Retirement with No Problem

Weekend and Today, Lazy Otter to Ely, Ely to Brandon Creek, River Great Ouse, 15 miles 0 locks

The weather was cloudy when I peeped out of the curtains on Saturday morning, but by lunchtime the sun had managed to burn through the clouds and hooray, a lovely day.  Kevin and Debbie had been at their narrowboat moored in March for the weekend and decided to pop over during the evening.  We wined and dined at the Otter, this time I had the halibut, yummy it was too!  Good restaurant this is you know.

“Is the manager in?” “He might be, it depends what it is you want”  I knew then that I was actually talking to the manager!!.. “Ah well I want something he has” “OK then try me”.. “Apples, on the tree by the bottle bank in the corner of the car park.. can I have some?”.. Well if you don’t ask etc.. “Yeah sure.. take them before the wasps get to them all”  Great stuff, so plenty of apples to last this week.. more jam to come me thinks!

Dave Wood left an interesting comment on the last blog about this boat, so I will put a better picture here of Anna Rose, perhaps there are others who know something about this boat too.  It sounds like it has a very interesting history.. it is such a shame to see it like this..

On Sunday I fixed up my forward facing camera.. it is a wireless camera with a monitor at the back so that I can see in front of me.. well with the back canopy up and the wood and coal on top it is difficult to see over the top of everything so I got a ‘reversing’ camera to see ahead!  I had used it a few times, but not over the last couple of months.  Anyway it wouldn’t work.. no picture on the monitor.  After having checked all the wiring I was pulling my hair out.. Mo.. I need Mo.  I could offer apples, blackberries, and a jar of jam in exchange for Mr Sparks.. Mo of Balmaha is a dab hand at electrics!

Oh, gotta show you these, laid back or what!

So Sunday afternoon saw us pull the pins and head for Ely.. I knew Balmaha was there you see, and I wanted my camera fixed!  But even Mo couldn’t find the fault insitu, and later Vic and I walked to the other side of Ely where they were moored and joined them for yet another lovely evening.. this time chatting about a possible crossing of the wash to Boston.. now that would be fun for next year!

Mo suggested that I give him the complete system to check out as we were to part company this morning, and with everything undone and packed into a bag I passed it over as they came alongside on their way past us. This is a special ‘Mo wave’ as Balmaha leaves to explore the Cam..

We will see them later when they catch us up on the way back to the canal system.. bye for now you two

This afternoon Louise, Vic’s daughter, arrived to join us for a cruise for the week.  After putting in diesel and filling the water tank we pulled the pins late in the afternoon making for the River Wissey.  By tea time we had almost reached Brandon Creek, so put the pins in there for the evening.  News has arrived that the camera is broken.. grrrrrrrrr