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A cold night worrying about baby Della but then an enjoyable start to the day in Ely with a fine hot shower for Diana and a successful cruise back along the Old West to the Twenty Pence Inn for the night as Thatcher is using her Malaysia visit to foul mouth the miners and upset the locals with her vision for airline competition
Awake at six feeling rather cold and uncomfortable and Diana the same, but also having been awake a fair bit of the night worrying that Daniella might have been suffering from the cold. A silly thought as babies are much more resilient than that, but Di felt better once the heating was on and she had drunk a couple of cups of coffee. Our normal morning routine then and we sent the children off for a walk whilst we got ready. Finally we left The Lady and dropped in at the boatyard, where a sign read that they undertook all types of boat sewing work. Inside, the owner arranged for Mr Warley to call on us in an hour. We used the intervening time to walk up to Tesco’s supermarket and buy a good quantity of milk and bread for the bank holiday. Back at The Lady where Mr Warley was just arriving and we spent over an hour discussing the commission and choosing materials, for we shall now get him to do the work that the Wroxham based, Jeckles, failed to discuss with us in time. A coffee and then all to Ely town centre where I found Barclays closed for the Easter Saturday.
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Enjoying Cambridge and witnessing the start of the CND Molesworth Peace march on a showery day as Diana visited the launderette before cruising down the Cam to Ely as I washed and worked on The Lady with a fascinating stop at Horningsea and its garden centre but we successfully made Babylon and the Cutter Inn. The news featured the peace march and Thatcher visiting the Far East
Awake at 7.00am and only Daniel was awake earlier and reading in the cold morning air. Up and to put on the kettle and heating and the boat was soon warm. I made the morning drinks as Diana fed the baby, then played with her whilst she got washed and dressed. Then to wash and shave whilst Di made the breakfast and out to start a long job of washing the boat roof and walkways clean with river water. The day started very still and fine, but misty. As the sun won through, the breeze started up. The children were playing outside on the Jesus Green swings until they fell out and came back to the boat quarrelling (again). Diana then off to the launderette on the other side of the river and over the road bridge to wash and tumble dry our last few days’ urgent washing. Just about finished my wash of the boat by the time that they returned and so took the children off towards the sound of a public address system next to Jesus Lock. It was the CND Rally starting point for their march to Molesworth and a few hundred people had assembled to hear speakers from supporting dignitaries and the Mayor of Cambridge received a petition of signatures. A refreshments van dispensed cups of tea and buttered hot cross buns, which we accepted free of charge. Eventually, to a song of protest, they lined up and, with banners, filed across Jesus Lock Bridge and off towards Huntingdon, where we may see them in a few days. A peaceful people with children and comradely goodwill, who left a lasting impression and a few more converts to their noble cause.
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Cruise in The Lady from the Old West up the Cam to moor up at Midsummer Common, Cambridge, isolated aboard from the outside world, where the children enjoy playgrounds, Daniel gets a working stereo and the Fair and I visit Vinters to sign contracts for buying 7 Willow Close and shops to start my antique silver collection
Awake first at 6.00am and so I put on the kettle and lit the gas and waited for it to boil. A much chillier morning and soon, as the children and baby woke up, I put on the central heating, which was a blessing. All up to our morning boat routine and then breakfast, after which the children played on the swings until departure time. A steady cruise down the Old West River, with a much more temperate wind. Then up to 6/7 knots past Popes Corner as we cruised up the River Cam. Stopped at Upware for me to call Miss Eadie of Vinters to discuss our house purchase and then on through Bottisham and Baits Bite locks, paying a toll of £3.65 for the passage. It came on to rain as we neared our destination in Cambridge, but moored on Jesus Green as it stopped and the kids descended on the playground again, whilst we changed and prepared for our outing. First to the Wimpy for lunch and then to Vinters, where we signed contracts for our house next door and the matter seems done.
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Comfortable night and breakfast on The Lady before the childrens’ playground and shopping in Godmanchester stopping for lunch at Huntingdon and then cruising on along the Old West to moor at the Twenty Pence Inn where we dine ashore after putting the kids to bed aboard. News today of planned industrial action over Easter by Customs officials, and of Israel retaining 1200-odd Lebanese hostages and moving them back to Israel against the Geneva Convention
A fair night after a few squabbling ducks had at last settled down and stopped making a noise. Cool at first and then rather too warm in my sleeping bag. Awake early and Diana makes the morning tea and puts the heating on, which keeps us all very warm up to breakfast. The water still warm from yesterday, now that our tank is securely lagged. Up and washed and then dressed for a breakfast of toast and fruit juice. The kids had Kellogg’s Varieties with Debbie choosing coco pops and Daniel frosties and then corn flakes. After, the kids out to the Godmanchester swings and Diana to feed and tend the baby and so I helped to clear up before we all left the boat for a walk to the local shops.