The Big One (5-6)

Friday 4th of May 2012.


Dutch River Moorings.

We left the Goole Boathouse Marina this morning and proceeded to take on board water, diesel and to have a pump out of the black water tank. So we are set fair to continue our cruise. As the Yorkshire Ouse is still in heavy flood and will be for some time. We have postponed our trip to York and we are now planning to go up the Trent.


We are back on the visitor moorings until tomorrow when we intend to move on again. Our options are to make our way round via Thorne to Keadby Lock and go up river to West Stockwith and then onto the Chesterfield Canal. Then to return back to West Stockwith and go up river to Torksey and on to the Fossdyke and cruise to Boston and back.


Everyone thought that low water levels would be curtailing boating activities. The reality is that it is flooding on our rivers that is keeping us tied to the bank. What's more in a time of drought we are up to our ears in water.

Another day of leisure doing a bit of reading and just chilling out. It's been just over a year since I retired. In a strange way, I went through three stages of change. The first was with some trepidation for the first few months. The second was a short period of aimless drifting from one thing to another. Now I am quite focused and enjoying my new job - which is to have a long and enjoyable retirement. I know, we are very comfortable with our pension provision which allows us to do almost anything we like.


You could have failed to notice that there has been an election going on in some parts of the country. Due to the apparent lack of enthusiasm of the public, the turn out was low. Now I can understand why people feel the need to ignore the election. - The fiasco of the greed of MP's, with their expenses and their second homes. The financial meltdown which has been allowed to develop through greed in the banking system. Aided by the cosy relationship between various leaders and Dellboy Murdoch's phone tapping emporium.



A council candidate dressed as a penguin called Professor Pongoo has received more votes than the Liberal Democrats in Edinburgh. Professor Pongoo, real name Mike Ferrigan was an independent candidate who had pledged to wear the penguin outfit to every council meeting if he was elected.

I understand that the Penguin who beat LibDems in Edinborough and the Polar bear who beat Tories in Liverpool are in coalition talks. But I think on the political  hustings they may be poles apart

Maybe that's the way to increase the number of voters turning out. Have a fun candidate - A return to the time when even the "Monster Raving Loony Party" could bring them out to vote.

BoBo

In an election run like the ones in third world countries - boxes of missing votes are found just in the nick of time!!!! After a count thrown into chaos when two batches of ballot papers were put into storage without being counted, Buffoon Boris narrowly beat Newt Livingstone, the Labour candidate, after second preference votes from the five losing candidates were taken into account. With typical Tory spin "BoJo was said to have rescued the Conservatives from disastrous results in the local elections."

BoJo

Now there is an aircraft carrier parked on the Thames. Supposedly to protect the Olympics. Now call me old and cynical, but what is the London city airport for? Why are there ground to air missiles deployed on tower blocks? The old adage of - smoke and fire - comes to mind.






But its the Cup Final weekend so its not all bad news.

Daily Total
Miles: 0

Locks: 0

Swing / Lift Bridges: 0

Tunnels: 0

Pump Outs: 1

Engine Hours: 0.0

Accumulated Totals

Miles: 628.8

Locks: 645

Swing / Lift Bridges: 104

Tunnels: 6

Pump Outs: 9

Engine Hours: 2092.8

Later.....