We've been to the boat again for another few days, using it as a base for visiting Ally and Ben and for driving up to the Boaters' Christian Fellowship AGM in Derbyshire. At Ally and Ben's we did some painting and saw progress on the utility room. Nice floor tiles, Ben, and it's good to see the downstairs loo installation almost complete!
On Saturday we drove up the M1 to J28 and arrived in good time to help with setting up for the highlight of the BCF year: the annual general meeting. After a bring-and-share lunch the business part of the meeting takes place. This doesn't take long and leaves plenty of time for entertainment and a period of worship before packing up before 7pm.
There is usually a sound operator supplied by the church whose facilities we were using, but a slight mix-up meant that he didn't appear for a while. I stepped into the breach and operated the mixer for the business meeting and the entertainment.
100 members attended, about 15% of the total membership, and it was good to meet old friends and make new ones. One couple we encountered for the first time was regular commenter Val Poore's brother and his wife.
On Sunday we took
Jubilee out of the marina and went to The Galleon, stopping at the services block at Cosgrove on the way.
Then on Monday we cruised back the way we'd come, overshooting the marina to go to Baxter's to top up with diesel. As I was winding immediately after filling up Jan came to the back to report that the gas had just run out. How convenient! I pulled in again on the boatyard's mooring and got a new gas cylinder.
On our gentle cruise back to Thrupp Wharf Marina the light was good for a couple of photos.
We left on Tuesday morning having drained down the shower and leaving a heater on board which should kick in if it gets too cold. Oh, and I topped up the electricity point.
Unfortunately the car wouldn't start in the marina car park, so I had to enlist the help of a fellow moorer who came with a spare battery. The Volvo 240 has suffered from poor starting in cold damp conditions for a while. This time I managed to flatten the battery (on its last legs) trying to coax it into life. Today I bought a new distributor cap and rotor arm, and ordered a set of HT leads. These should help! I should have ordered a battery as well, but that will wait another day.
1 comment:
Hi John! I haven't had time to comment for a while, but am very glad I picked the post where you mention meeting my brother! He emailed me to say he'd met you and Jan! Amazing what a small world it is. I gather you were both slightly confused as to the reason you should meet each other until the name clicked into place :)
Lovely photos of gorgeous autumn light. I'm hoping to do a narrowboat week next May, but I still don't know if we can afford it. We'll have to see, but it would be lovely!
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