catch up time

Thursday 27th November.

Hello people, doesnt time fly sometimes. 

Well winter is definitely just around the corner. This was the view from the back deck earlier this week,

and not particularly early in the day either, around 9 am ish I think.

The sun came out later and the frost gradually disappeared, but it was certainly a 'fresh start' to the day.

Its been a while since I last posted and I've had a few communications from friends asking how i'm doing so this is to bring people up to date.

I could tell you that I've been so busy that I've not had time to write, but to be honest my idea of being busy is more like pottering about and taking things slowly.

Healthwise, I'm improving all the time, my wounds are healing nicely, the swelling in my neck and throat has diminished considerably which also means the lower jaw is much more moveable therefore eating is less of a trial. I don't tire so quickly now, whereas before any physical exertion would leave me gasping for breath and flaked out in the armchair, now I have considerably more stamina, so much so I've been over to G and J's house a couple of times drilling the wall in the garage for shelf brackets. (Did I tell you they finally moved)?

Ok so after drilling each hole I had to have a sit down, but to me that's real progress.

Also, I am now capable of pretty much all the day to day maintenance tasks involved in living on Bracken. Things like topping up the water tank, emptying the loo cassette, emptying the ash can from the fire, filling the coal boxes front and rear, sucking out the rainwater from the engine bilge, these are all jobs that need to be carried out on a regular basis and all involve a certain amount of physical exertion. 

Well, I am able to deal with all this now although I must admit I struggled with changing the gas bottle the other week! Lifting the empty one out of the gas locker wasn't too bad, putting it in the back of the car and taking it to the compound was fine too. However, humping the full replacement from the car and into the gas locker did leave me flaked out in the armchair!! Next time I'll do the sensible thing and take the boat to the gas and NOT the other way round!

I am fascinated by spiders webs.

As next doors boat is out of marina for a while, an alternative view of Bracken.

Time for some lunch, so I'll publish this now and write more later.

A visitor and a visitor!

It's Saturday and its raining, just for a change, ha! So I thought I'd take the opportunity to bring the blog up to date.

I've had a brilliant week.

On Monday after I'd topped up the water tank, Jenny arrived and  after we'd had a coffee she drove us over to Tamworth for some retail therapy. Now I have to say normally I don't 'do' shopping, but this just entailed going to one store, collecting something she'd reserved on line, loading it into the car and moving on to the next stop. I don't mind that kind of shopping.  (I cant say what it was we collected cos the intended recipient of said item might read this).

Next stop was Halfords in Lichfield. 

The other evening one of the overhead lights in Bracken had blown a bulb so I was looking for a replacement. The blown bulb was a 12 volt 15 watt normal incandescent bulb, well Halfords don't stock that rating so I looked on-line and after some research decided to replace with some LED bulbs from a company called Bedazzled  Click here  Not cheap but definitely an upgrade for 'Bracken'. I bought two to replace the saloon wall lights at a cost of £13 each and they work a treat. Also I was impressed with the fast next 

day delivery. 

Old incandescent bulb.

.....and the light from it.

New LED bulb....

....and the light from it

After our shopping trip Jenny and I went for lunch at a place called 'The hedgehog'.
It's a Bed and Breakfast with a restaurant and does good food at a reasonable price. Just outside Lichfield town centre it has a nice warm atmosphere and pleasant staff. Click here .
After lunch it was back to Bracken for coffee and a chat.

Tuesday 4th November.

Beth drove down to visit and spend the day with me! 

The last time I saw her was when I was in hospital and she did a 100 mile detour in her journey just to come see me so it was great to spend time with her on Bracken and to catch up on her news. Also she said how well I was looking compared to the last time she saw me.

It was just a flying visit as she had work the next day, but enough time to go round to the Hedgehog for lunch and a nice long afternoon chat before she left to return home.

Thursday 6th November.

My second visitor of the week, and a first time on board Bracken was my youngest son Simon.

He drove up from Gillingham in Kent on a flying visit just to see me!

The last time I saw him was when he joined me, John, Dee and Phil for lunch at the Tudor Rose carvery in Kent back in September so it was great to see him again. He came on his own as it was to be a quick overnight visit returning to Kent on Friday as Emma (my daughter-in-law) was looking after the kids and was due to work the weekend.

He arrived around 5.30 Thursday eve so we went down to the Fradley Frier for fish and chips and then over to Graham and Jaqs for a chat and a catch up for the evening.

Friday morning Simon wandered down to the shower block after which I cooked breakfast and then we pottered around on Bracken, cleaning out and relighting the fire and topping up the water tank in between showers (the rain variety) and then popped down to the garden centre where Jenny works to say hi as its quite some time since Simon saw his Auntie Jenny!

Lunchtime seemed like a good excuse to adjourn to the Hedgehog for something to eat after which it was round to Morrisons  for a few supplies and then back to Bracken.
We spent the afternoon chilling out and chatting and watching some tv until the time came for Si to leave for home. He left around 9 ish in the evening and texted me when he got home to Gillingham around 11.45 so at well under 3 hours he made very good time.
"Excellent seeing you son, and spending time with you, even if only for 24 hours. Hope next time I'll see Emma and the girls-  Neve` and Erin".

A trip out before my visitors went home.

Thursday 30th October.

My visitors were due to go back to Kent so we thought we'd have one more trip out before they left. After they'd checked out of the Travelodge on the A38 they made their way over to me and I drove us down to the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas. http://www.thenma.org.uk/ lots of information on this link, and  will take you to their website. The NMA is 150 acres of landscaped gardens and memorials to all the men and women who have lost their lives through active service. The centrepiece of the gardens is 'The Wall' where the names of those that lost their lives are inscribed in stone.

I've included a few photos, but they are just a drop in the ocean, if ever you get chance, do go and spend a day there, its a most moving experience.

'The Wall',  if you make your way to the top, inside the enclosure you find.........

Not only this ......

But this sculpture........

and this sculpture.

hundreds of memorials in the grounds.

When you get closer you realise the Marine
is dragging the pack up the hill.....

Lifesize and beautiful sculptures.

After paying our respects in the Arboretum we made our way to the mucky duck (white swan) at Fradley for some lunch, then back to the boat for coffee and a snooze before Bev and Darren left to make their way back to Kent.

It was an exhausting few days for me, but so so good to see them both. "Thank you for coming to see me you pair, and I hope next time you come I will feel up to taking you for a cruise along the cut"