PP … What Are You? 11th May

Lockdown Mooring 4A

With this weeks veg box order made it was time to check on the egg situation. At the bottom lock we crossed over the gates to see if we could see where the water might be leaking. It was soon very obvious. The recess where the gates sit when open look like they weren’t touched during the rebuild of the lock chamber. Certainly there was no repointing done to them. At the top end of the lock you can see where the work stopped and the old structure has been left. So hope the current water ingress isn’t doing damage. We carried on up the flight where two C&RT chaps were busy clearing vegetation from the weir that leads into the reservoir.

Bottom end of the lock
Top end where old meets new

This morning mixed messages had come from C&RT regarding boat movements. What they said left a lot that could be interpreted. ‘The Trust is lifting any remaining restrictions on boat owners visiting their boats though the Trust advises against travelling long distances unless it is essential to do so.’ However they also said ‘In the meantime, mooring exemptions are extended by a further two weeks until 23 May.

Green shoots in the fields

We took from this that there are no changes as yet to us as CC’ers. I feel that their ambiguity was due to pressure to make a statement ASAP. Yet the Prime Minister hadn’t been clear in what he had said last night, did even he know what he was saying? Schools that are meant to be reopening for the younger kids in a few weeks didn’t even know it until Mr Johnson opened his mouth last night! So today we have watched those on social media debating the statement and what it means to them. We will be continuing as we are until we hear otherwise from C&RT.

Floating high
Eagle eyed

No duck eggs again, oh well. We did a circuit round the reservoir letting the wind blow the cobwebs and our breath away before returning to Oleanna.

Base colours going in

This afternoon I got my watercolours and brushes out and started to block in colours on my illustrations. These are needed by the end of the month and if the lockdown eases we will want to start moving again, not sure where. As yet I have only managed to tick one thing of the boat jobs list and the list hasn’t even been written yet! I wonder if that is an achievement in itself.

More colours

Late afternoon we heard the familiar chug chug as NB Halsall pulled up alongside. Our first top up of diesel for about a month and a bag of coal in case the temperature stays chilly. A Gammon joint was popped in the oven to bake away for a couple of hours.

Still looking after us

All of a sudden outside our little feathered friend started to sing it’s heart out again. Well just enough and long enough to be heard and caught on Mick’s phone. The bird song app didn’t recognise it, possibly due to the breeze, or distance away from the microphone. But Mick managed to down load it this time. So all you twitchers out there please, what is the real name of the PPe bird?

PPe Bird

0 locks, 0 miles, 9.5 miles, 0 eggs, 1 circuit, 1 update left for interpretation, 15 illustrations blocked in, 59 litres, 1 bag coal, 2 many contradictions, 1 Ppe bird.

Tilly just missed hitching a ride

2 thoughts on “PP … What Are You? 11th May

  1. jennie230

    Request sent to our son, Pip re the bird. I hope he can help! I do love seeing your blogs each day and it is good to know you are safe and well. I am in awe of your artistic talents. Jennie x

    1. pipandmick Post author

      Thank you Jennie and thank you for passing the PPe bird on. It may well be that this is only part of its repertoire.
      So please you managed a lovely walk today. x

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