Bern. Thankyou very much. Well done Jean, you know you’d stuff! might not be able to attend next week, apologies if I’m not there.

Looked very peaceful Meander. I love it up there.

Sorry to hijack your thread Meander, but that reminds me Simon, could you bring me two of the peeloff stickers to the spring meet and i’ll settle up then. Many thanks, Kate

Thanks Steve, excellent selection of questions. Well done Mike

The card option worked ok for me this morning Neil. And sent a receipt by email.

Now paid, Kate with Springers Retreat.

Thanks for tonight's quiz Polly, good fun as usual. I must say I was a bit hopeless tonight, brain definitely not in gear!!!

We se to have drifted somewhat from the original. Jean to blame for mentioning Christmas dinner - hope it was enjoyable Jean. Back to the thread - I’m hoping this good weather stays for the foreseeable, seeing as I’m down on my boat sometime in the next week or so. Lulu no anyone on the rivers - hope it’s turned into a glorious day for you, it is where I am if any consolation !