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Had a stroll along the river yesterday. The weather at the moment is particularly good for walking, neither too hot, nor too wet. In fact my garden hasn't seen proper rain for many weeks now.
It was in the marina that I found this lovely clinker built boat. Just the kind and size that I fancy. It is nice to see a wooden boat....far more character than all these fibreglass jobs....and that warm glow of real wood rather than that stark shiny white 'plastic'.
And a simple pleasant name to finish it off.
"Alice" actually turns up in quite a lot of music. It must have been a popular name years ago. I used to have an Auntie Alice..... but have to admit having never met or known another by that name.
This music is not about Alice but about an 'Alice Blue' gown. Now I have heard of 'Sky Blue' and 'Navy Blue' ......but a blue Alice?
Perhaps Princess Alice always wore blue?
Just a guess.
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It was popular in 1938, just before the war and was recorded by both Henry Hall and Joe Kaye.
Do you know the connection between the BBC series 'Open all Hours' and 'Alice'?
Arkwright has his beady eye a certain Nurse , but she was a Gladys.
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The signature tune to the series was "Alice where art thou".
And now for something completely different....
Dear Brother Jock, if you wear a Scotch ‘frock’,
Mind the cold doesn’t give you paralysis.
We’ve been searching for weeks, but can’t find your breeks,
So we’re sending a wee pair of Alice’s.
And now for something a little bit rude!
There was a young lady named Alice,
Who peed in a Catholic chalice.
The padre agreed,
It was done out of need,
And not out of Protestant malice!
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When we lived in Maidenhead we would often launch our modest wooden boat down at Hurley. Like many people, what we aspired to, was a slipper launch. There used to be one, called Dorothy, often seen around Marlow, piloted by a game old gal,possibly of the same name.. Kath
ReplyDeleteYes, a lovely slipper launch....but a fine weather boat only. Starts to rain when you're out and you all get wet. I think a little cabin is called for. I'm actually saving up for a 35' narrow-boat.
ReplyDeleteThat is a fine boat, it looks very well cared for.
ReplyDeleteI think "Dorothy" had a canopy...Will you live on your narrow boat? how exciting" Kath
ReplyDeleteHi Cherie, hope you enjoyed your holiday....you had good weather after all. Yes, vintage boats always seem to be better kept.
ReplyDeleteYou could be right Kath, I cannot recall having seen that particular launch but they came up like a hood on the old prams?
Sleep on it, yes. But not for all the year round. I need a workshop and a bit of garden.
Lovely boat. I wish I lived in an area where I could wander down to the sea, river or lake and gaze to my heart's content.
ReplyDeleteOn the cover of the sheet music for Alice, isn't the G in Gown actually a C. Comparing it I thought it might be a misprint.
Valerie, do you know I never noticed that before. The lettering is highly stylised, but you are right, that is a C. I have two copies and the mistake is on both. Well spotted.
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