Spring into action

Signs of Spring on the moorings keep coming and going which, to be fair, is how things usually are in April. But the signs are there and joyous to behold.

Time for a tidy up on the mooring getting ready for 23rd April

Tidier now

St George's Day next weekend coming at the end of a week of great significance as on Thursday HMQ celebrates her 90th birthday. Rejoice! This weekend is also the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death and  also of Cervantes' demise. Truly amazing that two such literary greats should both live at the same time and pop off on the same date .

I emphasise date because they probably died on different days. Work that one out-I'll explain later if you're still here.

Some more Spring pictures from the mooring

Pretty aint he. Harry the Heron

Jim fixes the shed roof

Roy can't remember what he was going to do

and Danny Spring cleans

We always have an auction on St George's Day and this year I am more impressed than before (wouldn't be hard) by the quality of goods coming in for sale. The trouble is the forecast is for cold weather, the Almighty having forgotten we're doing this for charity and revisiting Winter on us. Cold bidders are not happy bidders. To warm everyone up we're having a selection of stews and curries and stuff. Plus I think we'll be lighting the odd brazier.

Talking of Winter.....Pam and I went to see Nigel Kennedy on Tuesday with the Oxford Philharmonic. Stupendous.  Kennedy's arrangement of the Four Seasons might not be everybody's cup of Vivaldi but I loved it as I did the four Dedications in the first half and the Hendrix number. Great entertainment.

Returning to the matter of Shakespeare and Cervantes-what a cultural blog we're having today boys and girls-if they died on the same date (April 23rd 1616) they certainly did not die on the same day. The English were still using the Julian calendar whereas Spain was using the newfangled Gregorian calendar So whilst they can be commemorated on the same date they actually died 11 days apart.

I've had a pay rise! £3.35 a month on my State pension. I blew it on one glass of Prosecco (adding £1.15 to make it up to the necessary) I toasted the (private) health of Mr Odious Osborne, I need all the mazoola I can muster at the mo what with over £200 worth of MOT today and boat bottom blacking and dreaded survey next week. Plus we're going on holiday! Yippee - just a few days in the sun near Malaga coming up soon though I shall probably pay for that with my male modelling fees.Also my pen has run out so I've applied for Ink Capacity Benefit! Geddit. Perhaps I need a holiday.

But first St George's Day.  First job (Thursday) is fly the Union Jack for HMQ then find the Cross of St George and the Spanish flag for flying on Friday.

The boat needs a wash before she goes into dry dock-I had hoped to get the sides painted beforehand but lousy weather, bad backs etc buggered that plan so that must wait till (and if) she goes back in the water.


 As for now it is a beautiful evening with duck stir fry on the menu Not this one, of course. She is nesting on top of a nearby boat. Fortunately they (the boat) don't move much but I will be interested to see how she gets the newbies down to the water. At least they are safe from the the ermine vermin (mink) I saw wandering up the path this week.

Tonight (Wed) on the mooring by the lock in the moonlight. Why I love Cowroast. Not many enjoy a view like this on their way home from the shops.

Now talking of shopping  I was saddened tohear on the News last Friday that " today is the Official start of 10 weeks campaigning up to the Europe referendum". So why have I had the backside bored off me for the last 6 weeks? ! I don't think I can take 10 weeks if we've only had the warm up. Head in custard time.  I'm having trouble deciding which way to vote and at the moment my view is very much governed by the Johnson choice. Boris who has never had a thought in his life relating to my wellbeing or Alan who in my opinion should be leader of the Labour Party and talks like he has thought about what he was going to say before saying it. In fact generally speaking those for coming out are not my sort anyway. But then some for staying in aren't either ( Osborne for starters) Hmmmm. We'll leave that for now. Make up my mind after Malaga.

Time to wash the boat and clear the roof, the moorings and my mind.

I've just been shopping. Nothing remarkable about that except not a thing in the supermarkets relating either to HMQ being 90 or St George's forthcoming feast; let alone Shakespeare or Cervantes. A cultural desert. To add insult to injury my flag blew off its stick -one of those flags that fit on the car window. Very  proud of it I was. Now I've just got the stick. It's so hard being patriotic.

Enjoy St George's Day and wear a red rose. It's a great country......as long as you dress up warm.

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