General Witterings -
Visitors on Rosy

Yipeeee!!!

Thanks to the ever wonderful Molly Mockford, THE web site got a listing in Jim Shead's feature in Waterways World.  So …

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I had a bit of a shock last week, when I was offered some work!!  Seven months of consultancy to produce a feasibility study for a National Qualifications Framework in an un-named African country (NOT Zimbabwe).  It put me in a bit of a tizz.  Where to leave Rosy so that she is safe?  What to do with do with Fanny?  Do woofs remember you after seven months? Do they 'forgive' you for temporarily abandoning them?  As it happens, the offer was withdrawn, but the source may produce some more offers.  I thought that I'd stopped working!!!!

Every now and again, the BBC Radio 4 produces a few gems.  They did a "living in London before the industrial revolution" (which they equated to a few years before Dickens was writing).  They stressed the poverty, and the many little artisan workshops, and how everybody's cast-offs were recycled, and gave the example of people who roamed the streets seeking (what I believe some of our American cousins call) doggie tootsie rolls!!!  These were collected, and taken to a factory, where they were an essential ingredient in the production of the finest kid gloves.  Wonderful.  One can muse on that all day.

I've finally cracked the wine problem in France, and have acquired a 15 litre, refillable wine box.  I had mine filled with a Merlot wine at a bit less than 2 Euro a litre, with the warning that the boxed wine should be drunk within two months.  I think I can cope with a quarter litre per diem, but if these e-mails go a bit fuzzy and wobbly, then you'll know why.

I met a Brit the other day who told me he was ex-Services - SAS, you know.  Why is it that nearly every ex-Service person I meet makes the same claim? I'd have thought that if one HAD been in the SAS, that this would not be something to advertise, as it could lead to all sorts of wannabe hard cases taking one on.  Far better to have a cover story.  Certainly, I view with deep suspicion, anyone who tells me that they WERE in the SAS.  I WAS in the Army, and wasn't in the SAS.  Which is a bit of a problem, as according to the foregoing reasoning, anyone who says that they WEREN'T in the SAS probably was!!!  Tricky, innit?  But I wasn't SAS.  Honest. 

The last few days have been a bit hectic on Rosy, with visitors.  My friend Paul, and his wife Jackie and two of their three children - Poppy (aged 11) and Maya (aged 8 (ish)), spent 2 nights on Rosy, then onto Disney World/Land for a couple of days, before going home to Devon.

I've known Paul for a good few years now.  He was RAF, but has been in the Oman Air Force for the last 20 or so years.  He it is who owns 'Rahamani', a steel copy of 'Spray' (the first known boat to be sailed single-handed round the world - the skipper was Capt.  Joshua Slocum, and it happened just over 100 years ago).  'Rahamani' is moored up in Malaysia, and is for sale at less than $25,000.

We had a great time, catching up on times past.  We fired up Rosy's engine (by hand, and it fired first time) and had a little cruise.  A slight problem as we tried to turn Rosy (who is 16.10 meters long) in a canal that is only 16 meters wide.

They kindly brought over some supplies that were running short - Golden Syrup, Birds Custard Powder, Sensodyne toothpaste and the like.

As Rosy only has two double beds as sleeping accommodation, Fanny and I slept on another, unoccupied boat.

Well, I think that's about it for this week!!

Toodle pip!!

Bill