Thermostat

This was leaking. With the kind help of other boaters, I now know that it's our engine's thermostat housing. They also told me how to get it off, and how to fix the leaks. If the big brass bit is welded onto the engine body, it's (allegedly) quite a simple task to redo the joint again. If it's not, then all that needs doing is to replace a couple of gaskets, and make sure the top screws are torqued correctly when tightened up. Then I can slap some more red paint on it. job done.

Looked more serious than it actually was.

Bat TV

At around 8.30 every evening, we're treated to a flying bat display, which is every bit as syncronised as the RAF's Red Arrows. They zoom around in a 3 dimensional circular space, skimming quite close down to the waterline, and fairly often, come right up to our windows. Maybe it's their mating season? Unfortunately, our bat knowledge is minimal. And they fly way too fast to photograph. Sorry.

But a bit of googling, reveals that there are at least three types of bat on the thames. Which are... Natterer's bats.... Noctule bats... Daubenton's bats... It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the wingspan is much larger than the ones we used to see in Devon.

Bats of London

Flackwell Heath

The sun came out, and it was a beautiful hot day. We took a walk up 'Blind Lane', which turned out to be a long steep hill. On the way, we passed many paranoid rich people's houses with tall security fences and CCTV cameras dotted all around their periphery. Eventually, we arrived at this...

Wurzels

It's not too clear from this terrible picture. But we think 'The Wurzels' and their families were on the hireboats moored by the opposite bank. There were three of them, playing accordion, guitar, boran, and tin whistle. They played for a couple of hours. Entertaining folk music which drifted across the river enchantingly. I'm not usually a big fan of folky-type-music. But their joyful little tunes enchanced the day, and the break in the clouds.. perfectly. Then they dissapeared off downstream, never to be seen again.

New Chimney

Our old plain black chimney looked cool, in a 'Steamboat Willy' kind of way. But it was corroded all around the collar, and full of holes which you could see through. It looked like somebody had peppered it with a shotgun. Naturally, this reduced it's draw and efficiency. We couldn't find a 21" replacement anywhere on the net (they're either 18" or 24"), so we opted for the 24" which should help to keep tar off the roof. Works fine. And hopefully, it will still fit under low bridges without having to remove it.

Font ~ Willow

We've decided on this font for our name.
Distinctive, with no cheese factor.

Sumo is 6

Sumo enjoyed his sixth birthday on the boat. We're glad he doesn't have to contend with the steep back garden steps anymore. Or suffer next door's two cats winding him up. He seems to be very relaxed and happy afloat. The same as us.

Took him for a nice afternoon walk on the nature reserve. Where the concrete factory store their aggregate under the lake. Unfortunately, we walked round the wrong way, and ended up close to the sewage treatment works. Which was a bit whiffy. But it is a lovely peaceful place, though.