Yearly Archives: 2018

The Gods In Cornwall. 11th October

Oxford

Oxford to Cornwall to Oxford

There were only 3 trains that we noticed last night, but it was more the generator going all night that disturbed our sleep. We couldn’t go and knock on the roof of a boat to get it turned off as it was on the railway line across the mill stream. Anyway the alarm went off early as I was due to be on the 7:21 train.

Gemma and I had planned our journey with the aim that I would already be on the train that she would catch at Bristol to Plymouth. I had to do a route that missed Reading and split my journey in Bristol to save almost £200 on my return ticket.

First change was at Didcot Parkway where the sun was just trying to peak through the very dark clouds. A quick count of those heading into London on the opposite platform came up with three newspaper readers out of getting on for a hundred people. Most stood looking at their phones, at least this takes up less space on the platform compared to the days of everyone reading broadsheets. Next change Swindon. Here I got on the train Gemma should be getting. There were no reserved seats, just as well as mine was meant to be in coach J which didn’t exist! I found a table and staked my claim.

As the train neared Bristol I got a message from Gemma asking if I’d like a cuppa if she had time to get one. Marvellous it now felt like an age since I’d had one back at Oleanna, however it did feel like she’d but cutting it fine. At Bristol Temple Meads the train pulled in and most people got off, I kept an eye open to see if the only other table in the carriage became free. It didn’t. I waited and waited. The train pulled out of the station, no sign of Gemma. Maybe she’d got on at one end of the train two teas in hand and was working her way along the carriages to D. She’d let me know if she’d missed the train surely. I waited and waited.

Ten minutes later I sent her a text, ‘Did you miss the train?’ nothing came back. Another ten minutes and I was so puzzled I gave her a call. ‘Just wondering where you are, and where I am?’ She was puzzled. Yesterday I thought we’d agreed to be on the train leaving Bristol at 9:12, I was on that train, but it was going to arrive 35 minutes earlier than I thought. Gemma was going to be on the train that arrived at the right time, how had that happened? No idea, but at least we’d both end up in Plymouth.

I made the most of the very grey rainy journey and moved over to the left side of the train. As we pulled out of Exeter I put down my knitting and armed myself with my camera for the journey along the coast at Dawlish.

As far as I’m aware I’ve never been along this line before, but sadly today the view wasn’t at it’s best. However the tide was in and waves were crashing against the seawall casting spray up towards the train. I didn’t manage to time my photos too well despite trying to guess which would be the seventh big wave. It was still quite dramatic.

At Plymouth I had chance to get something to eat and chat to a second carpenter who is building bits for panto. When Gemma appeared we were off and into a taxi dashing to meet the Cremyll Ferry. Down little back streets we were dropped off at Admirals Hard where a concrete jetty heads out into the bay.

Our next form of transport arrived, the Edgcombe Belle. The crew needed to get some steps so that people could get on and off at the bow as the tide was in, it looked calmer here than it had at Dawlish. A touch damp outside we opted for shelter as the boat made it’s 8 minute crossing, the later part getting really quite lumpy. I may live on a boat, but I don’t do waves if I can possibly help it!

At the Cremyll landing we were met by Lou one half of Snell scenery builders who drove us up to the workshop whilst one of her dogs in the boot kept dropping a rather soggy ball on me. Theatre life is so glamourous!

A couple of hours followed with us going through all the drawings of my set, looking at what was built so far, chatting to the scenic artist and hunting for references of Lotus flowers. There are still a few bits to build including the Dames Gin Palace. They have managed to put together enough time and materials to make my 2.5 D Gods, which is marvellous. All is going well and the next time we’ll see it is a week on Monday when it all arrives in Chipping Norton.

Once we’d finished work Adrian and Lou brought out photos for me to look at. A couple of weeks ago in an email Adrian had asked me if we’d ever been past the lock cottage at Kings Lock on the River Soar near Leicester. At the age of 19, Adrian had been on the hunt for a house in need of some TLC. He’d spotted the lock cottage, which had recently been broken into by vandals who had set light to it on Bonfire night. He contacted British Waterways to see if he could buy it. Only available as a leasehold he was told if he was interested he’d need to do something about it in the next six weeks as after that it was due for demolition.

For a peppercorn rent of £1 for the first year Adrian took on the project. Once restoration work was completed the insurance company would pay out several thousand pounds. He arranged for a group of friends from the pub to help him one weekend to clear the site. Only one person turned up and that was Lou, this is when they got together. They worked on the cottage for many months scarfing in new roof joists etc, camping outside in all weathers until it was weather proof. The water froze and they could only flush the toilet by collecting water leaking through the lock gates in a bucket. They stayed for another nine months once the work was completed, but as the cottage would never be theirs they decided to move elsewhere. For those who don’t know the canal and cottage it is now a well known tea rooms. Kings Lock marks where the canal starts and river section ends, so is a safe haven for boaters should the river go into flood. We’ve moored there but never been inside. Three years ago when Adrian and Lou last visited very little had changed from when they lived there, just minor adjustments for the tea rooms. It’s a small world.

A lift back to the ferry now in sunshine, a shame we couldn’t take our time as I only got glimpses of the Cornish bays. The tide was now out and we had a much longer walk back up the Hard to reach our waiting taxi, we didn’t need the steps either. The journey back was much brighter outside, but Gemma and I had things to discuss and work on before we reached Bristol. Two more trains and I was back in Oxford just after the sun had gone to bed.

Mick during the day had climbed a tower to look at views of Oxford. Discovered that his phone microphone no longer worked and nudged Oleanna up by about three boat lengths hopefully enough to move us away from the generator on the railway. Unfortunately he tried a factory reset on his phone and lost any photos he’d taken.

0 locks, 0.04 miles, 6 trains, 1 ferry twice, 2 taxis, 2.5 D Gods, 4 groundrows, 1 palace, 1 backdrop, 1 canoe, 1 pyramid, 1 grubbery, 0 model box, 1 tower climbed, 1 cottage saved.

https://goo.gl/maps/APzn8TumKht

A Little Bit Closer. 10th October

Aristotle Bridge to almost Isis Lock

Our two days at Aristotle Bridge would be up today, so after breakfast we pushed off and nudged our way just that bit closer to the city centre.

Debby from NB Chuffed had given us some handy hints on the moorings further along. As we pootled we discussed our options.

1 We could stop at the back of St Barnabas Church, this is very close to railway lines therefore noisy.

2 We could head down to the far end of the canal where the road cuts off the original route. There are 2 day moorings there and a waterpoint. The trains are further away so it is quieter, but the proximity of the road and a resident cat may not be so good for Tilly. Mick had been concerned that the depth may be a problem, but we’d now seen some boats up there.

3 Which way should we face when we got there? Which ever ‘there’ was to be?

We opted for pulling up near St Barnabas Church to see how noisy it was, if it was bad we could then carry on to try at the end. The occasional train came past, but not as many as we’d been expecting. So we decided to stay put for the night. The rail traffic is mostly freight, which of course continues through the night so we still had the option to move on. Tilly was allowed out and seemed to prefer here despite the many people on the towpath.

Plans were formulated for tomorrow as I am heading off to see how the build of the Panto set is going. It looks like my route will mean that Gemma the Production Manager will be able to join me on the same train as it goes through Bristol where she lives, so we can have a catch up and chat over various things before we get there.

Mick and I had a walk into town via the station so that I could pick up my many tickets. This meant we walked along Snake Island, we’re not going to tell Tilly about it just in case. Then we passed the old railway swing bridge that crosses over the Sheepwash Channel which leads out to the Thames.

The covered market was first on our agenda today. Many shops of all sorts in a good building, not quite as stylish as Leeds. This meant we were close to Whittards so I was able to stock up on my morning brew. The Bank was visited to check for Mick’s new credit card and that had arrived. Great, not much other than sight seeing to keep us here now.

A visit to a college was next, plenty to choose from as most of them open their doors in the afternoons so that tourists can have a good nosy. The entrance price varied quite a bit between them, we decided to see what Trinity College was like, a cheaper one, most probably because it hasn’t appeared in Harry Potter, but is a location in Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. We paid our entrance and the lady buzzed the gate to let us in.

Trinity was founded in 1555 by Sir Thomas Pope and even though it is physically large it only has 400 students. Originally it was a male college but since 1979 it became co-educational. Some of the buildings date back to 1421 when it was Durham College. Large gardens surround the buildings including some very large trees. The central quadrangle focuses on a raised grassed bed, the chapel and dining room to two sides and staircases lead off to student rooms on the other two sides.

The chapel is quite small but it’s decoration more than makes up for it. It was the first chapel to be built in the Baroque style, designed by Henry Aldrich with advice from Christopher Wren in 1694. As you walk in the organ towers above you, then you walk through a screen into the chapel which more or less consists of a choir. Virtually all wood, ornately carved with bulls, men and cherubs who seem to have a big problem with cowlicks in their hair! Some of the wood was Oak, the pillars pine (I think), but much of the rest of it I wasn’t sure of, Frank Matthews would have been able to tell me, but I guessed at maybe mahogany. What a splendid room. Trinity has one of the largest choirs in the university mostly from members of the college.

We sneakily followed a group of French students into the dining room as there was a sign saying no entry. Here a large room very much as you would expect with the top table and then rows for the students. It had a slight shabby feel to it despite it’s ornate chandelier. Thousands of food trays have worn tables down through the decades. The walls are hung with portraits, at the moment they are all women, quite a few photographs of past students who’ve made it big in their profession. I assume these are here to help mark the centenary of women getting the vote. The photographs do look at little bit odd in such a room where oil paintings normally hang, but not as out of place as the very large dispenser for Heinz Tomato Ketchup.

Through the next arch way are entrances to the staircases leading to the student rooms. The college obviously has rowing teams and chalked up on the walls are various years in which they ‘bumped’ other colleges. If this had happened at my school it would have been classed as graffiti and we’d have been reprimanded. But here it is obviously tradition.

A wander around some of the shops in the Westgate Centre meant that I found a bag suitable for me to take a weeks worth of clothing to Chipping Norton. We’ve not needed anything this size for a while and it had to be able to fold down into next to nothing for storage under our bed.

Back at the boat Tilly went out and carried on enjoying her new surroundings. She was particularly interested in the semi sunk boats on the Castle Mill Stream which sits just behind us. This kept her busy far too late and I had to try to find her and encourage her home. Yet every time she surfaced from the sideways trees and brambles she’d carry on trotting up the towpath in the direction of Banbury. Eventually she tired and I managed to catch her, having to carry her back along the towpath for quite a distance without her escaping again.

0 locks, 0.63 miles, 1 proof on it’s way, 2 return tickets saving £200, 3 packets tea, 1 credit card, 1 market, 1 college, 3 hours, 6 boats, 1 surprised man on a bench, 5 trees, 1 chair, 5 minutes clinging onto a busy cat, 6 minutes out.

https://goo.gl/maps/dnZhiAa16Xy

What A Lot Of Plates! 9th October

Aristotle Bridge

The Ashmolean Museum sits on Beaumont Street almost opposite Oxford Playhouse. It is the world’s first University Museum, originally built in 1678 to house curiosities given to the University by Elias Ashmole. A new building was erected in the 1840’s and in 2009 it had a major redevelopment. Ancient artefacts housed in large Victorian rooms with modern sliding doors and modern staircases.

You could most probably spend all day wandering round the galleries, but we selected what we were interested in and headed straight to the top of the building where Monet, Pissaro, Burne Jones and Sickert paintings hang surrounded by many many more. The collection is quite something with a large room dedicated to the Camden Town Group and Sickert who was one of the most influential and controversial artists of the 20th Century. He lived in Paris for some time mixing with the likes of Degas. When he moved to London this rubbed off on his fellow artists and a trend of painting suburban landscapes and modest interiors began using bold strong colours inspired by the Post Impressionists.

I tend to walk into a room and see which painting catches my eye first, jumping out from the wall and calling me over. The rest of the paintings, sculptures are looked at first, some slowly, others merely passed by leaving the best until last. One such painting by Vilhelm Peter Karl Kyhn entitled From Kolding Fjord caught my eye. The light on the water creating a mist rising in the distance and the shadowy boats and piers, just wonderful and calm (my photo doesn’t do it justice).

Rooms full of plates and figurines. Statues from every period in history. Cellos, violins and violas all with such ornate decorative details. Signet rings. All sorts filling the galleries.

Down in the basement there are galleries covering Greece, the Aegean World and Egypt. I couldn’t help but have a look round the Egyptian carvings, the hieroglyphs and mummies. They fascinate me.

Lunchtime called and we decided to go looking for Morse and Lewis at the Turf Tavern tucked away close to the Bridge of Sighs and the Sheldonian Theatre. Have to say I was very surprised that we could get a table, but the queue was as I’d expected. Mick opted for a sour dough ham and cheese toastie which looked very tasty whilst I struggled to find anything without bread, they had run out of their jacket sweet potatoes. There was only one thing for it but to have some chips and a side of coleslaw to make it a little bit healthy.

We enjoyed sitting out in the sun with the bright blue sky overhead. No sign of the famous Thames Valley detectives. We considered creating a murder scene to see if we could flush them out, but neither of us was willing to die for the cause. We’d not quite realised how big the pub actually was, it stretches back with so many rooms. I’d hate to think what the queue would have been like mid summer! Not only are there connections to Morse, but also Harry Potter and Bill Clinton, as this is where he allegedly ‘did not inhale’ an illegal substance.

A meandering walk around the University brought us to the River Cherwell that we have followed down to Oxford. We decided to walk northwards along the river to then cut across back to the canal. Easier said than done as few paths follow the river and fewer bridges cross it. In the end we stayed on the West bank and followed the river through the University park. Numerous in depth conversations passed us, were these students going to be those who solve modern world problems in the future?

A pause to admire Lady Margaret Hall and take a photo for our friend of the same name and then another at the Dragon School before we cut our way back across to the canal.

The park was full of children when we got back. It took Tilly a couple of hours to pluck up the courage to actually step off the boat. But she soon returned to safety and to watch the squirrels, a cat and two people sitting having drinks in their garden enjoying the last of the sunny days rays, wrapped up warm in coats.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 bridges, 1 museum, 2 many paintings, 1 Tortoise straining, 1 painting bomber, 3 rooms of plates, 4 mummies, 8 men with beards, 1 pint, 1 glass of wine, 1 toastie, 1 bowl chips, 0 Morse, Lewis or Hathaway, 0 college grounds today, 0 riverside walk, 4 punts, 1 litre milk, 1 dismayed cat.

LIFT!!!! 8th October

Kidlington Green Lock to Aristotle Bridge 240

Tilly got to have a little rummage around the hedgerows before we pushed of this morning. After an hour she came back in to warm up by the stove.

A boat had come past shortly before we pushed off, there was little chance of us catching it up before the first lift bridge as the going today was slow, despite the water running down bywashes the bottom was a touch too close to the top! After a mile we could see people at Drinkwater’s Lift Bridge. Two boats and two crews, one heading towards us the other south. The bridges from here on tend to be closed and they have a reputation for being b**gers. The boat heading towards us waved us on as they had grounded, it was a couple we’d seen a few days ago near Somerton. The boat infront of us closed the bridge to unlock their key and headed off to use the water point. So we were on our own.

The method used by the boats before us had been to unlock the bridge and raise it, then to use themselves as a human brace, keeping the bridge as high as possible so as not to drop on the boat. We pulled up and decided upon our tactics. It took a little while to unlock it with the key of power, a bit of extra time to read the extra instructions would have helped, only a quarter turn is required whilst pushing down on the bridge. The bridge then could be pushed up quite easily as it was weighted quite well. We decided that instead of me trying to keep the bridge up by acting as a brace that I would go and add my weight to the balance beam on the off side. Sitting down is far easier than pushing upwards and we didn’t think I was tall enough to make the clearance enough for our chimney to pass under. Once Mick and Oleanna were through it was quite easy for me to lower the bridge and lock it again. On we went.

Dukes Lock brought us down that bit closer to the Oxford level only one lock to the Thames if you turn right, two if you go straight on. Two years ago we came off the Thames at Dukes Cut which meets the canal below the lock here, but today we were going to go straight on, new water all round for us.

Wolvercote Lift Bridge was next. A man was sitting mid bridge taking photos and moved as we approached. Sitting between two high road bridges this small lift bridge was not going to be a push over. This bridge has instructions as to unlocking it, but the lock has been removed. The balance is such that it’s rather heavy to get moving and for myself impossible to get to the point where I could push down on it rather than pull down, past the point of no return. I signalled to Mick, but the photographer came to help, it just needed a little push upwards from the towpath side and then I could sit on it again ensuring it would not move whilst the boat came through. The two of us then lowered it and were on our way again.

Agenda 21 moorings now take over the towpath. These are residential moorings which came about after an agreement was made between British Waterways and The Oxford Boaters Co-op some years ago. Most of the boats have seen better days, many are colourful and have unique qualities to them.

Different hatch designs, rubbing strakes and paintings. At Perry’s lift Bridge I unlocked the bridge and gingerly stepped over to the off side, not knowing how well it was balanced. It was fine and I wasn’t going to be catapulted across to the nearby rail line. As Mick pulled out to pass through weed ensnared Oleanna’s prop so he slowly glided through. Once clear a rope was thrown to me on the towpath the pull the boat into the side as there was no steerage. As the water tank topped up Mick cleared the weed and we could carry on slowly past the moored boats in the shallow water.

Wolvercote Lock was the last to Oxford and no bridges would need lifting now. Many of the visitor moorings as you approach the city are alongside the railway and not very user friendly. We continued hoping for a space on the 7day moorings.

There were three boats moored here plenty of trees and back gardens for Tilly. Just a shame we couldn’t get anywhere near the side! I could hear and see boulders beneath the surface stopping us from mooring. On we went to Aristotle Bridge. Here is a designated quiet mooring, a bit like a quiet coach on a train. We’d made note of here when NB Chuffed had cruised to Oxford a month or so ago, it’s alongside a small park this would do us and we hoped Tilly. The only downside is that it’s only a 48 hour mooring.

I couldn’t wait. This Oxford outside looked good, all the requirements I want. I was given an hour to explore, but sadly that was too much! Bicycles, woofers, odd smells. There were these strange structures, I thought what a good place to sit and survey this outside, so jumped up, except it moved out of the way! No matter how I tried to get on it it would swing away from me. This outside is weird and needs C&RT hazard tape adding to it.

Once we were allowed to go off and explore ourselves we walked up to check out the deli by the bridge. Nice looking bits and bobs. Then we followed our noses into Oxford walking through Jericho. Neither of us know Oxford, I’ve been a few times with work but always been too busy to have a look round. Looking in estate agents windows we wished we could move our house here as the rents are astronomical.

In the city centre I got my phone upgraded to a sim only deal, saving me £5 a month. Mick checked to see if a new credit card had arrived at the bank, but it hadn’t and a visit to Whittards to stock up on my morning tea was scuppered by the shop being closed. Tomorrow we’ll return and be tourists.

We walked back along the towpath from Isis Lock, not what I thought it would look like at all, much shallower. We’ll need to descend the lock to be able to wind as we are too long for the winding hole here. On the way back to Oleanna we made note of other moorings we could move to as we’d like to stay longer than 48 hrs.

The back doors were opened again when we got in, but the park was full of kids playing on the swings, so Tilly stayed close to home.

2 locks, 3 lift bridges holding 0 up, 1 lufted bridge, 1 straight on, agenda 21, 2nd mooring attempt, 1 deli, £5 reduction, £1,1million in need of work, 0 card, 0 tea, 2 much to see, 1 short list needed, 1 glove finished.

https://goo.gl/maps/mew666RqyzR2

Waiting For The Grey Boat. 7th October

Thrupp to Kidlington Green Lock 43

A dry but chilly morning, time to nudge one more step towards Oxford. Plenty of boats were heading north and at times there were several waiting for the lift bridge, we headed southwards for water and a suitable place for Tilly.

Knowing we’d be able to fill up ahead the washing machine had been active whilst we’ve been in Thrupp, the gauge now reading a quarter full. We pulled up at Langford Bridge which isn’t the best place for a water point. Just after a bridge on a bend. We opted for mooring with our stern in to the towpath and bow sticking out, a fender strategically positioned hoping that the freshly painted gunnels will survive a day un marked.

Once full, we pootled onwards having ear marked a mooring we thought would be good for Tilly. At Roundham Lock we swapped with a boat coming out of the lock and had extra crew to help us down as a hire boat awaited their turn accompanied by a lady sat in their bow playing sea shanties on an accordion .

With moorings above and below Kidlington Green Lock we pulled in above and I walked to see what was available below. I had a suspicion that the boat that would be our neighbour had a cat as there was an escape board pinned into the armco at either ends of the boat. Mick confirmed this on my return as he’d seen the cat having a bath in preparation for coming out of it’s cat flap. We decided as there was plenty of space below the lock with sunlight we’d move down.

A boat had just pulled in, most probably for lunch, they had a whippet who dashed along the towpath towards us. Maybe above the lock would have been better! Once we’d tied up Mick walked down to ask about their dog and how it is with cats. Not good was the answer and they were expecting another whippet to arrive shortly but would be moving on in an hours time. This did not go down too well with Tilly!!

They’d tied the outside up. She’d written down the magic numbers. The magic music had been played. There were trees. There was a big huge field to run around in. I’d been locked in for days, weeks, years!!! But she didn’t recite the rules, just a ”Sorry Tilly, when the grey boat goes” !!!!! We hoped that the lady kept to her word.

Just as she said they pulled off an hour later and as she walked past informed us that the dogs were safely on the boat. Tilly and I stood and watched the grey boat go past, a stairgate visible at the stern to keep their dogs in. It was now safe. “Three Hours, no friends home, dead or alive or putting them on the roof for later …..”etc. One happy cat.

During the afternoon I finished off my first Fazil for panto. He still needs eyes a tongue and some markings, but the shape is good and he fits on my hand as well as Micks. A one size fits all snake. Another two to make, but I’m going to have a break from snakes whilst I do a bit more towards a big order I’ve got. Multicoloured wool put away and subtle cream and red back out.

As our roast pork cooked the sun set over the far side of the field behind us. What a lovely sight, whilst trying to encourage a still giddy cat to come home for her dingding!

2 locks, 2.33 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 accordion, 2 planks, 1 pawprint rubbing strake, 1 mark, 1st female DR, 1 aptly named boat, 1 snake, 4th pair started, 1 Sunday roast, 4 hours of pouncing, digging, climbing and running around like a loon!

https://goo.gl/maps/yYNYgrYoTDv

Autumn Half Term. 6th October

Thrupp

It started to rain as Mick got out of bed to make tea. Was it worth getting dressed before our morning cuppa to get the cratch cover back on before everything in the well deck got wet? We knew it made sense and put top layers on with water proof coats. After wiping water off the cratch board the cover was back on before 8am. Damp things removed we got back into bed for tea.

Soon after breakfast the stove was lit, the temperature having dropped by around 10C since yesterday. We knew the forecast was for rain followed by more rain today, so hadn’t planned anything. It felt like an Autumn Half Term holiday where either you spent it in front of the TV or were forced to walk around the Lake District in the rain because it was character building! We decided to do the former after Mick had walked to the Co-op about a mile away for our Saturday newspaper.

A boy programme on trains was followed by a girl programme, GBBO. Then we decided to watch Mystery Road that is being shown on BBC4. Lunch was suitable soup with homemade chickpea flatbreads. The flour has been sat in a drawer for the last year and is just passing it’s use by date. They were an interesting experiment and I think next time I may add a touch of cumin. They also might be a good base for a flat bread pizza.

During the day my Panto snake puppet grew, it only needs a few more inches of body and then things like a tongue and some extra markings for it to be finished. Then there are another two to make!

Late afternoon the rain dried up so we had a stroll around the village. It wasn’t a long one as the village is quite small. A row of Grade 2 listed cottages sits alongside the canal. If you fancy one it would be a mere £425k in need of some modernisation. They do look cosy though. We studied the bus timetables to see if here would be a possible place for me to commute from, 2 buses and they run on Sundays, the advantage of being by Oxford Airport. Then we followed a path behind The Boat Inn which led us back to the canal at Shipton-on-Cherwell and the Holy Cross Church.

Inside no lights were on and the small church was a touch gloomy in the fading light of the day. A flash was needed to be able to see just about anything, a small organ and two bells. We returned to Oleanna having decided to eat out at The Boat Inn tonight, hoping that their beer stocks had been replenished from earlier in the week.

We joined four other tables in The Morse Room. The Boat Inn was used as a location in an episode of Morse back in 1989 (The Last Enemy) and the walls have numerous photos from the episode. John Thaw looked over my shoulder as I tucked into a steak and chips. We’d heard the chap on the table next to us checking to see if their pies were just stew topped with a puff pastry lid or a proper pie with sides, the answer was yes they had sides. But what we forgot to ask ourselves was how our food would be served. They arrived on plates, but the chips came in a mini frying basket with a piece of paper under them. These were dispensed with very quickly, all the food on a plate where it should be.

The steaks were okay, still not had one to beat The Old Hall Inn, Chinley (The Red Lion in Crick comes second). They certainly weren’t triple cooked chips, more the variety that had once been mashed potato which had then been formed into chip shapes, then sprayed with a coating to hold them together. The only option I had for pudding was ice cream. A scoop each of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate in a glass with a blob of cream on top. You may notice that I call this ice cream as it had no medicinal qualities to it what –so-ever, just supermarket cheepo ice cream. We decided to return to Oleanna to keep Tilly company for a second drink rather than spend more money on beer and wine in the pub.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 bridges, 1 cratch cover back on before the rain really set in, 1 clean pooh box, 7 pencils, 2 pens, 1 handcuff key destined for the floor, 1 very bored cat, 3 episodes Mystery Road, 1ft of snake, 5 chickpea flatbreads, 0.5 of soup, 1 large glass wine, 1 pint, 2 steaks, 1 with 1 without onion rings, 1 stove lit all day, 1 very cosy boat.

Second Coats. 5th October

Thrupp

Last night just as I was plating up a nice chicken curry there was the sound of a boat engine coming along slowly beside us. Mick opened up the hatch and a lady said, “Are you Mick?” It was NB Dusty the local coal boat. They had expected to be in Thrupp before dark but had been delayed. We all introduced ourselves Katy, Jock and their four legged friend Billy, for the next few months they will be looking after our coal and diesel needs. A top up of diesel, 88p, more than at Cropredy but the boat delivers to our door. They try to do a run every three weeks so we decided to stock up a bit on coal too. We still need to get a mat for the roof. Jock and Mick carefully positioned the bags not too close to the drying cratch. A jolly couple, as all coal boaters are, we look forward to getting to know them better and see what they look like next time. The curry was fine keeping warm in the oven.

Before breakfast I gave the gunnel a rinse down and left it to dry whilst we finished off the bacon from the Pig Place in butties. Then it was to work with the hope of getting two coats on the gunnel today.

Luckily the cratch had dried off enough yesterday before we went past the dust cloud, it had only settled and not stuck. This had a wipe down and left to dry whilst the gunnels were worked on. With curves and poppers masked out I started at the stern and worked my way forward with roller and brush for the bits a roller can’t get to. I wanted the stern to be dry first so that when our shopping arrived nobody would have to think about it too much. So satisfying when you stand back and there are no scrapes visible.

Next the cratch got it’s second coat of woodskin. This takes quite a bit of drying and the cover will remain off for as long as possible so as not to stick. Just as I was cleaning the brushes out the delivery van came along the road, he pulled into the passing place and we got to work emptying the crates at the back doors and checking through the items from a mental list. This pays as occasionally they have delivered something that wasn’t quite right. Today Mick got two Cheese and Onion Pizza Rolls instead of Cheese Twists, he was a touch disappointed (as he’s addicted!) but mentioning them to the driver means that they will come off the bill and he got to keep the rolls.

Tilly spent much of the day asking to go out. After yesterdays near miss with a car it was decided that she should be confined to quarters whilst here, also the drying paint really didn’t want paw prints on it either. She followed me up and down the boat keeping an eye on what I was doing through the windows. Mick took one of our speakers to pieces as it has stopped working, a soldered connection had broken and needed redoing. It’s a good job he lives with a theatre designer as my model making kit contained all that he needed. This did though require digging the right box out from underneath the dinette.

I offered to assist, I could go down the hole and get what he needed, but there wasn’t enough space for me down there. I also helped by passing things to Tom. For some reason he wasn’t too keen on the idea of having to pick his tools up from the floor and they all got moved out of paw reach. I was just trying to be helpful!

By 5pm a big vat of soup was bubbling away making use of the tins of carrots we’ve had stashed away for emergencies (two years out of date now!). Six hours had passed since I’d started to paint the gunnels so I could do a second coat before it got dark. Just a shame tomorrow there will be lots of little white flies stuck to it. They all came out of hiding when I’d got half way along!

Apart from a big scrape along the tunnel band the starboard side is finished and ready for winter. We may have to stop here on the way back to Banbury to do the port side.

0 locks, 0 miles, 47 litres diesel, 4 bags Excell, 2 coats Epifanes, 1 coat Woodskin, 1 speaker mended, 1 looney bored cat, 3rd version of a snake on the needles, 3 days worth of soup, 2 years out of date, 0 tins of carrots, 4 helpful paws rejected.

Stupid Stupid Stupid. 4th October

Pigeon Bridge to Thrupp

After breakfast my dungarees went on and out came the woodskin. A coat carefully applied to all parts of the cratch without getting too much on myself and I managed to have a way to get off the bow too.

In the distance I could hear what sounded like a wood chipper, I wondered if it was on the golf course. But after a while a C&RT boat came round the bend in front of us. One chap pruned branches from the trees , another fed these into the chipper which sprayed the chips into the hedgerow. They then moved on to the next tree that needed parts removing. As they got closer they refrained from chopping anything down and photos were taken presumably to show their boss as to where they couldn’t trim back due to boats being in the way. As they waited their turn for the lock they did a bit of pruning on the off side. Sadly they were only interested in some trees others were left to overhang the narrow towpath.

With the cratch board drying there was nothing to stop us from pushing off and carrying on our way. Some extra care was needed when tying ropes so as not to touch the drying stickyness, but I managed. After a mile we rounded a bend that skirts around Gibraltar. If you click on this link you will find that this Gibraltar is very similar to most of England, most people speak English and use pounds sterling!

At Bakers Lock we dropped down onto the River Cherwell again. Here a new river level board with lights has been added at the side of the lock, similar to those on the River Severn. The old coloured board below the lock has been removed presumably no longer required. But what happens when light bulbs blow or the power fails and the river is in the red?

On the river you could tell Oleanna liked the extra bit of depth, I however didn’t like the amount of dust in the air. All the trees and bushes were covered in a dusting of whiteness that was drifting across the river. Was it all going to stick to the sticky cratch board? Nothing I could do about it if it did.

After a pootle on the river section Shipton Weir Lock takes you back onto the canal. Another lozenge shaped lock bigger than at Aynho. An accumulation of autumn branches and leaves stopped the bottom gate from closing properly. From the other end you’d most probably not notice, it would just take a long time to fill. Mick came back with the boat hook to give it a good clear out and then we were on our way again.

The service mooring was empty as we pulled into Thrupp. The washing machine had been put on shortly before we arrived, but it had soon stopped due to lack of water! Good job the water pressure was reasonable so it didn’t take too long for us to fill the tank, dispose of rubbish and watch a hire boat negotiate the lift bridge. They certainly did a good job of preparing the gunnels for the next coat of paint! Not sure the canal bank enjoyed it too much though.

Mick did a much better job when it was our turn to swing the ninety degrees and go through the narrow bridge hole. Plenty of moorings available today, two years ago there wasn’t a gap anywhere.

As soon as we were settled Tilly was allowed out. Off she went straight over a garden wall to check out the apple trees. I got my dungarees out again and started to rub down the starboard side gunnel. The weather report suggests that tomorrow will still be fine, so we’ll stay put for me to get the black paint out. We also just so happened to have pulled in alongside a handy Passing Place on the road, just perfect for a supermarket delivery. Whilst I got back ache, sore knees and seriously bored of sanding Mick got on with the job of securing a delivery slot for tomorrow and ordering supplies to replenish the wine cellar.

The trees here aren’t too tall, but very interesting. Big round balls hang off them, some red, but most green. Not too good for batting around the place, I did try with the ones on the floor, but they weren’t rolly enough.

I headed back to the boat to check in, they like to see me once in a while and I like the Dreamies they give me. Then I had a good look at the balls on the wall. These looked quite interesting and I was just wondering what would happen if I knocked them all off when a lovely afternoon got spoilt! A big noisy car came along the road. I didn’t like it, I didn’t understand it, I didn’t trust it, it scared me. Only one place to go … back to the boat. I jumped and ran as fast as I could. All I got when I got there was “You STUPID STUPID STUPID cat!” I wasn’t allowed back out, grounded she said for being STUPID. But I’m not, I’m quite good at maths!

2 locks, 3.45 miles, 1st coat woodskin, 1 sticky cratch, 3 men and a boat, 1 river pootle, 1 dusty cratch, 1 empty water tank, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 perfect mooring for gunnels, 1.5 hours sanding, 1 coat fertan, 1 yarn bombed wheelbarrow, 37 apples, 1 stupid stupid stupid cat, 0 flat cat thank goodness, 1 grounded Tilly.

https://goo.gl/maps/dzSQSGGXNgF2

That Autumn Feeling. 2nd, 3rd October

Dashwood Lock to Pigeon Bridge 213

Oleanna was due her next service and I wanted to do a bit of work for panto, so we decided to stay put for the day.

Normally when Mick is in the engine bay Tilly is confined to quarters, the thought of oil on her white paws not appealing, also she might just get in the way rather than help. But today we decided to risk it so with the front doors open for her to come and go Mick set to with the oil and filters. He also had a go at adjusting the thermostats on the hot water as he’s felt the water was a touch too hot. This though is a bit of trial and error until he gets it right. Tilly came and went at the bow instead of the stern, luckily showing no interest in the engine bay.

Meanwhile inside I at last had the peace and quiet with no distractions to write a reference for an old work colleague who is applying for a post as a Senior Lecturer in an American University. Then I settled down to do some panto work, sourcing bunting and fabrics and trying to make contact with the props maker.

The first boat to go past us in the morning was the chap who had been so pleased at his ‘win win situation’ at the lock the day before. Strange how he’d been made to wait due to someone travelling through a lock with their fenders down, yet as he passed us his were down. They may of course have fallen off his gunnels as he left the lock, but I doubt it! His newly won fender will soon be someone else’s, around their prop!

During the day the wind had got up, we were quite glad we’d decided not to move. But it did mean that boats were passing us a little bit faster than tick over for them to stay in control. One boat didn’t bother slowing at all and one of our nappy pins managed to pull along, not having been put behind a bolt, so we clattered along and needed retying.

Mick went out to sort us out before the next boat went past. I’d omitted to tell him that by the bow the towpath looked a touch unsolid (my excuse for not having put the nappy pin in properly!). Unfortunately he found out for himself, stepping near to the armco and plunging deep into a very wet muddy hole. No harm done to him thank goodness, but a very muddy mess made of his sheepskin slippers.

The parcels of socks all arrived with their new owners who all seemed happy. I got notification that my digs in Chipping Norton had been booked, tea and coffee making facilities in my room, free wifi and a bathroom of my own. Here’s hoping it has a bath!

Today we decided to move that bit closer to Oxford. Mick had identified another possible mooring for our boat builders to come out to so we pushed off shortly after 10am. Much of our journey today has been surrounded by high trees which were once covered with ivy. The trunks of the ivy have been cut away on many trees leaving a gap so that the ivy dies, giving the poor tree chance to live.

The River Cherwell clings to the side of the canal creating a narrow slice of land between the two. When we came through here last time we stopped along this stretch, Tilly had hours of fun after being cooped up for a week on the Thames. She even returned to show off a fish she’d somehow caught!

A short distance on there was an offside mooring in the old quarry. Here would give us the closest mooring to the village of Kirtlington for a bread and milk shop. We pulled in, beer cans and half burnt scaff planks strewn around the place. We spotted one ring in the concrete and evidence that there used to be more, which have been angle ground off. A pole and the ring might have been okay for a longer boat, but we didn’t fancy it so carried on to check out the moorings at Pigeon Lock.

The big house by the lock was having work done to it, a bath having just been delivered and a new Cotswold stone roof showing itself off. There was space above the lock, but it was dark and noisy so we decided to see what it was like below.

The lock was empty so a quick check below and I could see a boat heading towards us, there was space to moor too. I pushed the gate open for the on coming boat and waited. Mick joined me and asked how far the boat had been, they had just come round the bend. Well they were still there, I could hear people saying that we were at the lock. It took forever for them to arrive! A lady wearing a jaunty angled beret appeared first, chatting away. They hadn’t realised that we were waiting for them with the lock gate wide open. Message was sent back to the boat to come in, which they did after trying to readjust the bridge profile. Four Americans on holiday who were learning the ropes. It all took quite a bit of time before the lock was in our favour.

Our new mooring had sun, tv, occasional phone signal and internet so we were happy. A walk up into the village along the dusty track brought us into a pleasant village, a mix of modern housing and chocolate box thatched Cotswold cottages. At the far side of the village is the Post Office which has a shop. Fresh fruit and veg sat outside, newspapers, fresh pies, cheeses, all sorts. They even have a small selection of gluten free products, I was tempted by the frozen pastry, but the freezer is just about at capacity at the moment. Mick spotted the last loaf of real bread as the man serving chatted away to us. I think he could have gone on all day. A good find.

Part way along the track is the entrance to Jane’s Enchanted Tea Garden. On the gate are next years opening dates, she only opens twice a month through the summer and has taken this year off. Maybe one day we’ll pass by just on the right day as the site is full of interesting things, especially Morris Minors.

Back at Oleanna, Tilly was given free reign and I got my painting dungarees out. The towpath was a little bit too high to work on the gunnels, but with the weather being fine for the next few days I decided to sand back the cratch board and get it ready for a couple of coats of woodskin. The original coats were wearing thin and the wood starting to grey, a second winter and it would all go dull. The cover was fully removed, the glass masked out and I set at it with sand paper, knocking back the old woodskin and trying to rub away the grey wood. Not sure I’ve quite managed on the second front but it will do. Lots of dust to get ride of, after a wash down it was obvious that it wouldn’t be dry enough for me to get a coat on today so instead the well deck had a good sort and clean.

2 locks, 2.5 miles, 4 fenders down, 9 litres oil, 1 filter, 2 thermostats adjusted, 1 hot tank of water, 1 reference written, 1st props maker contact, 2 cosy feet in Aberdeen, 2 cosy feet in Reading, 1 muddy foot on the Oxford Canal, 1 big hole, 1 Fazil needing more thought, 1 door big enough, 0 tea today, 1 very slow boat, 1 new bath, 1 handy shop, 1 cratch rubbed back, 1 clean well deck, 2 many people to get together, 0 boat builders this week, 0.2 of a snake.

https://goo.gl/maps/pK4CZAVQLpC2

Three Or Thirty? 1st October

Allen’s Lock to below Dashwood’s Lock

The first of October means one thing. More mice for me!

They said that there was one for every year of my life, but they really are no good at maths. There should have been 30 mice not 3!

Once the three of them had been released from their card backing I got on with my birthday job of giving them all a jolly good lick (their feathers are rather lickable). Followed by tossing them in turn up in the air and thoroughly murdering them. For some reason these friends are allowed on the boat, but the ones I find outside have to be left there. Maybe brown doesn’t go with the boat as much as blue.

A little exhausted from playing with my new friends I had a good snooze until they finally tied the outside up for the day. Plenty of trees and places to find brown friends which kept me very busy until it was ding ding time. Nothing special for ding ding today, but that’s apparently because I had something called mackerel at lunchtime. It just appeared on the floor in front of me, smelt good so I tidied it up. I wonder if this is what happens when you turn three/thirty, mackerel for lunch everyday. I’d quite like that.

After the excitement of presents I settled down to do a bit of work. We knew NB Free Spirit was heading our way, gradually catching us up, so it was no surprise to see a green cabin side slowing down for the lock this morning. We popped our heads out of the side hatch to say hello, Mick then went to help them with the lock and have a bit more of a natter. Good to see you both again, maybe our paths will cross for longer next year.

Our mooring was possibly the best we’ll be able to find for a visit from Finesse, but the lack of internet would not be good for much of my work. Also having the port side to the towpath is likely to be advantageous, so we decided to move further down the canal to hopefully find a patch of internet and a winding hole. When we know when the chaps are coming we will wind and return to the internetless mooring.

We pushed off just before 11am and made our way down the lock, constantly checking on internet signal. Bits and bobs had been coming through on our phones, but not to the router on the boat. The area seemed to be surviving with 2G, but nothing higher.

A short distance on was Mill Lift Bridge. When we came up the canal a couple of years ago this was the only bridge that beat me. Pulling it down I just couldn’t get it past the point of equilibrium to then put my weight on it to hold it open, we had to swap roles that day. But we’d heard through blogs that it had been electrified. The shiny structure still there, the arms now cut short and a key operated plinth on the towpath side. A turn clockwise and then buttons to press and hold, so simple and so much easier than before.

At Heyford Wharf Bridge we timed our arrival well, pulling in shortly before two other boats. This water point could rival the one at Hillmorton for it’s poor pressure! One man kept walking up to the tap to check it was actually working and that we weren’t just faking filling. In the end Mick went and sat outside so that we couldn’t be accused of hogging the tap.

Right by the station we at last had internet signal. I could print off postage to send the socks I’d finished yesterday to their new owners. Once the water tank was full we pulled along and moored for lunch, socks were packed up and I walked into the village to post them. The post box took a little bit of finding, but then I filled it with parcels of socks.

At the water point we’d had internet, it was now a bit patchy and the mooring wasn’t one we’d want to stay at overnight due to the proximity of the railway! So we pushed off again hoping to find somewhere where the trains were at a distance and we would have internet. Approaching Dashwood Lock a boat was pulling in, another at the end of the lock landing and a third moored on the off side. There were a lot of people stood around at the lock, including one blue C&RT t-shirt. There seemed to be a problem with the bottom gate we pulled in and I walked up to the lock to see what was happening.

Two C&RT ladies had a very long keb and were fishing behind the lock gate. It was only opening part way then sticking. Twigs were pulled out, but still it wouldn’t shift. Eventually to a round of applause a rubber pipe fender was pulled up from the depths of the lock, the gate now moved freely. One of the ladies said she’d lost count of how many they’d pulled out of Somerton Deep Lock earlier in the day. The chap who’d found the problem was really happy “A win win situation” The lock was now clear and he’d gained a spare fender.

I walked back to get a windlass and to inform Mick, then returned to the lock. Everyone else was busy talking and nobody had noticed the poor lady fighting to close the lock gate. I signalled to her to wait and then helped her with the lock. The single bottom gates are heavy to get moving so extra body weight was needed. The boat ahead of us then went down, followed by us. A length of Armco ahead, internet signal and the railway a distance away, we had a mooring at last.

2 locks, 2.97 miles, 1 blogging boat, 1 key of power lift bridge, 0 held up, 1 handy train station, 2 pairs of socks, 1 full post box, 1 pretty village, 1 full water tank, 1 more fender in a lock, 3 mice with eyes, 2 brown friends, 1 tree, 6 cows, 1 good birthday, 3 year old 2nd mate little thug.

https://goo.gl/maps/QQhJzagCo9L2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna