Two nights away

With a gap in the rehearsal schedule, I took Skylark down to Ely on Thursday and Friday. The weather looked more like you'd see in the north Atlantic than on the River Ouse but I managed to avoid the heavy showers that were around. With the clouds moving slowly to my left, I aimed for that brighter bit of weather to the right...

Ely on a cold, damp Thursday doesn't look its best but then where does? Thursday evening, I went into the nearby Maltings and watched a film called Le Weekend. It's what, I think, is called a RomCom - a light comedy with fairly elderly actors occasionally holding hands and questioning their lives together - just what I needed on a damp Thursday in Ely!

Friday perked up a bit and everywhere started to look as it should...It's amazing the a difference the sun makes.

During the day, I decided to strip the peeling paint off my barge poles and repaint them, and the gang plank, in dark wood stain. This worked well despite the cool air and pale sunshine. The evening was spent on the boat with a plate of steaming chips and a couple of glasses of plonk - perfect!

And to prove that I don't waste all my time, I had a practice on my Ukulele and even opened my script and read a few lines from the Panto. I've given myself the impossible target of learning one whole page per week. I'm hoping by the last performance, I will be worm prefect!

A short trip

It's proving difficult to get away for more than a night because of panto rehearsals and other commitments. Anyway, I did manage one night away (Monday) and headed into Ely. This helps recharge both sets of batteries, mine and Skylarks.

As usual, I pottered about in town and on the boat. I polished a couple of copper funnels I found at the car boot sale. The difference a few minutes with Brasso makes is amazing...

 

I'll add these to the things for sale at the winter Street Fair. I'm sure someone will want them for their kitchen, workshop or conservatory.

The river today was looking its best under a clear blue sky. It's turning much colder now so I guess there will be even fewer people and wildlife about in the coming weeks. I hope to get away again soon.

Did I say it was starting to turn cold?

A good day out

Apart from forgetting to take my camera with me, I achieved a lot today. I walked around my local CBS, picked up 100 litres of diesel in 5 jerry cans from my usual supplier in the Fens, took them to the boat and loaded it. I unhitched and pootled down to Ely in bright sunshine. I rescued a decent Life Belt from a watery grave and found a clear mooring in Ely. All this was done by 2.00pm. That's not bad going for a single-handed 50something year old!

After lunch and a brisk look at my favourite shops including the Waterside Antiques, I headed back in the last of the daylight. By 4.00pm it was a fantastic sunset and the light was fading fast. It was then that I saw two Kingfishers and my first Barn Owl of the year. About time too!!

Leaving the Marina at 5.00pm I got caught up in the evening rush hour. A nice person let me out on to the Stretham Road and I joined the long queue to the next roundabout. From there, it improved somewhat and I took the opportunity to buy some diesel for the Landy in Bury's Tesco (v cheap by Suffolk standards) and got home by 6.15pm.

A good day out indeed!

I may get another opportunity next week between panto rehearsals and other commitments. 

Innovation?

I had a very pleasant drive up to Lincoln with Rose, deciding to take the more direct scenic route via Kings Lynn rather than the A1 around Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough and Newark. It also chopped 50 miles off the round journey.

It was good to see Rosie's flat and her current surroundings - it all looked very nice, friendly and secure.

After a sumptuous lunch at the local MacDonald's (my second in a lifetime), we said our goodbyes and I headed south again. This time though, I turned off at Sutton Bridge and went to the boat. Despite the fact that Outwell bridge was closed and there were no diversion signs to Ely, I eventually found my way to Littleport. From there it was a quick scoot down the A10 to Stretham.

I reached Skylark at about 5.15pm and it was already getting a bit dark with the last rays of sunshine dipping behind the distant clouds. Not wanting to continue the drive home or to stay in the marina, I unhitched the boat and went down to Ely. By the time I got there it was dark and I found a mooring near the Maltings. Incidentally, I found cruising in the dark quite a change from the daytime but it was very enjoyable. Obviously I needed to keep a keen eye on the way ahead, not so much for other boats (in fact there were none) but more for floating logs, weeds, etc. The journey had 'an other worldly' feel to it. Through the darkness I could see distant lights of the city, and occasionally passing trains and car head lights through the trees but, with the quiet drone of the engine, it really felt like I was the only person left. Turning into the lighter Ely I found there was still some life about - but not much. These darker evenings really do affect our behaviour.

The next morning, I bought breakfast in the market, and negotiated the purchase of a copper coal bucket which I polished up and hope to sell at the Christmas sale at home.

I also completed an innovative seat for the steering position on Skylark. I had come across a nicely weathered piece of wood measuring about 4' long by 4"x2". My original idea was to turn it into something useful (like a fire) but it was too nice to burn so I smoothed off the uneven edges, painted it with a dark woodstain and placed it across the brass runners on the rear hatch to make a handy 'rural-looking' seat.

I thought at first it would be a bit tricky to get on to it and stay comfortable but having had the experience of riding motorbikes and knowing you really can't sit in one position for more than an hour, I didn't worry too much. In fact, I found it was more comfortable than it looks and that, with an occasional shifting of my weight, I was able to sit there for quite a while before I needed to move. The other good things are that it can be moved easily and didn't cost anything.

In these days of space travel, the interweb, blueteeth, HS2 and Teflon coated trousers, it's nice to make do. Perhaps I should join the Ray Mears Society for Making Innovative Things out of Rubbish.