Easter Plans

We have such a warped sense of humour!

Stolen from eldest son’s Facebook page.  He must have inherited his parents sense of humour!

The plan for Easter is to spend Friday taking a very short cruise to the water point in the pound where we will fill the water tank whilst simultaneously emptying it via the washing machine.  After the water hose has exhausted the washing machine we will cruise about 700 metres towards Newbury before again mooring somewhere in the countryside.

On Saturday I have volunteered to assist the the running of the Devises to Westminster Canoe Race.  If it’s anything like last year, the duties will involve traffic control over the bridge at Aldermaston Wharf along with the recording of contestants race numbers.  These get reported to the race control headquarters where they keep track of contestants progress.  Apparently I’ve drawn the late shift which means I’ll be unlikely to make it to bed before the early hours of Sunday morning.  Jan will either have to give me a key or accept being dragged from her slumbers in a cosy warm bed!

With a little luck we’ll head towards Thatcham sometime on Sunday.  Hopefully all the weekend hire boaters will either still be ahead of us, having left two days earlier, or perhaps coming towards us on their return journey.  Either way we’re hoping it will be quiet.

If the weather is bad on Monday it will be a rest day, otherwise we’ll do some maintenance around the boat.  The roof could do with a good wash along with the cabin sides and the portholes.  The tentative plan is to be at Newbury by Thursday where we plan to go on a dodgem car race with the trolleys around the isles in Sainsbury’s.  Jan wants to bulk buy long life milk, flour and other dried goods.  It will be a good opportunity to fill the pantry and storage cupboards.

Gary slipped past us very quietly on nb Molly early this morning.  He has offered the use of her to the race organisers as a base for the local race officials.  Last year they use the K&A Cafe, but that is currently closed until June.  Gary told me there was a small incident when winding Molly in the river this morning.  Apparently the bow got caught by the current which resulted in the stern being pushed towards a large tree.  He though everything would be alright but events proved him wrong!  A branch of the tree got hooked in his clothing and before he could free himself he was plucked off the stern of the boat and left dangling momentarily above the river before the branch snapped under his weight depositing him in some very cold water!

He did safely recover from the situation but was rather cold and wet when he passed us.  It’s also his second mobile phone in two months that he has thoroughly washed in the River Kennet!