Ready to weigh anchor

Imagine the scene. The ship lies in harbour.  Up and down the gangplanks men with huge ear rings and knee breeches swarm, carrying trunks, barrels of salt beef, pigs, chickens, and casks of rum and brandy.  Up in the rigging, the lads untangle ropes and hang newly repaired sails.  The captain and the first mate pore over charts with dividers, protractors and rulers in readiness for the perilous voyage soon to start. 

That’s exactly how it was on Herbie yesterday. Well perhaps I exaggerate a tad but you get the picture. We did move everything on board in readiness to set off on Thursday and now we are back at home because tomorrow I drive to Brentford to be inducted into the ancient order of towpath rangers and on Wednesday we have Sarah’s funeral.  Then we can set off.  Meanwhile everything we need for day to day life has been moved from house to boat and we have nothing to wear at home and few toys to play with. We will be travelling light getting back to Herbie by train as we need the car back down here when we arrive in Slough in a month’s time.