Low Tide	05:57 (0.80m)
High Tide	12:19 (2.40m)
Low Tide	18:02 (0.90m

Sea temperature: 9.7 - 10.5 over the last 24 hours
Sea conditions: low tide and little rolling waves today
Weather: promising this morning and it turned into a lovely day
Joined by: Sara and The Poet.
Topics of conversation:
Privates on Parade - DK has been in London for the first rehearsals and has reported back that all is going swimmingly (no pun intended) with the cast having been given their short back and sides and marching orders. Fascinatingly the director has had a drill sergeant in to train the actors in the art of square bashing, not a skill that The Poet excelled at in his national service in South Africa apparently, but they are clearly getting somewhere with it if the latest clip is anything to go by:

DK is not MD on this production, rather more a consultant MD, which sounds to me to be rather fun. His word is gospel and he obviously has final say, having written it, but he doesn't have to sit through weeks of rehearsals, once they've got the hang of it. He seems very happy indeed with the cast and has huge respect for the director (although he's mightily disappointed that this clip is out of synch) so we're booking our tickets for January, when the days are short and we're in need of cheering up, here's a link (and no I don't get commission!):
BOOK TICKETS HERE
The Factory Shop - Legs and I had bumped into The Pirate at this salubrious establishment yesterday and he had been very nervous about going in. They are purveyors of all things cheap and tacky and he doesn't shop, ever, but they stock a fine line in track suits, gloves, thermals etc. and it had been The Pirate's aim to find a warmer outfit. He said he'd tried to cope but had been drummed out by the muzak. This led to a long discussion about how some people find noises off easier to cope with than others. I have selective hearing, it comes from years working in a primary school environment and living with whitterers. My Father was brilliant at selective hearing and claimed to be able to zone out of women's voices altogether. Sara admitted that she hasn't listened to music much since she had her babies. Sara and I did agree on the temptation to shop almost exclusively for clothing to keep us warm on the beach and both find we are spending rather too much. I really have no excuse as I kitted myself out a couple of years ago for my first Arctic Trip, but it's become an obsession. Latest purchase: canadian waterproof/snowproof boots. DK benefitted though as I dragged Legs to TK Maxx and she got him some smashing gloves which we decided were very Lilyhammer but I have banned all discussion about the final episode as there has been a glitch on the iPlayer, so I haven't seen it yet.
On The Road - to go or not to go to the cinema to see it? No decision was really made. It has had such extreme reviews but I'll probably go anyway.
Golf - DK's son has been taking Mertz off to the driving range recently and yesterday they played a game (match? round? I'm not good with sport) and he beat him. Mertz was rather put out as he has 25 years on DK's son, but I did point out that he hasn't played for 18, so they are probably about even. The golf has also made him realise that his RSI crippled hands need sorting out so he went to the doctor, who told him what we've all been telling him - use a mouse and a wrist support. Sara has Alexander Technique magic at her finger tips and she could certainly help him, if he wants help that is. Hopefully the thought that it may help him to improve his swing might persuade him. I'm really grateful to DK's son for reigniting his interest in golf, I know this sounds odd and I should be thinking that I don't want to be a golf widow at my age but actually it's something he loves and used to really enjoy and I've always felt vaguely guilty that he stopped playing when he met me. His family were are real golfing team and used to go off on golfing holidays together and when his father died the clubs just sat in the garage looking sad and it's taken him this long to feel able to use them. It's hard when he can't share it with his dad any more, and I know he misses him dreadfully, so actually it's great, really great that he's out there again. It's been a bad week on the 'missing Father' front for me, with the anniversary of his death and a friend's father dying on that day, but as always the sea has got me through.