Brrm Brrm!

Wow! What a band!

Went to see Ade Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds in St Albans on Wednesday.

Elle Edmonson did the support act, playing a 12 string guitar. Far better than last time I saw her - the 12-string seems to suit her style much more.



The Bad Shepherds now have Andy Finan playing Fiddle - quite deserving the accolade "best fiddler of Ireland" that I think he has won 2 years running ?

The Fiddle playing on "Down at the Tubestation at Midnight" was absolutely brilliant. Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd say!

Saw Karen Mathieson at bury Met on Friday night - what a fantastic voice!

Spent Saturday in the belting down sunshine sanding down the roof. All of the untidy welds needed grinding down a bit more, but the filler was setting as soon as it touched the hot metal! Got the whole roof cleaned up and all the welds finished for sanding, but I couldn't touch the metal without burning, and my back was burning (what a change from last year), so I decided to get in the shade for a bit.

Control panel is on, and the engine starts - Yipee!

Sunday I decided that the hot sunny weather was best utilised by sitting in a beer garden drinking beer. What a brilliant idea!

You hum it son, and I'll play it.

Went to the Family mahone on Friday at Leek arts festival

Even better than ever, especially when mark can't remember the words to his own songs!
Cloudy sort of day on Saturday but, armed with a bag full of sanding sheets, the starboard side of the boat was cleaned of all rust, and made as smooth as a baby's behind.
One thin coat of zinc phosphate primer, and it looked good, so two more coats of grey and there is no sign of where the welds were at all.

Chuffed.

Sunday morning, and the boat still looks as good.

I wasted an hour or so watching the start of the Monaco GP, then put the radio on instead, and gave the side a full coat of Red Oxide.

Luke rang - can I give him a hand.

 "Do you know the piano's on my foot?" Shifted a piano (always good for a laugh) and then had to go for a beer to recover...

Some old Crinkles.

Off up to the lakes again this weekend, as it is the Langdale Folk festival raising money for Mountain Rescue Dogs, and my birthday (twenty one ish).

A couple of pints with some workmates in Manchester on Friday, then up to the lakes on Saturday.

  Walked up Oxendale, to climb Crinkle Crags. Fantastic views.

The only down side to the day is the path from Bowfell down off the hills is about a mile and a half of stone steps, which utterly destroy your knees.

Got back to the ODG and plenty of pints of anaestheic sorted the knees out.

Called in at the boat on my way back on Sunday, and the silencer is now connected with a flexi,

and a couple of neat vents plus an exhaust outlet added to the engine room.

I'm going to have to sand the rust off (again) and paint next weekend, weather permitting.

I'm sorry I haven't a clue.

Went to Cheltenham on Friday night to see a live recording of I'm Sorry I haven't a clue. On the way I had a look in a chandlery for paint colours.  I have chosen Midnight Blue and Classic Green from the Craftmaster colour blocks available there.

Fantastic show, but I dare say there is quite a bit to be cut out before it is broadcastable!  It is being broadcast in June sometime.  The only problem is the Centaur centre at the racecourse will rip you off on beer - £3.90 for 1/2 a pint of guinness! I'm not usually one to complain about a top up but they think this is a full pint! Daylight Robbery.

It was raining saturday, so I took the opportunity to take some beer up to the lakes for the charity do that is on at the bank holiday next week. The Lakes are still fantastic in the rain.
Sunshine on sunday.  In daylight the 'flat' side of the boat didn't look half as good as it was, so I re-filled the areas of the welds with filler, bringing it back a good 4" either side of the weld.  Another day of sanding, and the side now looks much better.

Monday - bank holiday - of course its raining!  I will have to leave the painting for better weather.