Summer 2015: Crick 4

Sunday 5^th July to

 Over the past couple of months I have noticed that, just after posting this blog I get Ian’s email returned as undeliverable. This morning, after many attempts at rectifying the situation, I finally realised that I had his old email address. This has now been rectified and so, I’m sorry to say, poor Ian will now be receiving this blog again. Happy days Ian!!

 The weather looks to be fair again today and, once everything has dried off after yesterday’s rain, I’ll try to get a lick of paint onto the toolbox.

 Only a few days to go and we’ll be out there cruising. Yippee!!

 Tuesday 7^th July

 The temperature here has cooled somewhat over the past couple of days, which means we have been able to complete the stern deck paintwork.

 Yesterday I rubbed down our toolbox, which is attached to a stern rail and which carries all the metalwork we carry with us when cruising. Items such as the tiller arm, mooring pins, hooks and chains etc. Today, after the car has been checked for timing belt and cooling fan functioning, and provided the rain keeps off, I’ll give the box a coat of paint.

 The next job before we go off cruising for a couple of weeks will be to fit some proper support brackets to the solar panel. We bought the panel back in 2007, soon after we moored at Bulbourne for the winter of that year and, since then it’s been screwed to a couple of thick lengths of timber. Over this period the wood has started to rot, so we’ve bought four corner support brackets on which to sit the panel.

 But first, before refitting the panel to the roof, I have to rewire it with new cable, and we’ll have to paint the space on the roof that the panel has covered all this time. I was pleased to note though, that this space is still free of wear and only needs a good wash before painting.

 We’re hoping to get all the above chores done by tomorrow and could be off and out cruising by Thursday morning. This all assumes that the weather doesn’t hold us up, although the toolbox could wait until we’re out there; the roof and solar panel both have to be done first.

 Happy days are here again!!

 Wednesday 8^th July

 The weather has changed over the past few days, so much so that we haven’t been able to paint that section of roof where the solar panel goes. Today I’ll fit the support brackets to the panel, and we’re going shopping this morning. But we will have to call into Homebase for a couple of small right angled brackets. These brackets will anchor the panel to the roof to prevent it ‘taking off’ in a high wind. But, if this intermittent rain continues, we won’t be able to paint the roof and won’t be able to fit the panel. And, until we re-fit the panel, we ain’t going nowhere.

 Thursday 9^th July

 Yesterday was a bit of a bummer where work on the solar panel was concerned. I only managed to fit two of the support brackets before the heavens opened up, by which time the tennis was on…….!

 Today looks like it may remain dry, in which case I can complete the brackets and then paint the roof area where panel will be fitted.

 We’re hoping to be away by the weekend, but it all depends on at least finishing the painting of the roof and fitting of the panel. It’s too big to bring inside the boat and is currently taking up space on the stern deck, so moving the boat is just not possible. Yet!

 We did at least get the shopping done yesterday, so the day wasn’t completely wasted.

 Friday 10^th July

 Having fitted the new support brackets to the solar panel a few days ago, and having painted the patch on the roof where the panel sits, I then re-wired it and, with Wifey’s help, put the panel back on the roof. Of course we waited for the paint to dry!!

 Anyway, once we had centred the panel, we realised that the brackets were unsuited to the roof of the boat, because Liverpool Boats have curved roofs, so the only part of the brackets that make contact with the roof, is the inside edge. The rest of the bracket sticks out and doesn’t look too clever.

 As it happens we had bought for small right angled steel brackets, which we would have fitted anyway, to ensure the safety of the panel in high winds. So, today we’ll remove the support brackets – thank goodness they were cheap – and just fit the metal ones at each corner of the panel.

 The main thing is that the panel has now been rewired and that roof section has been repainted.

 The stern is also finished and the wrap-around shroud has been refitted, so we can now leave here as soon as we like. Today we’ll pop over to Braunston and buy a couple of non-slip adhesive pads for the edges of the stern deck and that will be that, for now anyway.

I’m pretty sure that, if Wifey had her way we’d be going out today. But I would prefer to stay for the weekend and watch the rest of the tennis. We’ll see what happens today though and I’m pretty sure the captain of this vessel will have her way. She usually does!!

 Monday 13^th July

 After walking around the Crick stalls yesterday we paid a visit to the club, by which time it was pouring with rain. It continued to do so for the rest of our usual hour, so I felt obliged to partake of another pint, which I nursed until it stopped. It had almost stopped raining when we left, so I didn’t feel too badly about spending that extra £3.00 on the third pint of Guinness.

 We watched the men’s Wimbledon final and had intended to take the boat out after that, but a strong wind had sprung up by then, so we abandoned that idea. Unfortunately it is now raining quite heavily, so I’m not sure that we’ll get away this morning either.

 Tuesday 14^th July

 Yesterday started with light drizzle and quite calm regarding wind, so we wandered off to the Co-op for a few bits and pieces. When we returned to the marina, disposed of rubbish and returned to the boat, by which time – as you would expect – the rain was heavier and a wind had sprung up. We sat around doing sweet Fanny Adams until about 2pm, by which time the rain had stopped, although it was still pretty windy. Still, we said ‘bugger it’ and wound up our landline cable, lowered the TV aerial and WiFi unit, untied the boat and away we went.

 About an hour later, having covered just three miles, and with the clouds thickening up, we pulled in by bridge 26 and settled in for the rest of the day. By the time we had moored up down came the rain, so it was just as well we stopped.

 Today? Well, who knows how far we’ll get? We do have heavy cloud cover, but it doesn’t look too threatening.

 Wednesday 15^th July

 Back in February, as some of you may remember, I had a polyp removed from my bladder and was released from hospital the following afternoon.

 Speaking with the surgeon who performed this delicate op, I was told to expect a follow up appointment with the clinic in about three weeks’ time. February, March, April and May swiftly passed and, just as we were about to leave the marina for a couple of weeks cruising, I received a letter inviting me to the aforementioned clinic at the end of the month.

 Now, Northampton General has yet to drag itself into the 21^st century, so there’s no email address on their correspondence and, since telephoning from the marina is fraught with difficulties, I decided to write back, explaining that we would now be away until November.

 You can imagine my surprise when, a few weeks later I received another appointment, this time for July 29^th. So, once again I wrote back and, once again I explained that we would be away until November.

 Just before we left the marina my phone rang and, since it was an unknown number, I simply switched it off. NGH are nothing if not persistent and just a few seconds later my phone ‘pinged’, informing me that I had a Voicemail which, after much jiggery-pokery – I’m still not completely familiar with this 21^st century technology – Wifey discovered that my appointment for July 29^th had now been brought forward to the 22^nd.

 Well, now, we won’t be back from this short trip until the 24^th, at the very earliest and, since I do not have NGH’s phone number listed inside my phone and have not retained any of their letters, I am unable to phone or write to them. I suppose the next letter I receive will be to complain that I missed an appointment.

 We are now on our way to Market Harborough and, with luck and better weather than yesterday; we should be there before the weekend. Yesterday was a bit of a bummer weather-wise and we spent 1½ hours cruising in the rain. This is not something we normally do, but it was necessary because we want to back at the marina for Friday 24^th as I want to drive down to Harlow and Alex has an appointment with the vet on the following Monday. I also have an appointment with the podiatrist on the same day.

 Following on from all of that, we’re hoping to be away for a few months after those appointments; probably sometime during that week. We hope…..!

 Friday 17^th July

 We spent three very pleasant hours yesterday cruising the five miles to the bottom of Foxton Locks. We took a walk back from our moorings and sat on a bench with ice creams and then, on the way back from there I received a phone call. This was, once again, from NHG, confirming my upcoming appointment. I’m hoping that I’ve finally convinced them that I will be unable to attend.

 Today we’ll be cruising the final five miles to Market Harborough, where we’ll do some shopping and stay overnight, returning to Foxton Locks on Saturday or Sunday morning.

 Meanwhile, I think it’s time I posted this blog. So, without further ado, I’ll wish you all a great weekend.

 Dave, Sheila and Alex.