Springer’s Retreat On The Rivers

[kpnut]

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. 

[kpnut]

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!!!
 

[SwanR]

Safe travels tomorrow Kate. I did have such a lovely afternoon with you yesterday, thank you. The time flew by so I’m already looking forward to another catch-up at some point when you’ve got everything sorted out. Such a difficult time for you. I can only hope that everything plays out as well as it can. 

[ExSurveyor]

Hi Kate,

It is a horrible time and always a stressful process.

I have taken a lot of funeral services over the years for family and friends, the most stressful part is getting agreement from family members.

I much prefer to discuss the arrangements with the person when they are alive although that isn't always possible and family members can often over rule the agreed arrangements.

My 96 year old mother in law had paid for her funeral and written out everything she wanted, including me taking it.

Sadly my sister in law and brother in law ignored all of this and arranged a direct cremation without consulting us. To say it caused a rift is an understatement.

On a more positive note, we held a celebration of her life in our garden, she had lived with us for 8 yeaes and loved the garden. Our children, grandchildren, our friends and her few  remaining friends spent the afternoon hearing about her life, reading her favourite poems and listening to her music choices. We also had a big display of photos from her life.  Everyone commented that it was far nicer that a conventional funeral.

It might be something that you and yours could do instead to honour your mums life.

Feel free to message me.

[YnysMon]

Oh Kate, I hope you manage to sort things out. If not, try not to worry to much. I’m sure your Mum wouldn’t have wanted her ‘arrangements’ to get between you and your siblings. One thing I keep stressing to my sons is not to argue about ‘things’ when we are gone, but to take care of each other. 

[kpnut]

Thanks so much for all your kind words. I’m slowly reaching decisions in my head and supporting my family. 
 

So now moving on - 

Yesterday, I thought I’d pack the boat up in a leisurely fashion, have something to eat and get going for the 4 hour trip home. 
Finlay decided he was going in the crate in the boot all morning which does help keep him out of the way while I’m hoovering. 
Packing up always takes far longer than anticipated because there are just too many interesting people to talk to at the yard. I went for a look round some of the hire boats that were now in for the winter as Paul R said I could get some ideas for a bit of refurb work. I had a good chat to one of the yard lads who is a professional trumpet player. He always asks how Richard my trombonist son is getting on. 
My leisurely morning turned into a leisurely afternoon too as the window man called by to make a template to change a piece of perspex for glass, something I’ve meant to do since buying the boat. He’d come first on Saturday afternoon to measure up while I was out and told me Finlay, whom I’d left on the boat for a change, just lay on the sofa looking at him. Not the best guard dog then!!!

I was ready to go once he’d finished, but then the car wouldn’t start. Having the boot open for so many hours so the dog could see out had perhaps drained the battery. I’ve been suspecting the battery might be on its way out for a while, it’s 8 yrs old so doesn’t owe me anything. I’ll get Tony to check it before deciding whether to get another. 
A very kind employee, won’t mention names, jumped started the car off his van and I was away, making sure when I stopped at the toilet block and at Boulters in Wroxham that I didn’t turn the engine off. Very many thanks to said ‘van man’ for coming to the rescue. 
No further mishaps. 
Already looking forward to my next trip out with my boat. 

 

[Guest271222]

Hello kpnut, I am making my way through a number of holiday tales (I am a slow reader I am afraid) and enjoying yours very much. I look forward to hearing more of your tales as I make my way through your posts

[kpnut]

Oh dear, you might find I start repeating myself! But thanks anyway. 
Looking forward to my next trip. Once I’ve been away from the boat for about a week I start getting itchy feet to get back there.

But family/house/allotment maintenance issues sometimes have to take precedence!

[bewitched]

Hey kpnut, don't worry about repeating yourself. There are almost no pathways and waterways I haven't explored around the Broads and still continue to, a lot I have even blogged in years gone by

Enjoy your travels. You never know, I might bump into you at some point and I can tell you so many tales 

Enjoy till then

[kpnut]

Tuesday November 29th

Well, with mum’s funeral over on Monday and an awful lot of house packing ready for clearance on Tuesday morning, Tony and I got to the boat well after dark. Rather disconcerting to be filling up with water etc at night, I’ve only ever arrived in more or less daylight hours before. 
With only two nights here, we got stuck into a few measuring up jobs that I want doing when we’re down again next week. 

And what a fantastic night’s sleep. Just what is it about the boat that makes you sleep so well?

I was well overdue a solid night’s sleep as since mum died, my head has been buzzing with so much stuff - arrangements, family disagreements about those arrangements, paperwork involved with her death, paying outstanding bills etc, and the house sale seeing as it already had an offer on it before mum died, along with my daughter being pregnant and as sick as a dog with it!

So to wake up this morning feeling so refreshed was a big relief. 
 

All our jobs are now done, we’ll enjoy the morning and prep the boat for our return for a busy week next week. We might even get off the mooring and meander off to somewhere cosy, to show Tony the delights of winter cruising with empty rivers and (hopefully) beautiful clear skies. 
 

And to round off a very odd few weeks, mum’s funeral day went as planned. A fitting send off, with all the family involved, certainly more of a tribute than a traditional funeral as such and a very jolly reception afterwards where many of her teaching colleagues shared anecdotes with us all about her working life. She would have loved it as she liked nothing better than to keep up with all the people she ‘gathered’ through her life. It was wonderful seeing so many of her friends, many of whom I’ve known for years. And some of my oldest friends too who’s mums became friends with my mum through a shared moaning of all us young farmers descending on the family homes at 11pm for coffee after being turfed out of the pubs at closing time!

Many thanks to all of you for being so caring and supportive. You’re a lovely bunch! Much appreciated. 

 

 

[SwanR]

So glad to read your update Kate. It sounds as if everything went as well as these occasions ever can. 

[Mouldy]

So glad everything went well, Kate.  It sounds as if your experience was much the same as Helen’s and mine, where the funeral proved to be a turning point in your mourning process.

With mum’s remains retrieved from the funeral directors, Deb and I went back to Milton Keynes last Saturday to scatter them where we scattered dads ashes five years ago.  No fancy ceremony, but with our son and daughter in law there, it was the final goodbye and one that I think we all felt.

I also had some good news yesterday from the specialist probate solicitors we’d instructed to obtain a grant of probate on our behalf and they’re already in receipt of the relative documents from the court less than a month after applying.  They will be despatched to me and I can finish closing mum’s financial affairs and transfer ownership of her house into my name.

 

[kpnut]

That was extremely quick Malcolm and allows a tying up of affairs in a timely fashion. 

[Lulu]

So pleased it worked out well for you and your family Kate x 

[YnysMon]

Thanks for giving us an update Kate. I’m so glad the funeral went so well for you and your family. Glad to hear too that you sleep so peacefully on the boat, somehow I’ve got into a routine of not sleeping well the first few nights of each of our trips, which is silly, as otherwise I’m very relaxed.

Your poor daughter. Hope things get better as she progresses through the pregnancy. I can’t remember…is this the first grandchild?

[kpnut]

17 hours ago, YnysMon said:

is this the first grandchild?

Yes it is Helen. Maybe the only one based on Catherine’s experience at the moment, but as we all know, the memory of the misery fades over time! 
At the moment, she’s onto the second phase of sickness tablets and I thought she’d end up in hospital with dehydration. 

Doubt Richard will succumb to fatherhood. When his long term girlfriend had the conversation about future plans, he was like a rabbit in the headlights and froze. They are unfortunately no longer together as his girlfriend quite rightly had to decide between him and a future family. 
But I live in hope he’ll find the right person sooner or later and suddenly change his outlook on life. Maybe he’ll love being an uncle instead. 
 

Home yesterday after assessing jobs to do. Some might have got done, but Tony forgot his drill!

Back next week to crack on. Think the weather’s turning colder for us. 

[YnysMon]

I think once the lovely bundle arrives the memory of the morning sickness quickly fades. I get the impression from Catherine that she felt the (more than) discomfort was well worth the resulting little bundle of joy. 

[kpnut]

Having just re-read some posts, I have a bit of catching up to do. 

Unplanned by me, I inadvertently introduced Tony to proper cold winter boat life in December. I just resigned myself to using loads of diesel and electric, anything to keep him warm and happy as he was here for 4 days getting as many jobs find as I could find for him. He did mention ‘when I come next ……..’ so I don’t think I put him off too much. The one thing we couldn’t do was take the boat out, frozen water, icy surfaces and the canopy zips frozen up! New door handles, map on wall, various other drilling jobs, some lagging on the heater pipes, tube heater permanently installed in engine compartment among other jobs ticked off. There are plenty more on the list of course. 
I would have liked to have stayed longer, even with the cold weather, as I enjoy being on my home mooring nearly as much as being off down the river. There are so many places to explore off the Broads too. 

 

[kpnut]

Back on New Year’s Day, and an earlier arrival than anticipated. 
I suppose I was keyed up for coming to the boat so of course didn’t sleep properly. I set off just before 7am and the roads had absolutely no traffic. I don’t think I saw another car on my side of the road from the Humber Bridge to the Lincoln bypass. Even the ‘pain in the butt’ A47 after Kings Lynn was ok. So I arrived to a sunny morning at 10.30, got myself moving more quickly than usual so I could meet up with Lulu and Graham on Luna Aurora, who were moored up at Neatishead. I duly arrived, made a bit of a hash of reversing down the dyke between two boats (of course because of people watching, including numerous fisherman, one of whom distracted me as I spotted a large pike in his net, first time I’ve ever seen one!!) Well, I didn’t hit anything but did have to shunt two and fro a few times. 
A most sociable afternoon followed, including some very nice wine and a good dog walk with Finlay and Desmond. They got on well. 
Was it the previous bad night’s sleep, the early start and long drive, or the wine? (I suspect the latter) but I spent most of the evening dozing, before eventually doing the sensible thing and tucking myself up in bed. 
A wonderful night’s sleep found me getting up late, and finding Sam and Graham already gone. I certainly hadn’t heard them. 
The sun was already shining and I took Finlay out, and I got going after a very healthy breakfast of yoghurt, cucumber, sultanas and nuts. I really have got to start eating more sensibly after more than two months grazing while being far too busy with mum’s stuff. I feel very stodgy and Christmas food doesn’t help!

Cruising down a glistening river Ant

and pondering that I must start earlier in the day in the winter if I want to get moored up somewhere and a good dog walk, I spotted Ynys Mon helming Moonlight Shadow as Graham and son sorted the lines as they set off from How Hill. We called over to each other, and I hope we’ll meet up later in the week. 

Potter Heigham or Acle? I don’t like Potter in the wind and want to go for walks at both, so with it being forecast to be windy tomorrow night, I opted for Potter today. 

Three boats including me, and when I got back from my walk, just two. The other one is Thunder. I hope I didn’t get onto Russell’s video, he was talking to his webcam as I walked past. 
 

For info for anyone needing it - Ludham bridge was 7’9” midway through the tide, and Potter Heigham was showing about 5’7” near low tide. As usual, the water is high on the Potter Heigham moorings, or is it just that the quay heading is low here?

[Andrewcook]

Hi, Knut I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post one thing I can say is I do make a hash of mooring up such as Ranwoth a right pain with the Wind blowing whatever direction it is on the Day. I hope you have a pleasant 2023 River  chug where you go and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the Broads.

[Lulu]

It was lovely to see you yesterday. You didnt make a hash of reversing at all. Nice and slow and steady and the wind certainly wasn’t helping.  I’m surprised you didnt hear me this morning as I had to tell Desmond firmly just outside your bedroom window not to wee on the ropes!   
 

If anyone has an answer to why there are weirdly positioned red cones on Barton Broad, Kate and I would love to know. Certainly confused me coming from Irstead bearing left to Neatishead. 
 

32 minutes ago, kpnut said:

As usual, the water is high on the Potter Heigham moorings, or is it just that the quay heading is low here?

I dont think we’ve ever moored there without having to use our steps. 

[kpnut]

My Potter Heigham walk started by walking over the bridge, with its big pothole near the top. The road is closed to traffic but the traffic lights haven’t been told, they’re still working. 

I took the track on the right after Lathams, kept Finlay on the lead till we’d crossed the main road to continue along the track. It was much less muddy than anticipated. 
A left turn halfway along

ends up near a house, with a decision to make - to go down the lane towards the church or follow the footpath round the edge of the marsh. I chose the path, which is actually a good track to start with, only muddy in the gateholes but unsurprisingly getting muddier the nearer to Hickling Broad you get. There were beautiful White Park cattle in one field, accompanied by a pretty shorthorn too.

A walk through a lovely oak and beech wood took me to a junction with a signboard and map of Hickling Broad. This is where the route via the church rejoins the path.

I turned right to follow the path through the wood and up onto the raised path. I still couldn’t see the Broad though as the reeds are far too high. A little staithe which I expect is used by NWT work staff gave me a glimpse of Heigham Sound and I recalled the most magical night I’ve had since getting the boat, last March when I was moored up at Deep Dyke listening to the Bitterns booming. 

The path was surprisingly busy with walkers and a couple of joggers. It eventually brought me out onto Candle Dyke and what is really my very, very, very favourite part of the Broads. (Well, of all the bits I know!)

By walking the route this way round, it has the advantage of the water being towards the end for dog cleaning, but maybe the better views are behind you. So a stop to breathe in the fresh air, listen to the birdsong which is louder here than anywhere else I know on the Broads and a 360 turn to take in the views is a good idea.

All that remained was the walk back opposite Martham Boatyard, then the chalets, stopping to dunk Finlay in the water at the slip near the new bridge to clean him off. He needed it!

Then a cup of tea at Bridgestone. I was hoping that the Nippy Chippy would be open as I’ve heard it’s very good, but it re-opens tomorrow after the Christmas break. 
This evening a couple of boats have been past, I think only one had navigation lights but it also had two very bright white spotlights at the front, so I doubt the coloured lights on the side would be noticed anyway. 
The walk was wonderful in the sunshine, the first longer walk I’ve done in a couple of months. 5 miles, 2hrs 20.
It can easily be added to by continuing along past Herbert Woods and the chalets and coming back through a wood and path to follow the dyke that runs at the back of Herbert Woods. 

[kpnut]

8 minutes ago, Andrewcook said:

do make a hash of mooring up such as Ranwoth a right pain with the Wind blowing whatever direction it is on the Day

Ah yes, Andrew. Ranworth with a crosswind is a right pain. 

[kpnut]

7 minutes ago, Lulu said:

I’m surprised you didnt hear me this morning as I had to tell Desmond firmly just outside your bedroom window not to wee on the ropes!   
 

If anyone has an answer to why there are weirdly positioned red cones on Barton Broad, Kate and I would love to know. Certainly confused me coming from Irstead bearing left to Neatishead.

Naughty Desmond. The one big fear I have when Finlay is on a public mooring is just that very thing!

And yes, two random cones just sitting there in what I think has always been the middle of the channel. Knowing that going downstream they should be in the starboard side and you end up with red on both sides of you, is really most odd!

[Lulu]

16 minutes ago, kpnut said:

Naughty Desmond. The one big fear I have when Finlay is on a public mooring is just that very thing!

Its ok, I stopped him as he was about to make the move 😉

Lovely photos, finally some blue sky