Nothing much has happened in the last 24 hours, so l thought l'd look through my old diary for inspiration. l came across quite a few entries about speed boats, so here goes, Garnda at 40 horse power....
My Dad loved water/boats. He built his first swimming pool after the long hot summer of '76. lt was unheated and didn't get much use until he also built a solar powered heating system as well. Outdoor pools and Lancashire weather aren't that compatible though. Eventually after treating himself to a custom built snazzy outdoor pool, my parents moved to Mum's present house and using his retirement money had an indoor pool built. lt was fantastic to be able to swim on Christmas day, or with just the under water lights on. If no one else was in you could also swim without the need for a cossy, as the windows over looked the garden and were not overlooked by the neighbours! Sadly, only two years after having his pool my Dad dead aged 51. My Mum doesn't swim much unless it's roasting hot, but her two grandchildren use the pool, so my Dad will be looking down happy in that fact.
As well as swimming my Dad loved being on the water. He bought our first little speed boat when l was 7. My Mum, never a strong swimmer was about to start a period of having to drive the boat/throw in the rope/watch when we came off. This she did under sufferance, as it allowed her to see some nice scenery. My Dad used to tell us places of beauty were unaccesible because of traffic jams, but when we had a boat found ourselves on Windermere even on the busiest Bank Holidays, funny that!
I took to water-skiing like a very fast duck to water. Any of you that have met me may not have noticed but l have very strong legs,[ l have the same calf measurment as my Great-grandad, apparently-18"] l was determined to be the youngest person to water- ski the channel. l once went from Swanage to Christchurch in heavy seas 3 times non-stop, a distance of about 28 miles. I was livid when l found l was already to old, and had been pipped to my rightful title by a little pip squeek from Surrey!!!!!!
The size of the boats increased as we got older, my favourite one was a Glastron, a big Texan boat with seats that made sunbeds and that had a flag pole which l bought a Royal Ensign for with my pocket money. This boat we bought when Mum was in bed with food poisoning, and Dad said he gave in because me and my Brother had nagged him, yeah right Pa.
The last boat he had was about as far as you can go with ski boats, the Rolls Royce of boats, a Powercraft. It even had it's own little house on the shores of Windermere, which was bigger and more luxurious than my first flat in London.
As l got older l only went in the boat with them on holidays, either in Poole or at my parents little cottage in Pembrokeshire. l know we were lucky, but we weren't spoiled. We only got to have all this fun because my Dad wanted it, he could be quite selfish. Everything for boats was/is expensive, yet when Mum wanted to replace some old carpets she had to have them as her 40th birthday present!
When l think of my Dad, l see him on the end of a rope, wet,
grinning like a mad man.
I'm glad that even though his life was relatively short, it was actioned packed and he lived it to the full.
My Dad loved water/boats. He built his first swimming pool after the long hot summer of '76. lt was unheated and didn't get much use until he also built a solar powered heating system as well. Outdoor pools and Lancashire weather aren't that compatible though. Eventually after treating himself to a custom built snazzy outdoor pool, my parents moved to Mum's present house and using his retirement money had an indoor pool built. lt was fantastic to be able to swim on Christmas day, or with just the under water lights on. If no one else was in you could also swim without the need for a cossy, as the windows over looked the garden and were not overlooked by the neighbours! Sadly, only two years after having his pool my Dad dead aged 51. My Mum doesn't swim much unless it's roasting hot, but her two grandchildren use the pool, so my Dad will be looking down happy in that fact.
As well as swimming my Dad loved being on the water. He bought our first little speed boat when l was 7. My Mum, never a strong swimmer was about to start a period of having to drive the boat/throw in the rope/watch when we came off. This she did under sufferance, as it allowed her to see some nice scenery. My Dad used to tell us places of beauty were unaccesible because of traffic jams, but when we had a boat found ourselves on Windermere even on the busiest Bank Holidays, funny that!
I took to water-skiing like a very fast duck to water. Any of you that have met me may not have noticed but l have very strong legs,[ l have the same calf measurment as my Great-grandad, apparently-18"] l was determined to be the youngest person to water- ski the channel. l once went from Swanage to Christchurch in heavy seas 3 times non-stop, a distance of about 28 miles. I was livid when l found l was already to old, and had been pipped to my rightful title by a little pip squeek from Surrey!!!!!!
The size of the boats increased as we got older, my favourite one was a Glastron, a big Texan boat with seats that made sunbeds and that had a flag pole which l bought a Royal Ensign for with my pocket money. This boat we bought when Mum was in bed with food poisoning, and Dad said he gave in because me and my Brother had nagged him, yeah right Pa.
The last boat he had was about as far as you can go with ski boats, the Rolls Royce of boats, a Powercraft. It even had it's own little house on the shores of Windermere, which was bigger and more luxurious than my first flat in London.
As l got older l only went in the boat with them on holidays, either in Poole or at my parents little cottage in Pembrokeshire. l know we were lucky, but we weren't spoiled. We only got to have all this fun because my Dad wanted it, he could be quite selfish. Everything for boats was/is expensive, yet when Mum wanted to replace some old carpets she had to have them as her 40th birthday present!
When l think of my Dad, l see him on the end of a rope, wet,
grinning like a mad man.
I'm glad that even though his life was relatively short, it was actioned packed and he lived it to the full.