Monday 13 January 2020

A BODGER'S NEW YEAR NEWS

FISHING BOAT
I've a little John Smith fishing boat which was a gift at Christmas from my mum and dad in about 1961, it's had many a happy bath and has been played with by all our nephews and nieces on weekend sleep-overs.  It's taken a real bashing over the years but is still beautiful so I thought I'd make my version of my childhood toy.  It's virtually identical in weight, shape and has all the same rigging, catch, mast and cabin - but horror of horrors it turns over and becomes an upside down   submarine!  I have no understanding of boat building or the dynamics of making something float so I'm making another one and I'm going to try it out at every stage to see if sinks or swims!  I've made it from 2''x2'' pine just like the original so if any of you helpful folks have some hints or tips on toy boat making I'd much appreciate them.
Vanessa also took up the sport of extreme puddle leaping (some of you will know she has difficulty walking but is game for just about anything except scuba diving!) and she slipped on the granite kerb, landed right on the corner with a giant whump and managed to gain 4 compound fractures in her hip.
SUNBATHING AT HIGH BEECH
This didn't really prove to be much of a problem as she determinedly got herself out of hospital in a speedy 10 days champing at the bit to up and about.  Hopefully the wheelchair can be abandoned in the next few weeks as she's religiously doing all her exercises and is walking as well as before except it's with the aid of a crutch at the moment rather than her favourite hazel walking stick.
So we're really enjoying the start of the new decade and 2020 sounds like an excellent year - we'll make more hedgerow wines and perhaps they'll be of vintage laying down (for about a year - haha) quality.  So Happy New Year to you all and may it be enjoyable as well as prosperous... 

2 comments:

urbanwoodchuck said...

Is it possible there is some "ballast" in the form of a lead weight under the cabin on the original? Something that would lower the center of gravity?

Robin Fawcett said...


I tried messing about by drilling holes & trying some weights but it didn't seem to do anything except change the direction it turned over before heading to the bottom of the bath! I've looked closely at the original but think it's just pine without any additional weights - as my dad & grandad would have said - try again son!