Getting old is a pain in the arse. And lots of other places. I didn't realise that it all goes horribly wrong so quickly 
I was crewing for friend Adrian last week and an old boy I got chatting to had a boat called Diogenes. At a weak attempt at humour I said "That's what I should call my boat cos I've got dodgy knees" 
Geddit? No he didn't either.
He was about my age give or take a transplant but without my sparkling wit. Hmmmmm....more on old soddery later...

Adrian has had a run of bad luck with his boat requiring works to the hull but I think he'll fall back in love with her eventually.

Water Lilies in Cassiobury Park

Ady gives guided tour of a lock gate

 We had a good trip back from Watford where the work was done-very hot but good boating and Ady is now installed on his new mooring at Cow Roast. Sadly we've said goodbye to Chris and Gill on Eulalie who have moved off to Aylesbury having been pillars of the Cow Roast community for many years. They had a leaving do 

Talking of the moorings-we've got mink-as many as six have been counted and dog owners and lovers of birdlife are getting nervous as your Mr Mink s a nasty piece of work when doing what comes naturally. Should we tell Canal and River Trust? 

What else has been going on?
 Well I really enjoyed the World Cup despite losing in the semis and wore my lucky St George's waistcoat to every game....most of which I watched on my boat alone. Sad git. We played well but lost to a better side in Croatia who were unlucky in the final.
I did like the  comment about one of the happier bits of news for 2018, namely the finding and rescue of the Thai football team of youngsters. Some wag commented that they should go to the next World Cup as the only team who now knew how to dive properly.



I know I'm not body beautiful, carry too much weight and drink like a fish but that apart I'm in great condition. Or I was. In the last six months I've copped for pneumonia, Atrial fibulation, COPD and Sleep Apnoea; the last being treated by the joyous need to wear a mask at night attached to a machine that blasts cold air up your hooter. Great fun. It's powered by 240 v which is fine when your on the mooring with such a supply but when (and if) I move the boat I need a separate power supply which costs 120 quid +VA sodding T. Oh and to connect that to the machine I need a transformer which is only supplied by the machine manufacturer at a cost of £70! Expensive business sleeping.

I'm having various tests on the ticker prior to seeing the Consultant in the Autumn so no need to worry till then......except I've acknowledged to myself that  another full Winter on board might not be a recipe for good physical and mental health if the last couple of years are anything to go by. So I'm looking to book two or three decent breaks before and after Christmas to break the Winter up a bit; renting a cottage in Derbyshire before Christmas and one in , say, Somerset and one in Kent during Feb/March. All of about three weeks duration. This fits in with my intention to crack on with my alleged book which hasn't progressed in the last six months......so if you know of any cheap little cottages or suchlike to rent (no pets/DSS/) do let me know.

While I'm at it why is it that once upon a time I managed a whole Complex of buildings including a very busy Reference Library and the Librarians therein bowed in obeisance at my entry-well not quite but enough-but now every time I visit the local library, usually running an errand for Pam, I leave  totally in awe of the woman behind the counter who has somehow managed to make me feel like a 10 year old, stammering and confused and unable to cope with the modern machinery that is to be encountered in the once simple act of borrowing a book
For the same reason I will not use the self check-outs at supermarkets which seem designed to leave the elderly and confused looking, well, elderly and confused.
Enough. Lets have some service please. Why do we tolerate banks that are making a fortune out of our money, usually as customers, but more recently as taxpayers, yet they cannot be bothered to provide a presence in towns or when they do it's two stressed ladies at lecterns who do their humble best and add insult to injury by recommending I "have a nice sodding day"!
This great country once would have had Luddites in Tesco and Barclays smashing up their damnable machinery and getting proper people in jobs. Go for it. Next time you go to the Library take a mallet and just before you smash the intimidating scanning machine into a thousand pieces inform the dominatrix behind the counter that you're doing it for her!
Talking of libraries I'm reminded of the drunk who wandered into the library and very loudly asked for "TWO COD AND CHIPS"
The librarian admonished him-"Quiet. This is a Library"

The drunk suitably chastened whispered  "two cod and chips please"

This week sees some meaningful events. 
Pam had a birthday and hosted a very fine barbecue on Saturday. Many of the great (unwashed) and good (for nothing) of Berkhamsted were there plus some very nice people. It was very jolly and no prisoners were taken.

Mathilda was One Year old on Monday. Here she is in a bucket-none of this modern parenting nonsense here-

            and here she is full of giggles for Grandma.

Monday was also my brother Jim's birthday. Happy Birthday Jim

On Thursday Boater Mike Griffin hits 70! Happy Birthday Mike!!

and next weekend Jim and Sue celebrate 50 years of marriage. Congratulations both.

On the mooring CART were spotted revisiting the question of path repairs. For those of you who have forgotten what rain is like here's a picture of the path at the start of last Winter. It was worse by the Spring and I've got a tenner says it will be even worse by the end of the year. No matter. CART have a lovely new logo.





Bye for now.