The Art Of Pottering (Part Two)

The lovely Mrs 'Erindoors has ventured West to visit her daughter for the weekend, leaving me to fend for myself.
So on Sunday morning I decided it was about time I got on with some more boat-pottering. This time, instead of gazing at my naval and not actually doing anything (see Part One of this duology), I got on with the v. important task of repositioning the Grundig amp from starboard to port in order to accommodate two people sitting at the table, and talking into a microphone for Radio Wivenhoe. More on those plans at a later date.

Some men (and women?) have a shed to potter in, but I don't. Instead, I have a Boat For My Potplants, and after setting the amp into the locker space, I put on some music (Captain Fantastic, one of Elton's better albums) to check out the old hifi.

Even I have to say that the acoustics from those spherical speakers were in fact the dog's b*ll*c*s. This 1970's boat, with all its wood, cushions and curtains, is the perfect environment for a 1970's bit of hifi kit.

My next task is to locate a suitable microphone and mixer desk and start building the 'studio'. But for today I was perfectly content to make myself a brew and soak up the sounds from the Seventies.

The Art Of Pottering On A Boat

It was a wonderful sunny afternoon yesterday and I'd finished work early, so a quick pop down to the Boat For My Potplants wouldn't go amiss.

I didn't want to do anything too taxing. I lit a candle on the rear deck and looked around, checking to make sure the two Snowy dogs were okay and weren't feeling too left out after the recent Cutest Canine shenanigans in which they weren't allowed to enter (as they were bound to have won). They seemed to be okay.

Then I wandered around the galley (kitchen), and found an almost full bottle of white wine left over from last year's Smallest Pirate Radio Station madness. I thought I'd better make sure it was still drinkable. It was.

After that I lifted up the ol' shagpile and checked the bilge. There was a wee bit of water there. 'No!', my mother would say. 'A bit goes in a horse's mouth.' Okay, mum, there was a wee drop of water there.

So I sponged it up, and looked around to see what else I could do, without actually doing anything. I opened the lockers to make sure that things were still there, and I moved the things around a bit. I switched on the lights and then off again. I turned on the radio and listened for a while, and made mental notes of the various jobs to be done during the coming days, weeks and months ahead.

But for now I was content with simply mastering the art of pottering on a boat and not doing very much at all. 

And The Winner Is...

I think Ian got the wrong end of the stick with his photo (above) and comment "I know he doesn't look like a dog but the man who sold it to us assured us that he is"
Well thanks a lot Ian. Keep taking the pills.

Anyway, back to the serious business of announcing the winner of the Cutest Canine-on-boat competition. After spending one of my most bizarre and surreal Sunday evenings ever, adding up doggie-votes, I can now reveal the results. Drumroll please...



Sniffing up the rear in fourth place we have Griff's MACIE with a cool 17.5% of the vote. And jolly well done Macie for wearing a jacket.






Closely laying in front of Macie, there's old BORIS, who pulled in a cool 20%, looking like he rules the waterways. 





In second place, in front of Boris, DYLAN got an impressive 25%, undoubtedly thanks to his cuddliness. 



But the heartiest congratulations go to the leader of the pack, also safety conscious, our number one Cutest Canine, with a massive 37.5% of the entire votes cast, please put your sea-legs together for Mark and Julie's TETLEY. 




I remember being five years old and the teacher making each of us in class stand up and say what we wanted to be when we grow up. 'Please Miss', I said. 'I'm going to have a Boat For My Potplants with dogs on it, and astroturf, winter pansies, and a hi-fi, and everything. And I'm going to be a judge for my own doggie competition'. 

'Don't be stupid, boy', Teacher said. 'Go and stand outside the Headmaster's study'.

And then I woke up.

Cutest Canine Competition

I can't believe this is happening!

I put some pics of the various doggies who had all been welcomed aboard my Boat For My Potplants. With my brain suffering from the effects of too much Christmas mulled wine, I had an idea to see if anyone else had some relevant pooch-on-boat photos.

So I enlisted the help from the wonderful Norfolk Broads website, being that my boat once resided in that beautiful location back in the '70s.

When I accepted the challenge of doing up an old boat, I never envisaged that one day I'd be judging my very own Cutest Canine Competition - especially as I'm not particularly a dog lover (or perhaps I am, and always have been, without realising it).

Anyway, enough of all that, and on with the show. A sort of Crufts Of The Waterways.

The trouble is - I can't decide on the winner just yet - they're all so cute. So out of all the entries, here are my Favourite Five, in no particular order.

You can email me, or post a comment with YOUR favourite from the shortlist below, so that I can award First Prize to the most popular.

Dylan

Macie

Brillo

Tetley

Boris

I'm not sure what the prize is - I'm still working on that - but it's bound to be something, er...well, er...something doggie and boat-related!

A Dog's Not Just For Christmas

Guard-dog Snowy, who lives permanently on board

On Christmas morning I grabbed a moment to dash down to the boat to check the bilge. It wasn't too bad, considering the recent heavy and persistant rain, but certainly in need of some attention. I was greeted as usual by Tin Tin's dog Snowy (who lives permanently on board while keeping guard) but this time he was looking rather damp and forlorn.

We spent a few peaceful moments together, looking forward to warmer and sunnier days to come.

We reflected on the several furry friends who have previously joined us aboard.

Harvey

First there was Harvey, who was happy to sleep overnight, but sadly his owners Lyn and Wayne couldn't hack it, and they left at three in the morning.

Then there was Desne's Hector, who loves the boat so much he recently came on board for a second time to enjoy the astroturf.

Hector

Ruby, belonging to my step-daughter Laura, stole my heart - and I hope she spends many more future doggy days with us in Wivenhoe.

Ruby

My sister's pooch positively enjoyed his trip down-river to Brightlingsea. And Dave and his wife's little darling felt very at home joining in with our picnic on the rear-deck last summer.

Sister's pooch

Dave and his wife's darling

So, it just goes to prove that a dog's not just for Christmas. On the Boat For My Potplants it's for any time of the year.














  

3xM (Magnificent, Magical, Merry) XMAS 2U

It's now proven that anyone who sets foot aboard the boat goes on to find that love is in the air.

Earlier this year Trish and Geoff came aboard and then promptly got married.

And now Nenah and Paul, who joined us for a Guy Fawkes party on the rear deck, recently announced their engagement. Paul also helped me with one of my expedition on the High Seas Of Wivenhoe.

Blimey, it's catching.

I'll have to bottle and sell this formula, and then make my future fortune with Boat-For-My-Potplants-Potion.

 So, while the loved-up couples are busy making their future plans and preparations, it only leaves me to wish all my blog's readers a truly Magnificent, Magical and Merry Christmas!

Frosty - NOT!

The date came for the Fundraiser evening at the Sailing Club, endeavouring to raise money for the community ferry from Wivenhoe to Rowhedge and Fingringhoe.

Up early, I scuttled down to the boat to collect my faithful old record deck (a bargain at £24.99 from Aldi) that I used on The World's Smallest Pirate Radio Station back in August.

Brrr! It was brass monkey weather - the first real frost of the winter - and I nearly came a cropper as I slipped along the side-deck and just managed to cling on in time.

Seven o'clock and the venue filled up with people eager to have a good time. It may have been frosty outside, but inside the reception was far from it.

Rowhedge on the other side of the Colne

What a result! Reggae, Motown and a bit of soul on the turntable with Jerry from Radio Wivenhoe helping to twiddle the knobs in all the right places. Many happy faces, and around fifteen hundred quid raised.

Not only that...did I really volunteer to get involved with helping to operate the ferry next year? Will I really want to go to Rowhedge? Of course I will. The Anchor's a pretty good pub you know.

And a bit of practise on the river certainly won't go amiss.

Eurekakaka

Being a humble painter and decorator I sometimes have lots of time to think while the paint-brushes are doing the work. I found my mind wandering towards 2013 and thoughts of what next year's adventures would be in store for me and my Boat For My Potplants.

Apart from going out on the river for the ocasional picnic, once again it is music that comes to the forefront.

Eurekakaka!!! The boat should be turned in to a studio so that I can record weekly radio programmes, and not only that, I can have guests being interviewed and playing their guitar, keyboard, ukelele or whetever the heck they like.

I can play other genres that I know nothing about, like gothic, hip-hop, jazz and reggae, and the boat can become the perfect platform from which to launch this voyage of discovery.

One favourite is Mama Rosin. They're first on my list. They're French speaking Swiss, playing Louisiana Cajun style punk. Wivenhoe has fallen in love with them and for some reason they've fallen in love with Wivenhoe - so much so that they've written a song about us.

Check this out...Mama Rosin: "Wivenhoe"
PS: Best played loud after a few pints.

 

One Thing Leads To Another...

I must have had a couple of drinks the other Sunday at the sailing club (of which I'm not a member, being the owner of a motorised Boat For My Potplants) when I was asked if I might recreate the golden age of Los Amigos's Pirate Radio days of yesteryear - or was it merely yestermonth?

I can't quite remember - it was all such a blur. But anyways, I said yes to the fundraising scheme to get some much-needed dosh for the ferry fund.

Yes, Sir-ree, we do indeed have a non-profit-making ferry that runs across the river when high tide permits, taking passengers from Wivenhoe to Fingringhoe and Rowhedge, all for the good of the local community. If one timed it right, one could even take a bike and cycle off to Mersea Island, go once round, and get back in time for the last return crossing.

So one thing has led to another, and I'm jolly well looking forward to spinning the discs yet again, I can tell you.

It's all go. All I need to do is dig out that smash hit chart-topper by Gerry And The Pacemakers "Ferry Cross To Mersey"                                                                                   
                                                                            
Did I hear a groan somewhere?

Cats And Dogs Opportunity

Finally I had a little time to spend some time on my Boat For My Potplants yesterday afternoon, and the geraniums were looking a bit sad. It's that time of the year again to be thinking about the winter pansies, so off I went to Deans Nurseries to get a load.

Not only that, the boat also needed a good old tidy up inside, and a clean on the outside. So, by the time I got round to doing the gardening, it was already dusk, and I may have looked a little eccentric going about my business in the dark infront of some pub-goers. Never mind, eh?

But when I popped down there this morning to admire my handywork, I couldn't help noticing how dirty the canopy was looking.

It was raining cats and dogs, and I saw that as a perfect opportunity to get the Fairy Liquid out and give it a good old scrubbing, hoping that the rain would do the rinsing off for me. I may be a little eccentric, but I'm not completely daft, you know.

The Craic = Water And Boats And Music

Lucky enough to have planned to visit the beautiful Irish town of Kinsale (County Cork), we turned up and discovered that the 2012 Jazz And Blues Festival was in full-flow during the (Irish) Bank Holiday Weekend.

Regular readers of my blog will by now know that I'm a tad partial to a spot of music, a few potplants, a touch of the black stuff, and the boating life - so I was, I could say, in my element.

As if it wasn't enough, our accommodation was right on the water's edge, overlooking the magnificent harbour - scene of historic battles between Irish and English during years long ago.

Thankfully that was all history, and nowadays the two nationalities embrace with a common interest in all things boaty and all things melodic.

The craic was more than good. The music was outstanding - particularly Jaime Nanci...when he came on stage we expected bovver coming from his punk and teddy boy exterior, until he opened his mouth and began singing sultry jazz in the voice of Nina Simone. It was exquisite.

And being drawn to a river, I was taken in by the tranquility of the many boats, motor and sail, that were moored up here.

Anyone getting the chance to visit - don't hesitate. Jump in at the deep end and soak it up, to be sure.

Old Boat, Old Car. Slow Down Neil

It was great on Friday night when we caught the train one stop away to Alresford to have dinner with some friends, Sue and Ian.

It was especially good because Ian shares my interest in old boats and old cars. Ian races at Silverstone. He's actually pretty good, and he has the trophies to prove it.

Over an excellent curry we chatted about his classic MG and my old Fiat 124 (Sport Coupe AC 1400cc 1968). We discussed our respective boats and cars. We talked about our hectic jobs, and the lack of time we have to indulge in our passions.

When I moved to Wivenhoe I thought I'd be semi-retiring, but life has turned out to be the opposite, being more filled with work than ever before. Never wanting to say no to a job, in case it's the last time I get asked.

But whether it's a car or a Boat For My Potplants, there's just always something to be done, and it ain't gonna happen without some better time management from me.

So, as we ease towards 2013, I must pull my finger out and slow down a bit. The river is calling me.

It doesn't seem that long ago that I met up with another Wivenhoe Quay Character, Pete. He's a roofer, you know, so we call him Pete The Roof. He used to have the mooring that my Boat For My Potplants now occupies. He's been busy preparing and repairing his lovely old boat all summer. And last summer too. And now it's nearly done, so well done to you, Mr Roof.

As I checked out the photo taken with me, I couldn't help noticing that I'd been putting on a few excess pounds. My wife agreed, and decided to drag me, I mean take me, on a nice walk around Mersea Island. 'It's only fifteen miles', she said. 'And it's a nice day'.

'FIFTEEN MILES?', I protested. But before I could think of an excuse to get out of it, I found myself going along with her plan, somewhat reluctantly, I have to admit.

Back home I managed to muster some energy to get down to my boat and tend to the geraniums.  Exhausted, I reflected on the day. It had been magnificent, and I thanked my lucky stars to be living here.

Pinching Myself

Blimey. I've got to pinch myself. After last weekend's not-so-great experience on my Boat For My Potplants, I've been having the good - no, great - fortune to have been asked to make a neighbour's boat become just like mine.

Blimey. It's catching. Sooner or later all my nautical neighbours are going to want one.

Blimey. What an absolute pleasure it's been to have been repairing, sanding, preparing and painting the interior of my customer's boat, from which I merely need to glance up and view my boat just a few yards away. And not only that, it's been all of 60 seconds to fall out of bed and get to of the morning.

Blimey. I'm even getting paid for doing this job, whereas really it is I who should be paying for having been granted such a great privilege.

It's the Wivenhoe Magic, making its mark again.