OLD SOLDIERS

FRIDAY 13TH JUNE 2008

Quite a while since the last blog, as we haven’t been anywhere on Skyy since arriving back at our marina on Sunday 1st and we definitely weren’t going out on the boat today, considering the day/date combination.

However last week we were staying with friends in Surrey, as on Thursday 5th June it was Founders Day at the Royal Chelsea Hospital, where Jacquie’s Dad is one of those famous scarlet coated, Chelsea Pensioners. This annual occasion is a very important day, when a senior ‘Royal’ reviews the parade of nearly 300 old soldiers, the average age of which is 82, with the oldest being 103 and he was actually marching in the parade this year. Jacquie’s Dad doesn’t march now, but he and his fellow, less able comrades, are still inspected whilst sitting and this year the Reviewing Officer was the Princess Royal, or Anne for those less well acquainted with the Royal Family.

Following the formal parade, visitors and pensioners get together for a picnic and with pints at £1.50 the beer tent was always crowded and by the end of the afternoon there were a lot more ‘less able’ old solders being escorted of the battle field, but not until the ‘Belly Dancers’ had done their rounds. This was a great family get together for us, with ten family members. including 3 Grandson and as usual the sun shone throughout the day.

Another highlight or our Surrey sojourn was a lunch time visit, with Jacky, our hostess, for the week, to the very smart, Wiremill Pub, near Blindley Heath, well actually ‘more than just a pub’ according to the board outside, but the pub is beautifully situated right at one end of a very substantial lake and we were entertained by water skiers of various levels of ability. Their antics took all of our attention until Jacky noticed that Katie Price and friend had arrived., not that I had a clue, who that was, until she said that it was JORDAN, my attention then focused on two aspects of her personality. I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I should be, but Jackie informed me, that Jordan’s once formidable assets had been deflated. Unfortunately we didn’t have a camera with us, so I am unable to share this momentous moment with you all.

We returned to Skyy for a relaxing week at the marina, but have managed to get a few outstanding jobs done, like fitting a CO and LPG warning devise and a Perspex sheet to the swan hatch. This allows us to have the hatch open, letting lots more light into the kitchen area, but keeping out the draughts. Cutting the sheet of clear polystyrene to size was an interesting exercise, I had brought my electric jigsaw with me, but no matter how slowly I advanced the blade the material melted and reformed behind the blade. I resorted to my trusty hand saw and finished off the cut with fine wet & dry paper, the final result was very straight and smooth. Four small chrome bolts allows the sheet to be securely fixed into place, job done.


I also managed to get SKYY sprayed onto the other side of the bow. It still needed to have some spray scatter cleaned off, so again OK, but not perfect, but looks fine from six foot away.