Apologies that this is becoming a bit more of a diary at the moment rather than a boating blog. The blog has always been a way of recording our life afloat which includes all that goes on in our lives. I hope there is currently enough to keep boaters interested, but life events happen to us all and it would feel wrong to not mention current events.
I called Frank before we were out of bed this morning, he was waiting for his breakfast, still in A&E but was feeling quite positive. Then I got a message from the panto set builder, could he chat to me about the carousel? I could give him ten minutes now. As ever with Chippy scenery, you want height, but bases are restricted in depth, so stability is always an issue. Jamie’d been giving it some thought over the weekend and had some suggestions. Our conversation finished at 09:01.
With cuppa in hand I headed out to sit under the pram cover for the best possible phone signal to call Social Services. My job today was to try to get to talk to the team who had been looking after Frank, get a name of a social worker so that when he’s discharged from hospital things could be in place for him to move straight into a nursing home.
Tilly’s favourite mooring so far this year
I don’t know how many times I’ve now told the receptionist everything. I’m not Frank’s next of kin so they won’t put me through to the team. Have to say the chap was good, took down everything. Our main concern was that Frank should not go back to his house, the care he was receiving for whatever reason was not working for him, and his attitude won’t change, plus his house really isn’t suitable for someone to spend their last days.
In Scarborough a team were making phone calls, then calling through to me. Time to make a quick call to the panto lighting designer. What next? Back on the phone to social services, a possible place found for Frank, but he’d need an assessment, could they do this today? The system does not make this easy. I could get to talk to someone who doesn’t know Frank’s case. Then they can’t do anything until they know he’s being discharged. The doctors had said they wouldn’t discharge him until we knew there was a room for him somewhere. Round in circles. Phone calls, messages. Data Protection stopping me from talking to someone who knows his case. So frustrating!
Gone a bit wonky
Should we stay put for the day and set off early tomorrow? I got to the point where there was nothing else I could do and panto questions had calmed down too. We pushed off. Then my phone rang again. This time it was a social worker who I think had been to Frank’s house. We talked about the care he’d been getting and how carers don’t understand gas ovens, I also think Home Economics isn’t taught as it used to be in my day, plus carers don’t have enough time to cook you pork chops every day! At least she seemed willing to talk to me, but before I could just do a quick recap of the important things she had to go. Gosh my brain was mashed by now!
The narrows
We pootled on through the narrows, thankfully not meeting anyone coming the other way. Would there be space for us at Autherley Junction? It looked pretty full. A boat was coming towards us. They carried on, one space left, would we fit. Yes easily! Hang on that green boat ahead looks kind of familiar, the bow and welldeck certainly does, but the last time we’d seen it it had been dark blue. A ladies head bobbed up from where she was sitting, could that be Cheryl? Once we’d moored up I went to check. I was right, NB Firecrest.
Some jolly shopping
Time for a late lunch. Then Mick headed out to do a touch of shopping, walking there with Cheryl from next door. I on the other hand did a touch of shopping for panto. Jelly moulds, baubles, cake tins.
News came through from Scarborough, a possible room had been found. People went to see it, it was good. I tried calling the social worker I’d talked to earlier. No answer, three more times I tried her, still none of the calls answered. I left a message. Maybe data protection was stopping me from getting through here now! I so hope tomorrow won’t be as stressful. Time to give up for the day, my attention turned to something very sweet, some lock fuel, some apple flapjack!
0 locks, 4.7 miles, 27 phone calls, 1 green boat, 31 messages, 1 frustrating day, 1 big tin of flapjack, 1 frustrated cat, 0 brisk walking, 1 plan hopefully coming together.
Sunday we dug out Tilly’s magic food bowl and set it ready to open in 8 hours time, topped up her biscuit bowl, then packed bags and popped the cheesecake into a cool bag and set off to walk to Newark Northgate Station.
Moo planters
Our train was delayed, engineering works had overrun so our train was held in London, this made for a slower walk to the station. Stood on the platform we had speeding train after train whizzing through the station, all trying to catch up with themselves. I wonder if the delay repay on such occasions gets handed onto Network Rail?
Museum Gardens moorings in York
In York, Mick caught a bus to Fishergate whilst I walked to the London Leckenby’s flat. I chose to walk past Clifford’s Tower and then alongside Castle Mills Lock to see if the works on replacing the gates were complete. At the beginning of June we’d seen new lock gates sitting alongside the lock and a work boat in it. Today the work boat was still there, so were the dams either side of the lock. There was a lot more fencing up around the place and acros spanning the lock. At least the bottom gates looked to have been installed, the top ones still sitting on the bank. At least something this year is taking as long as Oleanna’s repaint!
We were here for a lunch with an old family friend Ian. Ian was one of the younger friends of my parents, he used to work at Rowntree’s and soon after starting he joined the Rowntree Players, the factory’s amateur theatre group, and he got a part in Billy Liar. Ian was a favourite with me, as for a while he worked in the jelly department and at Christmas he’d arrive with a big box (possibly 12 packs) of Rowntree’s blackcurrant jelly, which I used to eat in chunks straight from the box.
It was very lovely to see him, Andrew and Jac have seen him quite recently at various fundraisers he’s been holding to raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity. He set up the Janis Connell fund three years ago with the goal of raising £100,000 in memory of his wife which he achieved recently. There was talk of more fundraising. Sponsored walks, sky diving, Jac may just have been signed up to that one!
Some lovely slow cooked lamb, with potatoes and a salad were followed by my cheesecake, quite a bit of wine but more importantly lots of conversation. I don’t think Mick, Josh or I had seen Ian since my Dad’s funeral in 2012, so it was wonderful to catch up with him.
Some of the conversation had been about my best friend Emma and her sister Jane. Jane’s second husband, an actor had played Inspector Goole in the National Theatres production of an Inspector Calls in the West End quite some years ago. This prompted us to nestle down on the sofas to watch the BBC version. It was interesting compared to the stage version with added scenes which put the time line off just a bit. It was still enjoyed by those who managed to keep awake after our lovely meal.
28th September
Skeldregate Bridge
Everyone was up early. The flat was to be packed up, trains to be caught in differing directions. Josh headed back to Manchester to attend his first lecture of his third year at University. I was next to leave to catch a train to Scarborough, shortly followed by Mick heading to York hospital for a blood test (this saved him going back to Scarborough) but in the end it may have taken far less time as he sat waiting in the blood test queue for an hour and three quarters! This left Andrew and Jac to pack their car and head back to London.
Breakfast with added sanitiser
In Scarbrough I had a day planned to help with things for Frank. Tucker an old work colleague picked me up from the station and we headed to Franks house to try to find some documents and to meet a cleaner. James was a very nice chap and knew exactly what was needed at the house. Sadly Tucker and my hunt proved fruitless.
I got a lift to our house to pick up the second toothbrush charger and Brompton bag that we’d forgotten. Anna our lodger had left out the copy of an old program from a Theatre In the Round production in 1957 which has Alan Ayckbourn playing a part and as the Stage Manager. A wonderful piece of theatre history.
I had a chat to various people keeping them up to date over the phone, then walked over to Scarborough Hospital to visit Frank and update him too. There were things he needed to read, more visitors arrived who patiently waited as I chatted to Frank about important things. A catch up with Steve before I left Frank, Geoff and Steve to have a far more interesting conversation. My tasks were done apart from posting a form for Frank which was dropped off at the Post Office on my way back to the station.
This cat will talk to absolutely anyone!
A catch up chat with Ben, who is back for a week from touring with The Calendar Girls. Ben is one of the original Frankness group and we had lots to chat about. This would be my last visit to Scarborough for some time so passing on some jobs that needed to be done.
Mick had arrived back at Oleanna earlier in the day, another £10 M&S pie deal had been purchased. This was enjoyed with a very large glass of much needed wine.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5 trains, 14 years too long, 1 lovely lunch, 1 odd time line, 1 sandwich for breakfast, 1 ex Technical Stage Manager, 1 Film and Live Streaming Co-Ordinator, 1 ex Senior Technician currently Sound No 1, 1 ex Master Carpenter, 1 ex Resident Designer, 1 form of ID, 1 cleaner, 1 plan coming together, 2 pies, 1 portion of mash left for another day.
There were several jobs we wanted to do whilst still being on the pontoon. The dishwasher had a clean cycle, the wet dry vac was used to go through the boat and then retreated back into it’s cupboard, it’s been out under the dinette table for far too long!
Mick headed to Waitrose early on for a newspaper and to see what they might have in their sad gits yellow stickers section, he came back with some chicken in sweet chilli sauce and a box of sweet potato fries all at half price.
Back to B24
By the time the chores were done it was lunchtime. After several days of just about nothing moving in Newark, all of a sudden there were boats. First the wide beam we’d shared Stoke Lock with, they were headed back to their mooring today, then the trip boat from Newark Marina. No need for us to push off to make room for someone, but once lunch was done we pushed off anyway. Winding, then heading down stream, taking the first left. Now where was B24?
Next to the Waverely
Well we guessed, and guessed correctly. This is where we’d had a mooring a few years ago. Once secured to the short pontoon in Kings Marina we walked up to the office to check in. Part way there we were greeted by the husband of the lady who runs Kings, she was hot on his heels. Once we’d said we weren’t part of the Aquavista 100 club, just old fashioned visitors we were invited to pay for our three nights here. Paula and her team were very welcoming as ever. No need to show us around as we’ve been here quite a bit including our second winter on NB Lillyanne, but she did introduce us to their cow planters, each named after the flowers in them. King’s has won the Aquavista Marina in bloom four years now, two on the trot. Close to the office was an honesty table with fruit and veg, including pears and garlic, maybe I’d come back later for some to go with our chicken.
Tilly managing to balance on the FEED ME shelf
Tilly’s pooh box was refreshed. We need to make an adjustment to her box. Even though this box is higher than her previous box, and she got used to it back at the house, she keeps missing it. Why oh why did we get a cat who doesn’t sit down on the loo! We think a heavy bit of board might do the trick, or try to cut the lid sections in half.
The Parish Church
I walked to Argos to see if the mats I’d ordered had arrived, I’ve not had anything from ebay about them even being dispatched, but it was worth a try. Sadly they weren’t there! They should have arrived yesterday. We’ll try again on Monday, but that is our cut off point.
I then went in search of paper bags to use alongside our separating toilet. Our toilet paper goes in a bin which is lined with a paper bag for ease of disposal. Mick had tried all the supermarkets to buy some. But he’d forgotten that Morrisons have paper bags for their fruit and veg. I picked some up along with some beans for this evening.
Home grown produce at the marina with an honesty box
Back at Oleanna, Mick had dealt with the yellow water and Tilly was doing her best to sort through our dirty washing into piles on the bedroom floor. I set about making a baked French Cheesecake to take to my brothers tomorrow. I’d made this for my birthday cake last Christmas and it was very nice, just a little risky in a different oven. It browned a little bit quickly, but came out looking good after being covered in foil.
One expanded cheesecake before it sank
I did an update of Frank things to one of his old friends. Dave has been very useful with extra information when needed and I wanted him to know that things were on course for Franks release from hospital. He made one comment in his reply which may change everything. I might be looking for an understanding plumber at very short notice to sort the problem which may stop our plan in it’s tracks. Not much I can do about things until Monday now. Here’s hoping Frank’s past actions or lack of them are not going to come back and bite him!
0 locks, 0.2 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, B24, 2 friendly welcomes, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 8 paperbags, 1 hoovered boat, 2nd Saturday with a newspaper, 1 spanner possibly in the works, 1 cheese cake chilling in the fridge.
Bank Holiday Monday, I had an early walk. Then having a car, Mick collected Frank and brought him round, getting him out of his house and so that we could help him fill in a form. A lot of concentration and a couple of mugs of tea were needed. More socks for the Felicity Edition of my sockathon were finished off and packed up ready to be posted.
Tuesday morning. We’d already decided that heading to Redhill today would be pretty pointless as not much would have changed since we’d been there last Thursday. Before we’d finished our cuppa in bed we got a message from Tom. He’s still be on holiday until the end of the week. Bertie was getting on with jobs, could we go down to meet with him on Friday? Yes. We extended the car hire by a couple of days.
A mirrored selfie
What to do with ourselves with a hire car at our disposal? Mick did a little look round on the National Trust website. Robin Hoods Bay, before they close the visitor centre? No, been there seen how they altered my Dad’s award-winning building for Marine Biology. Nunnington Hall? Might have been before, but it was a very long time ago if I had. We got ourselves sorted, found our NT cards and set off for a day out.
Nunnington Hall
Nunnington Hall sits north of York across the Howardian Hills. More a manor house than a big hall it still is quite grand. Originally a nunnery, hence the name, the oldest parts of the house date back to Tudor times. Successive owners have left their mark, a combination of re-purpose and renovation.
In the 1920’s Margaret Fife inherited the hall which was in quite a state. Walter Brierley was engaged to renovate the hall. As we walked round, reading the information panels, Walters name kept being mentioned. I wanted to ask a guide about this chap. Could he be the Brierley who had been senior partner of my fathers architectural practice in York during my Grandfathers days?
Small door knobs and fancy hinges
Numerous four poster beds, green painted walls, views into the gardens. Up to the top floor, here there were plans of the house when it was being renovated, dated 1921 and signed Brierley and Rutherford, 13 Lendal, York. No need to ask a guide anymore other than for any further information as this is where my Grandfather and Father worked. The drawing may have been drawn by my Grandfather, who knows. Cecil, my grandfather, took over as senior partner in 1926 a year after my Dad was born. In Dad’s time the practice was called Brierley, Leckenby, Keighley and Groom and was the oldest architectural practice in the country having been founded by John Carr. It still is, continuing under the name of Brierley and Groom.
A guide was asked about him, but she was far more interested in chatting about the Carlisle Collection, a collection of miniatures. Mostly 1:8 models of period rooms, everything made from the materials the 1:1 objects would have been made from. Some exquisite handiwork on show and interesting to me. But I would have like to know more about Brierley.
Now there’s an idea!
Up on the top floor is a gallery space. The exhibition was about Gina and how she fixed fairy tales. Her main solutions seemed to involve cake, a very good way of thinking. By now we were starting to feel hungry so headed to the cafe on the ground floor for lunch, a toasted sandwich and jacket potato. This was followed by a walk round the garden, orchards, iris gardens all very nicely kept by what seemed like a small army of volunteers. A good day out.
Packing paints to go in deep storage
Wednesday involved some PA duties for Frank, the start of a painting I’ve been planning for a while and some packing of work things hoping that we’d be able to take them to the boat.
Thursday, a message was sent to Tom hopefully now back from his holiday. We’d really like to be able to leave the dinette cushions on our next visit as they take up quite a lot of space in a car. He said that once he’d caught up with Bertie he would make it his first job to clean through the boat.
Coming down the Col de Wetwang, or is it Sledmere?
Friday morning we followed the course of that days Tour of Britain around Sledmere into Wetwang and further south where they would veer off towards Beverley. It was a slow drive and we arrived near to 1pm. The chaps were hard at work on Oleanna, a new neighbour sat alongside, a new shell with one spray of blacking (it most probably arrived like this from the shell builder).
A new neighbour, not even spray foamed
There were discussions as to the diesel cap lock. Unfortunately, Mick had bought one that had been in stock, but the pipe into our tank is a different diameter and we have four fixings not three. We’ll need to be in touch with the chap who makes them, we also noted that the original filler cap had been got by the grit blasting, we’ll want to replace that.
Tom had had a very good go inside Oleanna, all the spray foam off cuts removed, a good tidy and he’d obviously spent quite a bit of time hoovering and dusting things down. I wanted to make sure places I wanted to stow things were dust free so carried on where Tom had stopped, but delving deep into the recesses of Oleanna.
Once behind the freezer was clean, possibly the cleanest it’s been since brand new, I could stow my work boxes. A few items could return to the house like the angle poise which has a dodgy connection. I now have a ring light with a weighted base and magnifying lens which will serve two purposes and packs away smaller.
I worked from the galley towards the bow. Gosh how long had that bottle of water been sat in the fridge for?! Ten maybe eleven months! With no water in the tank all I could do was hoover and dust, washing things down will have to wait a little while. Under the back steps we now have a round inspection hatch, just the job.
Anti-slipped bow, locker lids and everything!
Access was from the stern today as the bow was being made ready for anti-slip paint. More than we had originally. I spotted that between the new T studs and cratch board there wasn’t an area for anti-slip, this was mentioned to Bertie and amended.
Roof rejigging
As I hoovered as many recesses I could get into, Mick and Tom were busy at the stern. They hooked up Oleanna so there was light inside. The engine was turned over but not for very long as we are inside. A service is arranged hopefully next week sometime. Then they got on with pulling new cables through from the electrics cupboard to outside for a new 5G antenna. We will be installing a new 5G router when back on board. Now Mick could see what state the batteries were in. The solar controller was looked at too, very little voltage was showing from the new panels but that is hardly surprising inside the shed. But at least there was some voltage showing, indicating that the panels are actually connected.
Nothing in the Secret Passageway!
The sofa was pulled out, the door that used to be in front of the washing machine removed to be taken to the house along with a big block of foam, no need to keep them here. Ah, but what will Tilly make of the secret passageway now? Will we need to put something in there to be the new secret?? Or should we leave it empty so she has no interest in squeezing herself through the tiny gap?
No longer Tyler Wilson on the stern anti slip
Some of the grills under the mushroom vents had been put back on. The amount of dust on them needed to be hoovered. They are better but will need taking down for a thorough clean once we’re back on board. The dinette cushions could now be brought back on board, she was starting to look habitable again.
Cushions back onboard
We had a walk round outside with Tom. Marks from the painting will be polished out, hinges touched up, edges missed by the spray gun will be hand painted in. I asked for the wooden liners of the side hatch and back doors to be sanded back and varnished, the cratch and locker lids already done. I tried to peek inside the gas locker with it’s fresh coat of paint and band of filler over the hole into the bow thruster locker, but I wasn’t tall enough to peek inside and managed to anti-slip my hand in the process! Oh well, I’ve left my mark on her.
Cratch board varnished.
A realistic time scale for her going back in the water was discussed. The base plate still needs painting, Tom hoped to get a coat on parts of it today before leaving so that the blocks Oleanna sits on can be moved meaning the whole of the base plate will get painted. The plank and pole rest still needs attaching, other bits and bobs and the final snagging is to be done. Hopefully if the weather plays ball we should be back afloat sometime next week. We’ll confirm with Tom on Monday when we know what the weather is doing.
Sad git’s (yellow sticker) lunch
We came away feeling far better than last week, we’ve inched closer to her being ours again. First thing was to head to Trowell services on the M1 north for a comfort break and for a very late lunch, we’d not wanted to stop the momentum at the paint shed when we’d arrived today. Sad gits sandwiches from M&S and then we plotted a route across country to avoid delays on the M1.
Clearing my head
There is more packing to do in Scarborough, mostly things we’d packed a month ago that have now been unpacked! Maybe I’ll want to re-access the items of clothing packed to be put under the bed for winter. There is a press night we can attend for the new Ayckbourn at the SJT and we need to make sure everything is sorted for Frank. Some head space looking out to sea was required yesterday, that distant horizon is always worth a stop to look at. Then a gluten free challah loaf was made, it’s only the second time I’ve made one and I’ve been short of one ingredient for a while. It is so tasty.
A very tasty loaf!
Fingers and paws crossed that this next week will be the week!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car extended, 3 days of PA duties, 2.5 ml, 2 drawings that Grandad Lecko may have drawn, 1 scarecrow, 1 boat inching towards the finish line, 2 sets of doors to go, 1 baseplate, 1 lock 2 skinny, 1 empty secret, 0 bananas anti-slipped, 2 many things to go outside still in cupboards, 1 hire car returned, 1 van planned but not booked, 1 skip required, 4 miles of the Cleveland Way walked.
A bit of an update before we get going on what Oleanna news there is, as I’m conscious that some are missing out on the design of panto this year.
Chippy Panto. The Snow Queen model box has been stripped back. A storyboard was drawn up, ideas swapped with Caroline the Director. Then I’ve worked on the white card model, a couple of versions have been worked on and now I’m starting to work on the sketch working drawings so that quotes for the build can be worked out. I have a white card model meeting in London next week, so fingers crossed everyone likes what they see!
Bridget and Storm have been to stay. It was lovely to spend some time with them and show them around Scarborough. The tide was well and truly in, and they met up with Freddie. Hopefully they’ve had a great time on a hire boat with their grandkids and they’ve had more thoughts of being boat owners once again.
John Godber recently turned 70, so there was a big catch-up with lots of old Hull Truckers at The Little Wold Vineyard near Brough. The dress code was ‘A nod to the 70’s’, so with two charity shop shirts and half a metre of suitable fabrics, I adjusted the collars and made us each a kipper tie. It was great to see so many people from my Hull Truck days to celebrate John’s birthday.
Us
On the hottest day of the year so far we travelled over to York for a night with the London Leckenbys in their top floor flat. Gosh it was hot! Wonderful food as ever, time to catch up with them all, Josh currently in the middle of his second year exams.
At around 10pm we had a walk down to the River Ouse where the air was cooler. A sign on the Blue Bridge, where the Ouse meets the River Foss suggested that work was ongoing at Castle Mill Lock. So we wandered up to take a look in the nighttime gloom. New lock gates were sat on the bank, and the lock had a work boat in it and two cofferdams were doing their best to keep the lock water free for the works. We had been planning to come up to York this year and had hoped to be able to get onto the River Foss. But with the slipping of time on Oleanna’s repaint we’ve run out of time to visit as we want to be in the south by the end of August.
We now have two lodgers living with us, both rehearsing for Calendar Girls at the SJT. So we have a full house which will get fuller in just over a month’s time, so the clock is really ticking now until we become homeless.
Everyone with their heads down, cutting tiles and sticking
Mosaicing is having to take a bit of a back seat whilst panto needs my attention, but I try to go to a session every other week. Things are progressing very well and I suspect all the pieces will be finished soon. Sadly I don’t think I’ll get a chance to help with the installation, but hopefully that will be because we’ll be moving back onto Oleanna then.
I’ve had a break from knitting socks for a few weeks, making a cardie for myself. But now I’m back on with Felicity Edition Sockathon Socks in memory of my friends Mum, Felicity. I have several pairs to knit for children, so I’m concentrating on those before their feet grow too much!
I’ve also been doing some trial baking. Just which is the best GF cup cake recipe? The jury is still deliberating and wondering if a third version would be worth trying, however Spanish Buttercream has been deemed too much work for not enough flavour. Our alpine strawberries are doing very well this year after transplanting some into a urn at the house.
There have also been numerous walks around Scarborough, I’m quite enjoying seeing the town full of visitors and at a time of year I’ve not been here for in over a decade.
Tilly still waits in hope for an imminent return to Oleanna. Whenever a bag is brought out she makes sure she is the first thing to be packed. Well, I can’t have them leaving me here with all these singing Shes and annoying cats can I !!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trips away, 1 confused cat, 70, 2 kippers, 12 cupcakes, 2 ex boaters, 30C, 1 emergency cardie, 1 mosaic coming together, 2 new lock gates, 1 white card model ready, I think!
Just before we got back from our holiday to Scotland we contacted Tom at Gibson and Kentwright to see if there was any news on Oleanna’s repaint and if it would be worth keeping the hire car any longer, should we need to do a trip down to Redhill to see him. His reply was that they were not far off finishing the painting of the boat just ahead of us, then there is the putting it back together again. So it’s getting closer, however so is Easter! Tom thought that realistically we’d be looking at after the Easter break, the chap who moves the boats (and most probably Tom too) will be having a break as it’s school holidays.
Easter visitors diverting nature
So we still need to be patient for a bit longer. Timings will be getting tight for us soon as we have bookings for lodgers in the house. At the moment we still have a buffer zone, and another week over lapping the first lodger if needs be!
New painting coming along
This time last year we were back on board and joining the flotilla on the Trent. Have to say when I left my community mosaic group on Monday after the clocks had sprung forward I really wanted to be back on the boat. Watching and reading about people’s cruises will have to do for now though.
Tilly revisited the vets and got the correct jab this time. They must alternate the vaccines and her card didn’t match her vet records. She got this one free, though, as it was their mistake. It had also been suggested that maybe she should have her blood pressure taken to check for various things now that she is over ten. As a few months ago Ziggy my brother’s cat, passed away I thought that maybe it would be worth having it done in case they come up with any early signs. Tilly was quite put out that an inch of her tail needed to be shaved. How is one meant to relax in such a situation? I reckon my pressure was through the roof! Green coat syndrome and all.I did check that the nurse wasn’t going to touch Tilly’s white tipped tail. It just looks like someone has taken a bite out of it now, but it’ll grow back Tilly! Apparently the vet will be in touch with the results, we’ve heard nothing as yet so I’m hoping no news is good news. Now her paperwork is correct she will be granted shore leave once we’re back on board.
Over the last few years it has been obvious that Tilly knows where she is when we move back onto Oleanna after a stint in the house. We do our best to moor up for her first shore leave with not too many other boats about and she comes home. This year we’ll see if she identifies Oleanna by colour, scent, as it will have been six months since she was last on board and Oleanna will be a different colour. Maybe we should keep her onboard for a few days so she finds her way back home?
Mikron van
In other news we can report that the first of this years Mikron shows is well worth a viewing. Top of the Wolds is about a mobile library in the East Riding, Yorkshire. True to form Mikron are touring the show around the East Riding, village halls and libraries before embarking on their usual tour on NB Tylseley. We got to see the show in Bempton a short train journey down the coast. Bempton is mostly known for its cliffs and puffins. We thoroughly enjoyed the show, a mixture of history, songs, modern dilemmas and a chance meeting with people I used to work with on the Yorkshire Moors made it even better.
Mikron’s second show this year is called Wensleydale Whey, about the cheese! Sadly I don’t think we’ll be in the right place at the right time to see it though. Whilst in Bempton we had time to look round Jose’s Antiques, a favourite for propping shows, it’s amazing what you can find there!
When we do get back onboard, we are wanting to head north, downstream on the River Trent to Yorkshire. Currently there is a failed culvert at Keadby Lock which connects the tidal river to the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. Because the culvert has failed the lock is hard to empty, so access to and from the lock is only possible when the river is either level with the canal or higher. Not too bad for cruisers who can push the tide, but not so helpful for narrowboats, as to reach the lock from the tidal river you’d have to push the tide as it came in. We have two other options, going round Trent Falls or the long way round, up the western side of the Pennines. CRT are suggesting the culvert may be mended sometime in May, I’m hoping that’s just before we want to use Keadby Lock.
Oleanna’s insurance has been renewed with Craft Insure. Mick double checked about our LiFePO4 batteries. These are fine so long as we have a lithium fire extinguisher on board. Mick did some research on the type of extinguisher and has purchased a 2 litre extinguisher (£51 including signs and delivery) which can be used on all types of fires. We now just need to find somewhere to store it on board! Of course should we have a battery fire on Oleanna, which is less likely than one from lead acid batteries, the extinguisher would only serve to validate our insurance as it would be too small for our batteries and anyhow we would grab Tilly and get off the boat rather than use the extinguisher!
New curtains have been made for the main cabin. They will need fitting once the new windows are in and the rails put back up. I’ve given them some tolerance to see if that makes any difference, a nicer vertical hammock for Tilly when she sits in the window. But they can be tightened up should they need be by adding another line of stitching. New bedroom curtains were made several years ago and have been kept in storage.
A section of the mosaic finished
Next job is to purchase an escape ladder, one we can attach to the stern somewhere that can be deployed should one end up in the water.
That is all for now, hopefully when I next post, things will be starting to happen on the repaint .
The other evening I came across a post on social media regarding CRT’s Reservoir Watch. This year, as all boaters know, has been a bad one for water levels around the network. The dry spring and summer along with some reservoirs being kept low for maintenance, halted navigation along many canals. Certainly, our plans changed because of the lack of water. Should the water levels have been better, then we’d have been able to head by boat onto the South Oxford Canal for me to commute to work on panto. Mick and Tilly would have had to have been north of Somerton Deep Lock to avoid being stuck whilst new lock gates were installed at the beginning of November. Then we’d have spent the last few weeks gradually cruising northwards, the aim of reaching Alrewas for Christmas. Our festive duck would have been ordered at Coates Butchers ready to be picked up Christmas Eve. Betwixedmas would have been spent, watching river levels and hopefully making our way to Redhill Marina for Oleanna to come out of the water at New Year to await her repaint in the spring.
Tree!A lot bigger than we’d have had on the boat.
But that just wasn’t to be. Instead, we’ll have a walk along the south bay beach, followed by Christmas dinner with our friend Frank. Our bird will come from TS Horsleys, vegetables provided by Tree Top Press, pudding will be my birthday cake late afternoon as usual. It’ll be a lovely time, but I will miss watching and smelling the braised cabbage slowly cooking on top of the multi-fuel stove and juggling things between the fridge in the galley and the overflow fridge at the stern of Oleanna safely tucked under the pram cover.
However, I’ve digressed.
Me! Never!!
The Reservoir Watch is interesting, levels having risen dramatically in some areas of the country after Novembers down pouring of rain. Did you know it was the wettest month of the year, so far? Not hard during a drought year. But hopefully things are looking brighter for next year as levels are recovering, except for the Huddersfield Narrow and the GU South which are both still hovering around 50% of their capacity. Some reservoirs are still having work carried out on them, Toddbrook being held at -12m below its top until work is completed, the Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals will sigh a big sigh once Toddbrook is full again.
The cheese has arrived from Hebden Bridge
We’ve not had chance to visit Oleanna for a couple of weeks, she’s that little bit too far away to visit and have a bowl of soup whilst doing jobs. But as time gets closer to her repaint we’ll be visiting to empty cupboards. A chance to rationalise items on board that may not have been seen for years, but have been acting as handy ballast!
Now which one shall I do?
Christmas prep is well under way here in Scarborough. This afternoon will see me baking a spiced orange cake to enjoy with my family pre-Christmas. The choice of birthday cake this year has to cater for diabetic as well as gluten-free diets. I think I’ve decided between a rice pudding cake and a cheese cake.
Waiting to watch the SJT Christmas show
The decorations are all up, cards arriving, cards and biscuits delivered, annual hair cut and a visit to the SJT to watch our lodger in Sleeping Beauty, written by Nick Lane. For those who know Nick’s Christmas shows it doesn’t follow the usual story line. Hippos, Teddys and some wonderful lighting along with Annies very good badie made for a good nights entertainment.
Tilly watching out of the window
Thank you to the Cleddau and Tentatrice crews for your reviews of Beauty and The Beast at Chippy. I think you must have had the Happy Koala performance? Thankfully microphone problems they’ve been having recently had been solved before you saw the show. I hope you all booed in the right places and joined in with the song sheet and ahhhed when Les and Shelly snogged.
Little Ted watching to protect us from Badies in the house
Watching updates from Taylors Aboard about the Bridgewater breach show that the earth dam to the south of the breach has not been completed before the Christmas break. According to Josh it’s because the weather has been so wet. We watch Chris on NB Elektra who is on the Leeds Liverpool Canal and we read the blogs from those on board this Christmas, everyone helping to keep our boating habit fed.
Pair 109 coming along whilst watching films
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 trains, 1 duck ordered, 2kg potatoes may not be enough, 1 London Leckenby gathering, 1 cake to choose, 1 painting, pair 109 just about finished in time, 6 inches of hair gone, 1 Teddy for protection, 1.5 kg plums, 2 oranges, 7 eggs! 1 lonely boat by 8 cooling towers.
Back in April or was it May, we were looking for somewhere we might be able to moor up for several weeks whilst Mick headed back to Scarborough to oversee the building work going on at the house, waiting for roofers to have a working van etc, and for myself and Tilly to be somewhere suitable for the two of us. Tilly would need plenty of friendly cover to keep her occupied whilst I cracked on with designing the Chippy Panto. At the time we were around York on the River Ouse. The thought of mooring on the River Ouse wasn’t that appealing for me, over the last few days the river has shown its normal colours and is rising with the amount of rain that has fallen in the Dales. I ideally wanted to be off the river, maybe Ripon would be a good place. We tried contacting Ripon Marina, then considered Ripon Motor Boat Club. Would they have space for us? Would we need to be members?
Possible new curtain fabric for Oleanna
Years ago, Mick had come across a boat club for itinerant boaters like ourselves, one based virtually, affiliated to the AWCC (Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs).Cutweb Internet Boating Club was set up by Julian Tether along with other like minded boaters in 1998. We’d thought about joining, but this was when we were full time live aboards and we didn’t really see what we’d get out of being members. In recent years we’ve made friends with Brian and Jo on NB That’s It who are members of Strawberry Island Boat Club in Doncaster. Brian on occasion has asked if we’d like him to propose us to the committee to join the club. We’ve also got to know quite a few boaters at St Pancras Cruising Club, joining them on trips on the Tidal Thames. Did we really want to join one of these clubs? A mooring in Doncaster might be handy, but we didn’t really want to be tied to a home mooring.
Decorating supplies for the house
This year we wondered if joining Cutweb might have it’s advantages, we might meet other members and also be able to make use of the affiliation with the AWCC and be able to moor (if there’s room) at other cruising clubs around the network. Maybe being members might help us find a mooring in Ripon? We looked into it, a cheap joining fee and membership, it would be daft not to. We joined up, Brian (from NB Harnser) the Membership Secretary sent out our membership cards. Sadly, Ripon still couldn’t accommodate us, we were too long for their moorings.
In the end the spring had been so dry we didn’t worry too much about river levels and Tilly and I remained moored up along New Walk in York whilst Mick headed back to the house.
Scarborough South Bay
It wasn’t until much later in the year when we were looking for somewhere to leave Oleanna again that our membership came in handy. A couple of turn arounds of lodgers at the house, medical appointments in July and August meant it would be good to have somewhere secure to leave Oleanna. We’d headed for the Chesterfield Canal and thought of Retford and Worksop Boat Club. A phone call later we had somewhere to pull up that would be checked several times a day, being members of Cutweb meant we got several nights mooring for free and all we’d have to pay for was electric. Brilliant, and a very friendly bunch they were too, so much so we stayed a second time with them on the way back towards the River Trent.
Tilly guarding our coal and winning
Come October it was time for the Cutweb AGM. I was in the middle of Panto work in Chippy so I made sure that Mick voted for us. One committee member would not be standing again, the Treasurer, so they were looking for someone to take over looking after the books. I’ve been a Treasurer before for Crescent Arts in Scarborough many moons ago, but I thought being a newbie I wouldn’t put my name forward, also my mind was busy with the lack of props and making hundreds of roses for Beauty And The Beast.
Frank aghast that someone should have Mars bars and Golden Syrup suggested for their diet
Last week an email arrived to all members from the Commodore. Basically, unless a new Treasurer could be found then the boat club would have to be wound up. But we’d only just joined! We’d met with a couple of members whilst in Burton on Trent and taken advantage of the affiliation with the AWCC. What a shame if no one could be found.
Socks 107 and 108 finished
Hang on, just how much work could a boat club require with 96 members? I inquired, was put in touch with the outgoing Treasurer. My self-employed accounts and those I keep for the house are far more complicated. Yes this year had been a lean year for figures but still! I slept on it.
A touch moody to the south of Scarborough
At 10:32 the following morning I clicked send on an email to the Commodore offering to become Treasurer. Had I just saved Cutweb from being mothballed? An email came back would I be able to have a chat the following morning? A Whatsapp call to Italy early Sunday morning, a twenty minute chat with Ian, he seemed happy, so did I, he’d make a proposal to the committee. An email was sent out later that day and on Monday I was notified that the committee had voted unanimously for me to be Treasurer until the AGM next year when they hoped I’d stand for election.
Well you all know me and numbers! Looks like I’ll have a few more to look after from now on.
In other news the house is looking more Christmasy with each day. A new recipe for Christmas biscuits has been tried and rejected, not stable enough for gifts. I’m getting my brisk minutes in walking around Scarborough, the beach has been my main destination. Last week we celebrated being together for 23 years.
Foraged wreaths on the front doors
Elsewhere, there is a new episode of The Water Road to listen to. The latest episode is very Christmasy with Santa and Mrs Claus, plus if you listen to the end you’ll hear both of us. It’s a very festive listen, thank you Adam for asking us to contribute towards it.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new treasurer, 1 club saved, 23 years, 3 mice! 0 blind, 120m of lining paper, 2 boxes paste, 2 pairs socks, 50 Christmas cards, 2 wreaths, 2 recordings, 1 tree still to be found!
Beeston Changeline Bridge 19 to Trent Junction, again
Three Chippies Chippying for Chippy
A morning call from the set builder for panto interrupted my morning stretches. This was followed by several photos being sent to me, the workshop down in Dawlish in full swing making market stalls, there’s always a market or town square in Panto Land.
I walked up to the water point as Mick brought Oleanna. An angler had set themselves up on the service mooring. I explained that we’d be wanting to fill with water and needed to moor exactly where they were. They’d been down on the river when a sluice had been opened and got soaked, so they’d decided whilst drying off to come onto the canal. They moved up and Oleanna could pull in to fill up the water tank and make use of the elsan.
In yesterdays Boaters Update from CRT, there had been a section on Customer Facilities. Essential facilities, water points, rubbish, elsan and pump outs are set to have a boost over the coming seasons with a £4.5 million investment to standardise and improve them across the network. However, ‘Facilities that fall outside of the essential provision include showers, public toilets, washing machines, and tumble driers. As part of Phase 2 of the policy review and implementation, we are offering boaters and user groups the opportunity to lease and maintain shower and toilet facilities. Excluding the small number of showers and toilets where we have already received an expression of interest, and some toilets at key visitor destinations, all other non-essential facilities will be closed from Monday 3 November. Essential facilities housed in the same buildings as closed toilets or showers will remain available.‘ This will save the Trust around £2 million a year.
Untying at the water point
The majority of boaters now have showers and toilets on board, many have washing machines too, so other than having to top up and empty your tanks more often it really shouldn’t be that much of a problem for many. However, there are the few especially on older boats, who do not have so many home comforts. Coal boats, their boats are pretty basic and the nature of their jobs is dirty. Kat on NB Bargus currently only has one shower along her coal run, from 3rd November she won’t have that unless it is adopted by local boaters.
A boater moored in the winding hole asked if they could borrow our hose when we’d finished filling up, his hose didn’t reach up to the tap. We gave him a top up whilst I set the lock, his engine not working. Shame there wasn’t room for his broken down boat on the other side, but then that seems to be filled with either engine problems or long term health issues, there seems to be an epidemic of such things around Nottingham!
One cruiser has moved off the lock landing on the river side since we were last here, so at least it is easier to pull in to drop and pick crew up now.
New beams to hold it high
Onwards up stream. Quite a grey chilly day out on the river. One of the houses on the south bank looks to have been recently underpinned, if that’s what you call it. New big I beams hold the house up hopefully high enough to be out of danger from flood waters.
That cruiser is still there!
At the shallow section Mick avoided us scraping the bottom as we’d done heading down stream, the current pulling us across towards the warning sign, the cruiser still tied to trees on the offside.
Todays Lock Keeper at Cranfleet
As we came in towards Cranfleet Lock we could see a boat was waiting below. We’d seen this boat yesterday moored at a very cautious distance away from Castle Lock in Nottingham whilst the crew went to set it. The number of fenders (possibly 20) suggested that they are always cautious no matter what. A boat came out of the lock, then we joined the cautious boat.
Filling for the last time this year
I chatted to the lady as we filled the chamber, they have travelled all over, this summer they’d been up the Chesterfield, half way and then to Lincoln. It was only as the boats were leaving the lock that I twigged the boats name NB Pretty Amazing Grace, we’d shared West Stockwith Lock with them when we headed to Cromwell. They are headed back to base now for the winter.
Trent Lock pontoon
Up towards Trent Junction was popular today as I walked ahead. I called Mick to suggest he slowed down in case there was no space for Oleanna, he’d be able to pull in short of the railway bridges as there was space there. But I was able to give him the go ahead as I rounded the slight bend and could see a big gap, the space with a view that we like. We pulled in, opened the doors for Tilly. Soon Mick realised that there was a wasps next in the bank, thankfully there was enough space to pull back so we weren’t right alongside it.
EMPTY!!!!
The Thank you for coming home! Dreamies pot became empty. Just what was I going to do?! Thank goodness it has just been my birthday, the pot magically filled up. Catnip flavour, Brilliant!
Full and self service
This afternoon many lock flights around the country have reopened to help boaters get back to their home moorings after the drought this summer. Come November the winter stoppages will start and many canals will close again. The South Oxford remains closed at present, a window of opportunity later in the month. Here’s hoping those who need to move have enough water to do so as there is little rain in the forecast at present.
As I cooked our Szechuan pork this evening photos of furniture for panto were coming through from the Production Manager, it seems there is far more choice around Bristol than I’d found around Chippy. Hopefully a few gaps are now being plugged.
Chesterfield Blackberries tonight
There was a tupperware of frozen blackberries in the freezer that I’d picked when on the Chesterfield so I made those into a crumble which will provide us with pudding for a few nights, custard already purchase back in Nottingham.
As we caught up on this weeks Traitors, Mick was blowing his nose, more frequently than normally. Looks like we’re in for a cold, here’s hoping it’s not covid!
Pink sky
2 locks, 5.5 miles, 1 full water tank, -1 boat, 1 soggy angler, 4 hours improved shore leave, 1 full pot, 2 stalls, 1 blackboard, 1 kitchen dresser, 1 table, 2 chairs, 1 list of props,1 dish of autumnal crumble.
Retford Cemetery to after Main Street Winding Hole
We moved down from the cemetery this morning through West Retford Lock and pulled in just above Retford Town Lock on a few bollards that are there. A boat had been moored along here yesterday, but was nowhere to be seen today. Time to do a top up shop, mostly for ingredients to make a pie today.
Heading to West Retford Lock
I headed to Aldi whilst Mick went to Boots to pick up a prescription. On finding no stewing steak in Aldi I gave Mick a call, the butchers in town came up trumps with a pound of steak and a kidney, if I was going to make a pie it might as well have everything in it. No gluten free beer though but Asda came up trumps with a bottle of GF Speckled Hen.
Last narrow
Lunch was had then we set off. Down our last narrow lock for a bit, hopefully we’ll get to the narrow locks on the Trent and Mersey before too long, fingers crossed there’s still sufficient water! Today we’d see CRT notices saying that as of tomorrow at 10am more locks around Birmingham would be closing due to low water levels. It looks like there are just two routes up into Birmingham left open now, Stourbridge and Lapworth.
First broad lock
I walked on ahead windlass and key in hand. The next lock would be Whit Sunday Pie Lock, the first broad lock, it was half full so required a top up, Oleanna wasn’t too far behind me so the lock was just ready when Mick arrived.
I wonder which Cill line is correct? Once down I handed my windlass over to Mick as it wouldn’t be needed again today and I didn’t fancy carrying it for three miles.
The hedgerows are filled with blackberries, plums, damsons and sloes. Sadly the only damsons and plums that were ripe were windfalls, not many more were within arms reach in the trees. I opted to leave them where they were.
A slight gap for the winding hole
The long line of mooring bollards at Clarborough were chocka block. Five boats nose to tail, two facing towards the Trent, three away. When Mick came past he noted that access to the winding hole had been restricted, good job he didn’t want to turn.
At Narrow Bridge I went up onto the track to see if there were any other items of interest at the campsite. A bus stop and more mirrors and the overture of The Magic Flute could be heard coming from one of the barns near the entrance. I suspect it’s an interesting place to camp.
The next 2 day mooring was available, but it’s proximity to the road a no no for Tilly so I carried on walking to an M on Waterway Routes. I was surprised that no other boat was pulled up here. Views over the fields on both sides of the cut, a wide towpath recently mown, the edge trimmed as well so the grass cutters know it as a mooring.
Bails being bailed up
I had time for a quick chat with Frank, read some blogs whilst I waited for Oleanna to arrive, I’d beaten her by 25 minutes. When she did pull up we found it a little hard to find enough depth, but made do with a foot gap between us and the armco, no need for fenders today!
Oleanna was secured, what3words noted, shore leave rules recited, the doors opened for an afternoon of shore leave. Tilly wasn’t impressed as this was timed perfectly with a cloud burst over head. The stern was rejected, I’d try the bow. I hopped off and as soon as my paws touched the grass they sprang straight back onto the boat. How dare they tie up a wetter than wet outside!
Filled
I browned the steak for the pie, mixing two recipes I’d found, steak and ale, steak and kidney pie. The filling needing to simmer for quite sometime. I then started to make the pastry. However the ambient temperature, a wasp interrupting matters and the new wind up scales all conspired against me keeping the butter cold! The scales went from suggesting I was short by 15 grams of butter to being 90grams short! As I lifted the cubes out from the flour I knew I was going to end up in a seriously sticky mess, no rubbing in resembling breadcrumbs here! The bowl went in the fridge to cool down. Then once the eggs were added the mixture, resembling cake mixture was put in the freezer for an hour, hoping this would help. Thankfully gluten free pastry is more forgiving than that with gluten and you can work it more, but it was a bit weird rolling out partly frozen pastry!
Tasty tasty!
Pie filled and baked, it turned out pretty well considering the afternoon had continued to be problematic. As I cut the pie into portions I realised I’d forgotten to add the chestnut mushrooms! It was very tasty none the less. We of course had to follow it with a slice of cake, all accompanied by a glass of wine, so today the diet has gone out of the window completely! Sod it!!
It’s a lovely mooring this
3 locks, 5 miles, 1 bottle beer, 1 drugs run, 2 drugs on order, 450grams steak, 1 kidney, 1 bag carrots, 2 baking potatoes, 2 splashes of Hendersons, 90 minutes brisk walking, 1 big pan of meatyness, 1 bowl of melted gooeyness, 1 rather good pie for Whit Sunday Pie Lock.
