Thrupp 

 M repairing micks cardigan.

 Now then, whats she been up to? She's white and littl'un is black.!

 Entering The Thames

Very meandering, that red boat is J&M+2

 Our Mooring for a few days.

 Salvage Merchant

 Finlay on Thames

So, here we are for a few days, at least.  I do not want to rush this lovely river.  However, we are moored right opposite a sand bank, that is marked by a green buoy.  So its passing to the left of the green, and passing right of the red buoys.  Got it. Then when we come back, it will be  the reverse.

So there are sat, in the sun, watching the river, drinking a glass of Rose, and out of the corner of my eye , I saw an old – fashioned boat, crewed by an old fashioned couple, with an outboard motor, hurtling with gay abandon  to the RIGHT of the green buoy. I turned my head to shout out, as they turned to me to say  “ I say, what a lovely day”( they were fraitfully naice old folk) , but before any of us could say owt, they were plonked fair and square atop a lovely pile of sand .well the water was ankle deep.

 I stared with an open mouth, gulping like a fish out of water. Our travelling mate , Jim, came up to us with shining eyes saying “ a ha, SALVAGE”. So the dear old chap then tried to go forward, but just got himself settled more firmly on top of his sand pile.Mick thought that he should try and reverse off, but not easy with an out board.  Then the old chap disappeared completely, whilst his little old doddery wife change d places in the back of the boat. Then old chap re-appeared with his trousers rolled right up to his wot-not, and into the water he jumped. He eventually turned the wee boat around, but not before we had shouted across that we felt “helpless” and what a to do.  To which sweet old lady replied that her husband was “ marvellous, you know, he’s just marvellous”.

And away they tootled, with the old chap shouting and saluting that he must remember “ Left of the green buoys, you know ! “

Then we all collapsed with laughter.  I wonder if we would have coped so well.