An early start with Steven Bloom for the drive to Potter Heigham for the boat auction, picking up a CQR anchor and then chatting with Jack Edwards and Mr Howlett there before returning to find Amis had excavated most of the dyke extension.
Home to Paxton by 6pm to be ready for a HDC Southern Area meeting and then off to the pub for a drink with Sally and Derek to give them some advice and make some amends for my recent absence in Norfolk
An early start by arrangement with Steven Bloom so that we could travel from Paxton to Norfolk for the Potter Heigham Boat Auction. This meant that we were away soon after 7.00am without breakfast until we stopped at the road-side kiosk at Wymondham for a bacon roll and mug of tea over an hour later. Through some traffic in Norwich and then we stopped off at Wroxham for me to pay in over £100,000 into the building society that I had received as a repayment from National Savings. The weather was quite fine and mild enough for the auction.
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I was pledged not to buy any boats(!) but picked up another 35lb CQR anchor for £75, a fraction of its normal value. We met Jack Edwards and Mr Howlett there and chatted a while but left before lunch to go and get a few things done at Heronshaw. The digger had excavated most of the dyke extension by the end of the day and was moving earth about with some gusto. Our first job was to dismantle the heavy storage heater upstairs in Heronshaw that was threatening its stability and we also adjusted the loft water tank ball valve arm to carry less weight up there for good measure. This done, and the rather hazardous material disposed of, we relaxed with a cup of tea and sandwich to discuss the work.
Then an active couple of hours clearing the brambles from the lawn area and making it ready to be mown in a week or two. It is relaxing having a section of the property free of mud and disruption for part of the time anyway. We were away by 4.40pm and, after a take-away tea from McDonalds on the Norwich ring road, we were home soon after 6.00pm to give me a chance to relax before changing and going out to this evening's HDC Southern Area meeting. This was a useful meeting but more active for me than I would have liked.
Percy was late to take his own item on the agenda and so I had to fill in for him, but the other members took part and made the debate a useful one. Another session for me on Local Government Reorganisation (I having been at all of the consultation meetings) and then home via the pub for a drink with Sally and Derek to give them some advice and make some amends for my recent absence in Norfolk.