I've done it at last!

It has taken me several weeks to work out the "code" for liking a page on our website, but I have succeeded today. It didn't take five minutes so I don't actually feel like I have achieved that much today, but I suppose I have really! I am so glad that it has worked. Once I had done that I had to go even better and put a "Join our group" button in the right hand border. I have also reinstated our twitter account that I had allowed sit dormant for virtually twelve months. So I now expect you all to be in regular communication, be it either e-mailing, commenting via this blog, adding a comment on Facebook or tweeting!

It is now my intention to share our blog everyday using these excellent social platforms to allow us to reach a much wider audience and let people know whats happening in and around Norbury. I am sure that it will take some explaining to Simon, so it could be an entertaining week - but I will get him there eventually.

It's amazing to think that when I came here over six years ago there was only one computer linked to the internet with a dodgy "dial-up" modem. We now have a integrated network running five computers. We have got a open Wi-Fi connection in the tearoom (which covers the tearoom, shop and wharf area), one in the office and the latest addition was another open connection in Wharf Cottage (which on a good day is accessible from the far-side of bridge 38). This has really brought Norbury into the 21st century and we are looking to improve on it all the time, but it obviously takes time, effort and money.

So what has been happening in Norbury?

It's been a damp old afternoon noon today. Steve has been dispatched upto Adderley to meet Julian and Cheryl who are fetching a brokerage boat back. Unfortunately they haven't made as much progress as they intended due to a slight problem with the charging system that meant that Mick had to go out to them this morning at Hurleston to rectify. They need to be back on their own boat at Norbury this evening as Julian is working away next week. So they will come back in the vehicle that Steve has gone to meet them in and he will sleep on the boat and do the last leg of the trip in the morning. Logisitics of boat moving can be hard work and this one has certainly proved that.

The owners of The Arkenstone have driven down from Scotland to collect their boat and return it to it's home mooring. They are over-the-moon with how she looks. It was interesting to hear that they have come down through snow for the first hundred miles - it must be on it's way!

Lorraine has been reasonably busy in the tearoom, but she has been helping Ange with going through all of the stock in the chandlery to ensure that it is all priced and is actually displaying the correct price.

Mick has been plodding on with the winter maintenance once he returned from Hurleston and Matt has been painting Pippin. I'll get a photograph of the progress so far tomorrow for Simon to put on his blog.

I hope that you all have a good week and I will look forward to talking to you again next weekend.

Best regards,

David.