- Details
‘Enjoying’ our visit to Ely as Daniella still suffers badly from her cold but Daniel does well when taken to the restaurant this evening after we moor at Clayhithe ready for the trip to Cambridge tomorrow but there was no news today due to the journalists strike
Another early awakening following an unsettled night for Daniella. Cool again this morning, but not as cold as yesterday. We try the heating again unsuccessfully and I determine that the remote power cable is to blame, by leading to a voltage drop. A brief chance for the children to play on the twenty pence swings in the wet grass and then we cast off and cruise the remaining stretch of the Old West River to Popes Corner and then the main river to Ely to arrive at 9.45am in a light shower. A little trouble finding somewhere to moor in a gusty wind, but then to the Ely town centre, where we divide for our shopping trip. Daniel & I to the chandlers, where I buy a new propeller for the outboard, some rond anchors and non-smoking stickers as well as some spares for the for’d sea toilet. Up to the market square and a slow walk along Market St to see the School House antique shop and then back via Cutlers ironmongers to the Market Square to meet the girls by appointment for lunch at 12.00noon. In the antique shop I was impressed by their 1610 and 1667 editions of Speed Maps of Huntingdonshire and also by a variety of prints of Ely, past and present. Ely has become my impression for the last refuge of the traditional ironmongers shops, there being two survivors. These days St Neots, Huntingdon and St Ives (in that order) have gradually closed them down or turned them into ‘improved’ self-service and pre-packed wonders.
- Details
Continuing our boating holiday on The Lady in St Ives and then on to Erith and the Twenty Pence inn as baby Daniella’s cold developed, Daniel enjoyed the dinghy and we our evening dinner out as the journalists strike is all set, unrest continues in South Africa and the world commemorates the Hiroshima nuclear devastation
Another unsettled night for Daniella, but not as bad as yesterday. We found out why later today as she developed a head cold and had a runny nose. A cold morning to wake up to and, with the cabin temperature at only 50degF, we had the warm air heating on for the first time this holiday. To warm the heater up, I had to start the engine, which would not have been popular at 6.30am in the morning with the rest of the inhabitants of the Waits Quay! Our routine as normal and then we sent Daniel out with the baby in a pushchair for a walk, whilst we tidied up. I then lowered the dinghy from the davits and motored over to L H Jones Boatyard. I noticed that, although we had been well sheltered in our moorings at the Waits, the main river was quite windswept and cooled by a westerly breeze. I bought a gas refill, a new boat hook and stern flagstaff, and obtained a new core for my ships wheel at last, which they had owed me for some time. I could not find our make of toilet’s repair kit, which was a pity.
- Details
Combining our boat trip with managing my investments by phone on another rainy day in St Ives as a marquee erector is swept away and killed in high winds, the journalist strikes spread and more miners are charged over Orgreave Plant demonstrations
A poor night with the baby keeping us awake for many hours of it. Torrential rain for most of it and we awoke to find it raining still, with gusty squalls of heavy rain to boot. Diana made the drinks and I helped look after Della in our normal routine. At 9.00am, I set off to the St Ives town centre and paid in our £2100) gilt-edged dividends cheque to the Gateway building society. Then to Ekins auction showroom, where I was pleased to find that the auction is indeed tomorrow. I bought a catalogue to study later. Then to use the call box and my telephone credit card to contact de Zoete & Bevan and, in two calls, establish that they had sold all 20,000 Barclays shares at the agreed price after all. Back at The Lady I had to look after Della for two long sessions. One for the rest of the morning whilst Di used the launderette and another, towards a late lunch, as she shopped around the Monday market.
- Details
Cruising aboard The Lady in the rain from St Neots to Waits Quay, St Ives, for a swim at St Ivo pool as South Africans start selling up and expats are leaving Uganda too
Awake first on a dull, cloudy, cold and breezy day and spent ¾ hour reading my computer journals before Diana awoke and got the morning drinks. The children were awake, Daniella with a particularly messy nappy, and so our routine was spoiled somewhat. After breakfast (where Della now enjoys my buttered/marmalade toast fingers) the children went for a walk with Daniel pushing the baby in her pushchair and Debbie tagging along and then played on the swings with Jason Chambers (whose family had moored late last night) whilst I walked to the newsagent for a Sunday Times. We tarried a while, read and relaxed, and suffered for it as it began to rain as we unmoored, and got progressively worse as we navigated through the three locks to St Ives. We were pleased, however, to get a mooring space at our favourite Waits Quay, which was a surprise. Diana cooked us a fine meal of sausages and mixed vegetables, with treacle tart and cream to follow, which was good as the hot food helped to counter the cabin temperatures of 60/65degF and the cool wet of the cruise.