Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.

It nearly happened last year, and it has happened this year.

Out on the boat the other week I finally lost my patience.  The combination of sweltering in the heat and  simultaneously chewing hair in just a light offshore breeze meant action needed to be taken.

So from this.

 

To this.

 

I now have cold ears.

Stranded At Sea

A few weeks ago (w/e of 16th April) we made the trip down to Essex.  The plan was for me to get some work done on Eb, and for Bill and I to get out fishing. 

After a few beers on Friday night we devised a friendly wager, based on first fish caught and biggest fish caught.

We finally laid our head down for about 4 hours kip.  Surprisingly such little sleep was no problem, and we were fresh out of bed ready to head to Brightlingsea at 4am.

Since Bill bought Reel Grumpy last year we've long wanted to do proper session fishing with a real early start and it felt good to be out and about so early.  Its the sort of thing we did virtually every weekend when we were 18, and I guess that to us that's part of what fishing is all about.

Having reached Brightlingsea, we were out in the tender before 6am.  We weren't the only ones looking for  good days fishing!

The tide was pretty much at its lowest point, and negotiating our way out of the mooring gave us a few heart in mouth moments ... as you can see, the depthfinder was telling us there wasn't much water below us!

 

 

We found ourselves a suitable location to drop the lobster pot, and then made our way out to where we were hoping to get lucky.  Getting ready to cast out was a joy ... this was my first time to use my new reel!  It was my birthday present from Bill - thanks dude!

 

After getting everything set up, we got the kettle on.  You know when coffee granules get damp .... well that's all we had!  Its fair to say we enjoyed the most disgusting coffee known to man.  Bait was squid and/or herring.  With everything ready to go we got our baits out in the water.

 

The tide, the weather and slowly the fish all started to come to us.  I had a dogfish, and Bill started with a small Whiting followed by a few Dogfish.

 

 

 

As the fishing tailed off we raised anchor in search of a lucky spot.  By now the sun was out, and it was a gorgeous day!  We though there was no better place to be.  All changed within moments though.  With time ticking, and the tide disappearing, we decided to head back.  We'd had fun and it would still give us an evening with the womenfolk.  As we made our way to shore the buoy marking the lobster pot came into view - there was always a chance of lobster for tea!  But then Reel Grumpy stuttered ... and seconds later died. 

This wasn't the end of the world, Bill had joked on many a time that he had never refilled it, and we knew there was more diesel on board.  We checked the tank which was low, and so topped her up.  Turns out that the spare diesel was ancient and we had no idea if it would be good or not.  Bill hit the ignition button, the engine turned over ... but didn't even attempt to fire.  Within moments we had the engine cover up.

We then spent HOURS trying to prime the fuel system to get it going.  We even read the bloody manual!  We thought we knew what we were doing ... but were armed with just a 10mm socket and some needle nose pliers!  The photo above shows bill drawing a bottle of water up through a bucket to create the suction to pull the diesel through.  This is a tried and tested technique ... didn't work on Reel Grumpy though.

Eventually we had to admit defeat,and rang Bill's did to register our need for our "one free rescue".  We sat back, had a smoke, and figured we might as well through a bait in the sea!  After an hour or so Bill's Dad arrived, and with tools too!  Whilst I tried to get the fuel system primed Bill went to collect the lobster pot that had been taunting us of its location for the past hour or so.  This is how close we were.

 

This was the contents of the lobster pot.  Missing lobsters, but it did contain a cool little hermit crab!

Although still missing the 8mm we so desperately needed we played around for another hour or so but with no joy.  As well as the questionable diesel, we now guessed the batteries were getting too low to fire her up too. 

And so we tied the two boats together, and took a tow back to port.  Lesson learnt - NEVER run out of gas!

As we came into harbour the tide was once more DEAD LOW!  Having stopped for a natter with the locals it was determined we had no chance of getting back onto our mooring.  But after the mornings efforts Bill and I felt confident.  We went for it and thankfully got back OK.  Gary moored up, and were supposed to collect him.

With Reel Grumpy safely back on her spot, we jumped in the tender and fired up the two stroke outboard to go and collect Gary.  It just wasn't our day though, and halfway back the outboard coughed and stuttered into silence.  At least the tender has oars on board, and so our day ended like so.

The Gate Escape!

Those of you who have visited over recent months (years?) will surely have noticed the the entrance to our property has become somewhat worn and not entirely fit for use.

With the new pagoda going up, the plan was always to move the gate in line with the end of the barn, and at the same time sort out a new gating solution.

And so when Tash's first compressed day of April came round, and she and Alfie went to the play group, I spent a few hours in the barn building a new gate whilst listening to Will Carling bumble on about rugby on TalkSPORT. 

I had to build a new wider gate, and also sort out some of the slightly worn parts.  The hinges had definitely seen better days!

This is the last picture I took.  As you can see, I used a baton to screw everything in place and then hung the hinges to take out all the slack.  Since then I have acquired a new set of hinges from the scrap yard which are quite simply gorgeous!  The new gate has cost me completely £0, being a combo of wood left in the barn loft and the old gate.

Old McWimpole Has A Farm ....

The first weekend of April we were joined by Team Ferg' on a visit to Wimpole Farm.  It was the time when lambs are being born, and the womenfolk offered the excuse of  "the kids will want to see the lambs" whilst actually meaning "hopefully the kids will run off and I'll see a cutesy baby lamb be born".

Apologies for Dave for not being included in the photo.  You can see Sal struggling under the weight of two, and when Dave attempted to jump on her back she went down faster than Blackpool Town!

Alfie met goats.  I have to admit I quite like goats, and when I one day have enough land to home a pig I think I shall also look for a goat.  I'll be sure not to build any bridges, I wouldn't want to risk trolls!

Oh, and on the note of pigs.  Everyone thinks of them as cute little squeaky pink squishy things ...

 

BUT .... don't get them hungry! Seriously, lock up your toddlers, they become rearing lumps of howling madness!

 

The boys found a massive hay den to play in!  Dan and Joe loved to climb up as high as they could, whilst Alfie mostly tried to stay low to ensure he came out looking like Worsel Gummage!

 

And being a farm there was tractors - something Joe was very pleased about!

And Tash - i mean Alfie - even got to see a wee little lamb!

A Man Needs Muscles!

Looking back on the dates on these photo's I see it all happened on April 1st.  Where did April go!?!?

Anyways ... Tash and I go on about baby led weaning at every opportunity.  It's not intentional, but I'm sure it bores some people ... but this is the exact reason we love it SO much!

Here's Alfie, not even 18 months, properly getting involved with food just like we did!

 

 

He even dunked his bread in the sauce!

Visiting Nettlebed - March Edition

Still playing catch-up with the blog!  The following events took place the day after we arrived back from Gibraltar.

Not worrying about unpacking, we set the alarm clocks for an early start to make the trip down with Tash to her work and then onwards to Nettlebed to see Catherine and Chloe.  They have a new arrival - Millie!  A gorgeous Beagle, full of puppy love.

If you have read my previous posts you wont be surprised to hear Chloe adores her, and I think at times Millie is a little overwhelmed by just how much love Chloe tried to show her.

Alfie thought she was great too, and we had a wonderful day full of playing outside and even a meal together at a restuarant (if you can call Pizza Express a resaurant) with children who for once opted to decorate their colouring books instead of the surrounding walls and tables!

 

And of course Alfie and Chloe had a cuddle.

 

And Alfie sucked some stones.

 

 

And finally a little video of Alfie and Millie.  I'm guessing Chloe must have been asleep cos I can't think why she isn't in her usual star role!

The Black Chook of The Brood

Playing catch-up here. Been back from Gib a number of weeks, and there's so many pictures i've not yet posted!

So lets start at the beginning ... we got back from Gib on the Monday morning and by the Monday afternoon we were down at Thornes Nursery.  We wanted our chooks to have a third member to the brood, and went on the look for a suitable candidate.  Wanting to only introduce one, instead of the recommended two chickens, we were advised of picking a big old girl to stand a chance of fighting for herself and having a chance of being accepted.  After a few days of letting chickens run mayham in the garden, and the new bird being firms told she is bottom of the pecking order, I am pleased to say she has been accepted and we haven't had to resort to introducing a forth bird to 'even up the teams'!

Gibraltar!

I'm a little behind with my blogging at the moment.  We spent the week of 21st-28th March in Gib and it's taken me a while to catch up with everything.  And now the suns out, which pushes blogging further down the priority list.  So, to begin, Gib!

Did you see that programme a few months ago?  The 10 most dangerous airports I think it was called?  Gib was in that list.  A very short runway, coupled with the crazy airflows that come off the rock mean you NEVER get a nice landing!  Forecasts spoke of 30mph winds, and so as the pilot attempted his decent and the gusts had the plane going up and down like crazy I think we were all thinking 'his going to abort this and we'll land in Malaga' .... however this pilot had balls of steel, stuck with it, and somehow got the bird on the ground.  Big relief!  Not cause we landed safely, but so we could finally get Alfie off of the plane and to somewhere where he could cause terror!  We had woken him at 4am - he wanted revenge!

We've heard many a tale of the cheeky monkeys - sorry, apes - making there way down to Main Street and our first wander down to Uncle's revealed one enjoying the climbing frame the local builders had erected.

 

With the weather being very overcast and fairly glum, on Wednesday we made a trip across the border to La Linea.

Within minutes we were at Cafe Modello enjoying coffee and a treat.  I did ask to try Alfie's, but he didn't seem keen.

 

 This was the view back to Gib.  You can clearly see how the Levante cloud forms over the rock!

 

Lunch was Chinese.  I only wish the one next door to us was owned by such welcoming people, and served food which tasted so tasty!

And followed by a wander around Carrefour.

And whilst the Ladies went off and looked at clothes I was in full Homer mode down the ham isle ...

whilst Alfie was admiring the aceituna bar!

On Thursday we tried to take Alfie round to Catalan Bay.  Its a gorgeous beach, and we were so excited to see him paddle in the sea in his new jelly shoes.  We were blessed with the weather, but sadly this was the sight we were greeted with.

Bob The Builder and friends do not make for a child friendly environment, no matter how much CBeebies try and tell you otherwise.  To be fair, the sea didn't look great for fishing either.

Michi And Tash tried to explain to Alfie why the beach would have to wait until another day, and then we jumped back on the bus to head home.

We always stay at Tasha's Grandma's when we visit.  She lives in an apartment that has been in the family for years.  I love the layout of these, the way each property faces inwards.  It generates a proper little community.  Of course this comes with some expected drawbacks - beware where you hang your washing!

Alfie was taken on one of many walks around the block, waddling around the balcony like his Mother would have done all those years ago!  Of course, he couldn't resist the camera!

A few days later we made another trip into Spain, and after showing Alfie fish we got the chance to introduce him to sand between your toes!  In true small boy fashion he brought half the beach back with him and emptied most of it in Uncle's car!

 

As you can imagine, it hard work doing all that digging.  It even managed to tire Alfie out!

 

Saturday was a very relaxed day.  The weather was gorgeous and so we spent most of the afternoon indoors baking cupcakes!  Go figure!  Most notable photograph has to be this one - a Grandma's solution to her Grandsons ever dropping pyjama bottoms!  

 

On the Sunday Michi and I found 10 minutes to take Alfie the park.  This is set within the Alameda Gardens, which is where Tash and I got married, and is right behind where Tasha's Grandma lives.

In the evening I managed to go fishing.  I only had a couple of leads, but Michi and I wandered down to Rosia Bay to see if the Mackerel were biting.  You can fish off the back of one of the breaks here, but it leaves you fishing off the rocks.  I didn't take the camera with me, which is probably a good thing.  With one lead already gone, the second one soon got snagged up.  I tightened everything up and leaned into it in a hope to free the lead.  What actually happened was the knot pulled, I went flying backwards and for some reason launched my rod into the drink.  Cue Michi scrambling across the rocks to check I was OK and me scrambling across the rocks to try and rescue my rod before it disappeared to Davey Jones' locker!  Thankfully the rod was saved, but with no more leads it meant the fishing trip was over.  Still, at least we'd had a fish so weren't going home totally empty handed.  A fine end to a lovely week.

Apologies if details of some days seem light on content or photo's.  If ever you think "I wonder what else they did?", then the answer is "EAT!"