ranworthbreeze

I trimmed my beard last night before having a shower. I now look more like myself and less like granddad on Only Fools & Horses.

Oh no not the garage

I had been toying with making a apple pie with caramel in the bottom of the pie before filling with cooking apples, at the back end of last year I used granny smiths out of the garden. I like a sprinkling of raisins and cinnamon. Another variation of the apple pie is to alternate the cut apples with pears or plums off of the tree earlier in the season. Regards Alan

The first three locks can be a bit of a trial and lining up is best done with plenty of revs on until the bows are in the entrance of the lock, then it is a case of full reverse to slow down the boat.

Hello Grendel, I can only think of the likes of your good self and I that would have the likes of the engineering items you list above, of course back in the day we only tended to use whitworth, BSF, UNF, BA and the like. Regards Alan

The trough castings are held together with linen and sugar, the top rail of the trough has square holes in the top, I wonder if at some time in the past there were railings and top metal rail. Regards Alan

I went to the barbers in mid February before I went to the boat, it was cut fairly short and my beard trimmed. These days I have to trim my beard more often or try for a seasonal job

Hi Mark, You and me both, I have been self employed since 1980 and know all of the pitfalls with dealing with banks. Regards Alan

Being a stones throw from Bakewell, I like Bakewell Tarts but am not keen on Bakewell Puddings.

Hello Chris, Is that picture taken many years ago? I can not see the see the parking area's at the side of the beach where the Memorial should be, if the Sherman tank is in the left hand and car-park it is not noticeable. As you may be well aware there are two pubs/restaurants side by side. One is the Star Bay Inn, I can't remember the other one name, both have similar menus, but the Start Bay Inn is packed every day from opening and the other gets just a few people in. If you like fish this is the place for you. The complete area was evacuated prior to the practising of the D-Day Landings, you will be well aware of the tragic loss of American lives when their landing craft were attacked by a U-Boat, The Sherman Tank recovered was placed in the left hand car-park as a memorial. Over the years we have encountered many Americans or their families returning to the area. Regards Alan

Hello Chris, As part of our 25th anniversary, Tan & I spent a week in Devon that year spending a night or two in a number of places in the South Hams. I had said to Tan just pack a bag we are taking a week off, I had arranged with the guest houses, pubs and hotels and the visit without letting Tan know any of the details. Our first two nights were in a small guest house on the service road at Slapton Sands (Torcross) the bedroom overlooked the pebbled beach, if you were a fisherman you could have cast out into the sea. We spent a night in the Sloop Inn at Bantham. Our anniversary night was staying at the hotel on Burgh Island; very nice too. I had taken Tan into Plymouth to buy a dress for the occasion, but again I didn't tell her what it was for. We spent the next night in a Hotel in Dartmouth overlooking the river and the final two nights in the Cottage Hotel in Hope Cove. Happy times to be remembered. Regards Alan

I think my next allocation in early July on Ranworth Breeze is in the laps of the gods. I was very lucky to have my allocation in the first few weeks in March. My fellow owners have not been so lucky, I virtually shut down the boat after my allocation.

I spent all day in the garden lifting the worn out grass on the front lawn, riddling the soil for large stones and weeds. I have done more work on this in the last week than in the last 18 months. If the lockdown continues I maybe at a stage where I can have some new turf delivered.

Hello Jemaki, Yes the pub is the Hope & Anchor, there is a couple of eateries & bars but the other pub which used to painted pink was the Lobster Pot is now flats. Did you look at the pods that you can sit in to eat or have a drink in? Quite modern for Hope Cove. The Hope and Anchor and the Cottage Hotel have both got some great sea view bedrooms.

Happy Easter everyone.

Done

Hello Susan, We have been going most years to Hope Cove for the last 30 years since the boys were 4 & 6 years old. Regards Alan

I would always choose Hope Cove in Devon even over the Broads. Regards Alan

Sadly there are low life's in every location even the Norfolk Broads.

Hello Grendel for Griff's sake I hope that is not a true to life figure Regards Alan

My day yesterday was spending a few hours in the shed working on a jukebox mechanism. after lunch I gave the front door another coat of yacht varnish and worked in the front garden (so I could see the open front door) weeding some of the block paving path that goes around the front of the house. Stuart phoned he needed some wood to finish a sand box for Lucas. I dug out some wood for him and we chattered at a safe distance for a while until he went back home. Mike came back home after working in the staff canteen all day, better than manning the supermarket isle's. Alan

It's not just Norfolk that is going to be reeling after this pandemic is eventually over. The country as an whole will not be the same many small and even some large companies will not survive the shut-down that may last for a few months to come. The idiots that are not following the current rules are making the situation worse and the scum of the earth steeling from nurses cars, homes and stalking NHS staff, there has been a number of NHS staff identification stolen in Sheffield. Regards Alan

I agree, they of course had their own Narrow Boat for many years whilst their children were growing up. I like the Broads but my first love for boating will always be the canals. Our first holiday on a Narrow Boat ws 1974 and on and off we have been going ever since, as our crew is getting older (bearing in mind I am the youngest 69 in October), and sadly have not been four about 3 years. Sadly I doubt that we will get back on our boats before June or maybe July at the earliest. Regards Alan

Billy Connolly always said a well balanced man has a drink in each hand

It is now nearly two weeks since I left Norfolk and the boat. Our world has changed dramatically from being able to do as we wish to being ruled by our everyday actions. Yes the instructions given to us by the government are not clear, but as already mentioned they have been decided in haste, the press are not helping at all. The main message is to stay at home to save lives and it would appear that the sane majority are following these instructions. All the emergency services especially the nurses and doctors are putting their lives at risk for the benefit of us all, we need to help them both in support an by not making their endeavours harder. We have seen Jay's message how the Fire Brigade are helping with the situation taking extra rolls for the good of the community and volunteers like Ian who is currently at home is hopefully going to do his bit. Like many of you I am now going to work from home, after bringing most of my equipment home. My oldest son was sent home just over two weeks ago, his wife works in the lab at the Hallamshire Hospital so she has to work, my youngest son still lives with me and works in a supermarket so again has to go into work. Not seeing family or friends other than on video links; is one of the major issues to me n this lock-down, I have never used my phone so much in the last two weeks. I am starting to do a few jobs in the garden and around the house, yesterday I varnished the front door, it was yacht varnish so at least I was keeping my hand in. Whilst I was waiting it to dry a little I did some weeding in the front garden so I could keep an eye on the open door. My message to our forum members would be to stay safe, stay at home, follow instructions no matter how they change. Try and remain positive, friendly and at times bite your lip for the benefit of others. Regards Alan