Berko

A lie in and it was cooler. Oleanna was going to stay put today and when we rose the temperature was 20 C but cloud cover was keeping the sun at bay. Phew! Yesterday had reminded me of being in France on holiday as a child, returning to the boat last night after the show there had been no air. This is the reason I prefer winter. There are nearly always means of getting warm when cold (exceptional circumstances exempt), but if it’s hot and muggy there is no way to cool down, in the end it makes me feel claustrophobic.

Today I put some none boating clothes on and headed with the laptop to the station. NB Endeavour was rising in the lock as I passed, they were hoping to get up to Cowroast to wind and then head back down today. At the station I bought my ticket for West Brompton and joined the throngs of people travelling on cheap fares, a lot heading to Ascot. Then the heavens opened with huge booms of thunder. Luckily this only lasted a short time and was the only down pour of the day.

Once I reached West Brompton I took my time walking down Lillie Road to my meeting. Every charity shop had a cursory look for any bedding I could make some rugs out of for Oleanna, but none jumped out at me. I made my way to the Dancers Attic to meet with a director, show him my photos and see if we got on. This is only the second time I’ve done this, most of my work has come from either me being given to someone or them having seen my work, being in the right place at the right time, so I was quite nervous. But this soon disappeared as we got chatting about the show. I seemed to match what he was looking for in a designer and the company and show were appealing. I’ll find out if I ticked enough boxes next week after he’s met more people.

There was just enough time to get back to the station and catch the one train an hour that would take me on to Balham to meet with my school friend Morag. I’d not been in touch with her when we were in London as I’d seen her on my last couple of visits. Sadly her mother passed away unexpectedly last week so it was important to see her. We had a good couple of hours over lunch, the sort of conversation that only long standing friends can have. If you are ever in Balham try out Milk, their version of eggs benedict was wonderful.

I returned to the station with five minutes to go before the next direct train back to Berko, so my journeys had been perfectly timed and I managed to avoid using the tube. Walking past the lock, NB Endeavour was on it’s way down. A very similar height in the lock to when I’d seen them in the morning, just facing the other way six hours later.

Mick had spent the morning giving Oleanna her first 250 hour service, an oil change, a new filter, check the belts and he filled the stern greaser. All ready for her next 250 hours running. Once Mick had finished Tilly was allowed out. He doesn’t seem to want my help with getting into tight spaces. Anything he drops I could so easily bat around for him! But I’m not allowed under the big bit of floor. She spent much of the afternoon watching people pass by sitting on the stern.

0 locks, 0 miles, 9 litres oil, 1 filter, 1 thunder storm, 5 fascinators, 10 sharp suits, 0 duvet covers, 3 shows too many, 1 nice chap, 1 once proudly owned art work, 2 hours of friendship, 3 trains perfectly timed, 1 boat 6 hours later, 1 much cooler day thank goodness.