Really and Truly wittering

Well I have been up since 3 am this morning with Lucy, who was walking the floor in her nervy condition.  I sometimes think this hysteria business is caused by bad dreams, anyway she is asleep in a chair now at 6 am.

During this period I watched Youtube, a fascinating video/s of mudlarking on the Thames.  From 19th century pipes to Tudor bricks, Bellarmine jug tops and rings.  From the coloured glass Nicola White from Tideline Art makes pretty  glass fish.

It reminded me of long ago when in my 20s I worked at the small business my grandfather had started up in Great Dunmow, Essex.  It was called Pickard Marine, and we did not actually make boats but the engines that went inside, and our main contractor and which kept the factory running, was in fact Colchester lathes I think.  Anyway the small boats had to be tested.  This involved taking one to London and the Thames.

I think it was an aluminum boat, shallow in the water, off we set.  Probably one of the most frightening experiences at the time, on this giant river with large boats sweeping past.  The problem came when we had to bring it ashore through all that stinky mud.  We managed and then someone called over to us from a large barge, beautifully furnished, that they were obviously living on, and offered us a cup of tea and basin to wash our very muddy feet in.  Such kindness but they were horrified at us rank amateurs tackling the Thames. 

Another incident involved me taking this boat out on the Essex coastline, amongst a great flock of sailing boats, unfortunately, a steering wire came off the handle to steer and I went round and round in circles with all these people yelling at me.  I hate boats!  Luckily all these experiments proved to be no good and the boat side was forgotten.

But to yesterday and an afternoon of mulled wine and mince pies.   Well I sat down by the side of someone who sends me emails from the local G/P coincidentally and we chattered away on the problems of politics in the area.  One point I bought up was going out in the evening to meetings and driving which I wasn't keen on and where to park when I got to the pub. We thought daytime meetings at a local cafe might be the answer.  I love the phlegmatic way people accept that they are not going to win a seat in the general election, you lose £500 for a start, a sort of entering fee, we are not big shots like the Americans, or indeed the conservative party with large donations from wealthy outsiders.

E discussed a couple of groups she belongs to, one is in Malton, a lunch where you pay £15 (rather expensive!) for the meal, £10 of which goes on the meal the rest to the charity, you have to bring a newspaper headline along rather than talk about family -  hmm not sure on restrictions.  The other group was also female doing things together theatre, talks, book criticising, etc.  Not a great fan of groups and happy with my gardening club but I am thinking of having coffee mornings even if it is just to bring people together.