. . . and a supermarket trolley round the prop when the water's so cold that even with thick rubber gloves you in pain after less than a minute groping in the weed-hatch . . . a boken diesel injector (miles from the nearest road or pub. I think my lest favourite memory is coming into a lock just as my (then) partner had a tray of coffee mugs for us and two accompanying boats. I put the boat astern, nothing happened, as I revved her up I realised that we weren't in reverse gear after all - the gear cable had come adrift. The top gate stopped us OK, but all the mugs kept going !

Anyway back to dry land, Wibyhillbilly has PMed me to say that his daughter has offered him her old caravan, so our little old caravan is still looking for a home. If anyone would like some photos, please PM me (or e-mail me).   It's only a small 11' van and doesn't take up much space, but believe me, it knocks spots off sleeping in a tent - especially outside the summer months - we've been warm as toast at new year !