Banished!

Not forever thank goodness but for the 2 hours and 37 minutes it took to carry out the Boat Safety Certificate inspection yesterday. LJ and I wandered the river and the length and breadth of Ely. My original plan of a walk and then into Peacocks for ...  Something with cheese obviously...was foiled by half term. The dog friendly room was packed all afternoon with yummies and ankle biters.

QISMA will be 4 in July so the inspection is mandatory. Alistair had 30 years of worrying about Maritime and Coastguard Inspections during his time in the RFA.  The further up the chain he went, the more responsibility for success or the alternative! He is therefore pre-programmed to worry.

I can almost here the thoughts .... But the boat is only 4 years old, what can possibly be wrong? Hmm. I returned after an hour to be told it's going to fail and will take at least another hour. Off we went.

Seems the purpose built cupboard for our batteries didn't pass muster. He wasn't happy that no rubber mats covered the batteries - though that seems dangerous to me but what do I know? He,said that because gas pipe ran behind,this wooden facia, he could make us rip it out!,And there was too much soot in the chimney!

Alistair went behind doing self  help. The high quality foam that the useless tv sat nav came in was sacrificed, as were,some,rubber backed mats. With that and some additional roping down.... we got through. Too stressed to celebrate!

Meanwhile in Ely. A new addition to the new addition on the waterfront.

 LJ's favourite Ely walk in the grounds if the Cathedral.

 And a fix of goslings to make up for lack of cygnets