Four seasons

Well yesterday was an interesting weather day, a real four seasons in one day sort off day.

It started off really rather mild with pleasant sunshine only to be replaced with windy, squally rain showers. Shortly followed by hail storms, snow showers and torrential monsoon style rain accompanied by thunder and lightening.

Glad we were in the office!

Getting ready

With the time for naughty cals liftout looming ever closer we are starting to get together all of the necessary bits and pieces ready for her service and spruce up.

One set of propellers are boxed up ready to send for refurbishing, the sterndrive service parts are on order, oil has been delivered, and polishing gear is being checked to make sure it is in good order.

Better to be prepared than find out at the last moment things are not working as they should be.

We still need to gather together a few things but these will mostly be found at the Newark boat jumble in a couple of weeks time. From here we will get our antifoul paint, new ropes and new fender ropes. We plan to buy a new set of personalised fenders later in the month.

By the time she is relaunched early next month naughty cal should be looking like a new boat what with her fresh polish, fresh antifoul, new ropes and fenders and new canopies. We can't wait. It is great to see her looking fresh and clean and at her best.

A treat

As it was my birthday over the weekend we decided to treat ourselves to some nice, quality rib eye steaks for Sunday lunch.

And we knew that they had to come from Doddington Hall farm shop, just a short hop away from the marina. They were a little on the pricey side but you do get what you pay for.

The steaks were thick cut and tender to the touch. Aged too perfection and marbled with just the right amount of fat to keep them moist and succulent.

A quick flash fry in the griddle pan and they were ready to serve rare and at their best with some homemade garlic mushrooms and grilled fresh tomato.

No need for steak knifes here. The meat fell apart at the mere sight of the knife, just as steak should be.

Here we go again!

So the fossdyke is now in full flood, again. Seems to have been the story of this winter so far.

Once again we are safely locked in the marina whilst the canal steadily rises outside. Brayford pool is once again bursting its flood wall with the waterside premises yet again at risk of water inundation.

With more rain in the forecast it is any bodies guess where the water levels will peak this time and wether the levels will recede quickly enough for us to escape the marina this coming weekend. Cabin fever is starting to set in!

After the freeze

Well after the freeze comes the thaw and in this case what a rapid one. In the space of 24 hours all of the ice and snow has gone.

In its place rising river levels as the water makes its way downstream. So yesterday we were frozen in and today we are locked in as the flood gates that protect the waterside property here at the marina are locked shut to hold the fossdyke at bay.

Oh well. Maybe we will get out next weekend.

The thaw

Well after the big freeze the thaw is certainly setting in quickly today. It won't be long here, just a matter of hours by the look of things, before all signs of the snow and ice are gone.

This has the makings of a glorious day, blue skies and not a cloud in sight. The lake is rapidly returning to its normal liquid state and naughty cal can soon again enjoy liquid water around her hull. Happy days.

Back online

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. We have been struck down by the dreaded virus. Four days of lying in bed feeling like death warmed up. Great!

Just as I am shaking it off Liam has succumbed. Might have to write this weekend off as a bad job!