Shine

An evening walk yesterday resulted in me identifying the shortest route from our mooring to Hoddesdon town centre.  Google Maps showed there were two large supermarkets (ASDA and Sainsburys) but what we particularly wanted to visit was the following outlet.

We needed to send to CRT our Gold License application.  We’ve been waiting until closer to the time we need the licence working on the principle it’s better the money was earning interest in our account than that of another party.  Not that the current interest rate is much to rejoice about!

The visit to the Post Office became rather interesting when Jan decided to use the self service postal machine rather than joining the end of the long queue.  Another process that has now been added to the grey matter.

Jan rather liked the name of the Chinese take-away.

Whilst my eye was drawn to the pub in the town square.

We made it back to the boat with full daypacks around noon.  Jan did very well on the walk.  We covered approximately 5km and it’s the second time she has walked this distance in the last week. Whilst we were preparing lunch Jan suggested we throw out the pork pie as it was a week past the expired date.  “No” says me, “It will be OK!”

After lunch I removed all the items off the cabin roof and cleaned it with a combination of scrubbing and washing using the sponge.  It’s apparent the boatman’s beam needs to be repainted so that’s now a task on the “to do” list.  I only managed to polish the front quarter of the roof with the Craftmaster wax before it was all used up.  We have some ‘Bullet” polish purchased at the 2013 Crick Show and I used that to complete the roof.  I’m not impressed with the Bullet.  It appears to have too much water in it and the shine isn’t as good.

Front shiny

Rest not so good.  Of course after washing the roof the sides are now dirty!  One of the centreline ropes has already been replaced because it had frayed at the point where the rope passes through the handrail cleat.  The second rope has recently started to show signs of fraying.  Rather than replace it I decided to cut the rope at the damaged point and splice the ends together.  This doubles the thickness of the rope at the cleat and enables us to keep using the existing rope.

Whilst I was in the mood for working with the ropes I spliced a length of rope onto the fender I recovered from the canal at Wigrams Turn.  I’d just finished with the ropes when the pork pie decided it shouldn’t have been eaten.  When you are feeling queasy it is better the bottom end be affected rather than the top.  Rather than staying on Waiouru feeling sorry for myself I went off for a local walk which fixed the problem, however the loud noises might have frightened the local wildlife.