Bartimaeus

Droitwich Marina has a reputation for being windy and I had already seen seasoned boaters struggling to get into their mooring and heard the crew on the bow yelling back to their driver ”wind has caught you, hasn't it!" The wind had been an advantage straight away, for cooling the boat down and the next day when I did some laundry the stiff breeze towards the bow blew it all dry in no time. It was all folded and put away by dinnertime, allowing us to eat outside on the bow, where we received hopeful visitors.

A marina, any marina, isn't Shane's favourite place to be but he was getting stuck into organising the new space and trying to understand the new systems. I wasn't sure I had much to contribute to the efforts without getting in his way. I decided to leave him sawing his new shelves and go into Droitwich for shopping before early Sunday closing - missing Scottish opening times already!

I was hopeful I would manage to get there without my chief navigator. Predictably I didn't find the continuation of the canalside path after the M5 - another reason to dislike a motorway - and went on a significant diversion along a different path, a housing estate and a large Lido Park with children splashing in water fountains and a brass band playing on the bandstand, before reaching the familiar Saltway where the intended supermarket is situated. Thank heavens for my map app!

It had been cool when I left the marina and I had brought a cardigan but it got warmer on the way and now on the way back I was carrying a big blue bulging bag of shopping, the sun was out and I was not needing the extra layer at all. Butterflies were out and so were the damselfies. I saw a powder blue one that seemed fatter and not as shiny as usual. One seemed to be keeping level with me, darting forward and back along the path and reeds. 

We had a visit from Caroline yesterday, who brought with her the surprise of flowers and chocolates, just as well it is cooling down or the chocolates would have melted during her visit. Some of the flowers were very bright blue. When I unwrapped them it looks like they had blue dye in the stems. I used to put red dye in a vase and create red veins in snow drops and daffodils. These have a much more strong solid blue and it is only on the flower and base of the stem so I am not sure how it is achieved, but it is very vibrant and the water is tinged blue too.

Caroline remarked how she hardly recognised Bartimaeus, looking so smart and shiny. As always it was a pleasure to chat to Caroline and she said Rob would be over the next day to go over the new systems.

With the afternoon free we went into Droitwich to see the museum at St Richard's House, and to look for a new electric toothbrush (two gave up the ghost while I was in Edinburgh) and postcards (not in the same shop). We first heard about St Richard's house, from the town crier, two days earlier as he made announcements while we were sitting at an outside table at a cafe in Droitwich. We had seen him before in October while heading for the station. It seems he wears the same blue uniform all year regardless of the weather so he had on buckled shoes, long stockings, breeches, a frilly high collared shirt, a large hat, waistcoat, jacket and a cape whenever one else was in shorts and t-shirts. He was carrying a slightly larger. heavier bell, than last time, making it even harder work in the heat. He announced two events at St Richard's, one of which was the closing of the communication tower. The town crier as a means of communication, has outlasted that new fangled communication system, but he is hoping for a replacement - they might be hard shoes to fill.

We were glad he was still going as, apart from the spectacle, it encouraged us to explore the visitor centre at St Richard's House and they sold postcards. By far the most impressive one showed a magnificent church interior. The lady gave me a leaflet and directions. Before heading that way we went back to the pedestrianised shopping centre where Shane could sit outside with a coffee and I could peruse the electric toothbrushes nearby. 

We nipped into the library as it has a toilet and I noticed a children's book called Mum's Jumper on display, which piqued my interest. What could be that story be about really? When I went over to look I saw Quentin Blake's illustration on a Michael Rosen book, simply entitled Sad Book, about the feelings of depression and bereavement. He had managed to address a difficult topic and express it simply. The book Mum's Jumper, by Jayde Perkin, did the same, specifically addressing the loss of a mother. Reading the books was giving me a lump in my throat, but it is also good that such books exist to help children, or perhaps anyone, cope with grief and loss.

For my next uplifting experience we headed for the Church of The Sacred Heart. It is completely covered inside with mosaics and very bright ones too. It is free to go in but there is a very small fee to switch the lights on.

When we got back to the marina, Shane unpacked the  new toothbrush to put it on charge. From the limited selection available I chose a pale green, only to find the colour on the packaging was misleading and in fact it was blue and an attractive enough blue, but just not what I expected and it's a shame that the only available colours were black, white, pink or blue.

Rob had told Shane he would be there the next day, but 'not first thing', probably about nine. Shane replied that nine was what we'd call first thing. We managed to be dressed, showered and breakfasted before they arrived. I even had time to admire cute visitors while hanging up my towel to dry out at the bow doors.

By the time they had left, several concerns had been addressed. There were still some jobs to do but we were assured they could do them if we were local but didn't actually need us to stay in the marina.

By the end of the day and the the five lock mile to Droitwich, my apprehensions: would the new heating system would work at all; would I manage the new driving controls; would I be fit enough to work a lock, were all answered in the affirmative.  I am always a bit too pessimistic, but I could do with getting fitter.