COWROAST CHRONIC(le)

The last time I posted (and the gaps between blogs seem to be getting longer-am I getting bored or is it you?) I was not long returned from hols on the canal with the usual suspects.

Now I'm planning a repeat of last year's cunning plan to avoid some of the nastier bits of Winter aboard-the mud and ice and dark afternoons about covers it.

So I'm taking a week out of each of the next 4 months to spend under a roof with central heating and a flushing toilet.

Of course there is a rationale behind the venues. November, for instance, is in Rutland withing spitting distance of the home of Isaac Newton, Woolsthorpe Manor and more importantly the apple tree from which the apple fell thus sparking Newton's Gravity Law.Coincidentally the apple was of the type Flower of Kent (see below)

Now why would I want to do that? Well, since you ask I'm attempting another book. (Bet you wish you'd read the last one or rather you wish you hadn't). The working title is "I'm Sorry I was Miles Away" and the idea is that I will cover 2 or 3 subjects which although I was taught about them  I wasn't paying attention plus a couple of things that have changed later in life when I wasn't looking. One of the chapters will be on Newton's Law;hence the trip.

Watch this space.

In December I'm returning to Litton in Derbyshire for a week where I hope to start the second chapter on Archimedes so if you hear of a bald,bearded, fat bloke arrested in the Peak District for running naked down the street shouting "Eureka" you'll know it was me. 

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"What did you do on your holiday?"

"Fell walking"

"Oh dear. Be more careful this year!"

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We went to Faversham  and had a splendid Sunday lunch in the Sun Inn with Florence and Matilda in grand form. I commented that with the addition of a serviette Florence had a passing resemblance to Vermeer's "The Girl with a Pearl Earring" so everybody else wanted to join in, some more enthusiastically than others.

We stayed in the Sun overnight and were chatting to a couple in the bar that evening, Gerry and June.
The conversation turned to from whence they had come.
"Epsom way" said Gerry
"I've got a mate in Ewell-he's my neighbour on the canal "said I
"Where does he drink?" asked Gerry
"In the Wheatsheaf" said I
"What's his name?" asked Gerry
"Roy" I replied
"Ullah" said they
Looks of amazement all round.
Small world.

The following day we collected apples from Caz and Philip's garden for turning into juice at the wonderful Chiltern Ridge in Chesham.  https://chilternridge.com/

Chiltern Ridge picker-not really.

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Back at Cow Roast the swans-who are pretty bloody-minded at the best of times, have taken to using the roadbridge by the lock rather than swim across the canal. The only problem is that not giving a toss who they inconvenience they like to stop for a smoke and a chat half way across and no amount of tooting or waving will shift them until they have finished whatever swans talk about.

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Sadly we lost Max off our Moorings (Hart of February) at the end of October. He had been ill for some time with the re-occurrence of a brain tumour of some years previous. He and Lesley had been on the mooring for too many years to remember and his presence is much missed. He was a good and kindly man , very supportive of our charity events at Cow Roast and of those at the Dunstable and District Boat Club. Our thoughts are with Lesley and family. May he rest in Peace.

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The picture on the left is one that I sent to Canal and River Trust suggesting that someone take a look by the black post in the foreground where I think there is some subsidence-it's in the same spot they had to fill with bags of concrete a few years back.I also mentioned the parlous state of the path along the Mooring; something I've been moaning about for years.. I do not anticipate any action on either but you never know. 

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A few things that amused me recently.

I did my first casserole of the winter and very good it was too-healthy, wholesome and comforting. So comforting in fact that my dinner guest was asleep before he had his pudding.

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Do you recognise this man?

Of course you do. It's Rick Stein in a picture taken 10 years ago when , with Ady and Peter I visited his restaurant in Padstow.

And here we all are. It was a grand meal and the man himself was in attendance.





As we left, Rick Stein was handing out the coats and shaking hands with Ady and Peter. As one would, I took a photo of each. When it was my turn I posed with Mr S assuming that either of my fellow diners would take a snap. 
My arse! They both waddled off without a backward glance.I have hardly mentioned it since....maybe once or twice a year for the last 10 years.
Anyway, Peter is now forgiven.
Here he is in France last year and who's that behind the bush on the phone. No the bush isn't on the phone , silly, it's Mr Stein. He was there filming the series currently airing on the BBC which accompanies his new book.
A few weeks back Peter was visiting offspring in Monmouthshire and RS was doing a chat and book signing session nearby so Peter went along and told him about both the France and Padstow occasions

Imagine my delight to receive in the post a copy of the book, which as you can see is inscribed to "Michael A fellow author-Memories of Padstow-Rick Stein"
Thank you Peter and Kay-so chuffed.................................................................................. Ady is still on the Unforgiven List.

( I have to admit when I first read it I thought it said Michael A fellow wanker but obviously that is not the case.)

A picture of Independence taken from the opposite bank-not by me but by GoogleMap which I screenshot.

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This was sent to me by Roy from Spain.
I don't think he met anyone that knows me.

While I'm away in December the General Election will be held. This does not fill me with glee as I fear that it will resolve little of what afflicts the nation and certainly won't benefit me. We have 5 weeks before then filled with the awful posturing of the parties as to what will buy your vote. I'm sick of it already as I suspect most are. I have a Postal Vote and will use it but  the option of voting tactically is not much of a choice as a donkey with a blue rosette would get elected around here even with the deselected Mr Gaulke standing as an Independent. 

There has been some debate in the canal world and elsewhere as to whether the diktat issued a couple of years back that ducks and others should not be fed bread as it was not good for them. Now I've always taken the view that I'm feeding bread to the fish and it's not my fault if the ducks, swans, geese nick it before it sinks to the fish. Anyway now the brains that decide these things have announced that some birdlife, particularly swans, are suffering. mainly through the Winter, from an absence of bread! What isn't clear is whether this means it's ok for ducks and others to be given a slice now and then or just swans. Surely the whole waterbird world should be allowed to decide for itself. They should have a referendum. Let's call it "Bredsit"

Bye Bye