After lunch at the Bootle Arms in Melling we carried on towards Aintree. Could we get as far as the racecourse? Well, no. Swing Bridge 10 was locked with a "BW only" lock, so we winded in the channel (one advantage of the boat being only 40 feet long) and headed back in the Leeds direction.
what are we doing in the green stuff?
the lock which defeated us
At some point we picked up a keep net on the prop. After much hacking away with a Stanley knife it came clear. "Willow" has the most accessible weed hatch and and easiest to clear prop I've come across. I'm sure the water came up only to my elbow when feeling around the prop shaft. And there's a huge amount of space around the engine.
At 2030 we tied up outside the Ship Inn at Haskayne. After tea on board we went into the pub and immediately encountered the Folk Club. Members were sitting round the walls of a large room, facing inwards. Each in turn would sing or play their contribution, approximately every other person having a guitar. We supped our drinks and listened - this was excellent. And all the better for it being entirely unexpected. The person next to us sang his song, and then the "chairman" asked if we'd do anything. No, we were completely unprepared, and had never done anything like this anyway. So the round continued ... but I had an idea. The metaphorical baton came round again, and this time I plucked up my courage, and said, yes, I had something. The only song I had been able to think of, and for which I could remember most of the words, was Amazing Grace. So I sang it, with backing vocals from Jan, and everyone joined in! I'd worried that it might be seen (heard?) as not appropriate, but I was assured afterwards that it had been quite in order and was appreciated. The funny thing is: I could sing in front of a roomful of strangers, but couldn't ask them if they'd mind if I took a photo. So there isn't one. Sorry.
I really must find some appropriate tunes for my recorder. Anyone got any ideas?
No comments:
Post a Comment