Normality is Restored

Daffodils at Spade Oak

It's taken quite a while, but things are slowly returning to normal, for this time of year. The water is going down, and the quaggy mud, drying out. Ducks, Swans and Coots have reappeared. And we can now get out for a walk, without having to clomp about in waders.

Who, me?

His first chance to run around offlead like an idiot, since christmas. Promptly dived in the river, and then rolled in everything that could be rolled in. He looked especially chuffed with himself when I took this.

The path to Wooburn Green

The river is still flowing quite strongly. but it looks much less angry than it's been for months. I'm hoping to be able to turn the boat around next week, so that I can give some overdue attention to a couple of rough spots. That's the side that bears the brunt of the bad weather through winter. So, it was to be expected. I managed to slap a coat of blacking on the starboard side when the river was up. So, bar a quick hose down, that side is good to go. Happy to report that our £30 swimming pool roofpaint still seems to be holding up. No obvious flaking or signs of rust.

Hanging over us this year, is our insurer's insistence on a surveyor's hull report before they will renew our cover. It's been 5 years now. We were resigned to doing it anyway, but we're thinking of switching to SAGA, who will (allegedly) insure boats for the lifetime of the vessel. It's about time that dogma came out (for inspection and a blacking below the waterline). It's just eye poppingly expensive. Which is a drag. When we'd rather be cruising.