 Feb 26 2007, 06:45 PM |
I don't ever recall being so afraid while riding a motorbike. So it was with a very weary mind I trundled down the pontoon to the warm boat that awaited me. Upon arrival I saw that Yann was busy sampling a few bottles of his home regions, the Loire Valley, sparkling wine.
He proceeded to tell me about his misadventures of the day, which included losing the dog!
"He's so small, he just disappeared, I took my eyes off him for a moment, i ran around in blind panic, I even offered a local youth money if he could find the dog..."
Seeing Mr B. pop his head up from his bed looking cheeky scampsterish told me that the dog had been found, and all was well. Apparently the wealthy neighbours to the building site Yann works on had found Banjo sniffing around their rose bushes, fed him, called the building site foreman who was on a different site, who then called Yann to say the neighbours were bringing the dog back.
So as the drunken Yann stoked up the fire to finish his tale of harrowing temporary dog loss, he decided it was a bit hot and wanted to cut his hair. I talked him out of it shortly before going to bed.
Saturday arrived, I busied myself cleaning the algi and moss from around some windows and thought Yann was particularly quiet. as I popped my head up to see where he was I saw his mullet floating away in the direction of the Thames, glancing in his direction I was greeted by what can only be described as a visual assault to the senses. I think I shall call him Pedro for the remainder of this blog entry. ( See Napoleon Dynamite for reference)
er yes, so Sunday came and we did a bit of fettling, the sun was shining for the most part and it was bloody lovely to get away from that tiny hemmed in pontoon we currently reside at. The port side of the boat was covered in green algi from being in the shade so much so it was time to give the whole boat a bit of a once over to stop the rot and to stop us slipping on the algi covered gunnels.
removal of the old name
me trying to focus without my glasses, not a pretty sight
Pedro gets down to some scrubbing
turn the boat around
the other side, now without name and waiting for some good weather for some new paint
strapping canoes down, and a safety conscious dog
tucking into our garlic bread supper and lamb and mint pie we were making a list of things that need finishing on the boat before we can safely and comfortably keep the boat river or canal side.
looking at the hull sides I can see we are suffering from electrolysis from where we are so close to the neighbours boat. everyone is wired up to the shore power and our hull is being nibbled away.
- Hull blacking and additional anodes is at the top of the list of priorities.
- Followed by stepping up boat security, which includes the canoes on the roof, putting locks on all lockers etc.
- The engine needs a service,
- find a decent genny to put in the engine room so I can run the washer without running the engine for the travel power.
- fix the leak on the Alde boiler.
there was probably more but ive forgotten it already. If anyone has any pearls of wisdom then please share them with me as I'm not very familiar with this narrowboating lark, metal boats and steering outside with a tiller is a bit of a novelty still.
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