Disturbed nights

Imagine the scene.  The middle of Friday night at Kensal Green.  The only sounds, the pouring rain on the boat roof and the extraordinary shooshing of the mighty gasholders receiving their overnight fill.  Suddenly I am woken by a shrill shriek.  I struggle to make sense of it as I am half asleep.  Oh lord, it's the 100 decibel thief alarm on the solar panel.  In the dark I stumble up the boat steps, cracking my shins on the way, fumble with the door bolts and climb out into the rainstorm clad only in my boating jimjams.  I am instantly soaked.  There is no thief.

Earlier in the day I had replaced the alarm battery, so it shrieked good and loud and it would take ages to stop. Back into the boat to find the key to disable the alarm, than back out into the rain to wrestle with it until the alarm stopped. I think it was a short circuit caused by the ingress of rain into the device.  By now I was cold as well as wet and let's just say I didn't get a good night's sleep.

Now cut to Saturday evening. We had failed to get into the Natural History Museum with Grace on account of the queues being miles long -far too long for a three year old to endure.  So we went to the V&A over the road where Grace, much to our surprise, actually seemed to enjoy a lot of it.  I didn't think she was into antique silver ware but it just goes to show something or other. 

Anyway she eventually tired of it and for a treat we took her to Wetherspoons in the Edgeware Road.  Grace is a big fan of their Spag Bol.  Before leaving I availed myself of the very swish toilets (recommended), and on stepping out of the gents, failed to spot a downward step.  It was a good job no-one was there to see, as I must have looked like a drunk, although I was stone cold sober -  I swear.  In the confined space between two doors I crashed to the floor with the full weight of my body upon my left elbow. 

That night, as Grace was staying, she slept in the big bed with Kath, and as I was too lazy to erect the spare bed in the saloon, I threw the mattress on the floor and settled down on that.  My elbow was giving me such gyp that I could only lie on one side, which for me is useless.  I like to turn over every few minutes.  So another bad night.

We've had nearly two weeks on the boat and tomorrow we return home needing a holiday.