Carpet bagging

Day 8, Brownhills

Last night I did go over to the community centre for the talk and film show. The talk was quite interesting, with a lot of then and now photos, but as most of them were of parts of the Wyrley and Essington I haven't yet visited I didn't get as much out of it as I might have done.

This morning was sunny but with a cold wind. First I headed over to Tesco's to get the pork scratchings that I'll be taking back as my regional holiday treat for my workmates. Then Jim went off down the high street to find Ricky a new bed. His old back end/car tatty bed got caught in the rain last night, and he had recently torn the cover, so we decided the time was right to replace it. Once the new, bouncier, bed was in place on the back end, he didn't move from it for hours.

One thing I noticed was that among the small proportion of Brownhills shops that were still in business, there were three carpet shops, all offering discounted roll ends and remnants. It struck me that it would be a good opportunity to get a bit of carpet to fit the middle, 'saloon', section of Chertsey's hold (the section - or 'room' - that is traditionally called 'back of the mast'). The next bit back ('back middle', if I recall correctly) which is the kitchen, has had nice black and white checked vinyl for a couple of years. (The other two 'rooms' are fore end (currently the bedroom and stores) and back end (shed/patio/conservatory), and the divisions are marked by the cross planks.) So we measured up and set off in search of a bit the right size.
We were quickly successful (and I also got a nice little mat for the back cabin) and returned with a roll of speckly brown shouldn't-show-the-dirt-too-much carpet. To lay it we had to move the wooden bench that is full,of tools and stuff, so that provided the opportunity for a bit of a sort out. The carpet was actually laid rather more quickly and painlessly than I had anticipated, and has transformed the appearance and feel of the boat.

After a late lunch I took my melodeon over to Flamingo for Cath to give me some tips about playing the chords and basses - I am getting on quite well with working out melodies but this is the big challenge. It was fun experimenting and starting to work things out and I have a couple of new tunes to try before Braunston. When I came back Jim was entertaining Enceladus Sarah, and Rosie and Buzz had settled down beautifully with Ricky.

I've given the talk a miss this evening and am conserving my energy for tomorrow's tat auction (to which we actually have something to contribute this year) and tomorrow evening's quiz.

Location:Still opposite Tesco's in Brownhills