I hate fiddling with the website - partly cause I'm crap at it... partly cause it goes against the original 'dream' life of being a free spirit bobbing around the canals on a whim. Reality bites though and the only way I can afford to do this until I can draw my pension is through structured trips... a (not too difficult I suppose) compromise I can live with - in fact, one I embrace when it comes to actually HAVING guests on board... I just don't like the planning. Several people have commented about my poor syntax and grammar - whilst I do GET their point, it's such a faff to fiddle with the formatting and given my tendency to bugger things up when I try and change them, I'm learning not to worry about it too much.
There's a saying an old bloke who used to come in to my dad's garage used on many occasion: "It's near enough for a country spot"... I always liked that and suppose have adopted it as my mantra lol.
ANYWAY - I have made a start on my 2022 routes. Having enjoyed the time we spent going up and down the Anderton boat lift this year... AND the cruising on the River Weaver, we're going to start the season with a few trips around Northwich. I've put in the header note about the plan to get a dog for 2022... it might not happen but forewarned is forearmed AND doing it with the consent of prospective guests FEELS like the right way forward. If there was any way I could persuade 'Ed's" dad to give him up I wood as he's a smashing fella.
Website building a side, I've also being doing some inside jobs that I can get on with during the wet weather - which seems like ALL the time at the moment. I've an awful lot of painting to touch up after quite a 'rough' season ... just look at all the scuffs and marks on the starboard stern.
The bow isn't much better either.
I could really do with some dry weather though... it's not cold yet so painting would be ok but it's just never dry enough to sand and paint... grrr.
INSIDE - the new (mains powered) bigger fridge freezer whilst brilliant, IS a pain when it comes to the freezer part. You see, the door cannot open totally and given the "flaps" can't open all the way, putting stuff in and out is a bit of a pain in the proverbial. My temporary
solution to this is to remove the larder /tumble drier cupboard door which is currently surface mounted - cut a strip off the side to shrink it and then re-fit it flush. I'd worked out doing that would give an extra 22mm of opening space for the door.
It has made it a little easier but NOT enough. The longer term solution is going to be (I think) a piano hinge in the middle of the (now flush) door - that way it can fold back on itself totally and allow the freezer to open fully INTO the cupboard. That will have to wait until the end of this lockdown so I can have a meander around B & Q or wherever.
Another internal EASY WIN has been a new loo seat - soft close and only plastic but given I spend a lot of time looking into the bathroom (leaving the door open to let the heat from the fire circulate) I've put on a sticker which cheers me up...
Childish I'll admit but it does make me smile.
In other news, given the revised countrywide tiers that have been announced after this lock down finishes shortly (what lock down???) I think we are unlikely to be taking any guests anytime soon - despite the now permissible "Xmas" free for all.
Trouble is that VERY few people are obeying the supposed FULL lock down we've just had (well are technically still in until the 3rd Dec).
When taking my exercise, (or buying gin) it's clear by the number of cars on the road during "non- rush -hours" folks are just out and about... high streets, despite not having many shops open are STILL heaving... the tow path is full of folks and groups of youths are hanging around empty buildings doing the sort of things they would usually do...
Corner shops are not asking folks to wear masks... the 2 metre rule is gradually being ignored.
SHORT of the army being on the streets pointing guns at us - like China would do, the uk population won't comply...
Even the oldies are revolting...
I do as I'm supposed so - to a sensible point... and that's just that.. everyone is thinking they are doing what their supposed to - to THIER version of a sensible point... people who are "mask exempt" are waving their silly little lanyards to show their exemption as they wander around Tescos infecting (allegedly) the rest of us...
The reality of government OR opposition at the moment, is NO ONE knows how to progress...
I've been rejected by the discretionary hospitality fund for my home town because "Hotels are not being ordered to close this time" - and because I'm classed as an Hotel, I CAN be open... to "appropriate" customers... it's a complete farce... alas, one which no matter how much I moan about it, there is nothing to be done.
Hey ho - although given the approaching season perhaps that should be HO HO 😆
Oh btw - I nearly forgot... I had an email the other day from a well meaning reader, who intimated the blog might have been hacked as adverts are now appearing on it. HANDS up... I was fiddling with the new settings (new since blogger forced me off the legacy version which I liked, to their new version) and I activated something called Ad-sense... apparently having advertisements that are supposed to be relevant, is making a few pence... it'll all add up and who knows... perhaps someone might actually see something worth while. Sorry if they are a pain but ANY source of additional income right now is well and truly welcome this end.
Until next time...
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