St George and other stuff

The week leading up to St George's Day (23rd April-but you knew that I'm sure) was lovely and sunny so I took Independence up to Bulbourne and overnighted outside the Grand Junction pub. To be honest I overnighted inside it as well and very pleasant it was too. 

On leaving Cowroast to head for Bulbourne I spotted our first ducklings of the year. They had been nested in some foliage on top of a widebeam boat  opposite the moorings which gave them (the boat not the ducks) the excuse to hang around longer than the

expected two weeks

Proud mum

We have another duck nesting on the moorings in the middle of some daffodils and by my reckoning she should be hatching very soon.

Our resident expectant mother

I have a favourite mooring at Bulbourne just next to the Landing Stage provided for boaters with a disability. I've never seen such a boater use it but it's there if they need it. I think it was installed for the trip boats from Pitstone but apparently they no longer operate.
Anyway I can see Independence from the pub window and whilst enjoying that view along came Jules' Fuels who had filled me up earlier that week

Pam enjoys the sunshine at Bulbourne

Met up with Mac and Carrie for lunch and Pam joined us for a drink which was also very pleasant.

I took a leisurely cruise back across the Tring Summit in the hope of capturing a Kingfisher

Just after Tring Station Bridge, a popular spot with Kingfishers, I spied a beauty skimming the water in front of me.

I crept round the next bend, camera at the ready and tiller arm wedged in my backside to steer

And there she/he was waiting on a branch with no apparent intention of moving. I got one picture shown below and was just going for my second when "toot bloody toot" along come two boats coming towards me. I by now was the wrong side of the cut and had to get out of the way with time only to glimpse the Kingfisher heading off somewhere quieter. Bugger!

Apart from Jules I hadn't seen another boat going up or back. Why did these two have to come along then and spoil MY picture. Bastards!

Same thing happened last year I recall. Probably the same two boats just out to annoy me.

Back at the mooring it was time to get ready for the coming Sunday when we were having our St George's Day barbecue. As I said earlier the weather was beautiful for cutting the grass and preparing tables and chairs but the forecast was not good. This came as no surprise as St George's Celebrations are traditionally held on the coldest, windiest or wettest (or any combination of all three) day in April and people are often impressed with my ability to decide on that day without reference to seaweed, spirit stones, the bbc or shepherd folklore

Arriving back at Cowroast it was good to see the cross of St George flying proudly. 

I arrived back just in time to see Chris and Gill heading south through the lock bound for the festival at Little Venice.

A good day for grass cutting is promised for tomorrow-St George's Day.

St George's Day, Thursday 23rd April

Not that you'd know it driving through Berkhamsted! Miserable bloody town wasn't flying a single cross  of St G as I drove south at about 11. I forgave the pubs as they wouldn't be open yet but even the church who presumably were aware that it was St George's Day couldn't be bothered. When I returned an hour later the flower stall and the photography shop were the only ones showing the flag. I lent one to the Lamb who had been deflagpoled at some time in the last 12 months and the Goat flew their flag. I lunched at the Lamb and apart from those I to whom I gave a red rose none were seen anywhere. I'm not a great one for jingoism and nationalistic pomposity but I do believe myself very lucky to have been born an Englishman with all the blessings bestowed and feel that one day a year we should publicly proclaim our luck.
Nay bother as they say on St Andrew's Day -perhaps the English don't need such trappings. Shame, though, everybody loves a party.
I did get a fine picture from Nat and Ollie entitled Anglo Saxa with best wishes for St George. I have made it the headline picture for now 

After that it's getting ready for the Sunday. We put the marquee frames up but not the covers as the forecast for the Saturday was dire and I didn't want them filling with water and stretching.

Mike Griffin assists with my erection

while I try and remember which cover goes where.

Chairs and tables washed and the priceless auction items artistically displayed and the whole lot covered against the forthcoming Saturday deluge.

Only 24 people coming this year so I'm hoping to keep it simple with just barbecue burgers and bangers with the usual accompaniments. 

The afternoon faired up and we had no rain, It all seemed to go well and the 24 attendees can be justly proud that £500 was raised for the Hospice of St Francis-that's over 20 quid per person-brilliant. The auction itself made over £250 with a higher standard this year mainly due to Geoff Handscomb donating many items from the estate of his late brother, Gareth, who spent his final hours in the hospice

Some pictures from the day. I am indebted to Jim and Sue and Mac and Carrie for sharing their pictures

Roy and Annie prepare for the feast

Jim gets the benefit of Bob's expertise on the role of Marx and Engels in canal building

Mac can't remember where he put the flowery tie Carrie gave him

Christine pretends the temperature is colder than in South America

Judith and Mike-another fine example of the best of women with a strange choice in men

Sue muses over the amount of stuff Jim will buy

Pam just muses

My favourite picture so far of 2015

All the nice girls.....

Mac explains to Jan how to train a dog to walk on two legs

Angies' Jacket potatoes, as usual, flew off the plate

The throng assembles

Joseph pursues Mac and Carrie to sell raffle tickets

Pam, Jennifer and John await the raffle draw with unbridled enthusiasm

Mike waits for Judith to get him a drink

Jim spies a 

rose between two thorns

The auctioneer is improperly dressed. Thereby hangs a tail

Pam looking proudly on as the improperly dressed auctioneer makes an eejit of himself

Bob continues to enjoy himself

Geoff has an eye for a bargain

Ruby still hasn't got the two legged walking thing 

Bridget smiles as another bit of John's unwanted tat goes under the hammer

Jan can't believe the standard of rubbish for sale

but Max sees the funny side

Peter looks contented 

Carrie enjoys the experience of drinking from a glass

Roy looks sanguine

Annie is pleased that Roy looks sanguine

and Budgie just looks

another load of junk auctioned

and he paid the auctioneer not to give him any

He didn't

The morning after.

The morning after saw the big clear up with Geoff and Ady (recently returned from Chicago assisting in clearing away marquees etc and tidying the site. On the same day I was having the boat engine serviced and whilst that went well the water pump on the engine was found to have a dodgy bearing. As Dorman engines don't have a ready source of spares we could be in for big bucks but we shall see. So until 20th May at least we are a houseboat. I'm sure CaRT will grant some form of rebate.

So that was April-we are now into May with a soggy Bank Holiday weekend and a birthday of note. More next time