Tiring but absorbing

We set off just before eight for the walk up to Lyme Park and got there at around half past. Our timing proved to be spot on; there was a bit of a queue ahead of us, but nothing off-putting and by half nine, the official opening time, we were being assessed as to which expert to see.

This proved to be Andy McConnell, a manic character who was very good value for money, not that we'd paid any money. He encouraged all those who were at his table to put their glass out together and then delivered about ninety minutes of tuition and humour on the subject of glass making, the social history of glass usage and anything else that occurred to him.

What was particularly pleasing was that he was just as interested and interesting about the items that were of no special monetary value but which illustrated the points he was making. An example of this was the way glass pieces were often bought by working class women, after a whip round for one of their number who was getting married.

Having said that, he was very taken with Sheila's Lalique rose bowl and, indeed, went off with it twice to try to persuade Eric Knowles to do a piece to camera about it, but it was not to be. At least that meant that we could then get away rather than hanging about; we were back at the yard by twelve and ate our picnic lunch in the bungalow garden rather than the purlieus of Lyme Park; more plebeian but probably better company.

After lunch, the good news was that Sanity Again was ready to come out of the paint shed into the sun. As it is forecast to be a fine afternoon and evening, it means that the final coat of paint will harden off well before the roof furniture is replaced. Johnny put the mushrooms and the slide back and there followed another session of Braidbar shuffling.

Cala is still in the yard with us; there is a bit more to do to her before she leaves tomorrow. We'll be here over the weekend, it looks like, which is just as well as we have a fair bit of washing and polishing to do to get the sides of the boat looking as good as our nice shiny roof. When it's all done, I'll take some photos of her in all her new found glory.