Winter 2017 # 1
Sun. 1/1/2017 to Sat. 7/1/2017
A very good morning and a Happy New Year to all fellow boaters, the
rest of the World, the Solar System and the Universe, which covers just about
anyone who is able to read this blog. Silly? Of course!
Now, this is my brand new blog and has been brought about due to
hacking of my email list on the previous blog. Even though I changed my
password on that one, it was too late, because the culprits had already gained
access to those email addresses. My apologies for any frustration caused by
these people.
So, onwards and upwards with a new blog. My old one has been running
since 2009, so it’s probably due an update.
In an effort to improve your appreciation of my ramblings and
waffling’s, I am going to include new items of interest. These could be such
things as, my comments on newspaper items, information about places we have
visited, any odd occurrences and, perhaps, a few photographs. I might even
include a joke or two, or even a cartoon.
If you were following my earlier blog, Shiralee, you will have noticed,
that I have used the same photograph in my new blogger details. This photo
includes our Jack Russell Terrier, Rusty, whom we had when we first bought the
boat, back in 2006. Sadly, she passed away a couple of years ago, but we very
soon realised that boating was no fun without a dog on board.
So, after the first summer cruising without Rusty, we took a drive over
to Kenilworth Dog’s Trust and we now have Alex, who is also a JRT. According to
Dog’s Trust he is seven years old today, but that’s because he’s a rescue dog
and, as such, nobody knows his date of birth. Hopefully he’ll be with us for
many more years yet. However, it now behoves me to make a new photo for this
blog. Which, in turn, means a selfie at some point. Watch this space!!
Today, being New Year’s Day and a Sunday to boot, we’ll be taking a
walk up to Ye Olde Red Lion, in hopes that it’s not packed out again. We
couldn’t believe the amount of people cramming the two pubs on Boxing Day. So
we’re hoping the local drinkers and revellers took their drink yesterday,
leaving us to enjoy a quiet drink today and, what’s more, somewhere to sit
whilst we do so.
Mon. 2/1/2017
Yesterday was not a very good day weather-wise. Lots of rain for most
of the morning. Come lunchtime it was still much the same, but that didn’t
deter us from our usual Sunday ritual of an hour in the Olde Red Lion. Despite
the poor weather, the pub still managed to attract its usual amount of
customers.
Prior to this, and after I had driven into the village for the Mail on
Sunday, we listened, as usual, to Claire Balding on Good Morning Sunday. What a
blooming misery guts that woman was, considering it was the very first day of a
new year, when we really do need cheering up. She usually has some pretty
interesting people on there as her guests and, despite the fact that it’s all
God this and Jesus that, she does present a reasonably interesting programme.
Yesterday morning though the content of that first part was so miserable, I
switched to Classic FM. Now, there you have a channel that is, for the most
part, pretty cheery.
Today, despite it being a Bank Holiday in England, we’ll still walk
into the village, but we’ll then do sweet Fanny Adams for the rest of it. What
a glorious institution retirement can be.
Tue. 3/1/2017
Our day went very much according to plan, until the evening when, as
sometimes happens, I was pleasantly interrupted in my TV viewing, by a call
from Teresa. This went on for quite some time and, after we had finished
chatting, I just had time to see the tail end of the new Hairy Bikers
programme, ‘Comfort Food’.
At that point they were making a ginger bread. Not just any old ginger
cake this. Oh no, the spices and such that they included were legion. So, I
must download that recipe from their site at the BBC.
But, there’s more to this little story. During their chat about ginger
bread, one of them brought up the subject of eating it with strong Cheddar
cheese. This seems to be a rather odd combination but, where the Hairy Bikers
are concerned, I take it as a test worth taking.
Which brings me to my next question. Where on earth do you find
‘Strong’ Cheddar? We’ve tried all kinds of Cheddars, both from supermarkets and
delis. We’ve even had wedges cut from the truckle. Not one of them has been
truly ‘strong’. Oh, they’ve had a very fine flavour, but not something that
burns the sides of the mouth, if you know what I mean.
Well, we’ll be on our travels soon enough and, with a bit of luck we’ll
stumble across the genuine article.
Wed. 4/1/2017
Not much doing yesterday, other than the usual slow stroll into Market
Bosworth, followed by coffee and biscuits etc.
I don’t even have anything to comment on with regards to national and
local news. So, how’s about a joke?
Brilliant Defence - I'm fine I'm fine
A farmer named Paddy had a car accident. He was hit by a truck owned by the Eversweet Company.
In court, the Eversweet Company's hot-shot solicitor was questioning Paddy.
'Didn't you say to the police at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine?' asked the solicitor.
Paddy responded: 'Well, I'll tell you what happened. I'd just loaded my fav'rit cow, Bessie, into da... '
'I didn't ask for any details', the solicitor interrupted. 'Just answer the question. Did you not say,
at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?'
Paddy said, 'Well, I'd just got Bessie into da trailer and I was drivin' down da road...... '
The solicitor interrupted again and said, 'Your Honour, I am trying to establish the fact that, at
the scene of the accident, this man told the police on the scene that he was fine. Now several
weeks after the accident, he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply
answer the question. '
By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Paddy's answer and said to the solicitor: 'I'd like to
hear what he has to say about his favourite cow, Bessie'.
Paddy thanked the Judge and proceeded.
'Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my fav'rit cow, into de trailer and was drivin' her
down de road when this huge Eversweet truck and trailer came tundering tru a stop sign and hit
me trailer right in da side. I was trown into one ditch and Bessie was trown into da udder. By Jaysus
I was hurt, very bad like, and didn't want to move. However, I could hear old Bessie moanin' and
groanin'. I knew she was in terrible pain just by her groans.
Shortly after da accident, a policeman on a motorbike turned up. He could hear Bessie moanin'
and groanin' too, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her condition, he took
out his gun and shot her between the eyes.
Den da policeman came across de road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, 'How are you
feelin'?'
'Now wot da heck would you say?'
Thu. 5/1/2017
Harking back to a few days ago, I’ve just remembered an article in the Mail, about a pram race in Sutton Valence, Kent, where we had a grocery store for a couple of years, back in the 1980s. That pram race was organised, at that time, by the landlord and landlady of the Clothworkers Arms. Although Sheila and I never took part in these races, we certainly enjoyed watching them and, although there were, inevitably, a few spills, nobody was seriously injured. Unfortunately, this year’s race has ended in tragedy and, I have no doubt, some jobsworth will try his/her best to ban future events, which would be a crying shame, as they do raise quite a bit for charity.
Now, we’ve been watching the new series of Hairy Bikers ‘Comfort Foods’. And, one thing stands out with such programmes, and that’s the use of a Bay Leaf, or even several. Could somebody please tell me, what the heck use are these things? I know I’m getting on in years, but I can taste nothing special in any dish that uses them. Just a thought.
Yesterday we took the bus into Hinckley and did a bit of shopping at Sainsbury’s. Well, actually a lot of shopping. In fact a trolley load and a bag full. We also bought me a couple of packs of smalls at T K Maxx, because, having lost weight, and kept it ‘lost’, my current ones are a wee bit too small. Ah! The comfort of well fitted smalls.
Nothing special on today. Just a walk up to the shops, a coffee and biscuits on our return and the purchase of coal and logs from the office.
Fri. 6/1/2017
Yesterday was not such an auspicious day for me. We walked into the village as usual and Sheila bought a really nice lamb joint. We don’t follow tradition where Sundays roasts are concerned, but have a roast dinner as and when it appeals. So, roast lamb for Thursday dinner? Well, er, no. Sadly I had a bit of a tummy upset, so we deferred it until today and will enjoy it all the more. Well, I will, because I’m sure Sheila was quite looking forward to it yesterday.
Today we walked into Market Bosworth again, mainly for veg to go with the lamb, along with the Mail and other odds and ends. Upon our return, as boring as it may seem, we enjoyed our usual coffee and biscuits.
Now, as for the posting of this new blog. I’m hoping to post every Saturday morning and will inform you by email of that posting. For this first one will be of the bunch, I will advise all who were on my email list at the old blog. From then on only those who have actually emailed me confirming their wish to continue reading these blogs.
This new blog is at: https://boatmandave.blogspot.com
Sat. 7/1/2017
The weekend starts here, despite newscasters on TV telling you it
starts on Friday evening.
Yesterday was pretty routine, with the usual walk to shops and back,
followed by coffee and biscuits. Also, as usual, we turned the TV on to watch
Hairy Bikers and followed through with anything else we could find. Some
evenings are pretty much of a bore, in which case we don’t bother and simply
read and listen to the radio.
However, I spotted a programme running on ITV3 and staring at 9pm, call
‘A Mother’s Son’, which looked as if it might be interesting. And, it was. What
I didn’t realise was, that it was in two parts and didn’t finish until 11pm. We
normally retire to bed at 10pm, as you know. Still, it was well worth staying
up for, but didn’t prevent me from rising from my pit at the usual time this
morning.
Now, as promised, this, my first post to my new blog will be posted
this morning.
Enjoy your weekend folks, as we’ll try to enjoy ours.
Dave, Sheila and Alex.
