A long lunch……

I don’t often write about the people I meet at Thrupp but today was special. Andy and Helen arrived on Wandering Bark towing their new addition Montgomery, the Jam Butty. I was carrying my camera but did I get a picture of them going through the bridge? No!

They had to moor up down by the Jolly Boatman due to the inconsiderate mooring of others. Sorry but there is no room for a 20 foot privacy space between boats at a place like Thrupp. I walked down the towpath to meet them for lunch.

James and Doug on Chance were moored opposite the Boat Inn taking up the honey spot. We all went to lunch in the Boat Inn about 1 o’clock.

Doug, James, Andy, Helen and yours truly

After we ate we repared to Chance and were soon joined by Gary and Della Muleless and then Andy and Richard, Carpe Diem. This continuation of ‘lunch’ went on until 10 that evening.

Me, Helen, Della, James, Richard, Andy, Andy, Gary

Molly as usual was trying to steal the limelight.

 

On politics

David Cameron describes Michael Gove as one of his most powerful ministers. That DC admits to this is an indication that he is not fit for purpose. If this weird looking arsehole is powerful there is some serious rot in politics.

I don’t know about you but I would like to think that the people in charge could at least punch their way out of a wet paper bag in a brawl. Yes I know there are those that will say fighting doesn’t prove anything, but they would be wrong. A good scrap proves a determination to win in spite of the opposition.

John Prescott now he could swing a punch. He says what he means like any good northerner.

At least with Churchill you knew when he sent men into the fray he knew what it was like, having been there himself. Politicians should have to prove themselves in a field other than politics to ensure we get people who can stand up and go toe to toe with those that would put this country down. Gove is a wimpy looking little snot who seems to be the kind of geek the big boys buggered. Maybe he got his job as an apology for bad treatment in the past.

Edit: And then Dave fired him! WTF?

My question……

My bank wants to change the security system. Currently I have to give my ‘nickname’ when I sign then some digits from my password then my security question. Now I can chose how I want to bank online. I can sign up to an app on my i-phone or have a data card or stay as I am. This is bollocks I don’t have an i-phone so that is not an option that is open to me. I don’t want a data card so I am left with the third option, but by rejecting the first two options I am not allowed to even send my bank a message cannot make a new payment to someone who I have not paid before and a whole raft of other functions are being taken away, things that are important to personal banking. In short that is not an option I want either.

What gets me is the only time I have ever lost money from a bank account it was the bank that took it ($245) and they never gave it back. My question is who are they protecting me from?

Dear neighbour,

I know you are having problems with your batteries. You did explain that to me three days ago. You also said that given your batteries have not taken a charge all day they must be knackered. So why do you think you may be able to get them to charge by running your engine again for twelve hours today. It is not ok to run your engine until late into the night. Your problems are not my problems. The rules are quite explicit engine off at eight. You have been running your engine since about nine o’clock this morning, if your batteries have not taken on a charge all day they will not charge any more after eight. There is no fecking excuse, AT ALL!!!

No your engine noise is not obtrusive to you, but you are watching your TV. I don’t watch TV and it is obtrusive to me.

Instead of inviting your family around you could have ordered the batteries. If you cannot fix it then go out into the countryside where there is no one else to bother.

Signed Pissed off neighbour

PS A dead battery is a dead battery. If you connect it to Didcot power station it will still be a dead fecking battery!

Theiving Nob head!!!

Stephen Goldsbourgh Boats

Well this came as a bit of a surprise Stephen Goldsbourgh Boats went into liquidation on the 22 of April. It’s not been on the forum and not mentioned in the boating press that I can see.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2116110

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2127637

Those mooring proposals again!

The CRT has published a draft of a new mooring proposal which, they hope, will ease the mooring situation in London. In seeking to improve the visitor mooring situation they canvassed, among others, the very people who are causing the problem in the first place! That’s a bit like giving the Lions the keys to the Zoo!

There are plenty of Visitor Moorings in London for visitors. The problem which CRT, formerly BW, are failing to address is that the majority of VMs users are most certainly NOT visitors.

The real problem that needs to be addressed is residential moorings. Unfortunately if ever space is found in London to build residential moorings the cost will be prohibitive and few if any will be able to afford them.

There is no affordable housing in London so people come to the water. There are no affordable residential moorings in London so where next? Visitor moorings are not the answer!

London’s housing problems should not be CRTs problem. For Local Authorities to think that it is beggars belief. Let London’s LAs find the space for affordable housing/mooring.