Hesitation, delay?

We've done the second trip back to house now, and have (we think) everything we need until we go back there in September - the reason for which I will divulge when the time comes.

The current and forecast weather is pretty dismal, and a significant number of keen boaters are still here. If we were already out on the cut, then we'd be happy to moor up and sit it out whenever it rained, but we see little or no point in leaving the marina for that. We'd barely move! At least the temperature has risen. It has been 8° inside the boat in the mornings, now it's twice that. Though that's not good for mid-May, is it?

Our resident swans have hatched two cygnets so far, and continue to sit on the nest. Their normal family is around six, so we're holding out for more to appear soon.

A major annoyance that will no doubt impact negatively on our boating this year is that I have developed a hernia in my groin. It's only small, and gives me no pain, but that's the way I want it to remain until I'm able to have the necessary surgery. I'm very thankful to Neil, the marina manager, for offering his help in doing the heaviest job I'll have to quit - swapping empty gas cylinders for full ones (13kg). 20 litres of diesel for the stove would probably be too much for me to carry, too, so I'll buy that by the 10 litres in future.

I'll be having a phone consultation with a doctor, and he/she will almost certainly put me on the path to surgery, but the operations waiting list is pretty long at the moment, so who knows how long it'll be before we can cruise. It's a bit of a downer, but I'm grateful that we have the NHS, and that proper care and treatment are freely available. There are people far more in need than me. I can wait.

Some good news is that Brian Hughes, one of my very favourite bloggers, is back in the blogosphere. Having had to sell the Mouse Boat from which he used to blog about his boating life, he's now producing a vlog that promises to be an amusing and fascinating look at his home county. Have a good look at his brilliant mouse prints while you're there!

"Buyer beware!"

Brian writes,

These days I'm still in Lancashire, albeit as a common landlubber, making short films about the county's rich tapestry of history, folklore and other associated rubbish. If you haven't already, then you might like to join me over at our Lancashire Footnotes page. Go on...it's quiet enough over there. because virtually nobody ever visits, but I've always got some hot buttered crumpets and a pot of coffee ready for visitors. 

Just follow the link and give us a wave...

https://lancashirefootnotes.wordpress.com/

So please do go and have a look. He's good!

Emma Jane's left her mooring to get some work done on her, so we have the light and view from that side of the boat again for a while, albeit a wet and dull view.

Please excuse me now to go and adjust my make-do truss - a bundled pair of socks.

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