Baton Down the Hatches

Yesterday it pissed down all day, it was an impressive attempt by the elements to imprison the residents of Falmouth, Penryn and probably most of Cornwall. I now have not been on my boat for five nights, which is along time. I've been on 'Samara' in the days just not at night. Except for yesterday when the rain defeated me.

I've spent the last couple of days over at Ian's up at Old Hill, this is where normality reigns and the renewal of the golden age of dole is well under way. I headed over there on Tuesday to watch history as the Presidency of the United Sates of America was switched to that of a black man. Something not to be missed and something that few ever thought that they'd see in there life time. I'm to young to claim that but still I think it took us all by surprise. Aretha Franklin definitely provided an unbeatable sound track. You have to wonder how terrified the Obama's were as they stepped out of the motorcade onto Pennsylvania Avenue unscreened from potential assassination attempts. As we say "the time is now", though I'm sure Dougie Rowe has got to lot to say about it. Though I'm sure he is harbouring just a little respect for President Obama, as a man who has achieved. Ian, Dave and I had a steak dinner and cherry pie to celebrate. Dave had won 10 rib eye sakes from Delia Smith and a signed copy of her 'Frugal' cookbook. Cab you see the irony? This was after having entered an internet competition that he'd accessed up at the Old Hill resource centre. Dave had never eaten steak before - hes in his mid fifties and spent most of his life on the dole. It was good steak, Ian and I reassured him. The Cherry pie with double or clotted cream had been a long established favourite in the house being under £1, from Tesco, well up until recently.

Further to the point about the golden age of dole, Ian and Dave have now developed the advanced habit of putting all the adverts on mute. Not only because the adverts get louder but due to there manipulative contents, aimed at the retired only fifties. You know the stuff; over fifties life insurance that doesn't pay out, stair lifts, step in baths and anti-wrinkle creams. The two of them sat there willingly deconstructing the situation for me. Pointing out that if you didn't have much intelligence or in fact much to do after retiring you would fins yourself seriously worried, most likely in a sate of anxiety about all this stuff and how this form of advertising should be banned. No wonder most people die within two years of retirement!

Wayne is now playing his pipes very exotically.........

What else is going on? I'm now drying out my berth using a fan heater that only last week was meant to be blowing the fuse all the time. I think Wayne and I suspicions have been confirmed after the cold snap, our neighbour was probably been lying about his electricity consumption.

I found my greenstone pendant and my ruby ring after having misplaced them for the best part of six weeks.I was actually beginning to get worried that I'd lost them completely and was going to have a great houlley with Chris thinking he might have scagged them. I had just left them in the shower and nobody had bothered to tell me at Miss Peapods. Though had I been more concerned I might have asked! So I'm very grateful that Hannah enquired about them to me. Thanks Hannah.