Thursday, December 29, 2016

Weeks away from Kantara

We've been back in the house for almost two weeks now, and we really miss her. Coming back here was the right thing to do. Christmas is a family occasion for the Distills, and we love to do the traditional things - Church on Christmas morning, the full turkey dinner, presents under the Christmas tree, opened after dinner, lots of games, buffet tea and a fair few drinks! Our good friend Michelle (as seen in "Life with our feet under water") had arrived on Christmas Eve, so there were five of us at table together. Naomi and Eddie had dinner with Eddie's dad, and returned to us for a delayed, grand present-opening. Michelle seems to think I have a bad memory (as if!), and she gave me three games to help me improve it. It was a lovely day, and we continued in similar manner on Boxing Day, too.

But, of course, there was shopping before Christmas. Shopping shopping shopping! Thank God for Amazon and wish lists. We kept our high-street battle to a minimum, and only visited Sainsbury's twice!

On the Monday before Christmas, Grace and I had dentist and hygienist appointments. We were both in the waiting room when Jess phoned from work - front of house at the local pantomime - to tell us that she was being attended by an NHS First Responder. Her heart was palpitating at over 200 beats per minute, and she'd collapsed. Shortly after, she phoned again, this time with her heart doing a more reasonable pace. She was being taken to Watford Hospital. The situation wasn't serious - that kind of problem runs in Grace's family, and she seems to have passed it in different degrees to our three kids.

We arrived at the hospital to fine her lying on a trolley, in a queue for a full consultation with a doctor. Bloods had been taken, and she was awaiting results. Cutting a long story short, she was discharged within two hours, and came home to rest. The next day, she went to work, but was sent home because she was exhausted, She's recovered well now. She has to be fit next week. The Company of Players will be recording their first album in a studio in Cornwall. I wish I could be there - it's going to be a lot of fun.
The Company of Players
BOAT - Bring out another thousand - doesn't just apply to boats, does it? Pretty much as soon as we arrived back in St Albans, we had to buy a new washing machine and fridge. OK, NOT as much as a thousand, granted, but not welcome! We think the gas boiler'll be next.

There's been no snow, much to our disappointment, but we had the first frost for ages on Tuesday Bank Holiday, and we are rather concerned about Kantara in sub-zero temperatures. We've emptied the domestic water pipes, but not the calorifier and its pipes. We're trying not to worry too much about this, They're all under the bed, much of it under the water line, and the tank itself is thickly insulated, of course. We've ordered a small, thermostatic, electric heater, and that's arriving today, so we'll drive up to the marina tomorrow, check that all is well, and install the heater. Until then, we'll try to fight off the lurking lurgy we both have.

Before I sign off, for no other reason other than that I like them, here are some photos that caught my attention recently.







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