Visiting Norfolk for a work day with Steven, loading up the Paxton Princess with tools and parts and reviewing the fitting of the new helmsman’s seats and fridge. As Amis had finished the piling, Steven moved piles of mud and we had a chance to see inside Mr Howlett’s boat shed . Meals at the Snetterton café and Broads Hotel and a £50 fee were rewards for Steven for his help during the day
The weather forecast did not look at all promising for today with rain the main feature, but I had planned on going up to Norfolk with Steven and decided to go through with it. We met at my place at 7.00am by which time I had loaded up the car and was just about all set to go. It was just spitting with rain but, as we drove on, it became quite heavy and squally. A rest for refreshment at the roadside kiosk in Snetterton where Steve ate an egg-and-bacon roll and then a piece of bread pudding as well (!) but I settled for a mug of tea and just the latter. We found a break in the showers to arrive at Horning and stopped off at the village store for some milk before getting to Heronshaw where we were impressed with the fact that Amis had finished the piling. However, the ground was wet and full of puddles so we had a cup of tea and then loaded up the Paxton Princess with tools and parts and started to work on her inside.
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We tried the new helmsman seats and reviewed the fridge until we had managed to work out ways of improving both and then drove into Wroxham to get the bits and to have lunch of baked potatoes in the "Ice Cream Cafe". In the afternoon, we got the seats fitted and then made up a cardboard model of the fridge liner to get it assembled at home. Steven also turned to and moved a prodigious quantity of mud so as to do all of the levelling that we can prior to Amis coming back to finish the new quay heading. We also had a chance to see Mr Howlett and the inside of his boat-shed which design I am still very attracted to but which is poorly finished inside for lack of care. The day's work done, I treated Steven to a nice carvery meal in the Broads Hotel before attempting the drive home. He was a good help to me today and I gave him £50 for his labour, him being unemployed.