The Piano Boat…

…we’ve seen this one before on our travels but never up our neck o’ the canal. The bits at the bottom are mirrors and near the front is part of a piano. All hand built from all kinds of junk. I love it when people get creative!
Today has been far too hot for us, we didn’t know whether to be in or out.
Frank rigged up the tarpaulin shade though beforeI was out f bed this morning so that helped until the afternoon. 
I really feel for those working in this heat. When I was a nurse the conditions were horrendous in summer. No air conditioning and in Day Surgery where I worked there were no opening windows. It was like being in a greenhouse all day. I reported it to the union but told there was no upper limit for temperatures we could work in only lower ones. We used fill up rubber gloves with ice cubes and stuff them down our tops and trousers!
Nothing has been done today except drink lots and eat snacks.
I gave Bella a hosepipe shower before, she didn’t fight it as she normally would and I just had a cold shower too - a bit of a shock till I got used to it!

197/365 
My Dad

We knew when Dad was coming home
we knew the Liverpool bus had dropped him off
could hear that cough from the end of the road
that hacking, throat ripping, unique to him cough, 
twenty Woodbines since you were a lad
doesn’t leave you unscathed.

He was an anxious man who liked a drink
after work, then again for last orders.
I can only assume his troubles were deep
from having to fight in a war he didn’t want     
that stole his brother and stole his sleep,
having to be tough when it wasn’t in his nature. 

A mine of knowledge was my Dad
though as a teenager I would roll my eyes
when he spoke of facts and figures,
a mathematical brain that went over my head
though I was glad of his help when I cried,
unable to do maths homework.

He was a good man, my Dad
though he never could show emotion,
he hadn’t been brought up that way, 
a staunch catholic family, with no call
for hugs and kisses, sweet words
leave that to ‘them American films’.

Stay safe and cool as you can Blippers and animals.
:-)X