Raymond Briggs's Father Christmas was often heard saying "Bloomin Christmas", well it's Zoomin' Christmas here, what with our Peter stranded with his cat in Cambridge. Good old Zoom has been our saviour this year, in fact we've undoubtedly spent more time in conversation with Peter than the last five years put together. A pity we can't Zoom with Herbie, incarcerated in Wigrams Turn for the time being.
In the news:
CRT sent us our licence renewal reminder and they have indeed given us an extra month, so that's nice. I wonder what the impact is on them. They lose 8.5% of their licence income if I'm right. Have they perhaps been over generous?
It looks like Boris might announce a Brexit deal later today. Will I still be allowed to take Herbie into the North Sea for a bit of trawling?
Mr Trump is issuing pardons right left and centre, so can I be let off for not yet finishing the wall insulation round the back of Herbie's stove. The poor little stove was installed new in March and has still never been lit.
A couple of our senior friends have already had their Covid jab. Waitrose have donated use of their social club premises at their HQ down the road from us for the jabathon. Perhaps we'll get a free mince pie when it's our turn.
Quiz answers:
If you would like more time to try our Christmas picture quiz, look away now and come back later 'cos here are the answers.
Thanks to those who sent in their guesses. Very interesting they were, especially as they suggested some waterways we have yet to visit, so it might give us some incentive for future trips.
Here are the real answers:
1. S Oxford near Wormleighton, the radio mast is the giveaway. A popular mooring spot in the middle of nowhere.
2. Grand Union, on the high embankment at Weedon Bec, where those white railings lead down steps to the village and the Royal Ordnance depot museum.
3. N Oxford opposite the Waterside pub at Hillmorton Wharf. Cheap food and average beer.
4. Upper Avon navigation near Stratford. Lovely spot where I crossed the lock to take pictures of a heron catching a fish by the weir.
5. S Oxford Thrupp visitor moorings (the sneaky narrow angle telephoto shot made it harder to spot)
6. R Thames at Eton, nice little mooring with the bridge over to Windsor visible just upstream
7. River Soar (or is it the Leicester Arm just there?). Centre of Leicester anyhow, where these moorings lead through to a city centre park which is locked at night, so quite secure.
8. Lea navigation The lock near Waltham Abbey, also near the Lee Valley White Water Centre ( no we didn't put Herbie in the white water), also near the Gunpowder factory.
9. Grand Union not far north of Brentford. That's the tube train line going overhead.
10. Grand Union alongside Harefield Marina, where it is tempting to steer right through the gap but you'd soon run aground. Timothy Spall used to keep his narrowboat there.
Well done to anybody who got more than a couple. I did say they weren't easy.
Wherever you are, whatever tier you're in, thanks for joining us at the Herbie blog and have A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS - and stay safe!
5 comments:
Blimey, we got 8 out of 10! Although Eton did give us a bit of a heated debate. Mick should have known I was right.
Happy Christmas to you and Kath.
Pip, Mick and Tilly
Thanks for posting the quiz, very enjoyable!
Doesn't Mick know that women are always right and men are always wrong? So if a man says a woman is right, is he right or wrong?
I only managed three of them definitively, but of course one was a pub, so bound to get that! Was close with a few others, but not absolutely sure, despite having moored there in the past, like Thrupp, Leicester pontoon and Weedon.
Oakie, perhaps next time I should do all photos of pubs, then you could win in style.
I'm in the tier over the water, but thank you again for a year of entertaining blogs, Neil and I hope to be following you faithfully again for another year. May 2021 bring us all health and a bit more liberty!
Post a Comment