Coventry!

After several more days at S & K's house - sanding, washing, emptying the loft of loads of scrap wood and cutting back roses, we've bounced back again. Wednesday was the travel day. Thursday was shopping. Then we went to Coventry. We weren't sent, but now I know why, when we are offended by people, we might "send them to Coventry".

I HATE Coventry. Loathe the place. We've had the misfortune to have been there of necessity three times since we've been on Kantara, and it doesn't get any better. Traffic is thick and fast, signage confusing, even contradictory, and road markings likewise. The whole experience wasn't made any better by TomTom's verbal instructions not corresponding all of the time with her display, nor with the road signs, nor with Grace, who had her own idea of how things should be. One crossroads was totally devoid of stop lines, traffic lights or any other official device to stop pileups. Honestly! I was very grateful to those who were behind me. Not only did they not hoot, swear or give me the finger when I cut them up, changed lane dramatically or slowed down unexpectedly, but they also failed to drive into the back of me. Coventry's not all bad.

We went to this awful place to buy one bottle of  liquid paraffin aka mineral oil aka SKYDD . Time was, you could nip into the nearest Boots and buy liquid paraffin from the counter. Not any more. Pharmacies just don't stock it. Ikea does. But they call it SKYDD.

So what did we want it for? you may ask. Constipation? Skin irritation? Lamp fuel? Cleansing my hands? Nope. It's the recommended oiling agent for wooden chopping boards. Grace had recently sanded all four of ours (yes, I know, four) and we need them (all) to be usable on the boat. Thank you, Ikea. It was an adventure.

It rained last night. Quite a lot. And it's very windy this morning, though dry now. Michelle arrives tomorrow for a week's cruise. 40mph winds expected. Hmmm.

Boring?

What can I say? I'm boring! Almost as troubling, though, is that I'm not bored.

Digging my way through the heaps of history in the attic is... fun! We've visited Ikea no less than three times since we hibernated Kantara. Ikea!!

Another time, I've been fascinated by the town of Baldock through which I wandered while Grace gave knitting-machine lessons to a woman who gave her in return a knitting machine she had going spare. Grace used to write knitting machine patterns professionally some decades ago, but never actually produced anything for herself. I posted a "Wanted, knitting machine" notice on Freegle, and this lady came up with the "swap you" scenario. A very good outcome!

 Baldock's Howard Park

A few days later, we attended "The Wisdom House", an evening of very inspirational chat by Rob Parsons, founder and director of  the amazing charity, Care for the Family It was the best £7 I'd spent for a long time!

Does anyone out there remember The Strawbs? They played at the nearby Harpenden Halls (where Jess works) last week, and we went along. We were never great fans, and they didn't convert me to their music that night - part of their 50 year celebration tour - but there's no denying their consummate skill and musicianship. Our main reason for going was to support Said the Maiden, who played a thirty-minute supporting set to open the show. It was a great fillip for them, adding this band to the other big names they've supported over the past six years or so - Lindisfarne, Fairport Convention, Clannad, Dave Swarbrick, Fisherman's Friends as well as some big Folk acts - Jim Moray, Megson, Martin Carthy and Cara Dillon.

The Maidens went down a storm with the Strawbs aficionados.

So this is who people paid to see...

...and this is who they got as an added extra!

I'm still not a Strawbs fan, though.

The weather's really lovely today, just what autumn should be like. The problem is that rain is forecast for tomorrow, and I'm helping with a Messy Church event - lots of small children, silly games and a live mock-up of the traditional nativity manger scene, complete with animals! In the rain! 😟

I certainly won't be bored!!

Never a dull moment!

We went back to Kantara on Tuesday, to get the jobs finished. It was rather windy, but not too chilly, so we hauled the boat across to the next berth to use that pontoon to wash the other side, and varnish the Roses and Castles. We started to wax using new product, but this was appallingly smeary, despite its claims not to be. We'll take it back to Midland Swindlers if we get the opportunity. We couldn't find a source of the fabulous carnauba wax we've been using for the past three years, so I emailed John Barnard, who'd given it to us.

He doesn't sell it. Back on the interweb, we finally found  a company who did, and ordered it for next day delivery. We did a tiny bit more waxing with the weeny bit remaining in the tub, then more washing and preparation for work the next day.

It arrived the next day, and we finished!

The following day, the sun broke through and gave us the perfect opportunity to take Kantara for a short trip to test the engine after her injector overhaul. It certainly made a difference! The engine was quieter, smoother and far less exhausty. We took her down to Crick, where we had lunch in The Moorings, and did a bit of shopping at the Co-Op. Then we sailed back. An afternoon well spent.

On Saturday evening, cold, damp and windy, there was a Halloween disco/karaoke/social event in the marina. Despite the cold - everyone was wearing coats, hats, scarves and so on -  it was a good evening. We spent our time with a couple of couples we'd not met before - it's always good to exchange boating tales with new acquaintances - and enjoyed a tasty, hot meal prepared entirely by the wife of one of the owners of the marina. Wine and beer at fabulously low prices flowed steadily. Karaoke was... interesting, and the dancing amusing. But all great fun!

We winterised on Sunday, and drove back to the house. We'd intended to visit Ikea and John Lewis in Milton Keynes on the way back, but gave up because of the huge numbers of cars trying to get into the car parks. So, here we are. Decorating to be finished, Christmas to prepare for. Never a dull moment!

Sofa, so good

So, the sofa debris was wheeled off to the recycling centre, splinters, staples and all, and the living room took on a new look.

This was achieved by the addition of various bits from the loft, on their way to new homes via FreeCycle, furniture from the hall, which was now in the process of being prepared for new wallpaper and paint, and five car bumpers. These had lived in the side passage, waiting their turn for use in one of Steve's car-rebuilding projects, or one of his friends'. They had to leave their home there to allow access to the garden for Naomi's visitors on Friday's Sustainable St Albans Open Garden event.

Thursday's weather was lovely.

Friday started off well, but the weather forecast promised rain for the afternoon. And, about an hour or so before Nome's one o'clock start, down in came!

Then, with just half an hour to go before the gate would open, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and everything started to steam dry!

And the first visitors arrived, and the whole two hours of the event was warm and sunny.

On Monday morning, our sofa arrived from Nabru, producers of self-assembly modular sofas. Ikea, eat your heart out!

The man who delivered it said that he would be able to build it in 45 minutes. It took us 3½ hours. We think he was fibbing.

But when it was all done, and the pile of packaging disposed of, the result was very pleasing, and well worth the effort.

And after all that? We returned to the hall, stairs and landing. Which is going well, So far, so good!

One of the many advantages of living on a boat, we decided, is that any decorating needed takes far less time and money!