So where has Ernie gone!!?

He used to be here and I followed the blog of Nb Ten Bob Note and Ernie, down the Oxford, along the Thames past the rowing club I used to row at, and then into Little Venice. - And finally into thin air....

So if you ae trying to find him from my site - you can't, but normal services will be resumed once I know if he has left the blogging fraternity, or just lost connection to his ISP.

Meanwhile - take care Ernie, and enjoy the Grand Union...

Lost Tally!!

So Sheila has nearly finished K2, only a couple of scrolls on the sta'bud side and She's done! K2 shone in the evening light, and reflected on her new artwork that is finished Port side. It's amazing how different she looks.

Sheila is writing Nb Anoula 4 pontoons down from K2. So to help her out, I moved K2 to the leeward side of Anoula's pontoon that is currently waiting for her new occupant to come in. Sheila can put up her blue tent, paint the scrolls on my Starboard, write Anoula's name and use the K2 facilities that she has got used to!!

Whilst I moved K2, Tally was happy hunting down animals in the field, and didn't notice the relocation.

Time to leave, and I whistled and called, but no Tally - very unusual, as she comes running on the first call. The hunt for a lost dog was on, and I wandered along the waters edge, to find Tally sat on my pontoon, looking a little worried - ears down, and that sad look on a dogs face. She must've thought K2 had sunk!!! - or gone without her...

She was very pleased to see me, and quite excited to see K2!

Missed...

Funny isn't it? Drove straight past K2 today! Stern in on the pontoon, my usual landmark of the tunnel light wasn't there, Had to embarrasingly back up to her..

Stern in of course, as the port side is now being written, but she's looking good, and Sheila has picked up some other work in the marina. She's caused a bit of a stir with the blue tent, and paint pots! Her work speaks for itself...

Have a look:

... And now the confession! Sheila finally spilled the beans today, that she was commisisoned by Ian and Sarah to paint K2 when she was born! So all the red / green and yellow painting is her handiwork! How fitting that she is now signwriting her as well.

Named Boat!

Finally took the plunge! Ever since I bought K2, I kept part of the money aside waiting to get her signwritten. It was planned to do that once the loan was paid off and she is totally mine - but as my shares were virtually worthless when I was made redundant, I can't wait any longer (and the money isn't attracting any interest in the bank these days!) - So a little tarpaulin tent was erected around the back cabin of K2, like this!!.....

And in all the sweltering heat, Sheila sat inside, patiently sweating out each letter, one by one. It's an amazing art - and fantastic to watch, needing patience, a steady hand and arm, and a keen eye - all qualities I don't have!

The neighbourlyness and community spirit in the marina came to the fore. As I couldn't get to K2 before today, not only did Richard and Audrone provide cups of tea and coffee, but also allowed the pontoon to be completely blocked as Sheila worked away. Only hope that Neil and Ruth , who are behind me, or the owners of the new boat that snuck in behind us when we were all out, don't turn up - that could be interesting!! Here's Sheila at work with a sneak preview of a "work in progress". The picture below is a link to Sheilas' site- if you want to see more of her work or contact her.

A Blank Canvass

Every good artist starts with a blank canvass - here's mine! In the streaming sun, I "T cut" the red panels down

and shined up all the paintwork. A good deal of

the yellow, as well as the red oxide needs redoing, especially on the tug deck - but I've other plans at the moment.