Richard T

Time to do a tot up of who might be attending: Richard and Mrs T TRackman and Mrs Trackman Jan and Dave BSP and Tree Monkey Chris and Lise The Moomins Alan and Kath F Big Col Ray T Dr and Mrs Bob Have I missed anyone? Theres not as many as last year. Matty and Kathy? John and Rene? Ally and Marc? I'll go into the pub and enquire about food one evening next week.

Any half decent engineers suppliers should be able to find something that will do the job

Laminated or toughened would be best. In a house this is a requirement under building regulations unless they are very small panes. Laminated can be cut by a glazier toughened is made to size.

Andy Middleton who works for Sileby Mill on the Soar is good.

I was at Sileby today and whilst the level indicated it was amber the flow was considerable. I watched a cygnet get swept over the weir as it couldn't swim fast enough. I had also tentatively agreed to tow a boat to Syston but after looking at the flow changed my mind and said I wouldn't do it as it would have been against the flow. Any heavy rain will bring the Soar back into flood.

CRT have advised that the flood gate at Shardlow has been opened today and that the river is open for navigation. Looking at the levels it may still be in the amber at Derwent Mouth and you will probably have to operate Sawley flood lock, Go carefully and power past the weir there will be quite a pull from it.

I did point this out to CRT at one of the user group meetings I went to and suggested that a better place would be on the canal bank in Loughborough. Obviously my local knowledge was ignored.

Sileby Mill on the Soar allow do it yourself blacking and live aboard while you do it. Its a slipway that goes into a covered shed. Best let them do the pressure washing as they have an industrial unit which really gets the crap off of boats.

For those interested CRT have today opened Cranfleet flood gates. However the Trent has still go a relatively high flow so procede with caution. If going upstream from Beeston to Cranfleet remember that there is a narrowing of the river below Cranfleet where the current speed increase so don't thrash your engine and have some power in hand. On our boat it takes an increase of between 500 and 750 rpm to maintain the same cruising speed through the narrowing. Above all else boat safely.

The Trent has got to fall over 2ft before it goes into the amber at Shardlow and the flow has got to reduce considerably. CRT then have to open the flood gates at Cranfleet if you are going to Nottingham. If you can't sort out the problems I may be able to help one day next week as I'm only at Loughborough.

There is a similar boat to this moored on the Soar at Redhill marine - its called Clarice A11

The bar in the Rushes is a Lloyds not a spoons. There is a spoons in town in Wards End. There are plenty of coffee shops in town for breakfast and even a MacDonalds. Whar was the Unicorn has revamped itself as a sports bar - they may do breakfast and are not too far from the wharf. Before the banter I'll have a wander round and see which cafes look good for breakfast.

We have been to the Paget Arms this evening. There is another new landlord!! He is happy for use to meet there. The kitchens are being refitted so he doesn't have a menu but assuming that they are finished in time he will be happy to do food. I will need approx numbers by the middle of December so he can have stocks in.

Richard Powell of this parish may be willing to do the rebuild depending on where you are. He is based in Leamington and trades under Primrose engineering or MES https://mes-midlands.co.uk/

It looks like mahogany to me. The finish could well be french polish. This is not good with water. French polish is shellac disso;ved in alcohol and is put on in many thin layers. Googling suggests that you can use a spririt based varnish over it. I would experiment with suitable varnish on a concealed area before doing the whole cabinet. Polyvine do a good spirit based varnish for use over their scumble finish https://polyvine.com/index.php/en/interior-varnishes-2/oil-based-varnishes/extra-pale-varnish