http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIj5wye5Gd4
Good wasn't it?
After the excitement of Christmas and New Year January has settled for a quieter life, a skinter life, a life full of coughs and colds, a life of people talking up and then breaking resolutions, a wetter, windier,darker life. Well that's mine anyway.
The worst manflu ever effectively put paid to various activities, not the least being hospital visiting, Friend Mike Paine is now in Churchill Hospital, Oxford and Monday, 12th, was my first visit of the New Year. I rang the ward before going as they have the habit of moving the old boy, not just from ward to ward but to different hospitals. Mike's in his third since Christmas. Perhaps he should have got sponsorship. Anyway I asked if it was ok to visit and they said could I wear a mask. I asked if this was because I might still be infectious from the manflu. "No, it's because you're bloody ugly"Pleased to report the old boy was in much better form than when I last saw him, stronger, a better colour, more conversation. Perhaps I should visit less.
So a quiet time leading up till 13th which was my 68th birthday and a time for thanksgiving. I am grateful for the many cards and thank both the people that sent them. I am having a small lunch with a few chums at The Greyhound, Wigginton on Sunday to celebrate, believing as I do that birthdays are good for you. The more you have the longer you live.
Deep Joy. Met up with Mike G from the moorings along with Les and Jaq off Valerie. They were out for a ride round the countryside to relieve marinaitis and joined me for one in the Greyhound. And they are coming on Sunday so I booked for 14. Happy Birthday!!!
To Zaza's with Pam for dinner via the Lamb for an aperitif or two. Excellent chicken livers on crostini with delicious gravy followed by sea bass.All with a very potable White Rioja.
Home knackered and stuffed.
Happy Birthday indeed! Wolves away in the third round of the FA Cup and Fulham win on penalties. On my birthday. Brandy!!!!!!
Part of my birthday present from Pam is a night out at the Theatre Royal, Windsor to see Tom Conti in 12 Angry Men. Looking forward to that.
To other matters...................................................................................
Strange........
The last posting on this meaningless blog was, according to Google, viewed 134 times in the first couple of days. Now assuming nobody visited twice (and why the hell would they?) then that's 134 people with a very high boredom threshold who were hoping to glean some entertainment or info from my ramblings.That assumes of course that the majority didn't just click on the link, whinge "Oh Gawd, not him again" and head for the bar.
Whenever I finish a posting I have an internal argument with myself-who else?-as to whether to send a link via email to people like you, conscious that to do so entails a degree off presumption on my part that a person of your sophistication might be even a jot interested. Quite often I leave people off the mailing list as I think they wont be interested in that particular posting or they've never indicated that they've ever read the bloody thing or, damn it, I think it just aint worth the stamp.
On this last occasion I emailed 48 people advising them of a new post. So where do 134 come from?
Well, here.
I know people in Guernsey. I know people in Canada and Spain.
But I don't know anyone in Russia or Poland or Germany. Who are they? What possible interest can this blog be to them? I assume the Russian interest to be something dodgy and soon will hear from "Svetlana" offering me untold favours in return for oodles of roubles. The Poles and the German I don't know about but I suspect it makes little sense to them. Perhaps some Warsaw hacker is intrigued by the possible connection with distant relative, Woytek Wellardski , the undercover agent who first discovered the Enema Code, the cracking of which hastened the end of the war by wreaking incontinence amongst the German High Command. The consequent shortage of paper meant Adolf H was unable to pen the note to his favourite General "Ich denke, sie werden auf der Fähre von Dover kommen cupkake" ** .and the rest is history. Perhaps that's the reason for the German interest as well. Always bad losers.
**"I think they'll come on the ferry from Dover, Cupcake"
25 from France-better than we manage in the Eurovision Song contest- although they do have a fine canal system so possible interest there. Their canalling is more sun-drenched and gin soaked than ours which is mainly just drenched and soaked. We also lack the canalside eateries-well we don't-generally they're just rubbish.
That leaves the Americans. If any of the 21 Americans would like to contact me and tell me why they are looking that would be grand. Are they 21 different people -or is it one sad case living alone in a one room apartment in dowtown Manhatten with an ageing copy of Waterways World and my blog for vicarious enjoyment of our wonderful canal system.
The Cut.
Back to the Canal. On the boat I have two main forms of heating. A diesel fuelled stove which runs a central heating system and two solid fuel stoves for separate cabins. Bored already. Good.
As mentioned I have since the advent of 2015 had a cold. Obviously being a man not any old cold but a life threatening consumptive TB ridden cold. So I've spent more time aboard Independence feeling sorry for myself (though noble about not passing it on to others) and using more central heating than usual. Plus too weak and enfeebled to light the solid fuel stove. I was therefor very pleased when the coal/diesel/gas boat arrived to refill my empty tank. 155 litres which will I hope get me through till February.
The service provided by Jules and crew really is top notch and greatly valued by the boating fraternity throughout the Winter. Support them even if you live in a one-roomed apartment in Downtown Manhatten or even Abbey.
On the moorings we now have snowdrops 
and the first signs of daffodils which are the precursor of Spring. The days are getting longer by two minutes each day and it wont be long before the ducks, coots, swans and rabbits are at it like knives. Plus, and it's a big plus, I had a visit from my local Kingfisher. Always a treat he/she (I've never got close enough to tell) perched on my tiller arm whilst I crept up on him/her. Amazingly despite my years learning how to be stealthy whilst living with the Cree he/she heard me coming and buggered off. Next time boyo,,,,next time.
and the first signs of daffodils which are the precursor of Spring. The days are getting longer by two minutes each day and it wont be long before the ducks, coots, swans and rabbits are at it like knives. Plus, and it's a big plus, I had a visit from my local Kingfisher. Always a treat he/she (I've never got close enough to tell) perched on my tiller arm whilst I crept up on him/her. Amazingly despite my years learning how to be stealthy whilst living with the Cree he/she heard me coming and buggered off. Next time boyo,,,,next time.
The Christmas tree is returned to the moorings for another year in my tender tree hugging care. You will notice one bauble remains which I shall not remove.
Talking of pubs I may well have to move moorings sometime soon as both my locals have gone downhill, the nearest The Cowroast Inn, amazingly worse than under the previous tenant which I didn't believe possible. The other being the G an nd D is ,I hope, only in temporary custody of a management who seems to think the constant noise of the tv, no matter what crap is on, makes a suitable accompaniment to the juke box. Both pubs have, in the past, had a good reputation for food. Neither would appear to be bothered about encouraging lunchers or diners and in today's climate will fail. I suspect the G and D is due a refurb. I do so hope they don't mess up a decent village pub. I am not confident. The dreadful Punch Taverns really are a shower.
In the meantime the moorings are very soggy with all the rain and in places the path resembles the Somme of 100 years ago. Our first casualty broke a wrist last week going over not as a result of a Jerry sniper's bullet but the slipperiness of the mud. Best wishes Max. I must dig out the correspondence with CaRT regarding their intentions to repair the path either themselves or through our voluntary efforts.
The weather tonight is cold, wet and very, very windy. No matter- inside the boat as I'm warm as toast with a prawn and squid stir fry on the go. No tv though as the wind keeps blowing the signal away, probably because the dish is mounted on the roof and the boat is rocking from side to side. Love it. But as there is bugger all on anyway it's turned off, G and D please note.
A tornado in Wales and an hurricane in Cornwall would suggest we have offended the gods. Muslim weather it's called. Sometimes Sunni sometimes Shi'ite.
Godson and Great nephew James is 19 this week. Where did that year go!? He has put off uni for a year and is off to play rugby for a season in New Zealand! All arranged by his club and all he needs is food and beer money for which he has a work visa. When I was 19 I went on a football weekend to the Isle of Wight. I think I was sick on the ferry....Doesn't have the same ring to it somehow. Good luck James. Enjoy.
Who knows I might get a reader in New Zealand....
Thursday and another bright start though snow is forecast. Today is tidy boat day, then a walk and a visit to Oxford to see Mike P in hospital in company with Geoff J.
But first a healthy breakfast of porridge with cherries....
...she loves me!
Bye bye......or Cherrio!
No comments:
Post a Comment