It must be Christmas soon.. it's the works do first!

Moving between Devizes, Honey St and Pewsey.. Kennet and Avon Canal

Flitting up and down the canal at the moment between catching trains south from Pewsey and measuring up No Problem Mk2 in Devizes.. I am getting to know this bit of the canal very well indeed!

But traditionally in our family, this weekend was the 'works do' and although retired now, Vic and I do get an invite to party at the South Parade Pier in Southsea with all the staff at the family business..

Always a great night out, and as usual dancing into the early hours, managing to turn the light off just after 3.15am.. But an early start from the hotel just over the road from the Pier, and we took a stroll along the prom before breakfast, it was a gorgeous morning, here looking across the Solent towards Ryde on the Isle of Wight...

I miss this place you know.. born here in Portsmouth and was brought up here for most of my life.. nothing has changed much along the sea front... and even over on canoe lake I knew I wouldn't be disappointed in a great display of model boats on a Sunday morning... this was just before someone put in a super power boat that even had the ducks scrambling for cover..

The rest of the day was spent with the grandchildren and trying to get a little rest in the afternoon.. no chance of that though!.. Far too much to talk about on Sunday night meant another latish night before getting up with the lark to get a lift into Portsmouth with Wendie, which gave us a chance to go into the huge B&Q to have a look at kitchens, or galleys in our case.

We managed to pick out the units, tiles and flooring that we would like for the new narrowboat before catching the train back to Pewsey again after our whirlwind weekend..

Today it was off to the post office for last minute mail to be sent, a trip to the library to renew books to last over the Christmas Period before pulling the pins on a very very muddy Pewsey to make our way to George Gibson's boatyard to pick up our written survey.. "Yes, don't worry Sue.. tis a good boat you have yourself.. enjoy her".. Ahhhh great stuff.

In fact in his conclusion he said in the survey..

Verdict - Narrowboat has a very good hull and is a fine boat. She will require very little work to start cruising but the issues raised must be attended to as soon as possible so that her present condition is retained. Providing a good level of annual maintenance is now kept up she will prove to be a great asset

Pleased with that I was... issues raised were minimal.. hull needs blackening and there are a couple of rusty areas on the side that need some of that stop rust stuff put on. We will wait for the spring to have that lot done, along with a complete paint job me thinks..