Day 2 “a funny sort of day”
We awaken to the gentle lapping against the side of our boat, quite pleasant for a while then I got to the “enough already” point and had to up. Our accommodation was called the “Lily May” not exactly sure why floating vessels have names but they do (I should Google it sometime). Lily May has what we call all mod cons, that is electricity, hot and cold running water, Cooker, Fridge, Satellite TV, microwave etc and interestingly a wood burning stove.
It has a walk through bathroom that is you walk from the lounge through the bathroom to the bedrooms. The bathroom has a shower sink and a toilet which has instructions on how to use stuck all over it. You might think this strange? surely everyone knows how to use a toilet? Well not so this one, you had levers to pull and pedals to stamp and a specific sequence to follow. I believe in the days of old people just “went” (euphemism) over the side. I think I am going over the side inside but decide to not worry about the chambers mechanics and go and make coffee.
The owner Barbara who I had booked the reservation with had at my request left all the ingredients for a full English breakfast (as I said you only eat these when you are in hotels) the downside of this today is that it needs “Gatovit” a word my language teacher uses for “cooking”. Lucky for me we have an expert in the guise of Berni to assist. Not sure how he performs these things but you just place provisions near him leave for a short time and a meal appears. One day I might test him by leaving a couple of pigs ear around but would probably receive sisig in return. He can also paint seemingly without effort which I think he inherited from mum.
Pictures of our morning feast
Our repast finished all too soon and the dog walked around the towpath, I think Willow actually dragged Michelle around but no matter, we spoke to some Narrowboatman who was sunning himself sans shirt and saw a canoeist paddling sans shirt with great vigor back and forth on the canal. (far too vigorously for my taste on a Sunday morning). What is it about Sheffielders that they don’t wear shirts in the mornings? Well not waiting to find out we set the Navigation to take us to Castleford where we believe there is one of those English cultural phenomenon’s known as a Car Boot sale.
Originally a way to sell all of your rubbish to someone else it has now progressed into an industry. Items used to be sold “as seen” so no guarantee it worked or was fit for use which meant at times you could put your life at risk if you were not too careful. These days it is much the better for intervention of the “Trading Standards Office” and “Health and Safety” teams who have legislated some order into the chaos.
You can still find lots of things you never knew you could live without, (That Elvis wig looked really cool). However if nothing else it passes the time on a Sunday morning and you always end up with something. For me it would seem I cannot live without some wild bird seed which is impossible to get back home and a small sewing kit which has been on my list due to the loss of several buttons from my favorite shirt. (I used to collect the sets from hotels but have run out) Jo gets an Iron for Louise, can’t remember exactly what Berni got but it looked suspiciously like dried “Oreille du Cochon” although they may be for the dog.
We are going to nip into Castleton for a short while more later