Captains Kirk & Pugwash

No snow today. Sunshine but still cold. Welcome to British Summertime. Tardis Two was floating in the marina today looking truly stunning in the sunshine. We fed our first swans from aboard, both having tapped on the galley window for attention. We'll take some spare bread tomorrow as I'm sure crumbled chocolate biscuits are not ideal for them. It is always with trepidation I visit Birmingham, but always buoyed with the knowledge several famous characters in history visited uncharted far-flung places and still lived to tell the tale. Christopher Columbus. Doctor Livingstone. Sherpa Tensing. Neil Armstrong. Captains Cook, Kirk, Blake and Pugwash, Indiana Jones and James Bond, to name but a few. Once again I survived not only the city, but a three hour mass and christening (not mine).

Bring me sunshine

Snowing again this morning so no trips to the seaside this Easter, I'm afraid. The Inuit Builders will be able to undertake repairs on the affordable house if it continues. I'm pleased British summertime starts tonight so don't forget to put your clocks forward one hour. Virtually our whole family and partners are staying overnight ready for our trip to Birmingham in the morning which should prove interesting. Seven into two bedrooms could prove a problem but the bed-settee, blow-up double bed and garden shed should save the day. We're hoping to get them all to MCC after the christening. Some have yet to see the boat, whilst others will only remember a large sheet of steel on the welding shed floor. On Monday my sister and brother-in-law also plan a viewing visit. We're planning to charge for guided tours after Easter, similar to the Buckingham Palace ones but at lower cost. We may even arrange an exchange visit with Liz and Phil. We're now taking bookings for summer holidays on a first-come, first serve basis, but open to bungs for anyone wishing to receive preferential treatment. I watched a programme on Eric Morcambe (of Morcambe and Wise fame)last night which gave me the title, although it is also appropriate for Easter.

Check a Trade

Very sunny this morning but wonderful cloud formations later. Fluffy white stuff above threatening black stuff. For those of you who haven't googled Perry Como yet, (if you'll excuse the expression) I can confirm he was an American crooner with a weekly TV show between 1949 and 1963, more wholesome than the Osmonds and pre or post-watershed. He sold over one hundred million records and has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Born 1912, Died 2001. On my fitness walk today I found the affordable house in ruins. Charnwood sadly failed to "Check a Trade" before employing the Inuit building company. Having boasted about missing dizzy spells for several days I has a vacant moment last evening whilst sitting at the computer, similar to the car crash one. but less damaging this time. No such problems today, touch wood. Our next boat visit will be Easter Monday as we are venturing to Birmingham once again for our two youngest Granddaughter's christenings prior to that. Not my favourite location but Hey-Ho. these things must be done.

Affordable housing

Cold and Sunny today, Good Friday tomorrow. More photo's today. Top is Charnwood Council's latest attempt at affordable housing provision, but I'm unsure how planning permission was obtained for building on the village green. As you can see solar panels have yet to be fitted to complete the roof and the landscaping has to be completed before anyone can move in. You will note as an environmentally friendly property it does not have a garage but adequate convenient access to public transport. Middle is the latest update on Tardis Two boys toys, showing the central heating thermostat and electric hub complete with trip-switches. Also note the diesel tank gauge currently showing near empty. It will cost in excess of £300 to fill the tank but thereafter should not be necessary for some considerable time (I hope). Both the engine and central heating boiler run very quietly.The third photo shows the lounge with bathroom and bedroom through two open doors. Note windows are fitted, as is the TV, which can be swivelled up, down or in any direction required. A specialist guy will come to fit the sky dish and other bits and pieces once MCC have finished the build. Tardis Two will be moored in the marina for the weekend to free up some space in the workshops and we should be able to start moving our worldly goods aboard next week.

Catch a falling star

AM........Snowing again today with a below freezing wind. I have another dentist appointment this morning to replace one of my veneer's fitted a couple of weeks ago, which subsequently showed itself as an unexplained crunchy bit in a recent cornish pasty. After lunch I hope to attempt another of my 4 mile fitness walks, having successfully completed one yesterday. Healthwise things have taken a turn for the better after the alteration to my Limotrigine intake. No dizzy spells, no fuzziness, no problem. My parp-parp hooter arrived and we have already had a couple of trial runs with me in the kitchen and Lynne in the living room, which proved successful. What the neighbours thought remains to be discovered. PM........In and out of the dentist before you could say "cavity", and at no charge.Job done. My 4 mile fitness walk was actually achieved in B&Q, Dunelms Mill and a very large camping shop called J&L Leisure, all for blinds bits and bods. Job done. The latter, recommended by a friend, was a revelation. It stocks absolutely everything you could imagine for leisure activities, ranging from caravans to Port-A-Potty loos and everything in-between. Forget Blacks or Millets, this is the place to buy a tent. We left with press studs and a collapsible 5 litre water bottle. The title is the "stuck in my head" tune of the day, a very ancient hit by Perry Como and what we have achieved.

Bing Crosby Special

With the likelihood of a white Easter it appears the Bing Crosby classic is to be re-mastered and re-issued featuring a One Direction insert, plus Easter cards reprinted with the addition of Robins,icicles and holly. All profits are to be donated to worthy causes such as wind-farm, global-warming and Third World Easter egg charities. Get out there and buy them. We anticipate visiting the boat yard on Thursday armed with completed blinds and lemon cakes, the latter in response to a request from the MCC interior fitting staff. It serves Lynne right for mentioning them as her baking speciality! Good job I've never mentioned my totem pole carving skills.

Weather wardrobe

No more snow but the stuff already here is going very slowly. Freezing cold wind but reasonably warm out of it. The roller-blind kit finally arrived today, better late than never. Typical of our luck, particularly when ordering anything by phone or online, it was the wrong length and contained the wrong number of ball bearings (essential for smooth operation of an upside-down blind apparently). A quick phone call to the company for some advice, a hacksaw, a screwdriver and my extensive DIY skills rescued the situation. Lynne worked tirelessly throughout the day to complete the blind for the large boat front bedroom window, ingeniously an upside-down sprung tapered roller-blind to accommodate the sloping window sides and the lack of room above it. No roller-blind manufacturer was prepared to make it so the kit and elbow grease were the only alternatives. Full marks to Lynne for a brilliant production which we are confident will fit and operate successfully. The proof will be revealed on our next boatyard visit. Watching the frequent daytime TV weather reports/forecasts Lynne commented on the poor quality of the presenters clothing. I assume the East Midlands weather department wardrobe allowance has been hit by the recession, resulting in raids on local charity shops and jumble sales. We are making up a charity suitcase for them, full of our old clothes. Watch out for one of the male presenters wearing well-worn C&A jingles flared jeans, (hopefully with the bells removed).