Tuesday, December 20, 2016

The Herbie Special Award for 2016 goes to . .

Only a few days until Christmas, so I think it’s time.  Every year the Herbie Special Award Committee (me and Kath) sits down over a steaming mug of tea and debates who we would like to congratulate/ recognise for something they have done this year.  The list of winners in the Herbie Award Roll of Honour contains many admirable folk, the Mother Theresas/ Nelson Mandelas/ Albert Einsteins (take your pick) of the canal. Suffice it to say, we are in awe of their fortitude and ever grateful of their company when we get the chance. The Herbie Award has no value, except to say it’s holders can be proud that their names list among some other very fine people who have been awarded in the past.

This year, we’ve decided to break with tradition and make two awards bearing the same citation.  Note: not one shared award, for that wouldn’t be fair, so just like Pointless Trophies, they get one each.

Our Award this year is inscribed For Indefatigability (thank heavens for spell checkers).

              AWARD SHIELD 20146                                                    AWARD SHIELD 20146

and it goes to two lovely people, who have soldiered on when others would have given up. We might have called them “The Hipsters” for both of them have been suffering from hip problems, one from a bad break and one because we has worn his out.  They have both not only borne their discomfort bravely, but have got on with life, doing what they do best and contributing generously as they always have done to the canal community.  Apart from being indefatigable of course, we only give the award to very very nice people.

Most of you will by now have guessed at least one of our pair, so without further ado, let’s present  Herbie Special Awards to our very good friends

Oakie (aka Ray on Nb Stronghold)

who has battled cheerfully on through a long single handed cruise whilst waiting for his shiny new hip

and

 Kathryn Doddington

Back in harness after shattering her hip and once again keeping Stoke Bruerne on its toes and doing her bit for Nb Sculptor

We’re sure that these awards will be heartily approved  by the many friends Ray and Kathryn have made up and down the canal.

Hip Hip . . .

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful and worthy winners - especialy Kathryn, whom I hope will display her plaque proudly by her front door on the waterfront :-)

Sue, nb Indigo Dream

Oakie said...

WOW! I am indeed honoured to receive this award, which is most unexpected.You are right Neil, it was a battle towards the end of the cruise, coping with the locks from Banbury to my home mooring on the Wey. Despite that, I had help with all but two out of thirty six locks, such is the generosity of my youngest daughter and fellow boaters and I take my hat off to them all. I would also like to pay tribute to the family of hire boaters who assisted my passage up the Marple Flight. They stayed behind after their boat had gone up and refilled each lock and saw me through. They may never read this, but I was most grateful to them. I'm chuffed to bits. In addition to this, may I also congratulate my friend Kathryn, who was about to undergo the same treatment when we last met up in June at Stoke.

Vallypee said...

What a lovely double award, and from what I'm reading on your post and above in these comments, the indefatigability award is well named and well deserved by both!

Tramper said...

I feel sure I have met Kathryn in The Boat, but age and decrepitude mean I am unsure. I do know the beer sodden malingerer you know as Oakie and can assure everyone that Ray is one of the most congenial of boating companions, whose company is one of the huge, albeit unlooked for, benefits of membership of the Narrow Boat Trust. Happy Christmas!