General Witterings -
Maintaining 'Rosy'

BOATY BITS:

FIRES:  The weather has been warmer and wetter over the last few days.  This is a problem.  If the outside temperature is too warm, then the back cabin, with its coal fired range, gets too warm for comfort (I sleep there), but if it's raining I can't have the door open to stay cool.  So I let the fire go out.

That's a lie, actually.  I didn't 'let' the fire out - it went out of its own accord.  I just didn't bother to re-light it.

I'm not ever so skilled with it, and it goes out every 4 or 5 days - though I kept it going for a week.  Once.

I bought some 25 kg plastic sacks of what I thought was anthracite, but it wasn't.  It was - Oh!  Joy!!  - Home Fire Ovals.  Home Fire Ovals are egg sized ovoids, with 2 scored lines around their waists.  The well known waterways writer Chris Deuchar gives them a 'VHR' (Very Highly Recommended) rating in his seminal, canal news group article on Solid Fuels.  They burn evenly and slowly, aren't too hard to light, and end up as a fine ash.  Luckily they are available locally, here in Briare, so come on winter - do your worst!!!

DOORS:  I'm very pleased with the back doors.  The cream paints looks really good, and doesn't clash with the graining in the rest of the cabin.  I'm finally giving 'lacquer' a try out.  I took the brass 'draw pull' handles off the doors, thoroughly polished them, washed them in warn soapy water, and then applied the clear lacquer.  I'll be very interested to see how long it keeps them bright and shiny.

The cream effect is so good that the current white paint on the front doors will get overpainted during the next warmish, dryish spell.

CURTAINS:  I've been dissatisfied with the curtains from the start, but can't really decide what to do with them (and I don't have access to a sewing machine to do whatever is finally decided).  I have, at last, at least made a start by hanging up some net curtains.  They come half way down the windows, and give some protection from prying eyes on the towing path.  The problem has been to find a lace design that is devoid of ducks and has ends which don't fray and don't need seaming.  The results are very pleasing.

FUN BITS:

I bought a copy of The Times last week.

It reports that the actor Michael Gambon replied to an enquirer who assumed (mistakenly) that he (Michael Gambon) was gay:  "I used to be, but I gave it up because it made my eyes water ..."

And a letter from a gentleman in Bicester:

"An Arctic Seal is to be transported free of charge in a wooden crate in an unheated carriage of a Virgin train.  Is this a one-off, or is the entire fleet to be up-graded to this standard?"

Toodle pip!!

Bill