Boatbird

I may be being a little bit previous and don’t want to jump the gun or do whatever the opposite of hedging one’s bets is (rash? intrepid?) but am considering a re-boot here in Boatbird land.

That’s not anything to do with computers by the way – far from it. No, it’s a simple waiving of the wellingtons in favour of something a little less rubbery and cumbersome. The replacements will still have to be sturdy and functional. They’ll still need to be waterproof, so the Uggs are out and, preferably, something that the jeans will tuck into the tops of. Mud is, at the moment, still an issue here at dog-dirt alley, albeit receding slightly.

BB has a very suitable fur lined leather pair, which fit the bill quite nicely. They are waterproof, moderately trendy and dead comfy. If only I could remember where the hell I put them! They won’t be in deep storage at this time of year but clearly out of sight and in some clever hidey-hole on board…somewhere. I shall have to go hunt the boot before I can re-boot.

OK, so we’re a long way off from plimmies and flip-flops but, forgive me, it’s a big deal for the riverbank boat dweller, even the merest hint of not needing to be constantly constrained by sensible footwear that you have to be forever changing into and out of. Or, in my case, be stylishly sporting down the High Street here in Sawbo central.

You cannot fail to have noticed that the last few days have been positively spring-like. Apologies to those of you living in a less clement part of the UK, that is the north and west, but here in the south east, at least, it has been glorious – off and on – and I’m struggling to contain my optimism. I’ve even been out without a coat…

The bulbs I stuck into boxes in autumn are shooting and hope to soon have some spring flowers adorning the deck, not to mention some pics worth taking.  Amazing really, considering the local wildlife were having a field day digging them up as fast as I could put them in.

Speaking of wildlife and pics worth taking – South African style…

Leopard claw marks. Close to where John had been exploring – in the wilds of Toast River.

He found a  natural spring…

And…

Back in Bot River…

Edible fruit that no-one knows the name of.

Big game…

Aw.

Birdlife…

Buzzard and heron came calling by the bus.

A baby weaverbird…

That flew into and couldn’t get out of the bus.

Birds love to feed on John’s sunflowers…

And drink at his bar.

Obligatory cute cat pics…

More wild fires…

This one too close for comfort – just across the road.

Ash on the steps of the local store…

Damage to local scrappie…

Cape Town and thereabouts…

Disused quarry.

Graffiti…

What’s Hobo doing there? Surely not rushing!

More like art…

Love this.

And that’s all from the SA album for now.

Finally, back on the water, I so want one of these…

And have challenged John to make one for Hobo’s stove.

Footnote:

Writing course tutors urge their students to bury newly written work for a day or so before submission/publication; editing then being more objective.Being the good little student I am, that’s what I did with this post. Which is just as well because it has rained all night and day, so it seems I was indeed being a little rash and it looks like I’ll be booting up once more…

In the wellies.

Tags: boating, South Africa, travel, Wildlife