Tuesday 29 January 2013

Rhino's & Status Quo

overcast day with warmer winds. I know if it is windy outside before I get out of bed because the Black rhino's head poking out from the house chimney opposite moves up and down. The perfectly shaped rhino head, complete with ears and horns is, in fact, a branch of a very tall pine tree growing in the garden of a very large house behind the terraced houses on the other side of our road. I would guess the large house once belonged to a factory owner or brewer, of which there were many in the village during recent history. When I get a chance I'll attempt to identify the pine species from closer range, otherwise I'll have to lean out of my bedroom window armed with powerful binoculars and suffer getting strange looks from the locals. I know it is a black rhino because it has a pointed lip, of which I have observed over many years at Port Lympne Animal park in Kent, one of two parks operated by the Aspinal Foundation breeding endangered species for return to the wild. Species successfully returned over recent years include black Rhino's,Western Lowland Gorillas,Wild Horses,Wolves and Pythons, to name but a few. Howletts and Port Lympne animal parks are well worth a visit. There are possibly more black Rhino's in Kent than Africa. The MCC visit was truly exciting today, particularly as the boat rocked for the first time when we were aboard (not as in Status Quo but as in Ferry on a rough day).The outside hull has been undercoated, the bow end topcoated, the ceiling completed and the electrics,plus central heating and water pipes fitted, as will become immediately obvious to you in tomorrow's uploaded photo's. Our Dragon loyalty card held over £7.00 before being emptied and added to today, a sad indication of previous activities. Following heavy recent rains flood plains were......er......flooded, but the roads to and from Stenson were thankfully passable. The return journey yet again punctuated by boat-blind searching, this time at Low Woods Furnishings, Belton. Exciting for Lynne, but mind blowingly boring for me.I have never seen so much material in one place before, with the exception of my first girlfriend ready for a mid-winter walk. However these things must be done by all boating pioneers apparently (blind hunting, not winter walking). Having bleated on about not having a dizzy turn for over a week this evening I had the mother of all turns, although I knew what was going on throughout. Lynne asked my name and date of birth, both of which I got right. Otherwise it was a good day. I'll keep my bloody mouth shut in future.

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