Hudds Lad

Yes, came through it a couple of days before it all kicked off last year or year before, the smell of Brasso was thick in the air Had forgotten it was on, but luckily were headed for usual spot before Bridge 87 as there were no moorings to be had from the locks to somewhere after Bridge 89

Sure someone told me they painted top and sides but not the underneath to let the moisture out? I have seen new ones with only white paint on the ends though. On a seperate note, i remember once waiting with the boat for a lock somewhere on the Shroppie next to a nice, new, untreated fence, and i kept hearing a quite loud crunching noise. Finally worked out it was wasps biting bits off the fence for a nearby nest, i'd always thought they went for softer wood. Wasn't there a lock beam a few years back with a wasp nest in it?

I only came across it as you revived it Looking at these has taken me back to my time at Uni doing research for a brief to make a poster for i think Gloucester Docks? I was particularly taken with the work of Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron, better known as A.M. Cassandre, and tried something similar. Funny how things can take you down old avenues of reminiscence

Was it one of their employees you chatted to, or just a volunteer? May have been hiding their lack of knowledge under an air of indifference in an attempt to not appear clueless. I only ask as i once got chatting to one of their chuggers at the top of Foxton locks who i'd seen a few days before at Crick when he tried to butter me up, nice chap but not very knowledgeable as he'd only been at it a couple of weeks. He was wearing full livery and it wasn't apparent at first that he was just a fundraiser.

It was great stuff if you needed a bit of tracing paper tho, or wanted to make an origami water bomb as it didn't go soggy like paper towels did.

You can’t just rock up with your own craft, they are CRT-owned boats that you hire for the trip. J is threatening to book one for me and the offspring.

Known in typography circles as "small caps", been around for a few hundred years, would suggest the above note is a typeset reproduction not the original letter

Watford are manned and chained when not, as lock 5 is part of the staircase it's highly likely they were being helped and/or observed at the time of the incident. Also the lock smurf probably asked where they were headed when they booked in too if it wasn't obvious from the looks of the boat in question. You probably know this already 😛

Sneaky bloody daffodils

If that pic is taken from the pub side, then no, but there is one on the Coventry side. Apologies if image quality is pants, zoomed in screenshots from bigger pics.

*makes mental note to never attempt on a Wednesday lunchtime

Also down to carrion being any easy meal and the time it takes a red kite to become airborne and avoid an oncoming vehicle.

Is that the trip boat from down at Boot Wharf? I don't get on well with that boat and it's miserable steerers

There can be a distinct wind difference between the Oxford side of the bridge and the Coventry side, if you've turned too late and don't have room to swing the stern round it's easy to get the bow pushed over. That was my excuse once anyway

You could try Simon Pollard 07770 433287, we've used him in the past and were very happy with his work.

But you know with brass that they're going to be reassuringly expensive

I honestly cannot believe you, of all people, have typed that. You seem to spend the majority of your time here like Chicken Little, telling everyone the forum sky is falling in. Let it go my friend, you'll lead a happier life.

https://ebay.us/m/UiRWYQ There's a fancy backlit one for you

My dear departed Mum used to tell a tale of when rationing was on and the local shop got some banana's in. There was a large bungalow at the top of their street, at the end of the terraced houses, who thought themselves a cut above the local populace. Everyone was in a queue at the shop to get their banana ration, when in walks madam from the bungalow and heads straight to the front. "I'm the lady from the bungalow, can i have my bananas now?" Replies the shopkeeper; "Ah dunt care if tha's an angel from hevven, tha can get thissen t'back and queue like every bugger else" Mum also told how later on in the war, Mr Bungalow was paid a visit by the law and found to have a cupboard full of illicit tinned goods acquired through black marketeering.

Because i spaffed £17 on our boat when i didn't have to. I'm not THAT good a neighbour

Sometimes it's cider day?

Went to the boat to discover ours was doing that plaintive beep that indicates the sealed-in battery is about to give up the ghost, so ordered a new one. Got to boat with new one in hand only to realise it was actually the boat next door who's alarm was doing the death beep As it was of unknown age (previous owner fitted but didn't write date on) i swapped it anyway. My wallet still sulks about this

You'll be telling me that funny white thing on the ceiling isn't a Bacon Alarm next