The cleaning continues...

 Over the last three days I have cleaned 

• the cratch cover
• the portside of the roof
• the starboard side of the roof

 That may seem like it is an inordinate amount of time to complete the three tasks but really it's not, especially for me! (72 years old, short...)  The cratch cover looked like it hadn't been cleaned for 3 years and was covered in green algae - I have removed a lot of it, but some of it is ingrained in the fabric now. Dove soap and dishwash liquid applied with a scourer have removed what was on the surface, but there is still stuff that needs to be removed. I am now looking for solutions that will kill and remove it without damaging the canvas or making it lose its colour.

Cleaning the roof was safest done in two halves - and given the boat is 62 feet long (~19m) with a roof that is 51 feet long (~15.5m) and about 1 metre to the centreline, and given my reach is not much more than a metre, doing one side at a time while perched on the gunwale seems the more sensible option. I did the starboard side this morning and David kindly moved the boat over from the jetty so that I could be on solid ground for that task - yesterday I worked from the jetty, and the day before I removed the cratch cover and washed its underside on the bank behind us and its topside with it spread out on the roof.

This morning I had another brief go at the cratch cover. Still not up to my standard, dammit!

Rest assured - while I have been outside toiling and getting wet from the hose, the scrubbing brush and the intermittent rain**, David has been inside completing my tax return. He has also had to empty the cassette toilet and do a few watertank fills so we can keep ahead with the laundry while we are on power. 

** There is something inherently pleasurable for me about getting wet when outside. It must hark back to my childhood when I loved being out in the rain.

We have been back in Debdale Wharf marina (counting backwards on fingers ...) since Wednesday. We had 3 nights up at the top of the Foxton Locks - officially you are only allowed two days, but the place was pretty empty so we weren't putting anyone else out.

Going up the locks - looking back at the Foxton Locks Inn.

The second go at sourdough on board - one big loaf.

 

The cooked loaf - I cooked this before Julia took us into town, so when she brought us home, we had to inveigle her to try it. Didn't have to twist her arm hard... I promised her a loaf of her own from the next batch - delivered on the night she and Maggie came for dinner.

We did a couple of trips into Market Harborough while up there - for one, a shopping trip, Julia was our cab driver there and back either side of her games of petanque ... The next day we had to go into the HSBC to sort out our UK debit cards. So we caught the bus - such courage. 

The woman at the HSBC was great and spent about 1/2 an hour with us helping us get the cards activated through the mobile app (and activating that for me as well...) It is a shame, more than a shame, that the branch is closing, nearest branch will then be Kettering or Corby. Other banks have closed in Harborough too. There seems to be a drive to save money while increasing profits, and it is at the expense of people many of whom will struggle with doing their banking online. While we were there there were upwards of 25 people came in to do their banking, most of them elderly - like us. And most of them will face a drive if they want to continue to bank in person - not that there will be a counter service in either place! We rarely go into a bank in person - the Waikanae branch of Westpac closed some years ago - and we pay all accounts online. However there are a lot of people who don't/can't/won't.

When we walked back down to the boat along the footpath these primroses were beside us. Made me think of Lisa on nb WaL who really loves flowers.

We came back to the marina on Wednesday with a short out and back at the top of the locks - to Bridge 52 where there is a winding hole near Laughton. It was such a beautiful morning that I suggested the wee trip instead of just scooting back down the locks. 

Cruising to Bridge 52

Laughton is beautiful - Lisa on nb WaL loves this scenery and so do I.

 

David using his new binoculars bought while we were with Olek in Waihi.

Bluebells!

Happy!

Solar panels adjusted to get the sun.

 

While we waited at the top of the locks for our turn going down, we met a most interesting man. Richard and I had a long chat while David went down to the rubbish area to see if the things we had left out for people to take away had been claimed. Yes! So a folding bike, a mirror and an outside chair - some damage and surplus to our requirements (no space) - all have new homes.

Coming down the locks - the paddles are open letting the water out so I can descend.

Gates opened and out I go - fabulous view across the countryside

On Thursday we had Julia and her friend Maggie over for dinner. We've heard lots about Maggie over the years and I gather she has heard lots about us too. A lot of laughter, the food wasn't bad (fusilli with a garlic, mushroom, kumara and squash sauce) and we had 5 Gu puddings among us.

It was an overindulgence day for David and me - I had made cheese scones for the marina staff that day too, and of course we had a couple each - taste testing is such a compassionate thing to do!

And we had to sit at the table ...

 

I mentioned in the last post that there was still one case of techie stuff to be unpacked. This is where it got to and where it remained for several days, rendering the sofa unusable. These are David's cables etc which I unnecessarily and unreasonably rushed him into packing the morning we left Waikanae, and he tells me he didn't have time to sort them. At the time of this photo, I had sorted them into like with like - I swear there are about 12 lightning/usb cables in one bag. And only our phones use them. There are 2 phones on board... And I have my own cable in my techie bag.

 

My techie bag with the cable and plugs for my phone and my kindle, my two sets of earphones (phone and laptop). David had my laptop at the time so my plug and cable for that are out of the bag (will I ever see them again?) and I have a stand for the phone.

 

While I have been sitting here typing this, David has moved the boat back to the jetty - note to self: when stepping off the boat later, make sure to step towards the portside rather than starboard. Otherwise: splosh into manky canal water!

Bread is proving on the dining table - it'll get baked this arvo. It's already expanded significantly!