Author Archives: Pip

Jelly Webb. 25th September

Trent Junction

Time to look at Saturdays newspaper puzzles with a cuppa in bed. Tilly was given shore leave, after breakfast we had a quick tidy up and sweep through. The boat in front of us had backed up to the water point, would they be coming back to the mooring or heading off afterwards? Mick went to ask, they were heading onwards, so we could pull up to the end mooring, within reach of the tap for our hose. Only thing was that Tilly was out and about and we’re not allowed to move the outside with her in it.

Thankfully she appeared quite quickly when called and obliged by heading inside. We then pulled Oleanna along towards the water point and improving the view of Ratcliffe Power Station in the process. As soon as we were back onboard Tilly hopped off and vanished again, I only just had chance to warn her that the outside had moved by a bit more than a boats length, she most probably wasn’t listening anyway!

A little while later a voice could be heard outside. Jane Elliot Webb had come to visit. Jane was working at the SJT when I started in 1996, I hadn’t realised that we’d only been there for one season together. When the Stephen Joseph Theatre opened in 1996 (in it’s new home the Odeon), it had two auditoria and had required more members of staff and funding. The staff increased, hence me getting a job, but the funding didn’t. It had been decided to not compromise the opening season due to the amount of funding, but it did mean that quite a few members of staff were laid off in the autumn, Jane and myself included.

Pip, Jane, Mick

I went off to paint panto at Watford Palace Theatre, with Lizzie (NB Panda), and Jane went to work at Nottingham Playhouse. I ended up returning to Scarborough, but Jane whilst doing a few other things found herself working at Nottingham in Stage Management. I really thought we’d both been at the SJT together for longer. Plenty to talk about over a cuppa on board, we have quite a few friends in common.

Lunchtime. Time to get Tilly back so we could go out. I called. I walked up and down several times calling. Mad Cat Woman caused people to stop and ask if I was looking for a dog or a cat. I called again. Tilly was given three chances to return to Oleanna over half an hour, I for one was getting very hungry!

Her bed and Escape Pod were put out on the stern hatch, rear doors left open, the ones into the cabin locked. We headed round the corner to the Lock House Tea Room for lunch. We’ve only once left the boat when Tilly’s been out before, we really don’t like doing it, but she was seriously showing us up!

Lunch

Tuna jacket potatoes and a round of sandwiches were accompanied with more cuppas and conversation sat outside the Lock House in the bright sunshine. What a beautiful day, no real need for jumpers in the sunshine. What a lovely time we had catching up, thank you for visiting us Jane and we’ll make sure we let you know when we’re passing again.

Back round the corner, we’d been gone for maybe an hour and a half. Would Tilly have come home? Had Tilly got confused with the hire boat that had pulled in behind us earlier, where we’d been moored first thing? That hire boat was just coming back and heading back towards Sawley. I could just make out the shape of two pointy ears through the pram cover. She was home.

Where were you?!?!?

A severe telling off was given to me! HOW Dare you leave me in the outside with no means of getting inside! No one to open the doors for me!!

She got a severe telling off too. Where have you been?! Some self catering obviously has been happening. When I call, I call you for a reason! You really showed us up!!!

Tilly was grounded for the remainder of the day!

New proofs from the printers came through. All correct apart from the Front Cloth. They’d not needed to do anything to the front cloth as I’d already stretched it to the right size, they’d stretched it even more. Pooh! An email was quickly fired off, but most probably arrived as they were heading home for the day.

What a beautiful evening

Time for a walk. I opted to walk up the Erewash, cross over on the footbridge by Mill’s Dockyard then walk through the golf course. Plenty of people in the driving range and I had to pause a couple of times to check if I could cross without getting hit by balls. I then carried on walking towards the B6540. The route along the top of flood banks giving me great views of the power station.

Ratcliffe and the viaduct

Reaching the road I wanted to turn towards Sawley but on my side of the road there wasn’t a pavement. The traffic was very busy heading towards Long Eaton, but thankfully someone spotted me and waved me across. However not too much further along the pavement ran out on that side! I had to cross back over again. This meant an even longer wait until a bus gave me space to cross.

Sawley Locks

Along Sawley cut, past all the moored boats, down to the locks, then across the river with the railway line and back along the river bank. All the time the sun was getting lower in the sky, all the time photos were needing to be taken. What a stunning evening, back to Oleanna for Walsall Schnitzel (Turkey Schnitzel) with tomato spaghetti.

Sunset tastic

0 locks, 0 miles, 29 years ago! 6 months, 1 bottle of red, thank you Jane, 2 jackets, 1 round sandwiches, 3 cuppas, 1 very good chin wag, 1 AWOL cat!, 0 stowaway, 50 brisk minutes walk, 1 lovely sunset.

Lock Landed! 24th September

Beeston Cut to Trent Junction

When is this outside going to be moved?!

Yesterday I’d tried calling the company who will be doing the printing for panto and the lady I wanted to talk to was always elsewhere, I’d started to think she didn’t want to talk to me, it was suggested I sent an email. So first thing this morning I sat down and went through the proofs I’d been sent, checked dimensions, tried to write everything out as clearly as I could, did a few sketches to explain things and pinged it back to Katie. She later called me back to check over a few things, hopefully, eventually, they would now be ready to press the big PRINT button! I also took some time in going through the photos I’d taken over the last couple of days. Editing a few out and ear marking ones that may be useful for my illustrations.

No mooring there!

After lunch we decided to move on, well back actually, just to keep Tilly happy, she really needed some quality shore leave as by now the toilet rolls days were numbered! And if she tried digging at the shelves in the corner one more time then her days would be numbered too!

2 seriously slow boats

As we were about to push off we spotted a breasted up pair heading towards us from Nottingham. We had a pretty long time to wait for them to pass us, their progress incredibly slow. We winded at the next winding hole just through the next bridge and made our way back to Beeston Lock. It was hard to make out what the breasted up pair were doing. Were they winding? Pulling in for water? Crew jumped off, centre rope, bit of reverse. Eventually it looked like they were stopping at the services, we pulled in at the lock landing for me to get off to set the lock.

Stood at the bottom of the ramp, 15ft of pontoon left

A lady with two big Rhodesian Ridgebacks was already at the lock, her husband had headed off to get their boat, so we’d be able to share the lock. Coming out onto the river all the same boats that had been moored on the lock landing pontoon were still there along with the one by the weir. They had been joined by a narrowboat which meant that now there was one cleat left on the pontoon for anyone to pull into. Mick pulled up alongside the narrowboat and I walked across it’s stern. If you were a single hander heading for Nottingham it really wouldn’t have been easy, nowhere to tie up and the bow of a narrowboat or sides of cruisers to clamber over to get to dry land. I took a photo and reported the situation to CRT, should the river go into flood this could be really rather dangerous.

That one’s moved

Back up stream. We spotted the boat we’d thought had gone aground a few days ago, now on the other side of the river. Had it been washed off the bottom when the levels rose? Was it now stuck on the submerged wall? We then spotted that there was a rope tied to a tree, so at least someone must be about. The going was far slower than it had been coming down stream on Sunday, yet we pulled quite a distance away from our locking partners.

Coming into Cranfleet Lock

No crowds of drinkers at Cranfleet today, I went up to set the lock and hope our partners would appear before too long. Still no sign of them as Oleanna came into the lock, maybe they’d stopped on a mooring at Beeston? I closed the gate and then lifted a paddle. Keeping a close eye on Oleanna and the jet of water she was just starting to rise when I could see the other boat pulling in at the far end of the lock landing. I closed the paddle and went down to the other end of the lock, it didn’t take very long at all to empty what water I’d added and be able to open the gate for them.

It’s frothy man!

Up we rose, two boats is far far easier in this lock. It was taking forever to equalise again. the bottom end now letting as much water out as was coming in. So the two of us teamed up to get one gate open a chink to equalise things. We pootled up to the far end of Cranfleet Cut. Pulled in behind a few boats, we really wanted to be close to the water point, I went to look. Plenty of room one boat away from the tap, I also noted that the boat we were closest to had a cat on board, we moved up.

Off they go into the sunshine

All day I’d been feeling the effects of the chicken I’d had in Huddersfield, no brisk walking for me today. I actually felt quite rotten, I should have checked what I was ordering, all my own fault! A quiet afternoon for Mick and me whilst Tilly rampaged in the field behind the hedge.

2 locks, 5.9 miles, 1 wind, 1 more email, 1 more photo, please let the print be right soon, 2 locks shared, 2 VERY slow boats, 1 boat not adrift, 1 far happier cat, 4 brisk minutes walking, 1 pan of paprika peppery pork.

Aerial Chase, Making Tomorrows Theatre, Day 2. 23rd September

Beeston, Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

Breakfast

An all you can eat breakfast at Aspley, I double checked it wasn’t going to contain any gluten, thankfully their hash browns were okay, bacon a little bit dried out, but it was the thought that counted. Most people were away from the hotel before me, heading to participate in Well Being hour at the theatre before the days work began. Instead I walked up the hill via Sainsburys’ to get myself something for lunch.

Aspley Basin

Many of the same faces as yesterday were about, plus some new ones, some people having travelled from Glasgow, some from Kent. Todays proceedings were hosted by Nicky Priest, an actor, stand up comedian, advocate for autism conditions, oh and wrestler! A short performance by Dark Horse choreographed to music by Loz Kaye mentioning everyone who has worked and taken part on the Making Tomorrows Theatre projects.

Tim Crouch and his dog on the stage

Key note speaker was Tim Crouch, an experimental theatre maker, actor, director. He rejects realism and invites the audience to help create the work he does. With the aid of some photographs and one prop he got his audience to think out of the box, the first image actually being of a cardboard box. What else could that box be? Give it to a child I could become a car, rocket. I’d seen him pick up an orange at breakfast he placed it on the stage. What was it? What could it be? We were all wrong, it was his dog. But what did his dog look like? We were all asked to imagine what it looked like, was it sitting, sleeping scratching some annoying flea. If we’d imagined a Golden Retriever then we were wrong and quite boring! His style of theatre doesn’t require input from designers, as my job is taken over by the audience each creating their own unique surroundings, characters in their heads. I once had an argument with a director about having some part cutaway doors in a theatre in the round, this was so they could be left open and the audience sat next to them would be able to see the play. He wasn’t having it, he needed full double doors, he wasn’t willing to trust that his audience could fill in what I had left out. Tim Crouch wouldn’t have had even the partial doors, the door frame, the room! A very interesting man.

Discussions

Protagonist George Webster followed. George is a BAFTA award winning presenter of CBeebies, he’s an actor, author and public speaker advocating for disability representation, he is also a member of the Separate Doors National Ensemble. He posed questions on how learning disabled and neuro divergent actors could and should become part of the main landscape. How could the industries of theatre, television and film become more inclusive.

Replies to George’s provocations

Panels answered questions, panel members posed questions. A very thought provoking day. The quote Tim Crouch had used ‘No one is free until everyone is free’ is very true whether it be about race, disability, or anything.

As the conference drew to a close, there would be time to chat more to everyone, but also there was a three hour train journey back to Beeston. I checked the times of buses back to Brighouse and the connecting trains, I had 25 minutes, time to say my rushed goodbyes and head off. A shame I wasn’t included in the company photo, but many of the National Ensemble had already left too. What a fantastic two days it had been.

Back in Beeston, Tilly was bored, still! Mick got on with installing the new Victron gear, I’ll let him explain a bit more about this.

Mick here. Technical stuff coming up. If you get bored skip the next four paragraphs.

For some time, in fact for a few years, I’ve been thinking that our 24 volt100 amp domestic alternator isn’t up to the job of fully charging our LiFePO4 batteries. The alternator doesn’t output the 28.4 volts required to get the batteries up to full capacity. It seems to stop short at about 27.5v leaving the batteries liable to “under voltage over charging”. This is where the individual cells can become over charged even though the voltage doesn’t reach the point where the battery management system (BMS) cuts off the charging when the cell is full. I do wonder if this is what caused one of our original LiFePO4 batteries, as supplied by the boat builder, to fail. About 21 months ago we suffered an alternator failure and I did wonder if the replacement from Beta Marine would work better, but it made no difference.

The system we had, as installed by the boat builder, was such that the alternator charged the LiFePO4 batteries directly and the 24v lead acid bow thruster bank was wired in parallel with them via a voltage sensitive relay (VSR). I had considered getting a Mastervolt Alpha Pro alternator charge regulator and indeed I had contacted the boat electrician Ed Shiers to get him to come and fit one. But we never seemed able to find somewhere suitable for him to come and visit us at a suitable time for both of us. I had considered fitting one myself but it involved taking apart the alternator and I wasn’t confident of doing this. Then last winter a new product was launched by Victron: a battery to battery charger (B2B) that was capable of taking a 24v DC input and providing a regulated 50 amp 24 volt DC output. This was capable of being programmed with a LiFePO4 profile specifically to charge our batteries properly. It was cheaper that the Mastervolt and as no tinkering with the alternator was required I could do the job myself.

So while we were at the house last winter I ordered a Victron Orion XS 1400 from 12 Volt Planet. I have bought stuff from them before and they have always been quick and reliable and apparently have good technical support, although I’ve never needed their advice. While Pip was away for 2 days I decided to install the B2B. I ran in the necessary cables on day one. In my career as a telecom / IT technician I only ever had to deal with thin wires (just lots of them!) and big thick chunky copper cables are not my idea of fun. But I got the cables in and terminated them with the required lugs at each end. I mounted the B2B in the electrics cupboard with the thinking that it would be cooler in there than the engine bay. The next day I connected everything up. So now the alternator is connected directly to the lead acid bow thruster bank and the B2B sits in between the alternator and the LiFePO4 bank via a fuse. I programmed the B2B with the LiFePO4 profile and changed the settings in the BMS so they would match the B2B. All the correct lights came on on the B2B and I started the engine. After the programmed 60 second delay the B2B went into “bulk”charging mode and the batteries started charging properly.

It all seems to be working well with the batteries charging quicker than they used to. I have still to connect the B2B up to our Victron Venus GX monitoring system. I need to shift the GX to the left because the USB socket is too close to the wall of the electric cupboard and I can’t plug the plug in. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.

At some point in the afternoon, someone on an electric bicycle came whizzing along the towpath, Mick thought they may have been doing 30 to 40 mph. They wore a balaclava hat and hood. What had they done? Up above them they were being followed by a Police helicopter! I wonder if they caught them? Or was the bike too nimble for the police on the ground to be able to catch them?

Front seat on the bus back to Brighouse

My train journey back to Beeston went with only slight delays which were helped by delays to the connecting trains. Then a walk back to Oleanna in the dark to be greeted with the smell of dhal being warmed up for our meal tonight. It may take me sometime to download my photos, I really hope I’ve something that will be useful for illustrations.

Some of the Separate Doors team

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 more trains, 1 bus, 9 ensemble, 2 panels, 5 provocations, 76 replies, 1 orange/dog, 1 high speed aerial chase, 1 Victron Orion XS 1400 installed, 1 afternoon of regretting that chicken last night, 1 cosy boat with a cat on my lap.

Making Tomorrows Theatre. 22nd September

Beeston and Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

Brrrr!

Alarm set too early, I was off the boat at 6:45 and very glad of my three warmer layers as the first frost had landed overnight and mist hung over the canal. Have to say I wish I’d brought a hat with me.

Sun rising through Derby Station

Today I was headed to Huddersfield, 3 trains and a rail replacement bus from Brighouse to Huddersfield as the station there is closed for a month during upgrade works. The journey was good although I’d forgotten to sit myself on the correct side to watch all the locks on the Calder Hebble go by. I can report that the new rail bridges near Mirfield are still under construction.

Brighouse the quickest route to Huddersfield today

On my second train of the morning I realised I’d left my fully charged camera on the dinette! My phone is fine for photos but the zoom is not great. Maybe I should see if I could buy a cheap camera, after all my journey was partly with the aim of taking photos.

I zoomed round any possible shops on my way down to the Lawrence Batley Theatre having no luck what so ever on the camera front. But I did manage to arrive at the theatre just about bang on time as the events started.

The Lawrence Batley Theatre

Making Tomorrows Theatre Conference was taking place over two days. I’d been invited by Vanessa Brooks the Artistic Director of Separate Doors to observe, absorb and take photos which I’ll then use to draw some illustrations. These will be included in a book about the Sail Makers project that the conference was to be the culmination of. I attended the Producing Making Tomorrows Theatre days at Level near Matlock back in March and had a day at the Directing Tomorrows Theatre back in 2023

Lots of arms in the air

Today theatre makers, directors and producers had been invited along to observe and to take part in rehearsals using the Silent Approach, this gives a level playing field to all actors no matter what their ability or disability. The Separate Doors National Ensemble were being directed by the guest directors when I arrived. Chrome framed chairs arced round the stage, there was music composed for the play and conference by Loz Kaye, gongs were hit, packets of snacks fell on the floor, fans were fanned, people ran and took off paragliding under the direction of Angela Gasparetto. It was good to see everyone again and be in a room of such incredible concentration.

Paragliding en masse

The Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides Laurie Samson joined adding some text into the work, choreographers from LMP dance encouraged movement during workshops where an albatross was hunted down with a bow and arrow.

Rehearsals using the Silent Approach

Plenty of time to chat with people in breaks, Questions and answers taken later, a sociable drink, chance to say hello to Marianne from Mikron who had come to see what this was all about.

Meanwhile back in Beeston. Mick did quite a lot of clothes washing and managed to get it dry on the whirligig. Then he turned his attention to some preparatory work for installing a Victron Orion XS1400 battery to battery charger. What did Tilly do? Well she just got very bored! Beeston is rubbish after all.

Riot Women

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2025/riot-women-trailer-sally-wainwright

A long and rewarding day in Huddersfield, the conference day ending with an hour of conversation between Dr Judith Johnson and Sally Wainwright who you are more likely to have heard of, the writer of Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax. Sally considers herself as autistic, the doctors don’t agree with her, they are wrong in her point of view. She talked about her 4 Maine Coon cats. She touched on projects she is currently developing, one with Sarah Lancashire. The cat was also let out of the bag regarding her next TV series Riot Women, BBC1 Sunday nights, starting in just a few weeks time although the BBC seem to be keeping it quiet at the moment.

I may wish it hadn’t been

Afterwards and another glass of wine later a group of us headed to find some food, The Ladz seemed to be a good call, similar to Nandos, but cheaper. I suspect I may regret my choice, it was tasty and really rather crunchy and also possibly not gluten free! Accommodation was at the Premier Inn at Aspley Basin, sadly my room overlooked the car park rather than the basin. A glass of wine before working my way through numerous emails to do with panto. Maybe I should have brought my laptop with me! Oh well.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 1 bus, 3 layers not quite enough, 1 tote bag, 1 baseball cap, lots of people to say hello 2, 1 camera on the dinette, 178 photos taken, 156 blurry, 1 live stream, 1 pork sandwich, 4 Maine Coons! 3 glasses of wine, 1 glutenous loaded fries, 5 panto emails, 1 stir crazy cat, 1 appointment in December.

Is It A Car? Is It A Boat? 21st September

Trent Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Cut

‘Girl’ the comic, Marie Antoinette, Processed water, Singing washing machines and the Life of Brians were all discussed this morning on the Geraghty zoom.

Puddle hopscotch

Plenty of puddles to play hopscotch with this morning along the towpath back to the start of the Erewash Canal. Over the very steep footbridge to Mills Dockyard. The place had a jolly hub hub of activity and some very beautiful things to look at.

Mills Dockyard

Mills is quite an historic boat yard. Founded by Amos Mills in 1895 concentrating on wooden barge building, houseboats and rowing skiffs, the company has been passed down through four generations and is now run by Amos’s Great Grandson Steve Mills. Steve restores wooden boats as well as offering services for more modern boats.

Outside lay two rather wonderful skiffs. The woodwork varnished to such a glorious finish. Restoration works had been carried out on these boats and my they were gorgeous. Rattan backed seating. Leather upholstery, pristine coils of rope and polished engines.

More boats sat indoors, a wonderful beaver stern playing out from a beautiful pram hood.

Car or a boat?

Then under cover were two cars. Or where they? One with the body of a boat and wooden mud guards. I believe this will be exhibited at the NEC later this year. Then behind was Burglar Bill, Matt Black, evil gangster style speed waiting to be unleashed on the neighbourhood.

Burglar Bill

History filled walls, the chandlers showed off traditional painting. A one man band sang, played his banjo and hit his suitcase held in place by a toad. Clog dancers clogged and people enjoyed cake and cuppa all under the Sunday sunshine.

Shardlow levels

Time to wind and get moving before the river levels start to rise after the recent rain fall. We chose our time to push off between the sailing dinghies racing at the club opposite.

There were plenty of people enjoying the beer festival by Cranfleet Lock. The level not wanting to equalise again to open the top gates, so I enlisted a chap to help push, he thought the beer was exceptionally good, it certainly wasn’t helping with his diction!

Below Cranfleet Lock

A cruiser zoomed to join us in the lock. However their width was just a touch too much for us to share. Two people appeared at the bottom gates, one starting to lift a paddle before the top gate was even closed, they soon stopped. Mick closed the off side top gate and I could see what was about to happen. The crew at the far end started to whip up the paddles, without checking first. Mick still on the bank, we both shouted to stop.

Thankfully they stopped. Once Mick was actually on Oleanna we gave them the go ahead. I walked down to chat. ‘Sorry I shouted’ I lied. He said, ‘I’ve had a boat for 7 years, so I know what I’m doing!’ I refrained from, in my mind, stating the obvious that he really didn’t! If he’d have waited for the go ahead from the skipper and for the skipper to be on the boat, we’d not have had to shout and he’d have known what he was doing. Helpful people are not always helpful and they could well have been drinking since the bar opened this morning!

Have they gone aground? Was it intentional?

Once down, we were on our way, zooming with the increased flow on the River. No sign of the boat we’d helped to rescue a few weeks ago. But where he’d been stuck there was now a cruiser seemingly stuck. No-one on board that we could see, so no-one to help should they need it.

The lock landing nearly full of moorers!

At Beeston Lock we worked our way down the lock with help from a white haired chap who was made up when I said he could open and close gates. A top up of water then we needed to find somewhere to moor.

Coming into Beeston Lock

No space alongside the road anywhere. I counted 18 motor homes parked up. Through the next bridge. Gosh when we’d come the other way there had only been a couple of other boats along this stretch, today it looked chocka. One possible space which we manged to shoehorn ourselves into, the nearest neighbour impressed that we’d guessed right.

I had a walk to check how far the station was, I’m on an early train in the morning. Then I carried on crossing the railway again and returning to Beeston cut via the Attenborough nature reserve.

Gadwalls

Mick had been under instruction to pop a joint of pork in the oven before I returned. I’d left it uncovered in the fridge for most of yesterday to help dry the rind out, the plan worked and we had very good crackling. The joint big enough for four meals for the two of us and some sandwiches.

2 locks, 5.5 miles, 4 beautiful boats, 2 extraordinary cars, 7 years! 1 unimpressed cat, 14 minutes to the station, 68 brisk minutes walking, 1 beer, 1 joint of pork, 1 camera charged, 1 bag packed.

https://what3words.com/slick.miss.dizzy

100.8% 20th September

Trent Junction

Our morning view

Recently we’ve had a couple of people who subscribe to the blog via email, say that they’ve not been getting our posts. In one case they have stopped altogether, in another they receive all of them once a week! The Oleanna IT department doesn’t understand. We unsubscribe them, then resubscribe them again, which seems to work. Whilst doing this we can see how many posts have reportedly been sent to each subscriber and the percentage of posts that are opened by the recipient. In one case they have received over 300 posts, their read rate is 100.8%! Incredible for what should be a totally new subscriber. Another person who we know reads the blog regularly has a read rate of 96.7%, not bad Ade! We don’t necessarily believe these stats, and don’t worry, we’re not keeping an eye on you. But you know me and numbers!

Tilly was granted shore leave whilst we had breakfast, then was called in so that we could go out. Luckily she was only in the sideways trees by the boat, so this only took a matter of seconds for her to return for a morning cat nap. Mick headed off to buy a newspaper and I strode off along Cranfleet cut for my walk.

Someone was keeping an eye on me

Two volunteers were waiting for boats, chatting about weather warnings. Bunting hung from everything around the lock, there is a beer and cider festival at the boat club this weekend. A burger van was serving up bacon and sausage butties and a nearby field was filled with motorhomes all come to drink and enjoy the music.

That’s why we had some boats moving long after dark last night

I followed the river path round a big meander in the river. The occasional glimpse of the river below, but never a good view. I tried to see if I could spot the boat we’d rescued a month or so ago, see if they’d got themselves out from behind the sign on the offside, but the view was obscured, we’ll see when we come past tomorrow.

The airfield

Model aeroplanes were doing tricks over the river, a silver arrow shaped plane diving towards the ground then spinning back up to the sky. A wind sock wafted in the breeze and a crowd watched as planes came in to land. It was all happening on the opposite bank, so sadly I couldn’t get close.

I then walked over a bridge crossing one of the many lakes alongside the river. Crossed the railway, one of many lines in this area, HS2 would have added another line, but this stretch has been cancelled. Into an industrial area of Long Eaton, then a housing estate, under, across more railway, more uninteresting housing. I’d hoped there might have been an interesting factory, or stretch of houses for which I could look the history up, but no.

There it is!

Drizzle started to fall as I zigzagged my way past 80’s houses. I had been going to join the canal at Fields Farm Road Bridge, but opted to cut a corner, under a railway bridge where I sheltered for a few minutes hoping the now heavier rain might ease.

Then to the canal. Here I spotted that tomorrow there will be a Heritage Open Day at Mills Dockyard. We’ll maybe come and have a look as we’ve not been into tracking down places to visit recently.

Not the healthiest of snacks

I paused to see what was on the menu at the Lock Cafe, some tasty morsels no doubt, but I didn’t fancy the dripping toast. Back to Oleanna for lunch. Today the temperature had dropped considerably, the stove was lit.

Trent Lock

Lists of panto questions were typed out and distributed in three directions, I don’t expect to get any answers over the weekend but I’ll be otherwise occupied at the beginning of next week so I wanted to get it out of the way. Then the big pan came out to make up the sweet potato dhal I’d been going to make last night, plenty left over for another meal next week.

0 locks, 0 miles, 100.8%, 1 weeks worth of blog in one? 87 brisk minutes, 4.69 miles walked, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 slightly damp day, 3 questioning emails, 250grams lentils, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 chilli, 1 lost weather station outside sensor.

Strauss Is Taking Credit For All My S**t. 19th September

Derwent Mouth Lock to Cranfleet Cut

Conkertastic

Late last night a new annotated props list landed in my inbox. This morning it was time to arrange a meeting with Min the Props Maker and find out what the props budget is. This done, breakfast consumed and Tilly back on board we pushed off to drop down Derwent Mouth Lock. The Chestnut tree here producing some serious conkers, all glowing brown fresh from their shells, things of beauty. I picked up a few to enjoy for a while until they grow dull as they dry out. Long gone are the days when kids would be seen throwing sticks up into trees to bring down what might turn out to be a truly legendary conker.

M1 ahead

Now to cross where the Derwent meets the River Trent. I’d checked the level board this morning, the level had dropped by at least a bricks worth since yesterday, yet the push of the current coming down stream had us skidding to keep going straight ahead to Sawley.

Sawley

Through the flood lock, past all the moorings, space for visitors, but we didn’t want to stop. Volunteers were keen to help at the locks down onto the river, but we wanted to offload some of our rubbish as it was starting to take over the stern of Oleanna.

We managed to place some of it in the bins which were already quite full. According to the volunteer, they have problems with bin collections here at the moment. Between Sawley and Fradley there is now only Willington where there are bins, since we last did this stretch two bin sites have gone, no wonder these bins are getting overwhelmed. We kept some back to add to the next bins.

Down the lock and back on the river, no space on the pontoon today, but we weren’t wanting to stop there anyway, our second mate would complain about the lack of friendly cover and trees close by. Down to the junction of the Erewash, Trent, Cranfleet cut and the River Soar, we headed right, south, a kingfisher darting along in front of us and an Egret watching on.

Coming in to moor

Through the flood lock at Red Hill, named as the sandy bank behind the houses on stilts is very red. Then we looked for a space to pull in, just enough room for us. A lorry arrived with a narrowboat sat on its trailer, what looked like a fresh coat of paint above the gunnels, but old blacking below. The lorry nudged back and forth on the slipway getting into position for the boat to be lifted off.

We walked round and found the office. Mandy welcomed us in, we’d said we’d be calling in for a chat. Oleanna is booked in with Tom at Gibson and Kentwright for a repaint early next year and we wanted to sus out about coming out of the water early to wait for our slot on the hard, which will save us money on our CRT licence.

Lorry lining up for the boat to be lifted off

Mandy was very straight with us about the marina and their rules. It is a very busy boat yard, with boats moving around on the hard most days. Several builders and painters on site, so it’s not a place that suits everyone. No dogs or kids allowed, too dangerous to have them running around. They would need to know if we wanted to do any work on Oleanna whilst she’s out of the water so she’s blocked up appropriately. Would we want power? We’d need a long lead as the meter may not be next to the boat. Don’t expect them to drop everything should you want something moved as they are very busy. They also charge 6 months land storage when you arrive, then if there are any months unused when you leave you get them refunded. Our quote from Tom includes three moves, so we’d be adding another one. Coming out of the water, laying up and six months storage would come to just under £2000, all payable the day we arrive! Gulp!!

We chatted about dates, all possible. We chatted about being still on the water whilst we move off, then being lifted out, less stress for Tilly, also all possible. We left with a mooring contract to fill in and her quote.

Back we go

The boat on the lorry was now being lifted by the big crane, just high enough to get the lorry out, then it was lowered, ropes handed down to chaps waiting so that when the boat is back in the water they can move her about. We wanted to go back the way we’d come. Where to wind? Ahead not really enough room and with a narrowboat about to be launched we’d be in the way! A winding hole back through the flood lock, Mick reversed us back then did his best to wind in between the banks of pennywort.

Back to Trent Lock where we pulled in to try out the new mooring rings that have recently been added, much better spacing than of old and not too big a step off Oleanna. Tilly was given the rules and off she went to explore whatever lies behind the hedge. CRT notices came in regarding the South Oxford, Coventry and Grand Union Canals, these will not be opening yet, but they hope to open them for a window of two weeks at the end of October for boaters to return to their moorings. If we positioned ourselves well we’d be able to make it to Oxford or Banbury for me to commute from the boat to work on Panto. But then we might find ourselves getting stuck at the wrong end of the country and miss our paint slot. The CRT notice just reinforced the decision we’d made a couple of weeks ago, to keep the boat north and if possible I’ll have a long weekend back home, if not Mick might come to Chippy or London for a weekend instead.

After lunch Mick headed off into Long Eaton to pick up his prescription and I got myself ready for my meeting with Min. At 4pm the meeting started. Getting to know each other, how we both work, when things will be needed for rehearsals was one side of the meeting. Then there was the nitty gritty of each item, a long long list for a pantomime.

More panto lists

Mick arrived back a little after 5, we’d not got half way through Act 1. We jumped about a little, some props having things in common with items later in the show. 6pm, we’d not reached the interval. Tilly came home wanting food, Mick fed her. We could break the meeting and carry on some other time, maybe over the weekend. 7pm, Mick was happy to wait for food, he had a shower. Four hours after we’d started Min and I reached the end of the list, both of us with lists of questions for other people, but a very good thorough meeting. Thank you Min.

What to do for food? Emergency tuna pasta or see if one of the pubs was still serving food, it was possible it being a Friday night. We tried The Steamboat Inn first, no-one at the bar, a few people sat drinking, no signs of any food being served, we turned round and walked on to The Trent Lock.

Tonights naughty meal

Yes they were serving food, quite a few tables occupied, we picked up menus and ordered. A glass of wine to accompany a bacon chop, egg and chips, just a different name for Gammon really, but it was very nice and saved cooking late, just that bit more expensive than the dhal I had been going to make this evening!

Back on Oleanna we had another glass of wine and ended up as we quite often do on a Friday watching old music programs. Tonight there was one about great guitarists. Jimi Hendrix was playing something that sounded remarkably like Smoke on The Water. Had he written it? Or was it Deep Purple? Jimi died in 1970, Deep Purple recorded it around 1971. Mick checked on line and came across a forum, this had started a spat.

Jimi wrote the song and then the singer from deep purple found a tape laying on the ground, played it, and it was the song. so they learned it and gave themselves credit.

The “tape” as he specified was not considered an ideal medium to record music because it was too primitive be used for anything that requires detail. The cassette tape was primarily used for diction. It was not until ’71 that companies began to modify and tinker with the technology to make it suitable for different applications i.e. music recording.

Don’t try to bring logic and facts to this thread, Jimi Hendrix wrote Smoke on the Water, PERIOD.

No, I wrote Smoke on the Water. PERIOD. He stole that song from me, just as The Beatles took my idea for Sgt. Peppers, The Rolling Stones took my “Satisfaction”, and that prick Beethoven stole my Ninth. And don’t get me started on those bastards, Mozart and Bach. The Vienna Waltz? That was mine too. I dropped my USB key in Autstria, and the next thing I know, Strauss is taking credit for all my sh*t.

2 locks, 3 flood locks, 3.6 miles, 2 rights, 1 wind, £2k, 4 hours props meeting, 2 A4 sheets of notes, 2 late to make dhal, 5 minutes brisk walking! 2 bacon chops, 2 glasses of wine, 1970, 1971, 1972? 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/crazy.rides.rigid

No Running! 18th September

The Wharf, Shardlow to above Derwent Mouth Lock

A damp morning, the precipitation managed to increase just as the Sainsburys van arrived with our shopping, meaning Mick and the driver got slightly soggy along with our shopping. Despite this it was a good place for a delivery as the van could park right alongside us.

Pushing off

Once things had dried up a touch we pushed off and headed to moor above Derwent Mouth Lock to give Tilly some shore leave. I walked and Mick brought Oleanna, there’s not much further for me to walk as we’ll be back on the rivers soon.

Tilly was granted shore leave for the remainder of the day. It’s okay here I suppose!

After lunch I headed out for a walk. A quick check of the river level, under the green marker so we should be okay for a while longer. Then across the top of the lock joining a footpath that follows the bywash then cuts across a field to the banks of the River Derwent.

I seemed to have caused a mass exodus, all the sheep walking in line to the next field. One stopped to look at me, ‘You go on ahead, I’ll follow you’ I said. I waited for them all to pass before cutting across the field.

The River Derwent

The flow down the river was pretty good, it should aid us heading down stream tomorrow. Across more fields, flood banks marking the edges. Horses came for a nosy. A glimpse of Shardlow Hall, now an old peoples residence. I made sure I didn’t run anywhere, although there weren’t any cows in the field. Down a snicket back to the main road through Shardlow.

I then chose to walk round the rest of The Wharf, passing some lovely houses, a few conversions and some modern. Shardlow is a very pretty place, one that was once a major trans-shipment river port, with goods moving from river to canal in the 18th Century.

House to the left. House to the right.

We pottered away the rest of the day. Me waiting for an approved props list from John for panto. A few emails were sent regarding boating plans and phone calls were made too.

Pretty cars too

I then had a hunt for the scans of my Dad’s diary from 1943 to 1946. I wanted to see if he’d ever been posted to King’s Newton. The nearest he’d been was a camp on Bowbridge Road in Newark. I looked to see where he’d been on the 18th September 1945. Sailing through the Bay of Biscay headed for India, it was a very rough journey, his description of the way the ship was rolling in the swell makes me even more wary of lumpy waters. He did however manage to down two servings of afternoon tea, a cuppa and a bun, then his evening meal. He and the other officers were travelling in the first class accommodation and he was enjoying the food, well, when he wasn’t seasick!

September 18th 1945

Tonight we had salmon crumble, this should have been a fish crumble but Sainsburys didn’t have the fish pie mix so we got salmon steaks instead.

0 locks, 0.6 miles, 3 boxes wine, 2 salmon steaks, 1 squash, 0 new toothbrush! 0 neighbours, 69 brisk minutes, 0 cows, 39 sheep, 0 running, 1 props list at 10pm, 13 years without my Dad.

https://what3words.com/label.freely.palm

That’s Not Castle Howard! 17th September

Massey’s Bridge 12 to The Wharf, Shardlow

Wet overnight and still wet this morning. We opted to wait a few hours before making a move, it’s always hard getting going when there is wet stuff in the air.

That’s not Castle Howard!

Mick got a text from the GP’s. An appointment would be made for him locally to see an Ophthalmologist to check his eye sight before there can be a decision regarding his driving licence, and another appointment to see a stroke person. Come the 28th September it will be a month since he was admitted to hospital and this is when his month of not being allowed to drive started, a standard thing after a stroke.

That’s Castle Howard!

Just three minutes later he received an NHS message inviting him to an Ophthalmologist appointment in Derby! Ah, what had local meant? Had this appointment come about from the GP? Or was this on the cards anyway and been organised by Derby Hospital? Was this Micks original appointment to the Ophthalmologists at Derby that he’d waited a weekend for? Thank goodness they’d not kept him in until this appointment as it’s not until the end of October! If it’s not from the GP, will he be offered another one locally in York or Scarborough? We’ll wait and see, at least there’s an appointment in the diary.

Ohh Betty!

By about 11 we were making ready to push off, waterproofs donned as we didn’t trust the weather. I walked ahead to Weston Lock as Mick brought Oleanna behind. A touch damp, but also quite warm, so striding out meant I was getting hot legs. The water tank needed a refill so we pulled in at the tap above the lock. Chance to catch up with Frank, last night he’d been to press night at the SJT to see our lodgers in the latest Ayckbourn play, he’d really enjoyed it.

Don’t let this gate open!

What ever you do don’t open the off side bottom gate! The lock was full, we descended. I opened the near side gate. Yes I’d be walking to the next lock, but could Mick loiter to see if I was going to be able to close the gate? I tried and tried, but the big chunky oak gate leans back into it’s recess and the beam is just a touch too short to comfortably use the bridge wall to push off with. It was obvious I wouldn’t manage it, so Mick pulled in below and came to assist.

Swapping with a rather smoky boat at Aston Lock

Should we pause for lunch above Aston Lock or carry on to Shardlow. If we delayed would we loose a possible mooring where a delivery was booked to arrive. We opted to carry on. A boat was coming up Aston Lock, we swapped and headed down. The same happened at Shardlow Lock, although as they left Oleanna wasn’t to be seen as she’s slowed to pass a line of permanent moorings including one that had come adrift and was being tied back up.

A view of the lock beam

The extension to the lock cottage is still being worked on, they will have a good view of the top gates through their window.

Going down Shardlow Lock

Now what to do? There was space outside the Clockhouse, but would there be space at The Wharf where our delivery was booked? I walked ahead to check things out. Thank goodness, there was space for two 58ft boats. Once moored up we broke the news to Tilly that there’d be no shore leave this afternoon due to the proximity of cars, one being parked right outside our side hatch.

Shardlow

Emails had been flooding in this morning from CRT. Rain must have been falling on the west side of the Pennines as the Leeds Liverpool locks from Wigan to Greenberfield are set to reopen, but those down to Leeds will for the time being remain closed whilst levels improve. West side of the Huddersfield Narrow opened with immediate effect, Fradley locks are operational. The Ashton Canal is to open. Flood locks and gates are in operation on the Aire and Calder. All looking good. I’m just hoping canal beds and gates haven’t dried out too much, causing more problems once the water returns.

The weather forecast suggests that parts of the country have already had twice the average amount of rain for September. We’re going to have to keep an eye on River levels!

Think I prefer my plain wooden benches at the house

Finishing touches were put to our supermarket delivery, a restock required.

Chicken Curry Old Style tonight.

3 locks, 4.8 miles, 3 minutes, 1 GP in Scarborough, 1 appointment in Derby, 1 letter to London, 1 NHS likely to get more confused, 1 PA phone call, 1 District Nurse, 1 full water tank, 2 needed, 1 perfect mooring, who said it was perfect! 0 props list, 1 enquiry, 1 river rising.

https://what3words.com/milkman.montage.screaming

Crunchy Under Foot. 16th September

Massey’s Bridge 12

Today we’d be waiting around for a phone call from Mick’s GP surgery from the person who can prescribe drugs. Before Mick went into hospital with his stroke they had just changed some medication, so this would be a follow up appointment for that. He jotted down other things he wanted to talk to them about as when he’d been to the surgery last week for a blood test etc. the person he’d seen couldn’t answer any of his questions. There were also his new drugs to be added to repeat prescription and as yet his discharge letter from Derby Hospital hadn’t appeared in his notes.

We were wanting to move on, but didn’t want to move from somewhere with good phone signal. Mick had called the surgery yesterday to see if they knew what time it might be, ‘it could be anytime’. Time to be patient again.

The morning was pottered away. The wind reduced from yesterday, but still quite blustery. A few boats were on the move, we stayed put, Tilly got busy in the outside.

No call by lunchtime. We had lunch. We waited.

Mid afternoon and I needed to stretch my legs, hopefully a walk would encourage the surgery to phone.

Wide viaduct

Back to the viaduct, this time I turned right and headed for the River Trent. The flow seemed quite strong, levels up a touch after the recent rainfall. Good in one respect that there is more water in the system, however this water is heading straight out to sea and not helping fill the reservoirs, but maybe that is happening too, fingers crossed. Today there have been more CRT notices regarding a few more areas. On the Macclesfield stop planks are being lifted to help the canal fill up, although they do warn that levels will still be low for navigation. Hopefully things will improve up on the summit pound for boaters and boats being fitted out too.

Looking downstream

The area around Kings Newton was used by Sappers in WW2 for training, building and dismantling bridges and work on railways. I wondered if my Dad had been trained here, but research later suggested that he was too young and would have been posted elsewhere. But I’ll check his diary at some point just in case.

The track goes onwards towards Loughborough, it is Route 6 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, this actually stretches from London to the Lake District. A good surface to walk on, interrupted occasionally by lines of rivets.

Yesterdays wind had blown down hips onto the towpath, up on the railway it was acorns which made for a very crunchy walk. Later they would be joined by red apples and chestnuts. Natures bounty strewn on the floor.

Running into the distance

Not much view from along the track which soon clings to the side of the hill that Kings Newton sits on, trees on either side of the track and bridges crossing overhead. I wasn’t sure if there’d be access points at some of the road bridges so I opted to take the steps of love up the side of the bank. Gosh these were steep steps, I hope my knees, now quite happy with walking distances, will cope with climbing ladders whilst working on panto!

Steps of Love

I joined the roads through the village, passing modern houses, 1940’s houses, Victorian houses, Shazza’s Cafe. Up to the cemetery with its chapel and many many headstones. On the way to a snicket a young girl sat on her Dad’s shoulders reaching up high with a stick to encourage one of the last red apples still clinging on to drop into her hand. I don’t know if she succeeded as I was busy trying to get away in case any apples were to fall on me!

Chapel

Saturday is Derbyshire Day, I’ve seen posters for various things happening in villages. Here and in Melbourne (not the one in Australia) there is an art and architecture trail happening. If we were still to be around the area it looks like a good thing to do, but sadly we need to be elsewhere by then.

Seeing for miles

I caught a glimpse of some older buildings before crossing a road to join a footpath back towards the railway line which had great views northwards. Stiles with dog access too. Then back along the railway line, across the river and back to Oleanna.

Still no phone call from the GP’s. Maybe they’d call after surgery hours? Maybe they wouldn’t? Maybe we should move Oleanna to get water and tackle Weston Lock? Maybe we should stay put and carry on waiting.

Dog access

Mick’s phone pinged. A text message from the GP’s! They were happy with recent results, so keep taking the new medication. But hang on! What about the stroke? He’d be needing other new drugs adding to his repeat prescription! Thankfully there was an option on the text to reply. Thankfully the repeat prescription wouldn’t be going to Burton! Texts went back and forth for a while, one including Mick’s discharge letter. Maybe a phone call would have been better.

The person Mick was communicating with was only aware of his change in meds for blood pressure and not that he’d had a five day stay in hospital after a stroke. A text message was all that was required for the surgery with the info they had. He’d had a long day waiting for a phone call, if we’d known it would be a text we could have moved this morning. A touch frustrating.

Mick sent an online question to the GP regarding a vision test to see if he can get his driving licence back, also to get the ball rolling on a follow up with a stroke person. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, see if he can get to talk to anyone, maybe even a doctor!

Chicken and cauliflower Macaroni Cheese tonight, we’d forgotten about the cauliflower on Sunday!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 less windy day, 1 very long wait, 1 sausage day for cats, 1 litre pink or is it magenta? 67 brisk minutes walking, 2 dog gates, 1 long cycle track, 4 texts, 1 online question, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.