Scarborough/ Retford and Worksop Boat Club

The Geraghty zoom included more about Alastair’s under croft, oil pumps, contactless access and Berlin. We then started to do chores about the house. Some curtains required some attention, just as Adam appeared to say his farewells. Chance to say how much we’d enjoyed the show last night, apparently a few bits had gone array during the show, but from the audiences point of view it is all so bonkers and seemingly array we really couldn’t tell. A shame not to have had chance to chat with him more, but he was headed for a well earned brunch and we needed to crack on. Adam scores an 8/9 on the lodger tally.

Bedding and towel washing, shower cleaning, easiest done whilst in the shower, but I didn’t need to have two showers! Gardening, dusting, a touch of hoovering, the kitchen cupboards needed a de-fingerprint as ever, kitchen floor washed. We gave ourselves a little break and headed out to buy something for lunch and this evening, plus stock up on a few things for the house, bumping into a few friends as we shopped. Time was ticking for our first arrival and I think we got there by the skin of our teeth, still a pile of ironing to be done, but that was fine.

Liza arrived having driven up from Norfolk. A quick look round the house for her to choose which side she’d prefer to be on, decision made then we helped her unload a very full car. Liza has been to Scarborough numerous times before, so she’s aware of how the seasons are likely to change over her 9 weeks, she has brought a coat for every eventuality.

An hour later Stuart arrived, having travelled by train his luggage wasn’t quite so comprehensive. I’ve worked with them both but quite sometime ago now, Liza was in ‘Life and Beth’ and ‘Snake in the Grass’ 2008 and Stuart ‘Game Hunter’ 2003, then he toured in ‘Improbable Fiction’ 2006. There was lots to talk about, lots of mutual friends. Of course there was the show they are here to rehearse, Alan Ayckbourn’s 91st play Earth Angel. The big question was, were they playing sister and brother or husband and wife? This was soon cleared up and the ironing could resume.

Monday morning, costume fittings for Stuart and Liza whilst we packed up, finished a bit of gardening then headed for medical appointments. I took a detour down to the beach, the tide was out and most of the holiday makers were close to the waters edge meaning I had plenty of room to brisk walk across the sands to the Spa, then up through the gardens listening to the brass band playing in the Sun court. I’ve not had a proper summers day in Scarborough for years! Around the houses to one which today was guarded by a unicorn. Duncan was at home for me to deliver sock pair 102 for Jaye. Nice to have a quick catch up, enough for a mention in the blog!

Once lunch was eaten we had two things left on our Scarborough list. First one a visit to see Frank. We only just caught him before he was heading out to see a friend. It’s been a few months since we last saw him and he looked pretty good. Rather than getting a bus into town we gave him a lift to see his mate, all a little bit quick, but at least we’d checked in on him in person and seen what we could see.

Next the oil from the engine service was dropped off at the tip. Jobs completed, blood test done, dentist, 1 lodger out, 2 more in, 1 new oil pump delivered, 1 box of panto delivered and scanned, Frank seen, show seen, EatMe eaten, beach walked on, time to head back to Oleanna.

A slight detour was made to Thorne Boat Services to buy 15 litres of red diesel which would make us both feel happier heading out onto the Tidal Trent in a few days. The Chesterfield is a lovely canal, but the lack of someone selling diesel canal side is a negative especially when you don’t normally have a car.

Back at Oleanna, the doors were opened up, Tilly could have some shore leave. Have to say she’d done quite a good job of keeping the boat cool, but it soon warmed up with the doors and windows open.

The last of the steak and kidney gravy from the pie went in with some mushrooms and some pasta, a good quick meal after a busy weekend.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 30L cat litter, 2 clean and tidy houses, 1 oil pump, 1 pair socks, 3 lots of blood, 1 dentist, 1 hygienist, 3 actors, 1 Frank, 1 lift, 4 lots of bed linen ready for next time, 2 beds changed, 2 clean houses, 63 brisk minutes, 1 more mention of what’s’is’name, 1 husband and wife.