Hi Everyone

Hi

I am writing this for the pure pleasure of my sister-in -law who is an antipodean living in a beautiful part of Australia , Mary complained that she is fed up of opening up the blog with a new picture expecting it to be a new blog only to find that it is still the same story from two weeks ago with new picture. I am not as busy as I use to be so not much to report,  But here goes

Since the last blog things have started progress a lot faster that what we all thought possible I still have a few broken bones which I must say are taking their time to mend but the rest of me is just about fixed though pins and needles in my arms and fingers are becoming a right nuisance,

I am doing a canal painting demonstration either Thursday next week or bank holiday Monday here in the Boatmans Cabin Cafe on the marina it gives the customers a chance to see the painting craft first hand and to understand the significance and history of the art.

We had our grandson for two days last week its great he really loves the boat I know he is only 4 but he can start and stop the engine He has his own little boxes in the engine room he loves playing with nails screws bits of pipe magnets and all sorts of bits his imagination is endless. One of our friends brought their grandson same age 4 they play well together, isn’t it wonderful I gave them a piece of rope which they played with all day I taught them a few tricks with rope then it was their turn they tied me to a tree and then to my chair you pay hundreds of pounds at Toys r us and they play quite happily with a piece of old rope, I am considering going for a job at Early Learning my policy is let kids be kids (and ban all game boys and x boxes or what ever you call them.

Our Keith and Carol came for two nights Keith needed some fishing therapy after his turn on the operating table. I believe we caught every fish in the marina two great days.

A quote from Buggerlugs

To The World You Might Be One Person;
But To One Person You Might Be the World

Thomas working a lock with his own ShortWindlass

Go on put some beef into it

Time out

Before I am reported to the child welfare

Thomas is supervised by two adults at all times !!!!!!!!!!

Back on the Tiller

Boaters Blogg

I know this will not impress a lot of people, but today I had my first turn on the tiller since that fateful day 21^st May When I decided to inspect my hull whilst passing it while falling into the dry dock.

The reason for this most epic of voyage’s all of 45 minutes was, I took Buggerlugs over for a pump out. On our new mooring we are sandwiched between two wide beam Eco Butties that allow me about 2ft space aft and stern so there is a lot of stern and bow movements to extradite me into clear water and then I have two complete 360º turns all these were completed without contact with any other craft. I was so relieved to complete these manoeuvres and to find that after such a long lay off that I still could??

As I said not very exciting but after the traumatic injuries; to me it was one of the best feelings, for those who can remember it was like passing your driving test.

PS
Eco Butty

A Eco Butty is a 60ft wide beam engineless  house boat there are three on the marian fitted out to a  very high standard, moored alongside there own private garden

Riots

Sorry folks but I am going to go off on one

Riots, what, Who, Why.

What can the police do without the media running them into the ground. I had the horrible experience of trying to control riots in NI in the 70s its not easy no matter what you do its wrong unless you meet it full on with rubber bullets water cannon with dye and gas; in my situation in NI I said and still stand by it that there is no such thing as an innocent bystander.
The media are now saying its because they live in a deprived area absolute C----
I was brought up in east Manchester in the 50s we even had sweet rationing I didn’t form a gang of brain dead morons and raid the sweety shop. If I had I would have been severely dealt with by the police and the courts, and when they had finished with me my parents would have stated on me. I have just listened to a women on the radio saying she feels sorry for the rioters. As they are young people with no money, no jobs, bored, no good homes no hope, no proper schooling, What a load of rubbish! they are disrespectful, lawless, bone idle ignorant, morons. I have no solution because today’s society will not allow my remedy as it may interfere with their Human Rights. These people; though calling them people is an insult to the rest of us. These morons must live somewhere and with someone so what are the parents doing? Some solutions:
When caught and proven guilty gather all their dearest possessions and make the culprits set fire to them. Ban Hoodies why should anyone want to hide their identity. When found guilty remove all benefits.
If they really want to fight then ship them out to Afghanistan and let them stand shoulder to shoulder with real men and women who are fighting to give these morons a life to be proud of, a truly British way of life one that does not contain this mindless behaviour
In Afghanistan they can fight an enemy that has the capability of fighting back and returning fire with fire we would soon see just what cowardly Morons they are
I feel as if society is like a giant Jenga most of the bricks are missing and its tottering so maybe we should pick up those bricks and start to make it secure again
I have gone on enough no matter how much we rant and rave the only way forward is teach them respect, in the forces you have to earn respect How we do that today I have no idea. But if they want volunteers for the water cannon I will be there I was well trained
Or maybe we need more people to show an example of how good life can be if lived in a
decent manner. Forget the examples of racist, raping, cheating footballers. Drug taking, alcoholic pop and media stars get rid of them all from the so called media and bring back real decent examples of how to live life to the full   
ENOUGH you all know where I am coming from: as you are all very nice people

I am doing well, my broken bones are mending I have even managed to play my guitar in church. I have been doing a bit of gardening and some work on the boat nothing too heavy Today we are off to a funeral of one of our dear friends it really brings the last 4 months into perspective and reality. Noreen and I are in the middle of forming our next trip we are desperately searching for a safe route??? I now know hospitals along the canal I would really like to go out in April and return in September with out calling in on accident & emergency departments I am bored with them