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Wednesday 15 May 2013

Busy day.

It is a beautiful calm evening with the sun just setting in an almost cloudless sky. Totally different to last night and this morning. I got on with a few inside jobs like sanding and varnishing the battens that hold my bed extension/extension and adding a little stop to prevent it moving. We have a cross bed that must be about just 6 foot. I am a little taller so when stretched out I can't fit! I have added an extension so that I can swing my legs to the side and it works well. It is easy to put up and take down and I sleep very well. Whilst I was between coats of varnish I heard a funny noise and realised that it was the contractors coming along the towpath cutting the grass. I caught myself hoping that the rain would become heavier to wash all the cuttings that would be inevitably sprayed all over the boat. However they missed the length of our boat so saved me a job.

Being sat alongside I have had more time to study passing boats. When I first got aboard I was a little indignant at the speed that boats pass us. Our 'tick over speed' seems to be very low and others may not be so I have really just accepted it. I suppose that if our pins are pulled out I may have a resigned shrug in the direction of the offender. It is funny to watch the helmsmen when I appear at the deck or window. It seems that they are banking on the nobody being aboard sometimes. The speed that you pass is down to the speed you set on the controls but also how soon before passing the boat you actually slow down. It doesn't seem to be just people trying to dash round the Four Counties Ring in a week either. In fact they seems to be better than most. It can be very boring passing lines of moored boats but that is one of those things a little like not doing more than 30mph down the High Street.

When the rain stopped I set off into town to pick up the belt that I had ordered the day before. I also picked a few supplies to sustain me until Helen gets back aboard. When I got back it had turned nice and bright so decided to finish off lining the seat locker. It is now lined out so hopefully the paint work will be protected. I don't expect that it will last too long as it is chipboard so will not take much damp and the locker is not water tight. Still it has kept me out of trouble for a day or so, and was another job to cross off the list.

There are no photos today. I have been unable to find the charger for the camera battery. I'm sure that when Helen gets back she will go straight to it, but as she has been the one that has stowed things, she is the one who will know where everything is. I don't really want to be turfing cupboards out.

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