Missing Things

I haven't been blogging recently because I've been laid up. I have had a minor knee operation, called an arthroscopic menicuectomy. I think I have spelt it properly. Basically, keyhole surgery to cut away a bit of torn cartledge in my knee. I didn't realise it would be quite as painful as it was and it has meant that I have had to rest a lot. One would think this would make terrific blogging time. However, as I really wanted to concentrate this blog on the canal and the boat, the fact that I haven't been able to get out of my chair even to view the boats going by hasn't encouraged me. I'm missing out on the towpath gossip.

I did struggle to the club for lunch one day this past week and had a chat to a disabled boater on Castle Quay who sympathised with my struggle on crutches. He had a wonderful display of boat brass plates, which we display to show the world where we have been. Surprisingly they hadn't been on the Thames but had been just about everywhere north of it on flat water. We were interupted by a gongoozler who wondered how he'd grown such lovely lettuces in his roof box. He pointed out that the rain falls on them as well on the canal as anywhere on the land.

Lunching in the club I met good friends who have their mooring in Cropredy. It was really great to be able to converse once more about engines batteries and toilets. It is surprising how one misses these wonderful conversation pieces when one is isolated for a little while. There is always enough in these subjects to keep us busy for a pint or two. I had missed them.

If the conversation slacks then we relax into the interminable subject of the weather: summer has left us for a while and the autumn rains are upon us.

Father's day tomorrow. My father didn't really like it because it is an American invention to make money out of another card and stamp. Mothering Sunday is very British and that was alright as Mothers Day. But fathers day didn't have the same history behind it. Still, I will miss him because it is the first year that he hasn't been able to moan about it with his "you shouldn't have bothered, really you shouldn't"

It's funny what you miss isn't it?