We went to see the boat, soon after it came out of the paint shed.
She's looking magnificent - outside. The very dark green looks almost black and is so very very shiny. But, the paint is not yet cured, and the thought of people and dogs trampling over the back deck to reach the bank, from their own boats fills us with horror.
Then there's the inside to sort out and clean. Lots of paint dust entered through the top vents when the sanding was done. I reckon we'll need about 3 days of hard work to get her shipshape again.
There's also the work waiting at home, before the kitchen installers come to rip out the 1961 kitchen. We must empty both kitchen and utility rooms so that the lino fitter can lay new flooring between rip-out and installation of the new kitchen. We also have to paint the walls and ceiling after the plaster has dried.
That doesn't leave nearly enough time to cruise down to Northampton in time for the Festival.
I have cancelled our bank-side berth and we will probably visit by road one day over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Owning a boat is meant to be enjoyed. When we visited yesterday, I took some pictures of a plant we have seen along river and canal banks both in the UK and France. I wanted to identify what looks like a large orchid.
Thanks to Google, I found it - Impatiens Glandulifera (Poor Man's Orchid.)
Almost all 0f the plant is edible, including the seeds.
