Been fairly busy. So what's been happening since last I blogged?
Lavender fields. Pam and I went to a Lavender farm at Hitchin. Wonderful. Well worth a visit https://www.hitchinlavender.com/ but wear trousers if you're picking lavender-there's some nasty bugs out there.
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As you will know-and if you don't you haven't been reading the blog or the emails-my Book has been published and is selling like cold cakes. I suspect the reason for minimal sales is that I've exhausted my list of family and friends and nobody else knows about it. I'm not too bothered -I've covered my expenses and never expected it to be a best seller BUT if you've bought/stolen/read the damn thing pleeeeeze leave a review on Amazon-it's the only way my effort will get pushed up the front so pleeeeeze try and find ten minutes to do a review.-even if you didn't like it. If you can't do that give it a mention on FaceBook or GoodReads or the sodding Dandy. Thank you.========================================= We've had an online Auction of old boaters' junk/valuables and raised 218 quid for the Hospice(s)-some to Ian Rennie in memory of June late of our mooring and some to the Hospice of St Francis. As always I'm amazed at the generosity of the participants, they really are a grand crowd.
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I'm grateful to Jim H for putting me onto the following wonderful pictures of Cow Roast Lock from the 60s
There's certainly been a few changes since then.
The Cow Roast Inn remains closed and although there's been some work done to a chimney the rumour that it would be open by Christmas looks as likely as Brexit on good terms.
The Lamb in Berko also remains closed and shuttered for no good reason and again I don't think my Christmas Day tonic water will be imbibed there. So silly-it was trading comfortably enough up to a few weeks back and then closed allegedly for refurbishment. It now looks like a scene from some depressing shanty town as does the Cow Roast Inn.
Messrs Heineken don't seem much better at looking after tenants, customers or property than the awful Punch Taverns, the previous owners. Very sad. It all looks soooooo ugly. Shame on them.
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| Pre-party Pizza with Ollie and Joe |
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| Chef Olly |
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| under scrutiny |
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On Monday I drove Caz, Florence and Mathilda back to Kent and decided to stop overnight at The Woolpack, Chilham. It was v pleasant although the cost of the room, which was only 65 quid and very nice was overtaken at speed by the dinner and bar bill (£4.75 for a pint of bitter!). It was a pleasant break and the Kent Countryside is looking absolutely gorgeous....which is more than I did on Tuesday morn.
The second test against Australia at Lords starts next Wednesday and I have more or less managed to cope with the debacle that was our second innings. Fortunately I missed most of it because the girls were in the car and I knew cricket commentary would not be their favoured choice. I shall be indebted to them for that for some time.
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The current readership includes four in Vietnam and once again the USA are first. Wish they'd all buy a book!
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COO ROOST LOCK!
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
G
