Waders

Peter has kindly lent me a pair of waders, so I can get ashore without getting my legs wet twice a day. I have a new set on order, but knowing my luck, they will not get here until the flood waters have receded.

They've closed the Thames Barrier, and the water level has risen so much now, that it would swamp a pair of wellington boots. Yesterday the boarding plank came adrift, and I had to jump over the side to rescue it, before it floated away and we got marooned. Unfortunately, I slipped on the wet wood, and ended up getting soaked. Sloshing about with waders full of freezing cold water certainly put a new perspective on the day.

Thankfully, I had a fire going, which dried everything out fairly quickly. Not an experience I am in a hurry to repeat though. Brrr... :)

Grey

Happy Xmas Everybody.

I managed to get up early, and hoist Sumo up and over the ramp in the twenty minutes of this morning that it wasn't actually raining. Quite chuffed with myself. I've got plenty of dry kindling, logs and coal. So I'm going to stoke up the fire, and put my feet up for the rest of the day.

It took him less than 5 minutes to rip the face off of 'Pastel Plush Tigger'. Poor Tigger.

Ba Ba Ba Bom

Normally, I don't mind "a bit of Bing". Especially at this time of year. But, if I hear "Let it Snow" one more time in the Co-Op. I think I will explode.

Jumped off of the boat into a foot of water this morning.

Swamped my Wuff-wear wellies. And even the plastic bags I'd wrapped around my feet, failed to halt the inrush of water. Levels are well up again now. Flooded the bank everywhere. The EA says it won't rise above the previous flood levels, but it came on so fast and strong, everybody is taking that pronouncement with a pinch of salt. Spirits are fine, around the marina. Everybody is their normally happy selves. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the village, where the stressed city folk have brought their rude pushing, shoving, barging ways home with them.

Mattie and Rich built us the ramp again.
Cheers guys...

Pfft!

Here we go again..

I had hoped to be able to move down to the Cliveden islands, where I could try and ignore Christmas, until it had all gone away. But, the river is rising quite rapidly, and threatening to spill out over the bank again.

Witch Hunt

I received this comment this morning...

Your post here about Jimmy Page is being repeated elsewhere as fact. If not true not very kind to perpetuate unkind stories. Love your blog though. It appears you have a lot of fun boating and blogging. Beautiful area to explore Take Care.

In the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal, I'm concerned my use of the word "young" has been miscontrued, or twisted by somebody with an agenda. The young lady in question was in her early twenties. Sheena says "30", but I think she was younger than that. She appeared to know exactly what she was doing, was in full control of her mental faculties, and under no duress at all.

At first I thought she was his daughter, until Sheena told me "Don't be so silly... You don't kiss your daughter like that". They both appeared happy, strolling along the riverbank, arm in arm, on a beautiful sunny afternoon, without a care in the world.

Unlike Uri Geller, Jimmy Page isn't scared to wander along the towpath and engage in conversation with boaters. I have the greatest respect for him as a guitarist. Maybe the best this country has ever produced. And I would love to chat with him one day, about what he found when he bought 'Boleskine House'.

If my flippant words have caused him any stress or anxiety, I apologise unreservedly. But it is most definitely true, as the event described in the blog occured right outside our boat.

Thanks for bringing the matter to our attention, Anonymous.
I hope this post will help to clarify.

Still Red

The majority of the river is still on red boards. Nobody is moving anywhere. Looks like it will be another week or so before it slows down. Mixed feelings. It would be nice to potter about. But it's also good that Sheena can enjoy a much deserved rest.

I had the batteries out yesterday. I forgot how heavy they are. A few of the cells were noticably lower than last year. So I topped them up with some ionised water, and they're now recharging.

Kingfisher

We've been lucky enough to have a Kingfisher fishing off our back deck for the last few days. We often see them whizzing up and down the riverbank, but this one has been up close and personal. Not more then 3ft away, and none too worried about our proximity. Sadly, I've never had the camera to hand when it's around.

(picture pinched from google images).

Slowly

It took longer than we would have liked, but things are slowly returning to their normal levels now. The sun is out. It's a bit chilly, but we can't have everything.

Happy to see wood, not water, when we look out of the back door. Sumo is a lot happier, now that he can just step off, rather than being hoisted up onto planks.

Not too bad, really.