ditto

i say ditto as it has been really busy again today.
when i was crossing the bridge to go to work this morning simons vehicle slowed down and stopped, the window opened and amanda was sitting at the wheel, i said "sorry" but i thought you were simon, "i have never been so insulted" she said, "is it my morning stubble", her car had gone in for an mot so she was using simons vehicle to go and visit her mom in doncaster, we had a laugh about it and off she went.
i  have sorted 2 bookings for next year on one of the new boats into the fleet "solace", i've had to swap the customers over onto solace as sovereign lady is leaving us at the end of this month and although there is only 4 people in the party they wanted 2 fixed double beds...........sorted and happy.
i have also taken a christmas present booking for a guys parents, that will be a nice surprise for them as they have never been on a narrowboat before and i have also done a booking for sphinx for july next year :-)
i've been left in the shop on my own quite a lot today as simon has been in the dry dock inspecting the boat in there and denise has been cleaning the cottage ready for its next occupants and guess what, phone ringing its head off, customers in the tea room, customers in the chandlery, a customer turned up to pay their final payment on a brokerage boat and another to pay their deposit on a brokerage boat by which time simon was back.....thank goodness.
when simon returned i went to seighford to deliver a boat part that needs repairing and i got lost......couldn't find the flippin place, i had to phone to make sure i was in the right vicinity, i was only about 100 yards away and then went off to the bank.
when i returned to the office steve was sitting in my chair trying to fill out some paperwork, looking for a pen. pens are a sore point we must lose 20 pens a week as staff pick them up and walk out with them and they are never seen again then they all moan at us as there is nothing to write with, i keep my behind my ear, i arrive with it and go home with it....ha ha. steve was also wearing simons glasses whilst doing this paperwork and as you can imagine he was not a happy bunny when he was looking for them and they were on someone elses eyes. i thought world war 3 was gonna break out at one point.
that's all to report for today, till next time...........byee ange.

Busy busy busy

You know when you have had one of those busy days, when everybody wants a minute of your time, the phone doesn't stop ringing, the lads just keep asking questions, it gets to a point where you cant do anymore, remember anymore, you end up with a sort of 'red mist' well that has been today here at Norbury, its been a very very busy day, and a productive day too, nearly a full house with staff, Simon is back off his holiday and boy don't we know it, he is great but he has been reading the book that Fred has written on how to annoy me and he has been doing his best all day to wind me up (in a nice way) so with Fred and Simon both giving me grief I am now ready for home.

We have sold another boat today, had an offer on yet another boat, is this a sign that things are starting to move a little? we have taken several bookings today and even three day boats for early in January! and all this on top of the usual day to day stuff like ordering bits, chasing suppliers, inspecting boats, working out quotes, etc etc etc.

That's it from me for today
Simon

Miserable day

I hope the rest of the week is better than today, it started of grey, over cast, wet, cold and generally miserable, and it hasn't really changed much all day, the place has been quiet, not many customers around either, although we have seen a few people looking at boats that are for sale, funny we know that the people looking at boats are at least serious about buying one as the would certainly not venture out if they wernt!

Not too much to say about today, not only has it been quiet with customers but staff have been thin on the ground, Simon is still on holiday although he is back tomorrow, Ange's day off, mick has been at hospital today, Denise's day off, Fred's day off, we have only had Steve,lee, David and Joyce did put in an appearance aswell.

Lee has been preparing a hire boat for a new colour scheme, Steve has been blacking a boat that e sold over the weekend,David has been doing paperwork, as I have been and Joyce looked after the shop and tearoom.

We did have one good result today as we sold another boat, alls being well that should complete this week, that's good news as we were starting to run of of room for the boats that are for sale.

Lets hope tomorrow is a bit more interesting.

Simon

Well I don't know where the day has gone to today. Unfortunately I was unable to have my two minutes silence at eleven o'clock today because I was tied up with some customers, but I think I have made it up this afternoon!

The weather has been lovely again. There was a good sharp frost this morning when I took Annie out. It's nice to hear the grass crunching under her feet as she runs up and down, longing for me to throw her ball for her! It has dropped cold again, but I am sure I will be OK when I am sat in front of the roaring fire in the pub at 5.30... It's a bit of a habit now, Sunday evenings in the Junction after work, but it's good to catch up with news and to relax in the warmth after a cold day in the office!

Surprisingly we have had some boats in for diesel, gas and pumpouts today, even some heading north although they know that they need to turn round at Grub Street as they can't get to Shebdon.

Enjoy your evening, until tomorrow.

Best regards,

David

It's been a glorious day here at Norbury today. It started cool and extremely foggy, but by about 10am the fog had cleared and the sun came out. It could quite easily have been a Spring day. The temperature has begun to drop now and the sky appears to be clear, so I reckon it will be a cold one tonight, so get those fires stoked up well! 

We had one day boat go out this morning, although we did have another booked via the internet, but unfortunately the customers didn't show up and we haven't been able to contact them. Lee and Fred have taken Phantom and our pusher tug out of the wet dock. Princess has now gone into the paint shop to have a make-over. When Lee has finished with her, she may even come out in a new livery, watch this space... Fred has been shifting boats around most of the day, doing pumpouts and diesel on the wharf. Mick has completed some outstanding jobs and disconnected an engine in one of our regular customers boats, which we have just lifted out so that the engine room can be cleaned thoroughly and painted prior to the installation of a new engine.

Joyce has been in the tea room today, Ange has been keeping her eye on the shop and manning the phones whilst Denise has got on top of the laundry. 

The canal is certainly a lot quieter now that the stoppage has come on at Shebdon embankment. I haven't taken a drive up there yet to see how the works are progressing, but I may well do that in the week and get some photographs for you all to have a look at.

Have a good evening.

Best regards,

David.

it's "PHOEBE"

hi all, as the title suggests the name of the new hire boat is going to be "phoebe" ;-)
we had a bit of a conflab this morning, polly, poppy, pilgrim, peaceful and then simon decided he liked phoebe so there you go.........sorted.
we had 4 shared boats return to us this morning who all had a good time and extremely lucky with dry weather, i think the seasons should be swapped round with all the rain we had during the summer and now we are have having some really nice, although cold days, but at least it is dry.
we had 2 hire boats out today, phantasy and quartz and have only been able to venture south as there is maintenance work going on at shebdon.
it hasn't been an overly busy day today but we have taken a couple of holiday bookings and a day boat booking.
steve has been fetching a boat back for brokerage and managed to get a great big piece of carpet wrapped round the prop, fred returned to the boat with him this morning to try and cut it off, when they rang to say they couldn't get it off david suggested they try with a carving knife and it would soon be free :-(   no chance.
david went out to remove it and it took ages, he has since returned, the carpet has gone and he is soaked. steve returned with the boat a short while later.
joyce has manned the tea room today and denise has been doing valets for the shared boats and getting phantasy and quartz ready to go out.
simon went to the doctors this morning with a poorly finger.........bless.......and has been out banking this afternoon as he had nothing else to do....or so he said.
nothing else to report for today so until next time.........byeeeeeeee ange.

names

A BIG thank you for those that took the time to send me some ideas for some names for the new hire boats, there are a couple that I quite like, i will give it another week or so to see if there are any more ideas then I will make a decision, I like 'Progress' not sure I fancy calling a boat Fred!

Its been a busy day here today, I have been out to see yet another boat that the owner wants us to sell, Steve has gone to fetch another one to be sold, David has taken the photos of another one to go up for sale, and we have sold two brokerage boats today, so its been a good day.

Short post today sorry
Simon