Last few hours of freedom!

Like a condemned man waiting for judgment to pass, I sit here counting down the hours until the new school year and term starts.

Tomorrow, an inset day to ease the shock to the system and then the rugrats are unleashed on Tuesday!

A VERY hectic weekend. Spent 3 hours in the pond yesterday, (yes, I did say IN the pond,) clearing pond weed. The ponds here have taken off amazingly and 4 trailer loads of pond weed was pulled out and disposed of. Many more, less exciting jobs were also completed both marina and boat wise with a large smattering of school tasks thrown in just to prove my impending doom. I sit here typing this aching from top to toe and ready for a holiday or at least sleep for the next 48 hours!

Spoke to Derek and Sheila yesterday of NB Clarence fame. Derek has just returned from France and visited a boat lift - Anderton eat your heart out, the French do things big stylee!

...but as Derek so rightly says, 'very impressive....but lacks soul'!

Clarence is now another 4 weeks behind schedule and completion is not due until October. I think even in th eworld of delayed boat fitting, Darren Aldridge is beginning to go into the record books with this one!

I can sense and sympathise with their frustration as the last remnants of summer, (or what we've had anyway,) ticks by and the thought of moving onto the boat just in time for the short, cold winter days becomes ever more a reality.

I'm reminded of a poem I wrote during a particularly low period of waiting for my boat to be finished when it seemed the end of the waiting would never come:

"The end will never come," I say to all who stand around,

The good things that I'm longing for seem never to abound.

"The clocks have stopped," I cry out loud for that is what it seems,

This present life that I am in, is drowning out my dreams.

The chance that I am longing for looks further than was planned,

Alone I seem to have no hope without somebody's hand.

I know it's there but it still seems so distant in this age,

I want to fly but still I'm trapped so helpless in this cage.

"Be patient" people say to me as eagerness prevails,

"Make sure you get the plans all right - sort out the fine details!"

"How long must I be patient?"I ask my friends around,

"Much longer than you think" they say and this is what I've found.

I'm sure one day the time will come, when dreams at last are real,

The longing ache inside of me at last new life will heal.

The day will come when to my friends at last I proudly state,

"I bore my patience - though found it hard and now no longer
wait!"