Apologies

Douglas Enwright

Douglas Enwright

Dedicated Member
Hi everyone,
Sorry I have not been on here for a while,and apologies to everyone who may have interacted with a post of mine and not received a response,Stephen in particular replied with a great post almost two weeks ago which I have only just seen,and to everyone else I am sorry who may have interacted and I feel I owe you an explanation.
I retired from work recently and have been on holiday in Spain for a while,prior to my retirement I applied to be a lock keeper for the Canal and River Trust,it’s voluntary and unpaid,but it was something to do which I enjoy,and it’s a purpose in life.
When I got back it was all waiting for me,I have had about twenty online learning modules to complete,training days and assessments at the lock,exams,and training days in the classroom at Strawberry Island boat club in Doncaster,including another one next week which will be all day.
I had no idea there was so much involved,but most of it is law,legislation,protocols,safety etc
I passed my practical assessments on the lock last week and have been allocated the most beautiful lock and lock tower which is just five minutes walk from my house.
In the meantime I have neglected my friends on here and for the first time in my adult life have had days where I’v not even watched an episode of our beloved show.
The CRT stuff will all be over soon though and I still have many Summer Wine walks planned,including the Destiny one which is next,but it takes a long time to choose a scene,write down the dialogue,plan the order in which to take photos and the order to post them,and then the time it takes to post them,and it’s a particularly difficult one as there are at least six different locations/towns that I have to travel to by car,but I will do it.
Thankyou so much to everyone that has liked or replied to a post in my absence,or who has contacted me.
I hope you are all well and happy,it is such a wonderful and close Summer Wine family on here,an escape from the world we live in,and everyone is so lovely,I am so grateful to have been accepted by you all and to be a part of it.
See you all again soon,take care.
Chuffer xxx
 
Chuffer !!!!!...in the immortal words of Nora Batty to Foggy in "The Return Of The Warrior".........."W E L C O M E H O M E !!!!!!!!".
Knowing you as I do I know it is IMPOSSIBLE for you to neglect us !!!!!.......the love of OUR SHOW is a bond that will keep us all together for life !!!!...
NOT 1 SUMMERWINE FAMILY MEMBER WOULD EVER THINK THAT WAY !!!!...
You bring SO MUCH to OUR SITE........your posts are unique,funny,fascinating,inspiring......AND ABSOLUTELY SELFLESS !!!....you do them FOR US.....and we appreciate every single one of them !!!.
You never have to explain your absence to us.......WE LOVE YOU !!!!.
Keith.
X!
 
I can't believe it's voluntary, one of my old school friends father was a lock keeper on the Shropshire Union Canal, he was salaried and even got his own lovely cottage. It's a job that carries great responsibility so it's wonderful people as generous as yourself give up your time to do it Chuffer!
 
Barrychuckle said:
I can't believe it's voluntary, one of my old school friends father was a lock keeper on the Shropshire Union Canal, he was salaried and even got his own lovely cottage. It's a job that carries great responsibility so it's wonderful people as generous as yourself give up your time to do it Chuffer!
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This is why Canals & River trust have a large amount of funds in their bank account
 
Since when do you need to apologize for few weeks R&R :)

That lock gig sounds too complicated to be unpaid. Honestly it couldnt be that hard could it?
 
MoodyBlue said:
Chuffer !!!!!...in the immortal words of Nora Batty to Foggy in "The Return Of The Warrior".........."W E L C O M E H O M E !!!!!!!!".
Knowing you as I do I know it is IMPOSSIBLE for you to neglect us !!!!!.......the love of OUR SHOW is a bond that will keep us all together for life !!!!...
NOT 1 SUMMERWINE FAMILY MEMBER WOULD EVER THINK THAT WAY !!!!...
You bring SO MUCH to OUR SITE........your posts are unique,funny,fascinating,inspiring......AND ABSOLUTELY SELFLESS !!!....you do them FOR US.....and we appreciate every single one of them !!!.
You never have to explain your absence to us.......WE LOVE YOU !!!!.
Keith.
X!
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Aaw thankyou MoodyBlue,everyone is so lovely on here,it really is a family,I’ll be back more regularly when I’v got everything else sorted that’s occupying my time and energy xxx
 
maltrab said:
Nice to see you here again Chuffer, I had wondered if you had run off with Doreen Tattershall
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That literally made me laugh Terry.
No that would be too much,the wife is fierce enough let alone old Doreen,we do meet up once a fortnight for a wrestle though,but it’s not doing my knee any good.
Thankyou xx
 
Barrychuckle said:
I can't believe it's voluntary, one of my old school friends father was a lock keeper on the Shropshire Union Canal, he was salaried and even got his own lovely cottage. It's a job that carries great responsibility so it's wonderful people as generous as yourself give up your time to do it Chuffer!
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I know Barry everyone says that,as you say it was a full time job with a cottage,the old lock keepers cottage is right next to the lock tower,but it’s all voluntary though,thankyou for the reply and take care xx
 
Pearl said:
So that's everyone accounted for? I think we're going to have to start doing a roll call once a week. The lock job sounds amazing.
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Thankyou Pearl,it’s wonderful how everyone on here looks out for and cares for everyone,I have never known anything like it before,but then our show is a special,beautiful gentle show that attracts wonderful thoughtful caring people,and people who are new are just as included and cared about,thankyou,and yes the lock keeping is so tranquil and lovely xx
 
BruceC said:
Since when do you need to apologize for few weeks R&R :)

That lock gig sounds too complicated to be unpaid. Honestly it couldnt be that hard could it?
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No it’s not that hard,it’s just been over complicated by all the red tape and rigmarole you have to go through,laws and legislation,protocols,risk assessment,health and safety,loads of stuff like that
 
We often stay next to the canal in our campervan at a site behind a pub. In 1976 when the boat used to scrape the bottom of the canal due to the lack of water my Dad let me have a go of our holiday barge. I promptly hit a swing bridge.
On our last visit to the site I revisited the scene of the crime next to the pub. It was out of order but pretty sure it wasn’t down to me 46 years ago!
Enjoy your new job Chuffer.A8D5BA59-301D-4085-97F7-BBC5D2525EF5.jpeg
 
Barrychuckle said:
Small world, I grew up in Audlem so know the Shroppie Fly very well indeed. Spent many a drunken night in there in my youth!!
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Do you remember the man with the very long hair that served ice cream out of the freezer with a big wooden spoon. It was in the little post office if I remember correctly, I think his daughter took it over when he died/ retired?
You’ll probably know the pub next to the bridge in my photo then Barry, the Cotton Arms in Wrenbury. We were there last month.
 
ferret said:
Do you remember the man with the very long hair that served ice cream out of the freezer with a big wooden spoon. It was in the little post office if I remember correctly, I think his daughter took it over when he died/ retired?
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Yep, George Beaman, he was the local eccentric character. He ran the sweet shop not the post office, he was never married or had children he died quite a few years back. The sweet shop is now a cafe called The Old Priest House
 
ferret said:
We often stay next to the canal in our campervan at a site behind a pub. In 1976 when the boat used to scrape the bottom of the canal due to the lack of water my Dad let me have a go of our holiday barge. I promptly hit a swing bridge.
On our last visit to the site I revisited the scene of the crime next to the pub. It was out of order but pretty sure it wasn’t down to me 46 years ago!
Enjoy your new job Chuffer.View attachment 5045
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Thankyou ferret
 
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