A load of bilge

The weekend passed in an oily, greasy, bilgey haze as we set to sundry engine hole based tasks, including a rather assiduous sucking up of water from every nook and cranny. This was due to me wanting to test my new liquids extractor (more thorough than the pump), and in particular its marvelously long and flexible probe which just stuck its nose in everywhere and slurped everything up like a good ‘un. Result? One dry and reasonably clean bilge, which with all the rain we’ve had over the past 48 hours, is probably all awash again. Hey ho. Oh, and those swans had the temerity to come back and start attacking my boots…while my feet were still in them. That merits an avian ASBO in my book.

We also tested out a new coal, Multiheat, which I believe Bruce of Sanity has had a bash with. I found it burnt cooler and longer than Excel and it might be an option to mix the two together as Excel does go with a bit of a whoosh. The boat resembles a coal bunker as I took the car up the road to the coal merchants and stocked up on 5 bags of Excel before being persuaded to try the Multiheat – so that was another two bags.  I think we’re sitting a tad lower in the water now.

We’re pretty much ready for our hols though – a water top up and a pump out as we leave are all that’s required. I’m busily praying to the weather gods that we get some beau temps – having had to cancel our autumn fortnight because of work, I’d be extremely miffed if rain (or tempest, flood or plague) stops play.

Back home and today I’ve done my best to see something appetizing in tomatoes – a light but zesty dressing helped – but I’ve got a feeling that it’s going to be a long few months. I’m praying at the altar of St Sue of No Problem, patron saint of blogging, boating weightwatchers…