Wet and windy holidays in Harnser and aboard the Paxton Princess in Norfolk that seemed to be the end of a cold and rainy summer during which we were camped at Harnser and enjoying its novelty for the first full season, but also managed two boating trips around the Norfolk Broads with Sam and Frances Weller for the first time in years and then along the coast from Lowestoft to Great Yarmouth.
We also managed car trip to Norwich and Wroxham enjoying the Horning Regatta and see the old Pleasure Wherries and Magic Lantern Show of Broadland times past as well as the village fete. Some progress getting the large wooden gate hung between shed and garage and the new dog fence erected.
Also back to Paxton for a week so that Debbie could go to her water sports week at Paxton Sailing Lakes and I could progress property investments. Sam has been coming on well in his training and now swims readily to fetch dummies and my task is still to quieten him down.
John Major’s government in rows with the police, fire-fighters and other groups over an unrealistically low public pay target of two-and-a-half-percent. The crisis grinds on in the former Yugoslavia where mass injury and death find no bounds. Atrocities by so-called civilised people towards once fellow countrymen. T
he crisis grinds on in the former Yugoslavia where mass injury and death find no bounds but better news from the Middle East where Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation get close to reaching the historic step of recognising each other
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A rainy month that seemed to be the end of a cold and rainy summer but the statistics bellied all that. Compared with seasonal averages, the meteorologists say that this summer was just nought-point-one degree cooler, somewhat drier by 2% and with 12% more sunshine! I can only believe that the better weather in June must have made up for the rest. After all we had heavy rain and even hail, but I suppose there were not many actual thunderstorms to transform the rain gauges.
We managed two trips on The Paxton Princess; one a short trial run up the River Ant to Stalham with plenty of sailing opportunities for Debbie on Barton Broad and the other a week-long trip down the Bure, up the Waveney and then back via Oulton Broad, Mutford Lock and Lowestoft Harbour as we made the sea trip out and then in again at Great Yarmouth. In preparation, I had to repair the anchor winch and davits and update all of the charts and then had to fix the inevitable fault that developed - this time with the water system - but now it is better than ever. Sam had his first experience of the open sea and was not distressed.
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For the most part, we were camped at Harnser and enjoying its novelty for the first full season. Plenty of trips out to such places as Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Wroxham, Winterton and long walks with Sam around Honing Common, Stalham, Neatishead Hall, Potter Heigham/Hickling, Horsey Corner, Beccles Marshes and Lowestoft's Lake Lothing with Diana being particularly keen on them. She was also keen on trips out to Wroxham Barns and Beeson Hall. For the meals out, we took The Jolly many times to The Horning Leisure Centre and The New Inn and as many to The Olde Tea Shoppe and even to Mr Chann's Chinese Restaurant.
Our car trips to Wroxham's Riverside Cafe were just as popular and during our Norwich trips our custom was to have coffee and scones at Jarrolds. It was nice to be able to go by Jolly to Horning Regatta and see the old Pleasure Wherries and Magic Lantern Show of Broadland times past and the fete itself which collected a record amount for local charities despite the wind and rain. Also to The Horning Sailing Club for Casino Night. Day trips to Winterton and The Great Mouth of the River Yar where there were long walks for Sam and activities for the girls.
When we met Sam and Frances Weller for the first time in years, we took them on a boat trip before tea along the Horning river front and then to Blackhorse Broad where Debbie enjoyed sailing at other times. We chose to go to Cromer for the cinema again but also spent time in Norwich. Amy Dunham and sisters saw our girls a few times but were not here often enough to be good playmates as their grandparents motor yacht was in Holland. Between all this, I did manage to get the large wooden gate hung between shed and garage and the new dog fence erected so that he now has the run of the whole garden or just part of it. The new Discovery to its 12,000 mile service and our trusty 9.9HP Mariner engine for The Jolly serviced at Ludham.
Despite all this, we also came back to Paxton for a week so that Debbie could go to her water sports week at Paxton Sailing Lakes and I could tackle a growing mound of paperwork and investment decisions. We were buying the second of our "Trust Houses" and realising all the investments necessary to pay for it whilst also acquiring 50-52 Cambridge Street for Diana and Nigel's investment. Unhappy to come back to find Daniel's care of the swimming pool was faulty and the water green from algae attack. He was backwards and forwards to Norfolk to earn money and see us but was particularly remiss in bringing our mail together with the produce that Bill had grown in the garden for us.
Daniel has still to find himself a job and does not go about it anywhere as keenly enough, according to us. At least he did some running around in the car for me and collected my new mobile gun safe for The Discovery. Sam has been coming on well in his training and now swims readily to fetch dummies. My task is still to quieten him down and stop him opening his mouth to people in play. The girls were enjoying themselves and for most of the time we were able to stop them pining for home and their friends. Diana is losing weight slowly but steadily and logging progress by visits to the Boots weighing machine.
Elsewhere, the British political establishment is on holiday and John Major must be thankful for that. Still there are rows emerging with the police, fire-fighters and other groups over an unrealistically low public pay target of two-and-a-half-percent and trouble will follow in the autumn.
The crisis grinds on in the former Yugoslavia where mass injury and death find no bounds. Atrocities by so-called civilised people towards once fellow countrymen. The international community should stay out and let them come to an early result but we interfere with hopeless humanitarian efforts and string out the agony. Better news from the Middle East where Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organisation get close to reaching the historic step of recognising each other and talking about Palestinian autonomy in Gaza and The West Bank.