No engine, no cry

It’s some consolation to all those of us who have waited in all day for a delivery that never came that the same thing happens to commercial operations too. Readers will recall that we left one of the boats tied against the dock side overnight because it was due to have an engine installed today, with Sanity Again alongside in the middle of the dock. (Sanity Again won’t fit down the other side of the yard, which is just a bit shorter.)

It’s now after four and the engine has still not materialised; the yard is closing down for the weekend, so we’ve shuffled the boats one last time. The boat that is waiting to be engined has been pushed across the dock and into the paint shed, and we’re now snuggly moored against the side, from which position we can conveniently give the port side a wash and polish in the course of the weekend.

Most of the rest of the day has been taken up with two activities. I spent an hour this morning bringing the Braidbar Owners’ Group Pub Guide up to date, adding another ten pubs, whilst Sheila got on with the gardening. Once I’d got my IT done, I went out and joined her.

The yard’s flower beds are low maintenance, being mostly hardy and half hardy perennials. They would probably benefit from a bit more attention than they get, but Peter and Susan put in such long hours running the business that it’s not surprising that most of the gardening is done by whichever owners are around before the annual Open Day and Owners’ Weekend.

There’s been a lot of clearing out of ivy and other thuggish plants, cutting back stems that have finished flowering on the peonies and the like and trimming back the structural bushes.

It’s very satisfying, as you can see the benefit of an hour’s work immediately.

It’s now raining on and off and is scheduled to do so until about lunchtime tomorrow, but after that the forecast is strangely good for a Bank Holiday weekend.