First Time Out

We would not try anything too adventurous for out first day out on board our new boat. Quite apart from wanting to get used to the way it swims and responds to rudder and power we had my parent on board. Now for you who don't know us my parents are well into there 80's and closer to there 90's. It was a bright but rather cold December morning. We set of, all rather exiting. The plan was to travel along the Coventry Canal to a suitable winding hole just before the locks at Atherston, turn round and come back. Looking for a suitable pub for lunch. I think that perhaps now is a good time to introduce Daddy Cooks motley crew: - Me - Steve I'm the captain, I am in full control of everything and make all of the important decision's Then there is my wife Pam - who like other wife's does in fact make all of the decision and still lets me think that I am in charge. Then of course there is the real boss her name is Millie, she is a 3 year old Cocker Spaniel who firmly believes that the boat is hers especially the fire and that we are no more that hand servants for her. Not that she is spoiled of course. All was going rather well, my father was steering and grinning so much his teeth were ready to fall out at any moment. My Mother was sat at the front watching the world slowly drift by at 3 mph. Millie, being the true boss was traveling back and forth across the roof checking up on us all. The sun was shining, bliss. After a while I took over the steering, father sat down at the stern. Millie then discovered that it was much easier to traverse the gunnel's rather than jump up & down the roof. Of course she fell in. The next disaster was the total lack of canal side pubs on this stretch of canal. We had to cook lunch. Following a hearty lunch we turned round and set of back to our moorings. The weather turned with us, it went quite cold then the rain started. Both the parents had by now fallen asleep next to a roaring coal fire. When we got back to the moorings they both could not under stand why it had taken so long to go and so quick to come back. They both said that they had only dozed for a few minutes. Bless. So all in all a successful day First time out and I did not kill anyone, I did not sink the boat, and only Millie fell in and she did not seam to mind at all.