Green Shoots. 13th April

Lockdown Mooring 4

Whilst lying in bed with our cuppas this morning I turned the page on my puzzle book, the next one was titled Puppy Love. Mick immediately made a comment, ‘That was by David Cassidy wasn’t it?’ WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We just don’t get out enough anymore

At the age of five/six I only knew of one pop singer, Donny, Donny Osmond. Yes there were others such as David Cassidy, but no one outshone Donny for me. I was bought the single (my first) and remember the video that came with the song, Donny wandering through fields of red poppies. At the time I wasn’t too sure of the lyrics, it could have been Poppy Love or Puppy Love, it really didn’t matter so long as Donny was singing it. It was No1 for five weeks and I’m certain that I danced to it every time it was on Top of the Pops.

Mick then suggested it might have been sung by Jimmy Osmond ………………………..

JIMMY! Long Haired Lover from Liverpool !!!! Firstly Jimmy was only 9 years and 8 months old when the song was released in 1972, hardly the age to be thinking about such things. He did not have long hair for the 1970’s and he most certainly wasn’t from Liverpool. He also was not Donny.

Life on Oleanna is getting a touch trying!

Bacon butties

The towpath yesterday had been a touch busier with walkers, today cyclists were making the most of it. We headed out for a walk to check on Lockdown Mooring 3 and see if any green shoots had started to appear in the field opposite, none yet. We also miss the lapwings but they were nowhere to be heard today.

No Lapwings today

As people came past we’d move over into the longer grass them clinging onto the edge of the canal for everyone to get as much space as possible. One chap with his fishing gear and two kids just laughed at Mick when he suggested they shouldn’t be walking three abreast leaving only three foot between us and them.

Green shoots!

The towpath got too narrow for our liking, so we back tracked to Oleanna. The field behind us is already sprouting less than a week since the crop was sewn. Maybe last nights rain has spurred it into action. Wonder what it will be?

Getting better
Improving every day

Our covers are starting to look bluer, still a long way to go before they will be fully clean, but certainly after a rinse of rain they have improved.

NB Mountbatten

An engine could be heard in the distance? Yesterday one boat had come past and headed up the locks. Who could this be today? NB Mountbatten.

Mick flagged them down, a gas bottle had just run out, and whilst they were at it we’d have a top up of diesel. When we’d seen them last week Mick had said that if they came past before NB Halsall then we’d use them this time. Mick got the gas bottle out of the locker and Richard lowered the new one in. It all felt a little bit awkward. Mick would normally undo the filler cap on the diesel and maybe even fill the tank up, but Richard did all this , everyone doing their best to keep their distances.

Turning left to go up the flight

As they pulled away from us, Richard jumped off and went to empty the bottom lock. Ruth turned the tiller and got them lined up for the flight, hopefully annoying the fisherman and his kids. Fishing is currently banned on the waterways!

David Devant latest album, Cut Out And Keep Me

Instead of listening to the Osmond brothers I caught up on the latest episode of The Community Hall Roof Fund. David Devant and His Spirit Wife played their song Pimlico live on facebook from their respective houses in memory of Tim Brooke Taylor (original video with my friend Nick as a spectral roadie). Then we listened to the new audio episode of Peter Kay’s Car share, still funny without them being sat in the car.

Enjoy

One happy cat

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 Mick trying to be funny, twice!!! 5 year olds heart throb, 1 stove re-lit, Act 1 again, 1 busy cat, 3 of us, 1 short walk, 2 narrow for safety, £32 gas, 37.3 litres diesel, 1 cat past curfew, 1 st leftover chicken meal.

They’re still fishing!