A visit for some jobs

Tuesday 17^th to Friday 20^th March

I had a very busy week in prospect, so Dave took the dog and popped up to the boat for a few days and a couple of uninterrupted evenings watching football on telly!  He found the solar had kept the leisure batteries topped up, unlike the starter which needs the engine to charge it.  He had ordered a new chimney (the inner lining of the old one was beginning to rust through) so the first job was to fit the new one.  The next morning it was very cold when he took Jess out, and as they hurried back to the warmth of the boat poor Jess was spooked by the next door cat which was sitting under the pram cover, glaring at her through the gap where the swan’s neck comes down.  It put her off her breakfast!  After he persuaded her to eat it they went off for a lovely walk on the sunny towpath - with drier recent weather the towpaths were much better for walking than they were a month ago!  Remember those two days of spring we had before it turned cold again?  He wished he had taken his shorts.  Jolly cold and windy down here in Devon though. 

New chimney and shiny(ish) boat. 

Dave had ordered a new set of brasses – the surface on the old ones had been getting pitted and discoloured and no matter how he tried he couldn’t get them to a good shine.  Fitting the new one involved scraping off the old washer and sanding down the rough bits on the roof, then the holes needed enlarging to fit the new bolts.  Aligning the bolts with the holes was tricky.  Anyway he got the first brass done, then washed and polished the port side which came up quite well.  Poor Jess was on Cat Alert the whole time.  Nina, the boater next door who lives aboard came out to chat but I’m not sure if Jess approved.

Sunset over the Rugby Club after a beautiful day

On the Thursday he fitted the two remaining brasses, much easier than the first now he had got the alignment sorted out.  Then he turned his attention to the roof, where the gutters inside the handrails were very mucky, and there are various places where the paintwork will need some attention.   Next morning, when it was time to pack up and come home, the cat was no-where to be seen, much to Jess’s relief.

Our first proper trip this year will be after Easter after our grandparent duties have been fulfilled.