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Another day on board The Lady in the rainstorms whilst moored up in St Ivesenjoying the bank holiday market before the downpour and staying mostly dry after our renovations this Spring as there were typhoons in Asia and an exploding oil terminal in Europe
First awake at 6.00am and by 6.30am, up and to prepare the morning drinks for Diana and I. We sat and finished our drinks before Della awoke and needed feeding. Our normal routine for breakfast and more melon and toast for me. On a humid and misty morning, the rest of us were rather impatient for Diana to get the baby ready and then we all set off for the Bank Holiday market. There was a curiously fine rain in the air, with a hot airstream and so we looked around the market purposefully guessing, quite rightly, that it was to rain more later. I bought some dolly pegs as heritage clothes pegs for The Lady, but little else. Diana got a running suit for leisure wear and the kids spent their holiday money on headphones (again) for Daniel and sweets for Debbie. We rendezvoused at the Girl Guides hut, where they serve coffee and cakes, and ran the gauntlet of the Brownie waitresses with their bowls, who scoop up anything that they think is finished with (!). I left the family to have a further look around and walked alone up to the St Ivo centre for another look at the antique collectors fair. In town I had bought one of each postcard depicting the Huntingdonshire Great Ouse, news from the newsagents and I added to these with a number of old picture cards from 1900-1920. My main purchase, however, was a beautiful, silver rattle, with bells and an ivory handle, ornately engraved with intricate designs and of good quality. Hallmarked 1877 and essayed in Birmingham, it cost £69. On closer examination at home, I could see that two of the bells had been replaced, with the rest original, and the damage by generations of banging and chewing was quite light. Daniella took to it immediately and also tried to use the whistle that is built into one end. Unfortunately one of the bells fell off at the solder joint to her strong grasp, but I am going to get the piece restored anyway and will find a nice box for it.
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Walking around St Ives and visiting the antiques fair without Diana after a night’s thunderstorm and then playing ball and going for a dinghy ride with Daniel before an evening’s reading
A reasonable night’s sleep and Diana up to the galley to prepare the morning drinks. It really needs me to do this so that she can prepare the breakfast and the children and we suffered a little from disorientation as the baby cried. A nice breakfast of melon to start and fresh toast to follow. We turfed the kids out after to play and get exercise as we cleared up. The ground was wet outside after a real thunderstorm in the night, but the morning sun and air was so warm that we had the sliding roof back as we ate our breakfast. I ran The Lady’s engine to recharge the battery, as we are staying at the Waits Quay again today without cruising. Afterwards, all up to the St Ivo centre together to swim from 10 to 11am and then I looked round the antiques fair for a couple of hours as the others went back. A few things of interest – boxes, folding chairs – but I bought a silver tipped (1919) walking cane of good length as my only purchase. Back to eat a salad of cheese and pork pie as Diana went for a walk and the baby slept. An afternoon of rain, which kept us in The Lady, but I wore my waterproofs to scrub down the roofs and deck and then repair Daniel’s dinghy engine. After a tea of sausage rolls and jam tarts, the weather cleared and the sun came out. I left Diana to look after the girls and went for a good long walk around St Ives.
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Cruising from Godmanchester to Waits Quay, St Ives, via Huntingdon on a blustery day and taking Daniel to an auction after enjoying our new efficient boat heating system and then getting supplies by dinghy before dinner in Floods Wine Bar as news of falling oil prices depress stocks and shares with IBM PC price cuts further lowering Hi-tech shares
After some early unsettlement, a comfortable night and I woke first and therefore put the kettle on and made some drinks. Della woke later, but surprisingly did not want a bottle straight away, but enjoyed the company and close attention. We have the boat heating on, but it is a fine sunny morning and it must be classed as a luxury. Turns to wash and dress and then all down to a breakfast of cereal and toast. After, the children out to play in the park and we establish that the list of forgotten things included Daniel’s coats and my socks and handkerchiefs. When ready, we all walked to Godmanchester shops, bought magazines, bread and carton milk to last us over the long Bank Holiday weekend. Back to The Lady and, stowing the dinghy safely on the davits, we cast off and lock through to the Huntingdon reach beyond. The weather is still blustery and we have to cope with it. Onward also through Hemingford lock and that complete, all four from St Neots that were set for us, which must be the first time ever. Onward to moor in our favourite place at the Waits Quay and time to spend an hour shopping before lunch.
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Off to Cambridge to drop off my car for repair before back by bus and taxi in an area power cut and then to treat the family and friends to a Little Chef lunch before loading all aboard and setting off through Buckden and Brampton locks set in our favour and then a quiet and relaxing evening in Godmanchester
A sound sleep after a late night and awake to my morning tea and last week’s Economist to read. Then The Financial Times, which I finished before and after a breakfast of rice crispies and milk. Up at 9.00am as Debbie’s friend Emma joined her and then showered and shaved before dressing in my brown casual wear. Out to the birds and 12 eggs, but the weak one did not lay last night. Some pass books from the office and then into St Neots to collect my bank statement, juggle some Abbey National accounts and take back some press cutting refills for changing. Off then to Cambridge where I leave my car for repairs and baby-seatbelt fitment and then a brisk walk to Cambridge railway station to catch the No. 128 bus (£1.30) to St Neots. As we drew into town the queues were long at the traffic lights as the whole of St Neots had been hit by a power cut. The rain was pouring down as I bought some connections from TVC Audio and then, no phones working, I caught a taxi to take me home. Upset on my return to have missed Barry Gamble of Fountain Forestry. Some work on my financial affairs and investments and then across to the house and out to lunch with Di, Daniel, Della and Jason (Daniel’s friend). We go to the Little Chef, which was nice. Back to a hectic hour finishing the process of loading up the boat, until Debbie arrived from school and it was time to go. Much ado as we set off with Daniella wailing from desertion and the unfamiliarity of the boat.