Some normality at last and a hospital visit

First off I feel for those reading about the easing of restrictions who for a variety of reasons cannot or do not wish to yet go out into what is a different world from what it was mid March.

On the canal forums - well the Facebook  'friendly narrowboat forum'  there is some horrible discord with all sorts of insults and criticisms of the perceived different types of boaters doing or being allowed to do different things. In reality it's not anyones 'fault' on how they are dealing with the restrictions, the government's focus on not allowing people to visit second homes ( C&RT are most probably on balance correct regarding leisure boaters boats as second homes) so they have been telling us leisure boaters to keep away from their (my) boats.

Today was the first day us leisure boaters could visit our boats but not to stay over.

I'm not joking when I woke up this morning it felt like Christmas and birthday all in one. I was at the boat for just before 11. First job was to check the inside of the boat and as I had hoped Percy had behaved. Just a few cobwebs.

It occurred to me I had not tried my new wiring out since I installed the new starter battery  - remember this ....

I recon its been three months since Percy's donk was started so with some trepidation I gave the key a turn and the new battery spun the 3 litre donk up super quick and the engine did its suck squeeze bang blow all as it should - perfect.

The solar had been doing its thing and within 10 minutes the Victron was showing the alternator was  putting in just over an amp meaning the batteries were well charged.

It was a naffing jungle when I arrived so I set to with the strimmer and mower to get some semblance of order. After an alfresco lunch the drone went up, first flight at the mooring.

Then it all went wrong as when stepping off the boat I went over on my ankle with a horrible scrunching noise !!

So it was a grab and go to drive home then off to the walk (or hobble) in centre where it was very  quickly assessed and  X-ray'd. Pleasingly just soft tissue damage meaning a couple of days rest  then hopefully back to normal... ish.