Ok so the older you get the more work that needs doing! You only have to use the dentist's car park to nip to Sainsbury's (shhh) to end up with everything from root canal work to a new smile!
Our lovely Annanetta, at the venerable age of 81, is no different! The unflappable Steve Dennett's first words when he calls me are always - "Don't worry". He then gently proceeds to tell me exactly how much I shouldn't worry in rough multiples of 1000.
(NB - To Steve - you're still the best, after Stuart).
I exaggerate but there is no doubt that the course of old boat plans never runs true or cheap!
HOWEVER something happened today that made my eyes water and for the first time in a while in a non-pecuniary fashion.
As I've indicated before part of the purpose of our Annanetta website has been to try to help track and uncover her history. While I'd love to tell you that someone randomly stumbled across the site and got in touch , I can't because they haven't. What has happened though is that doing the site has fired up my energy, curiosity and enthusiasm to the extent that, as mentioned before, I've taken a closer look at some of the material that I already had AND ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Yesterday (Monday) I wrote to one of the previous owners of Annanetta! You know an actual envelope and stamp! Then posted said letter to the house that they were living in 50 years ago! 50 years ago!! 1970 in old money!! 50 years ago!! Half a century. You know before the internet!! And today (yes Tuesday, TUESDAY!!) just 24 hrs later I heard back from the son of that owner!!
Don't tell anyone but I did tear up!!
Owning Annanetta is fantastic. She's a home like no other but she is an obligation and a responsibility. Recently we made the tough decision to spend scant savings on new engines. A decision that we still look at and say to ourselves - Really? Does our home really need engines? Most homes don't but ours does because she's a boat with a history and some of that history came alive again today. Fantastic!
Sure history is in the past and while the past may have required a full set of teeth a blender and a straw may suffice for the present. But then is it really completely dental to prefer a full set when you smile!
