Cat up tree; woman in cut

Well, if it hasn't got half way round the world already you can read it here first - yesterday I fell in for the first time. Quite neatly and inexplicably, having been on and off the boat dozens of times, there was one time I went to get on and it wasn't quite where I'd thought it was. As we had just dragged the boat back to take advantage of some deeper water, I got a proper dunking, although it wasn't too deep to stand up, about chest height, once I found my feet. I was very pleased that I hadn't had my phone in my pocket or been carrying anything fragile (although I note that I did keep hold of the Brasso rag I'd gone back for). Luckily it wasn't even too cold, and I retired to the back cabin from whence I amusingly threw a succession of sodden garments before having a good wash and digging out my spare boots, followed by a large prophylactic dose of coca cola. Let's hope I can get through another ten years' boating before doing it again.



Willow has taken very well indeed to being a boat cat; we couldn't really have hoped for it to go any better. He complains at being shut in, but when we let him out he wanders round, inspects his new domain, pays his visits to other boats, and - so far at least - always comes back. I shut him in when we go out and also at night, for our peace of mind largely. Right now he is curled up on his cushion next to me in the back cabin, having just provided today's amusement (I was yesterday's), by pretending to be stuck up a tree until someone went and fetched a ladder, and then leaping down effortlessly, from a height of at least fifteen feet.