Back onboard

So now the issue is how to stop a certain person doing stuff...

We got back about 10am, and honestly, he has hardly sat down and blobbed since.

He is looking very well, is very happy about being able to see clearly, and is delighting in reading things - unprompted, unasked and unnecessarily!

My role as emailer is diminishing, but not totally, as I am quicker at composing the requisite messages.

My main task now is administering eyedrops - 10 (6 and 4) each day in the right eye and 4 in the left. And considering a certain person wants a gap of 4 minutes between the different drops I think my next few weeks are going to be focused on "Head back, look up!" 14 times a day ...

This afternoon, I have done my first online Waitrose shop for delivery - I am hopeful that everything I think I selected is included and that when it arrives there is a limited amount of packaging. I also hope that I will be able to alter the delivery address, if we ever require the service again.

Bernice and Roy left this morning, so it is all quiet. Not to worry! Simultaneous nana naps are about to commence. Perhaps while napping, my unconscious will be able to decide what to make for dinner!

For the absence of doubt and suspension of suspense - the operation was successful! Yay!!!

Sunday 11am to 12.20pm

It is a funny time at the moment – I am sitting next to David’s bed in the Paediatrics section of the ophthalmic ward, and we are waiting for him to be taken off to surgery. There is a delay because there is a woman still in surgery with another surgeon.

David has the SpongeBob Squarepants cubicle

Under his dressing gown he is wearing the most elegant hospital gown - the kind that is wraparound and open at the back ... Stockings for prevention of DVT. Note the cheerful curtains.

 

Imran Masood came and clearly identified which eye he's going to operate on.

Neither of us are worried, but still it is a strange feeling.

We have been holed up in Alvechurch Marina for the last 10 or so days – we could have been out boating but the weather has been pants, so we have happily stayed put.

But all changed when the weather cleared up and some fellow bloggers and NZ motorhomers came to stay on the boat with us. We had never met Bernice and Roy but almost immediately felt like we had known them for ages.

They are over here visiting their daughter who has just given birth to a wee (not so wee, actually) boy, and are doing a wander around the country, leaving their daughter and son in law some space to get used to parenthood.

So when they arrived, we decided that we would do a bit of boating. We are not far (about an hour) from the top of the Tardebigge flight of locks (about 30+) so we decided to go only to the top where we can turn.

It was so nice to be out on the water again! Roy took the tiller, but didn’t want to do the tunnels.

And as we tootled along, some walkers looked at us in amazement – yay, it was Jennie and Chris from Tentatrice out walking with Monty. Arrangements were made for them to join us on the boat once we were moored and they had finished their walk.

Tea, wine and nibbles onboard with the boat slightly tilted to port with all 6 sitting at the dinette and Monty underneath the table – clearly he was the tipping point, because surely none of us are in any way portly…

 

At the top of the locks, I think

 

Roy and David probably discussing lock operation

 

Bernice said she gave up trying to count up how many ducklings this mum was protecting.

An impressive spire - so beautifully designed and built. Shame about the cross on top ...

 

I remember seeing this building when we were coming up this set of locks last time (well, David and Olek were doing them, with Mick, Julia and John ahead of us). But I cannot remember what it is.

While David took Bernice and Roy for a walk down a few of the locks (Bernice armed with my phone for photos) I got dinner ready. Pork and mozzarella meatballs in a rich garlicy tomato sauce (Waitrose) with the addition of sliced chorizo, red pepper and mushrooms (Marilyn), carrot and beetroot salad (Marilyn), scalloped potatoes (Marilyn), and a green salad (Marilyn). All very yummy, but did you know that scalloped potatoes take AGES to cook?

While we waited, we introduced Bernice and Roy to 5 Crowns. Bernice won, David was the loser. Bernice and I were very happy!

Turn the computer sideways to see this - I did try to alter the photo, but didn't succeed, obviously ... Anyway, for clarification purposes and for absence of doubt: Bernice won, David lost.

 In the morning, we winded and then Bernice was in charge of steering. She declared she didn’t want to do the tunnels. So I mentioned that Roy had failed tunnels the day before. Expected and actual result: Bernice was going to do tunnels. And she did them very well indeed.

 

David was retrieving the mooring pins I'd handed to Bernice ...

 

Bernice in the first few minutes. Remember this for a photo that follows ...

We are close to Birmingham, the UK's 2nd largest city, but you wouldn't know it!

Now doesn't she look relaxed steering in the dark?

Haven't seen that much blue sky for days!

See, totally relaxed now.

 

I did suggest to her that we could boat an additional hour up to Hopwood, have lunch in a pub and then return. But she was keen to play 5 Crowns again, so it was straight back to the mooring, lunch at the Weighbridge (Bernice and Roy’s shout), and then back on board for cards. David won.

Back at the mooring, and this boat has been beside us all the time - I must be getting very dimwitted, but it was only just before I took the photo that I saw the pun - DOH!!

 

In the pub ...

 

The lager shandy brigade

 

My lunch - a Med Veg Platter. Those roasted capsicums in balsamic vinegar have got to be reproduced in the boat!

 

Bernice and Roy had one each of these. It is the Luxury Platter - it was huge too. A good part of one of them got taken back to the boat to be their dinner while we were in BMI Priory at David's Friday evening appointment.

They had been going to leave that day, but it occurred to me that as we were going to be hoteling for Saturday and Sunday nights, to be close to the hospital, they may as well use the boat as a base.

That meant more 5 Crowns on Friday night, and yesterday before lunch and after we had packed for the hospital trip. I sat in the cratch watching David pack while filling the water tank. When I tell you it is not a speedy tap and the tank was only half empty, and when I tell you that David was STILL packing when I had filled the tank, put away the hose, and circumnavigated the world, you will understand how tedious it was to watch, and how hard it was to keep my hands off the process.

So yesterday, Roy won. Bernice sent us a photo later – she had won again, just playing Roy. She has already ordered two sets of the game and had them delivered to their daughter’s house. I sense this may become the official NZMCA game ...

And after our arrival at the hotel, we went for a walk down to the canal. And we found that there is a good place to moor within a mile or so of BMI Priory where David will probably have his post-operative appointment on Friday. It’s a lovely quiet and open space.

So when Salvi and Ann arrive, we will move there for a night or two, before heading down to Stratford on Avon or Warwick – not properly decided yet.

David walked off with Winifred the nurse about 15 minutes ago. Now I am just waiting for him to come back.

1.11pm: He's back, still sleepy, says his eye is a bit sore, has had a couple of sips of water. He has to sleep off the anaesthetic and then they will give him something to eat and drink.

Quitting while I am ahead

Score 7 - 3 to me in 5 crowns.

I have won best of 10.

Stopping now.

Listing helps calm my mind ...

Just so you know, here is our timetable starting today:

Wednesday 19th:

• Clean boat - all inside surfaces, change sheets, 
• wash said sheets and attempt to get them dry 
• send cheese scone recipe and John Wiper's details to Lisa and David

Thursday 20th:

• Haircut for Marilyn - long overdue as it is scruffy and far too long - be quiet, Mick ...
• Welcome Bernice and Roy, who live in their bus in NZ and are over here visiting their daughter and brand new grandson - and no, we have't met them before

Friday 21st: into Edgbaston:

• to BMI Priory leaving the boat about 5pm, for an appointment for the consenting process and a second iodine cleaning of David’s eyelashes - it’s one of the things Imran Masood and Pete Shah do prior to surgery to reduce the possibility of infection
• returning to the boat about 9.30pm

Saturday 22nd:

• into Edgbaston to stay in a hotel for two nights. 
• Leaving the boat about 1pm Saturday

Sunday 23rd,

• 8am: into the hospital,
• back at the hotel anytime from noon to 2pm or later, depending on where David is on the list
• staying overnight at the hotel so no public transport required after his general anaesthetic

Monday 24th:

• checking out of the hotel
• maybe going to BMI Priory for a post op appointment, or to Birmingham Hospital
• we are planning on going back to the boat that afternoon/evening

Tuesday 25th:

• blobbing on board, or
• possibly the post op appointment - they don’t tell you till the day of the operation, dammit!

Wednesday 26th:

• Salvi and Ann Persico arriving and probably staying until about 4 July 
• I have warned them to bring warmer clothes - they have been swanning about in Italy in 25+ degree heat, and are in for a rude awakening here, I fear

• our thinking currently is that we will head for Stratford on Avon, and they will do pretty much all of the work, with David wearing his safety googles and watching quietly (yeah right)

26 June for the next month or so:

• we will be moving around but not venturing too far from being accessible to Birmingham by train - Stratford fits with that, as does Oxford or pretty much anywhere give rail travel possibilities

Phew! It is good for me to have this in a list - helps me get it clear in my mind.

David has had to postpone doing the tax returns as he cannot see well enough to read the handwritten notes he prepared before we left home. He's putting them off till Monday, so he is clearly positive about the outcome of surgery. Good thing, too.

Visitors and crappy weather

19 June NOTE TO SELF: read for typos before publishing ... Have had to get into edit mode to correct things that I didn't check, dammit!

Well, the best thing about the weather being crappy is that it makes it bearable not being able to go boating. Well, we could boat but there's a bit of uncertainty about what pre-op appointments are required before Sunday.

So far there is one today, but we are expecting there is at least one other, yet to be scheduled.

But as the weather has been pants, the question of moving has been moot. And as we are on shore power here at Alvechurch Marina, there is no need to be running the engine to charge batteries when the sun cannot do the job on the solar panels.

We have had two sets of visitors in recent days and lots of laughs.

The first set were people we had never met but who also blog and whose photos I've seen often. Lisa and David from What a Lark, and their friends Amanda and David came to visit one morning. I'd made cheese scones in honour of their visit and done a big tidy and clean of the boat - sweeping, washing the floor, dusting, cleaning the basin and toilets, cleaning the butler's sink ... First impressions, don't you know!

There was much discussion of boaty stuff, including the angst, jointly and severally felt, about the lack of lock etiquette we had all recently experienced - and in both cases, on the Lapworth flight.

I promised to send them the cheese scone recipe and to give them John Wiper's contact details but so far have not done either. My bad. After this post, I promise!

Lisa and David very generously lent us their car for a couple of days, so we were able to go and do some shopping at the Bromsgrove Waitrose. But sadly, no Vogel's bread there, dammit.

On Saturday we had a call from our friends from Waikanae, Madeline and Bevan, who came over here to buy a motorhome for shipping back to NZ, after doing a few months tripping around Europe in it. The motorhome purchase has been accomplished, but not without incident.  It's a struggle to buy insurance for a motor vehicle here if you don't have a post code or are not a resident. After multiple abortive phone calls, Mads got in touch with us and asked what we had done. Given we don't throw out anything important and still have a Motorhome file in the email system, I was able to find the name and contact details of the guy who had organised ours. And he came through for them too. And they are using the same shipping agents we did - well, if there is a set of people who've already done the job successfully, why look for others that are untested?

Anyway, the motorhome is now in their possession and they were keen to come and show us. Mads texted from outside the pub on the marina site (the Weighbridge) as they had pulled up and seen Morris dancers performing. Way back when we were all living in the UK, we took Mads to the Charlbury fair, where the Morris dancers were performing and there was an egg throwing and catching competition. If I remember rightly, Jack Potter's son Richard and daughter in law Jackie came second in that!

By the way, I noticed (hard to miss) that the Morris dancers were in blackface. I asked one of them and she explained that, way back in the beginning of the dancing, it was done to earn money, esp when the overlords were not fronting up with the owed earnings. So they danced but for safety's sake, disguised themselves by turning their coats inside out and attaching rags to them, and sooting up their faces. Interesting stuff.

The motorhome is lovely, it's an Adria and beautifully spec'ed. So we had to drink champagne (theirs) and eat dinner on board Waka Huia (currently they have no gas and they weren't hooked up to power), and they breakfasted with us too.

Two sensible women and a photobomber, aka Bevan

I need longer arms to do selfies!

Now that is a better photo; thanks, Bevan.

The following photos have been added for interest and as a historical record...

The 14 year old grandson is now taller than his dad, I am sure! And look at those feet! What size are they? 

This is Kai, Tim and Dana's rescue dog. She is coming to stay on the boat with us while they and the boys go to Portugal for their holidays. On our request, Tim bought her a lifejacket as we know it would be very difficult to haul her out of the water is she falls/jumps in. Apparently this photo was taken mid-wag, although I am not so sure. Looks to me like those ears are back ...

Sartorial elegance or what?

I forgot to mention I bought 6 pairs of socks in the market at Redditch yesterday - 6 pairs with legs as opposed to the little short ones that end below the ankle. I have lots of the latter here on the boat, but only 3 pairs with legs - well, who knew I would need them given it is meant to be summer? But the weather has been so pants that longer socks are required.

Mind you, it was a close run thing whether I would continue with the socks purchase: at first, the stall holder thought I was Australian, then compounded the insult by suggesting I was South African. He finally got it right, spurred on by my demanding my money back ...

I like colourful socks, so was very happy with my purchase, once the level of insult had been calmed 😏😛

I am now looking forward to boating in the rain, at least for a little bit, so I can wear my elegant attire.

In between showers this morning (after I'd made cheese scones for visitors and baked bread), I did a photo shoot.

I have a range of colourful socks that I can wear with my very fetching hi-viz pants and my quite decorously modest lime green jacket. I think I should start out matching the purple or red socks.

Our friend Clare gave me the lime green jacket - she had purchased it online and she could have used it as a shroud, wrapped around her about 4 times. It's a bit big for me (it'll only go around me 11/4 times, but it was free ... However, until I matched it with the yellow over-trousers, it had not occurred to me that it was not really a bright lime green - well, not in comparison to the trousers ...

I'll be happy wearing the whole outfit on the back of the boat - after all, almost no one else will be out boating when we are moving along in the rain. But I certainly won't be wearing it anywhere else!

Hurry up and Wait

The weather has been pants since I don't know when, but probably not as long as I think.

I know it is only 16 days since David had his first appointment with Pete Shah back on 29 May, and such a lot has happened since then!

I seem to remember that the rain had started in earnest last Saturday when Mick and Julia had hoped to get to the Stockton Flight before we arrived back from our latest trip to BMI Priory Hospital and the overnight stay after it. I am SO pleased we didn't drive back on the Friday night as it was raining hard then, but it didn't interfere with boating at that point.

It seems to me that it has persisted down interminably forever, but that is clearly not true. It may not be true, but it felt true enough to lower my spirits considerably - I love being on the boat, but feeling trapped inside a small space is horrid.

Yesterday we walked into the village between showers and I saw this community garden near the Coop

A bit hard to read, but here's the rationale. A cool idea.

After feeling very down yesterday, even though we'd had a walk into the village, this morning I looked at what movies were on in Redditch which is a 4 minute train ride away. Rocketman (about Elton John) was showing, so tickets were purchased online for a 3.05pm showing.

At the station - the trip is a bargain at £6 return in total - £3 each!

There was also shopping to be done:

• safety glasses to prevent dust and grit getting at David's eyes pre- and post-surgery. Screwfix had some sporty looking ones that got excellent reviews, so that was the first stop. We travelled there by bus as it was raining on arrival in Redditch. Would have to say that the bus driver was not a happy puppy in his work ...
• I also purchased some waterproof over-trousers - shield your eyes for the photos ...

  

  Some people don't deserve the lovely wives they have ... Only a mean husband would take photos of me trying these on in the shop!  I think I am going to need a pink hi-viz jacket to set off these waterproofs. Otherwise I need to get them dirty very fast ...

  
  

  

  So I didn't have to sit down to remove them, I asked for help. I also requested that no photos be taken of this process. That worked then, didn't it?

• we needed fruit and veges plus teabags, butter and a couple of other bits - we aimed for Asda, but found an Aldi closer. 
• Did you know Aldi doesn't sell butter? Why on earth not, I wonder? 
• We did find a chicken, ham hock and leek pie though ...
• we found a Polish grocery across the road so bought a cabbage there
• then back to the open market for some fruit
• it was curry day today at the local Wetherspoons so we had a late lunch there. Not bad, but nowhere near the nicest curry we've had.
• then off to Boots in the shopping centre - David had to rush back to a shop where he'd left one of the shopping bags ...
• off to the movie theatre in a rush as we were a bit late. We needn't have worried - they had 38 minutes of ads and trailers - wtf?!?!?!
• the movie was excellent - David stayed awake and that is always an indicator of quality, or at least, engagement.
• A stop in at Wilko for keyboard cleaner and a large dark grey bathmat that I will use as a stern door mat (easy to shake out and easy to wash).

When we got to the station for a train back to the marina, it was fine - not sunny, but not raining.

We were going to have breakfast for dinner (fruit, yoghurt, muesli) but I'm not hungry and David has made a pita bread with hummus, tomato and ham.

 So that is one more day done on the countdown to operation day. This hurrying up and waiting requires planning and fortitude!

Tomorrow we have guests coming for morning tea - coffee and cheese scones have been promised. So it'll be an early start making sure the boat is clean and scones are ready to fortify the visitors for their Tardebigge descent!

A giant effort

We have arrived at Alvechurch with supreme efforts expended since Thursday.

Elapsed duration: 6 days,
Actual Boating time: 3.5 days.

Pretty impressive, eh? and we had great help/leadership from Team Granger.

Team Granger ready to do the business on the Buckby Flight

Thursday morning:  Gayton Marina to Norton Junction, 12.5 miles, 7 locks

• After a car shuffle with pick up at Norton Junction at 7am and a drive back to Gayton Marina).  
• Mick and Julia drove me back to Gayton to collect my rental car and they went home
• late that afternoon/early evening, Tony and Helen came onboard Waka Huia for a drink and lots of nibbles which were all David and I had for dinner; not sure if they ate a meal back on their boat. However, as they had consumed two bottles of sauvignon, I wouldn't have thought they would need food ...
•  

  

  It's not often I see the boat from this angle. Mick is at the helm.

And smoothly into the lock

David getting a ride between locks on the Buckby Flight, I think.

Friday morning:  Norton Junction to Braunston, 4.25 miles, 7 locks.

• Started at 7am
• Julia and I both drove to Braunston to leave one car at Dale's yard, and one outside the Admiral Nelson carpark, while David and Mick came through the tunnel and met us at the top of the locks.
• and all done and moored up next to Dale's boat by 10.30am.
• Mick and Julia went home and David and I drove to Birmingham for an appointment that evening with Pete Shah and Imran Masood, the surgeon.

 Saturday 11.30am - 5pm:  Braunston to Wood Lock, 11.75 miles, 19 locks

• David and I drove back from Birmingham in appalling weather, Mick and Julia were dropped off by Mick's brother early in the morning, but the weather was so pants that they stayed put on the boat.
• We started off with my steering in the rain and wind because it is only water and air, after all. Mick didn't last staying inside out of the rain - he said it didn't feel right sitting down inside ...
• The weather cleared as we came to the Calcutt locks and we were away on a mission. 
• We shared with a hirer who had her 89 and 86 year old parents on board who were celebrating their 65th anniversary. She was a very good steerer.
• David, Julia and I did the locks while Mick steered.
• Then on we went to the 8 Stockton Locks and the 2 Itchington Locks and the 4 Bascote Locks and Welsh Road Lock and Wood Lock.
• Moored up and had roast pork and crackling, roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots and peas with yummy gravy for dinner.
• Played 5 Crowns, Mick won the practice hand, Julia won the game
• Early to bed

• 

  Not sure where this is, but the rain had started and it was very chilly.

   

  

  The roast pork with yummy crackling - cooked in the Barbie doll camp oven (as designated by Jaq Biggs) ...

Dinner is served and about to be devoured!

 

Sunset in the cratch after Wood Lock

Sunday 6.50am - 5.50pm (with a one hour stop for lunch after the Hatton Flight): below Wood Lock on the GU to Hockley Heath on the Stratford on Avon Canal, 18 miles 46 locks (I think - I may well have miscounted - correction required, Mick? Corrected since Mick and Julia have read it.)

• Mick and I shared the steering on the Hatton Flight and assisted Julia and David on the locks
• I was delighted to see that the other gate comes open for Mick as he steers into a double lock too ... I'd thought it was something I was doing wrong!
• Julia was working ahead and keeping the boats ahead of us on track and moving more swiftly than they had been - we caught them up with the Efficiency Team techniques, so Julia was on coaching and helping those not yet inculcated into the Granger methodology ...
• Mick steered on the Lapworth Flight and I was on locks
• I did have a bit of a grump about an owner who was filling a lock that was our way - esp when she said 'Oh, I didn't see you' - mainly because she didn't move forward of the top paddles, dammit!!
• And then two locks further up, a bunch of Aussie hirers were doing the same thing - gggrrr!!! They HAD been told by some walkers that the boat in front of them was going down, so they were sort of excused ... and I did apologise for being grumpy, OK?
• Julia was working ahead again as there was a boat ahead of us with only one guy operating the locks - they dubbed Julia the Sergeant Major, but really appreciated her help and training. She got their life story while coaching and assisting, and coming back to help us as well - she is a star!
• dinner was panfried marinated salmon (sweet thai chilli sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, chopped coriander), salad from the rooftop allotment, new potatoes, followed by Gu puddings - salted caramel (2) and millionaire shortbread cheesecakes (2). Yum
• plus lots of chardonnay for me (and for Julia but without effect apparently)
• I was sent to bed and fell asleep within a couple of minutes - shades of Sawley last year and my being locked in at the Lockkeeper's Rest ...
• Mission accomplished - all locks on the way to Alvechurch were completed so Mick and Julia were to be released in the morning.

 

Julia and David

David is on his way to the next lock, Mick is clearing the one I am in - must have got warm as the jerseys are off!

 

In the Lapworth Flight. See our lovely new cratch cover? And my rooftop allotment?

Monday 1.30pm - 4pm. Hockley Heath to the Shirley Drawbridge at Solihull - in the pouring rain and wind

Julia's alarm was set for 5am and David's was set for 5.30am, so he wasn't getting out of bed till then. Mick and Julia stacked their bedding and created a wall. A somnolent person determined it was trapping him in situ ...

• we all left the boat at 6.30am and headed by cab to Alvechurch Railway Station, 
• David and I were heading to University stop near Edgbaston for an appointment with Prof Shah
• Mick and Julia were going to New Street, to catch a train back to Kettering - as their mission with us was done.
• After the appointment, where David had his eyelashes carefully cleaned with iodine to reduce the chances of inflammation and infection post surgery, we headed back to Alvechurch by train and then a cab to Hockley Heath
  

  

  Apostrofix.com has been at work - there is no such word as childrens ... I just had to fix it while waiting for the cab back to the boat in the early afternoon.

• It was raining, but I decided to get cruising as there were at least 5.5 hours (turns out it was closer to 6.5, but that is the speedy Granger team - they move much more quickly than we do) to do to get to Alvechurch Marina (15 minutes in a cab ...), so off we went with David inside making tea for me at regular intervals
• I only lasted 2.25 hours, until we got to the drawbridge at Shirley which David had to come out and open. I took advantage of the stop to go and have a wee, and realised how cold I was (wet coat tails on the tummy will do that to you ... AAARRRGGGHHH!!!
• So I told David I wanted to stop for the day. Mooring was nice and quiet.
• I fell asleep on the sofa and was told to go to bed, so I did. No dinner required!

Tuesday 5.50am - 11am Shirley Drawbridge on the Stratford on Avon Canal to Alvechurch Marina on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, with a stop for water

• The rain had come down most of the night I think, but was quite light at 5am and, according to the forecast, it was due to stay that way for a few hours before becoming heavier
• so off we went at 5.50am.
• I wore more clothes than yesterday (the major additions were a T shirt, and my dad's woollen jersey - so I had 5 layers on top, plus a scarf and rain jacket and my bushman's hat.) I still got  cold ...
• David made brekkie while I steered and when we stopped for water, I ate and put a load of washing (towels) on
• then back out into the cold and wet (I am a hero)
  

  

  Trying to keep my legs dry by using a modified plastic bag. The white above my right ear is one of the tissues that I had put under my hat to keep dry ... (My nose always runs when I am cold.) And my cost is extremely wet on the outside! The hat got a trifle damp too. and the gloves - I wrung them out afterwards. Note to self: buy waterproof tramping gloves at an outdoor shop very soon!!

  
  

  
  

• by the time we arrived I was bloody cold and my hands would barely function when I was trying to attach the sides of the pram cover - did you know that cold fingers don't do domes and poking turny things through holes and turning them to secure said turny things? Well, now you do!
• It was inside for a shower to warm up, then David warmed up the leftover roast pork and gravy for me to eat with buttered vogel bread - and there's a thing: Waitrose sells Vogel's bread!!! Yay!!! The soy and linseed is very yummy indeed!
• After lunch, I beat David again at 5 Crowns so now the score is 7-1 to me in our tournament, but I only beat him by 3 points this time -  think that made it worse for him ...

Surgery date

is going to be Sunday 23 June.

Two or three appointments to be had before then, first one on 17 June for pre-op.

Now it's hurry up and wait.

I am making a list of boat jobs to be done in the meantime, including a top to bottom clean of the inside so David is living in as clean an environment as possible - pre-operation, he can help!

Other jobs are leftover bits of DIY. I am not publicising that list or Mick will call me to account of I don't get them done ...

Two tentative dates for surgery

We had a good meeting with Prof Shah and Imran Masood on Friday night and two dates for surgery have been proposed - 16 or 23 June. I cannot remember what the deciding factor would be, but we are going for an appointment tomorrow at 10am and will find out which date it's to be.

In our last appointment with Pete Shah he set David a challenge - to use a patch over his right eye, so he could experience what the effect would be if the proposed operation went catastrophically wrong, or if infection set in after it and the eye had to be removed. So on our way back from that appointment, David purchased a patch in Northampton (next to the Waitrose while I went and did some retail therapy in the food line ...) and then wore it as I drove back to Gayton. Sensibly, he removed it for the walk down the long jetty to the boat - one thing we were both clear on was that if David loses sight in the right eye, boating would be a thing of the past. (He wouldn't be able to do locks safely, and I couldn't steer and do locks as well.) So it went back on once we were in the boat, and his task was to experience no sight in the right eye. He added a black cloth under the patch to ensure no light was getting in and then proceeded to work very effectively with his left eye only. He accomplished eating lunch, washing, drying and putting away dishes, going to the toilet and moving around the boat quite happily.

David was able to articulate to Pete and Imran on Friday that he would feel grief if he lost the eye, but he wouldn't regret having had the operation. And given the chances of success are 99.9% it would be silly not to go ahead.

So, on Friday, one of the things that really excited both Pete and Imran was the fact that David reported how he owed his left eye an apology for all the years of denigrating it as useless. He had even tried it with the monocular, and was stunned at how much he could see. Amazing what the brain adjusts to, in extremis.

Pete and Imran are very keen to sort out the left eye as well before we head home to NZ. We are thinking quite hard about whether to do that or leave it till we get home. They are both of the opinion it should not wait until next year. So lots of thinking going on...

The drought has broken ...

The score is now 6 - 1. No one is gloating; no, of course not! However at the beginning of the game he did declare he'd throw himself out of the window if he lost. I wasn't worried - we are only on the hotel's first floor ...

Who's a happy boy then?

We are back in Birmingham for an 8am appointment with the Prof tomorrow, and then we will head back to Smeaton Westerby to pick up Mick and Julia from their mooring, drive them to their place in Desborough to get sorted for the few days with us, then back to the boat.

If we get back in time, we will have a pump out and move out of the marina a wee way, so we are ready for an early start on Thursday. The plan is to get to Norton Junction for late Thursday arvo. There is probably a big queue at the top of the Braunston flight give the locks are closed for 3 days, so there's no point in going through the tunnel. And if there is space available, the moorings at Norton Junction are lovely. Of course, if there isn't space, the moorings are pants ...

M&J have a plan for the days and the timings to get us up to Alvechurch, so the catering corps will have her work cut out, and David will have to work fast to be up to Julia's exacting standards!

In preparation for lunchtime sandwiches, we went to Waitrose in Northampton today and I purchased all 3 loaves of the Vogel's Soy and Linseed bread that were on the shelf. That is a treat in store for M&J. It is extremely yummy, and I have only seen it in Waitrose Market Harborough and Northampton so far. Not at any other supermarket chain though. It's worth trying, folks.

Lesley has been WhatsApping from hospital today - she went back in yesterday and had an operation to clear out the infection that has taken up tenancy in her gut. She has mechanised pump up stockings to prevent DVT, a suction pump thingie to keep the fluid moving out of her gut, and a cannula for something.

Somehow her cannula was not in her vein, so the fluid was going into her arm. Good thing it was found or she would have closely resembled the Dumpster blimp ... She has to do waving the arm above her head to encourage the fluid to take advantage of gravity. So the arm isn't really waving, it's drowning ... Perhaps she could have it tied above her head for the night?

Last night, this duck and its friend were swimming around the boat. I think it is a mandarin duck and very handsome.

 OK, time for David's eye drops, and then it's bed for me. It's still light but the curtains may take care of that. And I do have my eye-mask with me ...

There is a sense of inevitability ...

We are back on the boat now, but not for long. We are heading back to Birmingham tomorrow for a Wednesday morning appointment.

For future reference through this post and others, be aware that when I say we, I mean David, but I attend every appointment - it MAY be that I am nosy, but it is more likely that I am a concerned and very loving wife who wants to make sure all questions are asked and answered and that my lovely husband hasn't missed anything or forgotten to ask about something that could prove critical ... And I KNOW which interpretation I put on my actions as well as knowing what interpretation I expect the loving ones among you to adhere to!

We had an appointment with Pete Shah (only his mother calls him Peter, we understand, and only when she's cross with him ...) this morning, and during that, Rustom Bativala arrived to hand deliver his retinal scan results and they sat together discussing them - without us  ... A bit spooky.

The aftermath and upshot was that David is now on anti-inflammatory drops for at least two months and more particularly to prepare his eye and reduce inflammation (who knew THAT was there?) prior to surgery - surgery is looking like it is going to happen mid-June. And it is most likely going to be here in the UK.

He had to have a blood test before we left the BMI Priory Hospital to identify if there are any other infections lurking - considering Lesley has been diagnosed with a bacteria in her gut cavity that comes from soil and/or plants, I will not be surprised by anything that shows up!

We are back there on Wednesday morning for another consultation with Pete Shah (the Prof) and on Friday evening we have a consultation with the surgeon and Pete together. The intention is that a date will be set for surgery then. So fingers and toes are crossed!

In the meantime, Pete was keen that we move up to Birmingham for the duration - he says there will be a number of pre and post operative appointments and being close by will be of huge convenience - mainly for us.

So the plan I made to book a mooring spot tentatively at Alvechurch Marina was a good'un, and the booking has now been confirmed.

We will not be able to get the boat there unaided - trying to predict when we will be able to boat is a very imprecise science at the moment, as appointments are being scheduled and filling up the days; and that obviates boating.

So we have called on the trusty Mick and Julia to come and move the boat for us - they are well capable of long days, and the journey to Alvechurch Marina is noted on CanalPlan as being 5 x 7 hour days.

And it means I won't have to steer through the awful Wast Hill Tunnel (awful because we read about a couple being trapped in there for 24 hours when their boat got jammed against a log - AAARRRGGGHHH!!! They had to wait underground for another boat to come towards them and call for help for them - AAARRRGGGHHH!!!)

Before we head off tomorrow, I will need to do some cleaning, and make sure they know that the contents of the fridge and freezer are at their disposal - even the Gu puddings ...

From one city to another

This morning we had a light breakfast early and left the hotel by 7.30am so we would be on our way before the traffic built up.

An easy trip from Edgbaston in Birmingham to Bury in Manchester - by gum, the GPS is a grand invention! David did say that he doesn't know how we would manage driving in the UK now without it, but we used to do so very well with David using the map books. Apart, of course, from getting to Melita's old place in Earley, Reading - that one stumped us every time. Because of that, we were given our first piece of navigation software by Melita, who worked for Microsoft at the time...

Anyway, on arrival I was able to go and wake Olek up - teenagers who are trying to grow taller than their dads need lots of sleep.

Tim and Dana made a fabulous brunch and then we headed out to a park not very far from their place. What an amazing asset it is!

I think I was committing an illegal tackle to allow me to get to the ball.

Player of the day ...

Having removed Karol from contention, I was kicking it to Olek. Of course, it'll only be a year or so before Karol will be able to resist my swinging him around ...

Table tennis with the football and hands - high level 2 square! The table is concrete, as is the net - clearly designed for rough play!

As we walked along the river path this dog came towards us looking supremely pleased with himself - he even had the good manners to move aside so we could pass, but he was not going to let go of his stick!

We headed back about 4pm and the traffic was much heavier than this morning. We were back by just on 6pm, I think. Dinner in the hotel restaurant and now I'm in bed.

It was a lovely, busy day, and great to see the kids, even if just for a few hours.

An early night now - 😴😴😴