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.