The Farewells Begin!

Spring is in the air so it is the time of year when the 'Continuous Cruiser' (who winters in a marina) leaves the marina and carries on with their travels around this wonderful country. 

We have made some really great friends this year during our stay in the marina, friendships which we feel that will be lifelong.

The upside of people leaving the marina is that we all go out to the pub to say our farewells!

But firstly a pic of the three cats looking cute yesterday ...

Our first farewell do was held at The Three Crowns last night.

We had a good turnout of all the usual suspects but missing were Andy and Sue from Festina Lente, who have gone back to The Isle of Man for a couple of weeks.

From the left .. Sally, Bev, Joan, Jim, Elaine, Ray, Diane, Me, Gordon, Roly and Rob ...

Joan, Jim and Elaine ...

Joan and Jim are moored up next to us on the marina, lovely couple with a wicked sense of humour and great neighbours.

Elaine and Dot ... 

Dot is a person of many talents, great cook, lead-lighter extraordinaire, great smoker (of food products) and amazing jam, preserve and wine maker - also possessing a very quick, Irish wit and brilliant sense of humour!  

Next we have Roly and Bev, nearest the camera, and Rob and Sally ...

You couldn't meet a nicer couple than Roly and Bev and they are Welsh!!!  (Not that there is anything wrong with that).   Roly is the marina man-with-the-van ... he has helped all the boaters here with pickups of coal, gas and even people.  Plus Roly likes a drink which is always a bonus - and they are both always up for a laugh!

Ray, Diane and me.  What can you say?  They are the most lovely couple you could ever meet ... even though they hail from Melbourne!!  Diane was, and still is, Elaine's personal nurse for which we are eternally grateful.  Ray has got me a ticket for Man Utd vs Liverpool next month for which I am eternally grateful!   They have also both been walking the dogs for us when he have our trips up to Manchester - we (and the dogs) are sooooo grateful for that!  I am sure we will meet up with them when they have bought their Dutch barge and are motoring down the Canal du Midi! 

I had to take a pic of my Giant Éclair because it was so big!  I used my finger for a reference to show how large it was...pity it tasted a bit ordinary.

So that was the first farewell over with.  We are doing it all again today with 'early doors' at The Exchange ... we all have loyalty cards and are going to cash them in for copious amounts of beer and wine!

A funny one to finish with ... the boat next to Jim and Joan left today to go cruising.  When he arrived in the marina a few months ago he smashed into their boat whilst he was docking.  Today, as he was reversing out of the dock, he managed to take a couple of planks of the dock with him ... and today is a perfect, calm day!

Watch out for NB T*****, peoples!