General Witterings -
Brief News from Rosy

Many grateful thanks to Molly Mockford of Pagination Associates who designed and maintains this site.  She can be contacted at molly@pagination.co.uk.

FLOWER-POTS

It is now flower-pot weather.  For the unenlightened, effective, easy, temporary heating can be contrived by placing an up-turned flower-pot over a lighted gas-ring.  This generates heat without (or so it seems) too much condensation.  It saves having to fire up the complete central-heating system for a couple of hours on a chilly evening.

The clever trick is to ensure that the flower-pot is made of earthenware, and NOT plastic.

PLANETS

There are five planets that are currently in close proximity one to another.  Yesterday was the key day when they came closest together - needless to say it was overcast and cloudy last night.  Ditto tonight.  Fingers crossed that tomorrow night will be cloudless.

CATALOGUES

One for catalogue freaks... try Toplicht.  This is a German company, with a wonderful boaty catalogue.  Need some dead-eyes to set up your rigging?  Blocks?  Walker log?  Electric and oil lamps?  Pumps?  Reflex heaters?  Buoys?  Rope?  Hammock?

They are online at www.toplicht.de or will post out a printed catalogue (ask for one at info@toplicht.de).

PAINTING

The coldish, wettish weather has delayed painting operations, though earlier in the week I did some of the side decks.  This involves putting paint on the deck, and sprinkling sand on the wet paint.  When it is dry, another coat of paint is laid down on top, and when that is dry one has a painted, non-slip surface.  I've not done this before, so the long term outcomes will interesting.

AMERICANS

Trouble with a couple of Americans.  I think they had done a bit of boating, maybe in a sailing dingy.  They are now the owners of a barge, and are in continual trouble.  Their level of engineering/mechanical ability is pretty low (changing the dust-bag on a vacuum cleaner is a major accomplishment) and their French is pretty much non-existent.  Life is a long round of things not being right on their boat, them explaining the problem to a French engineer, who takes lots of money from them but leaves the problem with them.  I cured their badly functioning diesel heater by showing them how to vacuum out the two inches of clinker resting in the bottom of the burner pot (hence their need to change the dust bag on the vacuum cleaner).  He and she also spend lots of time bickering with each other.

Their barge has a main engine and a bow thruster, and, despite having been on the boat for nearly a year, they are still at the "It's like driving a car without brakes" stage.  The wind and current are obstacles to be fought against, rather than forces of assistance.

More when the weather gets better.

Toodle pip!!

Bill