Red Letter Day!

Yesterday Joe and Graham moved the hospital ships narrowboats into Ely and went up to the Post Office to collect our mail and I received a Christmas card (with a lovely pic of a snowy canal bridge 'ole) and a NEW HAT. Shame about the model, but the hat is luverly, fits a treat and bought the first smile to my face in the best part of a week. This was personally knitted/crocheted for me by Karen on NB Tacet after my admiration of her original creation and my none too subtle hints about my hat envy. Thank you very much.

 So, having had an emotional bump start yesterday, we awoke this morning to brilliant sunshine and, woopee doo, my voice was back (if still somewhat croaky). Now, there are a number of people around who might not think that the return of my voice is a good thing; but you can't win 'em all.
So I ambled off into the sunshine with the dogs (hurrah!) passing NB Yarwood en route. Although the bedroom portholes were covered there was a resounding rap on the glass and, in due course, a very slimline Lesley appeared and declared herself fit to amble round the block with me and her boys.
We went very slowly - the walk which normally takes us 40 mins took about 75 mins but we were out and the sun was shining.

I tried to take a picture of a swan doing this;

 but everytime I opened the side hatch she thought I was going to feed her and did this

0 - 60 in how many seconds I wonder?

It's becoming a lot more serious

Friday I felt a bit better and gave the dogs a decentish walk passing the now, almost deserted, Fish and Duck Marina. It's supposed to be being refurbished and has been the subject of a great deal of local angst with the occupiers having to make alternative arrangements in the midst of winter. 

 Most seem to have found somewhere to go as there are no more than the usual number of boats shifting from mooring to mooring (including us and them next door)

Whilst I was out of the way with the dogs, G gave the boat a good post Christmas/pre friends visit clean up.

 Liz and Chas came up from Suffolk for the day and enjoyed a cruise into Ely where we had lunch at the newly refurbished Royal Standard - we were extremely pleased with the quality of the, mostly, homemade food and the portion sizes. It was not expensive and the 'creamy stilton mushrooms on Ciabatta,' starter was gorgeous and enough for a main meal for me

 Returning them to Little Thetford, they bravely sludged through the muddy gate, down the embankment and across the railway line in the dark to regain their car. We had a lovely day.

Sadly, as the day wore on, my man flu crept back and by Sunday has developed into the, more serious, female version with a bit of the winter vomiting stuff thrown in. I feel as grey as the weather and have only just got up; but it's back to bed for me. It seems to be striking female crew only as Lesley has also gone down with it and Pip (NB Windsong) has it too. Both Lesley and I had thought we were getting better, but it comes back again worse.

So Joe and Graham are on their own. If you see them out and about lugging Tesco bags or with two pairs of dogs; be nice to them.

The weather continues grey and murky

I've succumbed to man flu

I blame Blogger, it has insisted  on posting all my blogs and comments as 'Graham' for some weeks now. So, instead of getting the annoying and inconvenient womanly cold, today I have man flu and I now understand the difference.

• Having chugged round Sainsburys I ignored the shopping list
• When I walked the dogs I came straight back as soon as they'd been emptied
• After lunch I dumped the dirty dishes (I believe they are still in the sink)
• I have spent all afternoon sitting on my (rapidly getting larger) bum
• I have sighed a lot

I may be feeling rough but it was still a joy to watch the water passing under the bow as we cruised this morning

PS I do hope I'm not going to grow a beard!