Tonight we spent a very pleasant hour or so with our neighbours to be up at Keith Balls yard at Stretton on the Shroppie. Dawn and I went there to visit Sarah and Jim and their big Woolwich motor boat Chertsey which is undergoing a major improvement program including new back end bottoms, some patching to the footings etc., some reinforcing of the usual lace like sections on the knee’s, replacement engine, hull blacking and red oxiding inside. Well I must say, most impressive it all was as well. We sat in the cosy back cabin drank beer (well I drank tea!) warmed by the ever reliable Epping range and chatted about a variety of subjects, all canal related and mainly about Chertsey as I was keen to find out what their intentions were for her ‘restoration’. The funniest moment of the evening was when Keith went off to get chairs for me and Dawn to sit on in the yard. He came back with two white plastic patio chairs, an aluminium mini work bench and an old folding wooden deck chair which he proceeded to open, put down and sit on. There was a loud crack and Keith ended up full length on his back lying on the yard floor on top of the smashed deck chair. “at least I now have some wood for lighting the range” was Sarah’s response whilst the rest of us just fought back the tears of laughter. No camera so no record I’m afraid. By 9.00pm we made our farewells agreeing we would see them again soon and headed off home.
Blossom
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