So What’s New…?

Lots.

Most excitingly, the blue guitar… Which John bought for my birthday. Big thank you John – I love it!

As a lapsed pianist, I have been missing making music. Piano into a boat won’t go but thought a guitar would, so went along to the shop in Sawbo for a free taster session to see if I had any aptitude for strumming. Whilst I didn’t find it easy to hold correctly, let alone make music, I thought that, with practice, it would come.

I relayed this to the John and off we dinced to Gig Gear in Harlow (mega music store with hundreds of guitars to choose from) to set me up with an instrument on which to learn. Initially I thought the choice would be overwhelming but then this bright blue specimen spoke to me and I had to have it. Fortunately for John it was not one of the expensive ones and was duly purchased, along with complimentary set of strings and a handful of plectrums.

Even as we loaded it into the car, the guy from the music shop called me to see if I wanted to sign up for further lessons. He must be psychic! I was so impressed with his swift follow up that I agreed to 7 lessons, to commence this coming Monday.

In the meantime I am learning the exercises he gave me, diligently plucking away twice a day for 20 minutes or so – I’ve even cut the nails on my left hand really short to make holding the strings down easier. And I’m getting there. And I’m really enjoying it too.

So that’s a result.

Chestnut Avenue finally came about… Close up… And from the other end… These last three being taken only a couple of days sooner but the difference is very noticeable. Though am not convinced that any of these these pics really do it justice. Still, gives you a flavour/some idea of what I was raving about. Maybe. The last one is, if nothing else, an interesting shot of a moody sky, a fork in the road – with a signpost – and the best side of my car.

The veggie patch is coming along… Really looking forward to sampling some of the broad beans. Love ’em. Have added some marigolds for colour along the front edge. There’s lots of buds waiting for the sun to appear and open them up so will do another pic when we have some blooms.

Extra radish and courgette have been planted in pots… Along with Nasturtiums… Which aren’t looking great but maybe with time..?.

And have hung up some bird feeders too… Already attracting some attention. Need more.

Lucky John has been given a car by a very nice man and good friend. It’s a very nice car… Which almost went through the MOT – just needs a couple of tyres, rear caliper freeing off and washer pump made to work. Nothing serious. We’ve sourced some very reasonable/inexpensive part worn tyres and, with luck, John will be able to fix the other stuff. He’s busy with that right now.

Speaking of tyres, cars and the fixing of…

Last Thursday I drove John to the airfield where he parks the aeroplane when down on the boat. He was ready to fly back to the fens for a day or two but the S10 had other ideas.

A flat tyre… Pumped it up but lost more air as we watched so was considered unsafe to fly. That is to say if flat by the time he came to land on the farm, unsafe to land, given the 10ft dyke on one side of the strip – you get the picture!! So off with the wheel… And off to the bike shop for a puncture repair kit. By this time the weather had deteriorated so went into Bishop’s Stortford to upgrade my phone at the 3 shop. I am now the proud owner of a Nexus 5 Android phone and, so far, am getting along very nicely with it – the old Samsung was about to die on me I suspect.

When we returned to the car park – guess what – my car also had a puncture!! Can you believe it, 2 punctures in as many hours.

When you live on a boat, the car boot tends to get packed out with stuff. Said stuff then has to be unpacked to get at the spare, which is stowed handily under the floor (and all the junk). My job then before wheel can be changed and John’s job after that.

Fortunately, the rain that soaked us when we arrived in BS had gone away so job done. Then I re-packed the boot. Really must have a sort out.

What a day.

And then there’s the little boat.

And when I say little… Perhaps this picture gives you an idea of scale. It is standing next to a 60 footer  here, once you pick her out – just right of centre if you are struggling.

But more of that in the next post. Deserves one all of its own I reckon – lots of pics, progress made and ideas.

Coming very soon.

Tags: blue guitar, concrete boat, gig gear, music lessons, punctures, S10, veggie patch