alafloat

Hi everyone
Well that's it Christmas and New Year over, packed and stowed away until the festive season comes around again.
We had a great Christmas mainly because we decided that we were going to try and take out the commercial element out of Christmas, and to a degree we did especially in the respect of presents, most of our presents for adults were things we made Noreen made a selection of biscuits and I painted the tins to put them in, I also made personalised calenders with photo's of their visits to the boat all these items were accepted with as much enthusiasm a as expensive gifts. Children of course are a little more difficult, though we did decide to make every present a practical one (our grandson has not yet played with half the presents he got last year) We now seem to live in a throw away society at least when you give biscuits you know they are not going to finish up in a bottom draw. I also feel its nice to give something of yourself, and that's not me making an excuse for being a cheap skate or scrooge.
Even with the weather we managed to get out and do a lot of visiting North Wales, Warrington, Stretford Manchester, Blackburn, Leigh and Hyde, The Food was beautiful and plentiful, the drink chilled and flowing, and friends were in abundance. All our church services went well, (though cold) I managed not to break any guitar strings and stay in key playing the right chords in the right order (all down to practice)
So that's it, Now we are a new year and looking forward I tend to be a very optimistic person. I never look back my Army service taught me that, never look behind you there is nothing you can do about the past (only learn from it) it but you can alter the future.
I look forward to the new year and am very anxious for the weather to break I have so many jobs waiting, I need a new burner fitting for the central heating system, my roof needs painting, some blacking is required, I need a new button bow and stern, a new seal on the tiller and numerous other jobs, enough to keep me busy until April when we are off again.

I have only wrote this today because we are still iced up it is raining and I have nothing else to do I am very glad you are there

Big Al