(22.08.12)
Saturday morning and I went up to Darley and titivated before setting off on the eventless journey
to home.
I tied
Darley up opposite and locked her up and walked round to the house to collect
boxes and bags ready for the next two weeks on the boat. Dawn arrived from work and we set off about
5.00pm. A couple of hours later we were
dropping down middle lock at Fradley where we were greeted by Andrew & Andrea
off Dove and an evening was arranged in the Swan. We were later joined by Roger
& Teresa and Martin fuller. Sunday we
arrived at Glascote 2 with only three boats in front however it was still an
hour before we reached the top. I hate the section from Fradley to bottom of
Glascote as its shallow, full of crap and with lots of turns and narrow
sections where people choose to moor. We
arrived at Alvecote by mid-day and turned into the marina and moored on an empty
pontoon ready for the weekend’s fun, and oh boy was there to be some fun.
Later
that afternoon some a friend of ours, Liz Rees, walked by carrying a wig which
needless to say I could not resist the temptation as I have always fancied
being a blond. Too many people said it
suited me for me to feel comfortable although it did come out again in the pub
on the Saturday night
The
Friday night saw us all being entertained by an irish folk band called
Finnegans Wake and very good they were too.
On return to Darley we discovered that Mike Askey off Victoria had made
the mistake of inviting Tom and James off coal boat Archimedes back for a drink
along with Hairy Neil, Ian Blakelock-Rae and Mikey’s girlfriend Michelle and J’s dog. When
we got back to Darley we realised that we were not going to get any sleep for a
while so, grabbing Guinness and wine we joined them. We stood on the counter
but the rest were inside and by the time they had finished Mikey’s back cabin
was a mess. They lit his camper grill,
cooked a whole pack of bacon and a loaf of bread, ate a box of apple pies, ate
a box of cocoa pops and a box of weetabix minis. What they hadn’t eaten was on the cabin
floor. At Audlem, we had bought some
small water pistols to fire at Scruff, the new dog, to stop him yapping
everytime Dawn got off the boat.
Needless to say they did get used to shoot other boat owners etc. as
well. Karen Parrot had threatened to get
us back at Alvecote, so, in readiness, Dawn had bought a very large super
soaker which was stolen off us by James and Tom off coal boat Archimedes as we passed
each other on the boat parade. They
proceeded to soak Andrew off Dove as they passed them returning on the parade.
The things got a little wet with olk filling buckets and handbowls with water
to throw, all in good fun though.
When
Andrew got back to the marina he grabbed a galvanised bucket and hid behind a
moored boat down by the lay by where returning boats winded. As Archimedes returned he jumped onto the
cabin top a threw a full bucket of water over them, followed by a further three
buckets full. This was countered by Tom
setting off a powder extinguisher all over Andrew. Great fun but it was not over yet! Saturday night saw us all being entertained
in the Samuel Barlow pub by ‘Signy’s’ band until the early hours. Tom & J were still enjoying themselves
when Andrew & Andrea left where he proceeded to untie Archimedes and push
her out into the middle of the marina before retiring to bed. When J & Tom returned they simply slept
on two other boats leaving theirs drifting till morning. Andrew on the other hand arose and shafted
Dove back to her mooring then went back to sleep. At about 3.30am J got up and repeated the
prank, pushing dove out into the marina.
At dinnertime on the Sunday every body was making their way up to the
Barlow to hear the result of the Les Lapworth Award presented for the best
turned out working boat voted for by all historic working boat owners in
attendance, and presented by his widow Alice. When the time came it was
announced that “ the winner of the Les Lapworth award is” ---------------------------Darley. You could have knocked me over with a
feather.
I went up the stairs to the balcony to be
presented with the trophy by Alice then asked to say a few words which I will
say again here, I don’t keep Darley the way I do to win any awards, it’s just
the only way I have been taught and know, but it was good! In all I think there was 55 historic/working
boats attended and another great do was put on by Malcolm and the Alvecote
tribe so once again many, many thanks, and till next time, don’t bang ‘em
about.
Blossom
PS I will need to come up with something
special for next years do!
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