Sunday 13th May
There was a band on at the pub last night but we couldn’t really hear them in the boat. I only noticed the drumming and the flashing lights when I took George for his late night emptying. Also, according to Barbara, there was a lot of police activity later on just outside the pub, with vehicles being towed away and arrests being made. Ken and I slept the sleep of the innocent (or something) and never heard or saw a thing!
The weather was really nice today and we actually managed to have breakfast outside! True to my word I did clean the boat. Good job I didn’t start too soon because the gardener turned up to strim and cut the grass. He said he would try not to get too much grass up the side of the boat and would sweep it off afterwards. I told him not to worry as I was cleaning it anyway. I think he thought Barbara was cleaning hers too, but she wasn’t, so she had to sweep the grass off hers herself before her guests arrived!
This morning Barbara’s brother and his wife visited and later her sister, her husband and their daughter came for lunch. Apparently the Sunday lunch in The Rowbarge was very good. After I had finished cleaning the boat we took George for a walk over the bridge to the towpath side of the canal and along the towpath past the canoe club. He seemed to really enjoy it today, bless.
With George returned to the boat, much to his disgust the pub was not yet open, Ken and I walked to Guildford along the towpath, past Dapdune Wharf and over Walnut Footbridge. What should we find more or less straight away? Yes, the Wetherspoons in the Rodboro Buildings. This is an interesting and unusual venue built in 1900 as a car factory, and extended soon after. It became home to the Rodboro Boot and Shoe Company in 1919. The company left in 1928, but the premises have been known ever since as the Rodboro Buildings. Once threatened by demolition it is now Grade II listed. The people watching opportunities in this pub were many fold and we had a lovely time!
We sat outside when we got back with a cup of tea and another piece of Barbrara’s fruitcake. She has provided us with 3 fruitcakes lately and jolly nice they have been too!
