Bartimaeus

I had not slept well last night (don’t know why, perhaps not enough exercise yesterday) so was overtired in the morning but felt I shouldn’t sleep in as we had some short windows in the weather today. We felt there would be just enough time to buy basics, get diesel and top up the water. The afternoon had the drier weather but the nearby small marina is only open until 2pm so it seemed safer to try and get that done before lunch.

The small marina sells diesel and we are facing that way and need to turn around outside it to face the right way for water anyway. Marinas have water but it is not always accessible to passers by. I felt another practice here was in order for turning. There are mooring rings outside so I turned round then secured us on the rings using the middle rope. Shane had remembered to disentangle that rope from the pram cover, after using it to stop flapping in the storm yesterday, before setting off.

I went into the office to find that their diesel was in the narrow entry and there was a small temporary bridge across it, which they would move to let us in. Our tank was at the back and that meant reversing in. For some reason I have been a bit negative about this place though the people we saw today we’re different from the man I had asked about spaces and were very friendly and smiley. Still I was deflated that I had just manoeuvred in the (earlier than expected) rain and moored up in the wrong place. Shane began the reverse in, but it didn’t go with how he’d planned and he decided to go in forwards after all and trust that would still work. It did. The best way in would have been to reverse in while doing the turn as I had been lined up with the opening then. We will know next time.

Either way it was a drive back in the rain for me, to the park where we moored and waited for the weather to clear. Meanwhile Shane had received a message informing him of an appointment with the plastic surgeon next week. Shane got on with some sanding.

The cratch cover being in place made a dry workspace behind a closed door so the sanding was not loud. I tried to get some photos through the glass door but had some difficulty getting them but too little space and to much noise made me stay the other side of the glass. When I looked at the photos they all had a strange reflection over his face that I hadn’t noticed. It looks like he is definitely in need of a plastic surgeon!

I worked out it was a reflection of the porthole. I was able to adjust the position and still avoid opening the door. Shane wondered why I had returned and looked up quizzically. I tried telling him it was hard to take due to the light. He couldn’t hear because of the sander. I then realised I had accidentally taken a video so he could catch it later! I’ll spare you that video.

I  did some more of my double sided Roman numeral flag – like Shane’s shelves, these have been a gradual design and retry – this one is not perfect but better than the last one. I have made get mistakes following the chart Bryn made; the edges are neater and I am getting faster – I did some (deliberate) videoing of knitting the double sided flag to demonstrate techniques. It might be useful to include in the pattern but of course it is harder to knit in a different position. More practice needed and some editing.

The rain was off so I went for bread. Of course I bought much more than intended. At at the self checkout,bhe staff member gave quick and efficient help when I accidentally put in 11 aubergines in stead of 1. Not that much more shopping- it would never fit in my bag. I then discovered I hadn’t got the folded shopping bag in my handbag after all. There were none visible but the helpful staff member got one. It all fitted but the handles are less comfortable and it was a lot less comfortable to carry back, as it doesn’t go on my shoulder and I did a lot of adjusting my grip on the way back. Next time I will try to check before I leave in stead of just assuming the bag is back in place.

After lunch Shane set about getting ready to drive off and I went to cast off the front. With the cratch cover up it is more awkward getting on and off the front and I swithered about whether to get off quickly or sort the rope off while on there. I sorted the rope but the wind took the front away from the bank so I was not able to get off. I was able to open zips to climb back in as we went along. That hadn’t been the  original plan but it worked.

It started raining just as we set off but it didn’t last. I got off for the lock and could see more branches at the entrance, following the high winds yesterday, fairly small but one was all the way across, so I fished it out. The other sticks didn’t give Shane any trouble driving in. He was also pleased that although there was quite a torrent of wate in the by-wash, it didn’t cause the nose to swing over while he waited in the jaws for me to close up.

At the watering point Shane was happy to try the manoevre I had been practising. The wind had picked up a bit so I was happy for him to try it. He managed to let the wind assist him in moving the boat diagonally and make good use of its direction. A passing man shouted suggestions and offered assistance but Shane said he was happy doing it this way and it worked perfectly.

One of the previous times we were at this watering point some different coloured  ducks had been around. I didn’t know if they were a cross with mallards though they didn’t have the distinctive curly tail. 

This time I saw them again. They were out of the water and I got a new perspective on them. I could see they had a more upright gait. I remembered one of my sister’s mentioning she kept  ” Indian running ducks” and thought these looked like they might be running ducks. I took a (deliberate) video.

When I sent the video to Ruth for identification, she concluded they were male Khaki Campbells which do have both mallard and runners in their heritage but they were not quite as upright as pure runners. I found them comical.

 The wind gave us a little trouble getting away from the bank at the lock and pulling Bartimaeus into the bank when mooring. Everything has been achieved and a few lessons learnt.