Category Archives: Baking

Christmas On A Bike. 21st, 22nd December

Sutton Road Bridge to King’s Orchard Marina, Coventry Canal to Common Lock 14, Trent and Mersey Canal

Mick headed off with the bike this morning to see if he could find some engine oil no luck. But he did return with one of the B&Q Christmas Trees, possibly the smallest one they had. This morning they had been reduced again to £3! Bargain. It stands at about the same height our old tree had grown to, but has been potted in a very haphazard way. The old tree had one side that was angled in line with Oleanna’s tumblehome (angle of the cabin sides), the new tree has only one face that looks straight, any movement to one side and it has quite a lean. If it copes with life onboard, when it gets repotted I’ll try to straighten it up. But then I don’t want to encourage it to grow too much otherwise it won’t fit inside next year and may have to be retired after one festive season!

All this meant we had a later start than planned, but at least we now had Christmas on board with us. Time to pootle along the long pound towards Fradley.

Very few boats were in Hopwas. We passed where we normally stop, I’m sure Tilly was looking longingly out of the window at all the trees, but stopping here wouldn’t get us to our Christmas bird in time. A lady passed by on her horse. We were surprised to see a boat moored along the length opposite the danger zone. Here a wide concrete edge tends to put most people off mooring, maybe it was intentional. But this boat had taken it’s ropes a good three foot in on the towpath to find somewhere to hammer into.

The clouds cleared and we soon had blue skies, lovely if a touch chilly. Fields are newly ploughed and sewn, some with shoots of a few inches high, obviously enjoying the wet weather.

Approaching Whittington I waited for the weathervane of the Grey Fergie. It has to be one of my favourites and today I got to see how much detail there is on it.

Just before the bend under Whittington Bridge there is a tree half way across the cut. This of course is where we met a boat coming the opposite way, Mick had just enough time to slam on the breaks to let the other boat through. Phew!

Past the Lichfield Canal the sun making the house at the junction look so picturesque. Behind it soon appeared the works for HS2. Red piledriver, Yellow piledriver, not the same as lorries but just as hard to say.

We don’t remember the huge pile of earth that must have been here a while opposite Kings Orchard Marina, it must be more to do with HS2. We pulled in just after the marina entrance and as soon as our ropes were tied I was inside reciting the shore leave rules to Tilly. She didn’t listen or care. JUST OPEN THE DOOR!!!!!

Sadly within two minutes of her paws touching the towpath a chap and his dog came from under the bridge and Tilly was straight back inside the boat. Then a walker too! So not fare! Tilly was good, came and went a few times and was back on board cleaning between her toes a little before 4pm, cat curfew.

It was too late to start putting the Christmas lights on the outside of Oleanna, well that’s the excuse Mick used. However there was plenty of time to bake the Lebkuchen and decorate the Christmas tree.

The Christmas hamper was released from the top shelf of a cupboard. Lights and baubles and silver ribbon hung and wrapped round. A star popped on the top of the tree, Lebkuchen iced. As soon a they were deemed dry enough it was time for a cuppa and biscuit. Christmas has just about arrived on Oleanna.

0 locks, WE 6.63 miles, Pip Nebo 6.6 miles, Mick Nebo 6.6 miles, 1 sad gits Christmas tree, 0 ice, 2 hours! 1 happy cat, 1 disgruntled cat, 250ml evostick,1st tidal stretch booked, 15 biscuits, 2ft decorated.

https://goo.gl/maps/x4yVgc9niYpSprNT6

Thursday 22nd.

A grey drab day compared to yesterday. Padded trousers and layers with the top one being waterproof. We pootled our way towards Fradley Junction.

Signs on the towpath suggested there was work going on. Then two sections of fencing lay on the ground suggesting that the towpath had been closed. This was where there had been a closure recently due to a leaking culvert under the canal. The off side field had a muddy track through it and where the leak had been there was even more mud and a new manhole cover on each side of the cut. A couple of chaps were busy putting in new fencing along the towpath.

A short distance further on a group of chaps stood around one of those small tractor hedge cutters with big huge tyres, suitable for most terrain. Well apart from terrain that had recently been dredged to use as back filling behind some new wooden piling. The tractor had sunk on one side up to it’s belly. To get it out the chaps were digging the back filling out and dropping it back into the canal. Wonder how long it took them to get it out?

Now should we stop for water before the junction or after? The tap at the services is extremely slow, the one before not so, but it is a longer walk away from the bins. As we approached the swing bridge was being opened by some paddle boarders, they left it open for us, so we carried on to the junction.

I stepped off, leaving Mick to close the gate and walked up to set Junction Lock. No queues, no boat coming from the next lock up. Mick pulled Oleanna in, a handy post box had caught his eye right by the lock landing, the last Christmas card popped in the post. Then Oleanna dropped down in the lock to the services.

Water, bins, shore based facilities, Santas, Christmas suits, present hunts, onion slicing and frying, bread chopping, plenty of time to get things sorted as the water tank filled.

Mick and I swapped over. Below Keepers Lock a boat was coming into the next lock, Mick waited to empty our lock until they were filling theirs. Our lock emptied quicker than theirs filled and they took their time exiting the lock, pulling in to the landing. Below a moored boat had come adrift and needed pulling back in before we emptied our lock. Mick headed down with the other crew to see what they could do.

The bow rope was still attached, the centre line passed to Mick and then the stern line, the boat pulled in. The mooring pins were thankfully still attached to the ropes (handy those loops on some pins) and somehow they were pushed back into the ground. We don’t think they’ll hold for long.

We dropped down Hunts Lock, our intention had been to do Common Lock too and moor up in the next pound for the night, but the lock landing had a boat length of armco before it, so we pulled in to make use of it rather than cling on with spikes below.

1pm, 3 hours shore leave for Tilly. Pastry rolled out, filling mixed together (I don’t like the new sausage skins Sainsburys are using, they’re like jelly!), rolls rolled and cut to length, then baked. Warm sausage rolls for lunch, yum.

Whilst Mick attached our Christmas lights, I did secret things inside and Tilly made the most of the friendly cover and sideways trees. She also made the most of having very wet paws to trample all over the boat when she came in! Why can’t cat’s learn to wipe their feet! Because they have PAWS!!!

No photo today of the finished lights, I’ll try to get one tomorrow.

3 locks, WE 4.16 miles, Pip Nebo 3.1 miles (operator error), Mick’s Nebo 4.2 miles, 1 swing bridge swung, 3 paddle boarders. 1 all terrain vehicle stuck in the terrain, 1 canal being filled up, 1 water tank full, 8 sausage rolls, 2 more tidal bookings, 1 long line of lights, 5 presents wrapped, episode 2 of season 2 Happy Valley.

https://goo.gl/maps/UjwatfdDeTpSUXyT8

Last Of The Ginger. 19th December

‘Avecoat Marina

The view out the back was very different this morning, water! Water everywhere! But it was still on top of a layer of ice! Would we be able to move today? Maybe, but the wind picked up quickly, making any manoeuvring in ice even harder. We’d be waiting another day.

We’re quite used to seeing steam rising from the canal early in the morning during warmer months. Today it was as if someone had put Dried Ice into the canal. Smoke/steam rolled off the top of the ice, blown about in the wind. I tried to take a photo but it just didn’t come out.

Cracks in the ice could be seen, along with sticks sitting on the surface. As the day progressed, with the wind heading straight for us we would get these almighty crunching, grinding noises down the sides of the boat.

Oleanna was being pushed towards Victoria by the wind and the ice between us was breaking up. Tilly really did not like this! Some thing was Grrrrrrring outside my boat!!!

Things were found to wash, the drawer emptied. Lists for shopping were written out. If we can get a mooring near the retail park I’ve a lot to pick up for work and then some present shopping.

A batch of gf puff pastry was started. Dough ingredients mixed together and butter bashed flat before going back into the fridge to rest. Six roll fold and turns followed each after an hour in the fridge, the last turn being just before 10pm. We shall have sausage rolls!

Then maple syrup, treacle and butter were melted. Flour, spices including the very last of my homemade ground ginger from two years ago were mixed together to form a sticky dough. That’s a batch of Lebkuchen sat waiting in the fridge to be cut out and baked. The boat smells sooo Christmasy when I make these.

Activity came from across the way on NB Capricorn. A car was being unloaded their chimney smoked. Then later on the engine was started up. Were they going to make an attempt to leave the marina tonight? No just turning the engine over checking things.

More ice got blown into Oleanna, was this all breaking up or just grinding it’s way along to fill the gap between boats? Nothing could be seen in the dark or prodded with a boat hook. It was breaking up.

As I’d been hanging our wreath on the cratch in the afternoon someone walked past saying how yesterday the ice had been at least two three inches thick by their boat. They were astonished that now it was only half an inch, no trouble pushing through that.

Tomorrow we’ll do our best to be up early. There are chores to be done, then we will hopefully head for freedom!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wreath hung, 2 steel cable ties, 1 very noisy day, 1 windy day, 1 big batch of puff pastry, 1 batch of Lebkuchen at the ready, 2 boaters at the ready, 1 neon green bunny leg.

I Keep Tropical Fish. Or, Is That You Brian? 15th December

‘Avecoat Marina

Cabin fever must be starting to set in. As we lay in bed with our morning cuppa today we could see the outline of John our neighbour moving about next door. In unison we both said ‘Ullo John! Gotta New Motor?

The ice creaked and groaned as we moved about, it’s just about touching the sides of Oleanna now. For those who’ve never experienced being on a boat when the canal is frozen, movements can ping and twang for quite some distance. We wondered if Brian had just stepped on board NB Harnser on the other side of the marina.

Definitely cabin fever setting in!

Tilly’s pooh box got a refresh, one less reason for her to complain. The facebook groups today were full of tales where cats are being kept in. One cat a few years ago fell through the ice and had to be rescued by it’s owner as it desperately tried to find a route back up for air. Thankfully both the owner and cat survived the ordeal.

Keeping water usage to a minimum is now required as the tap today is frozen. Mick tried pouring boiling water over it as had someone else, with no luck of defrosting it. I’d rather like a shower, but that can wait a few more days. Anyhow we’re still working with the slow water pump.

With temperatures due to reverse (up into double figures) at the beginning of next week we are hopeful that we may be able to get back out onto the cut. It all depends on how long it takes for the ice to melt in the marina. If someone was to try ice breaking that would aid the melt, but we don’t fancy being the first!

Years ago we had a week on our shareboat NB Winding Down when she’d been iced in at Aqueduct Marina. A group of people did their best one day to move a boat to the slipway, breaking ice in front and to the side of the boat, having to give up as they couldn’t turn it towards the exit. However the following day with temperatures that little bit higher the marina was just about ice free and an orderly queue formed to use the pumpout! The next morning it was frozen again.

Mick had a walk to Tescos along the towpath to post Christmas and buy more stamps whilst I rolled out pastry to make mince pies.

***These might be nice***, **but Tom doesn’t like peaches!**

This time I rolled it out thicker and built the edges up a touch higher than those I’d made a couple of weeks ago. Jennie had given me a handy tip of adding a strip of greaseproof to help lift them out once baked, I gave this a go too. Blind baked, then I made the frangipane topping. This was adjusted using smaller eggs and caster sugar with a bit of light muscovado, hoping they’d be slightly less treacly. Everything was put together and popped in to bake. The frangipane still melted, but not as much as last time. Maybe on my next batch I’ll try adding a bit of self raising flour to make the mixture a little bit stiffer. But that’s not likely to be this year, so I’ll have to remember.

Once baked they sat in the tin, smelling very good, for ten minutes. Jennies handy hint had worked very well, a knife was only needed to loosen the frangipane top that had splurged onto the top of the tin, the others came out like a dream! Thank you.

A cuppa was made and quality control tasting. Very nice, very nice in deed. Even Tilly thought they were pretty good, lip smackingly good!

***I’d have preferred the chicken though!***

The chicken carcus was put on the stove to make some stock, then all the meat was pulled off the bones whilst I cooked some onions and carrots. Everything was popped back in the pot and back on the stove. A mushroom, some tarragon and greens, when it was just about done I tried out some Zenb Agile pasta. This is a bit like Orzo in that you can add it to stews and it will cook in the sauce. It took only a couple of minutes and was very tasty. I’ll be using that again.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4th Jan a possibility, 0 tap, 1 slow pump, 1 neighbour with fish in his underpants, 40 Christmas cards in the post, 12 mince pies, 1 feline assistant, 3466 pieces of Agile, 1 chickeny pasta stew.

Del Boy Pumps. 14th December

‘Avecoat Marina

Christmas card day today. The selection of image this year was pretty straight forward and now that the format has been saved it is quite an easy thing to swap images out from last year, amend the writing then print them out. It used to take forever, with quite a lot of swearing accompaniment.

A round robin summation of our last year was put together last night and this morning needed a slight alteration as I’d omitted a visit to Birmingham early in the year. With that sorted copies were printed out. Tilly couldn’t cope with the backwards and forwards of the paper in the printer. It kept spitting them out and then swallowing them again! Errgh!!

Cards were scored, trimmed and folded. Greetings written, signed. All ready for stamps. We had quite a lot of left over stamps from previous years, this was the time to use them all up as come next year they won’t be valid. Still a few short and only one large letter stamp remaining.

#unit21 emails flew around for a while this morning along with whatsap messages from Amy. Lots of trainers were being tried on in Huddersfield, a smaller boiler suit had arrived for the smallest member of the company. A short list of returns will be compiled next week. A good days fittings without having to travel north.

Mick topped up the water tank. Dish washer and washing machine put to work. However the water pump with the tick started to leak*. The one with the question mark was fitted. This lasted long enough for Mick to have a shower. It was very noisy especially when Mick went to check on it and it was also leaking*, *oll8cks!!!

The third untested pump was fitted. This was quiet, very quiet! It worked, but not very well. The pressure of water coming through the taps was considerably different to normal. With the old pump we know that if you count to 7 and a little bit you have just the right amount of water in the kettle for two mugs of tea or coffee. With this pump we resorted to filling a mug twice, possibly to a count of 20!

Most certainly not enough pressure for a shower. Here’s hoping delivery delays don’t affect our new pumps arrival.

In the afternoon I chopped up some butternut squash, drizzled it with oil and wrapped it in foil on an oven tray, popping it on top of the stove to gradually cook by itself. As it sizzled I made up a batch of sweet pastry for a second batch of frangipane mince pies. Adam had pointed me to the recipe he uses, but it lay behind a paywall. I’d been given enough information to adjust my gluten free pastry recipe, the zest of an orange and to use the juice instead of water to bring it all together. It certainly smelt festive.

The multifuel stove was also used this evening to cook risotto rice for our evening meal. Everything got going on the hob then once the chicken stock was simmering the cast iron pot was popped on top of the stove to carry on bubbling away. It cooked in half an hour, peas and the squash added. Very tasty with a bit of cheese on top.

**Butternut squash and chicken risotto**

I’d found a knitting pattern for a rabbit, so I cast on the head and worked my way through the pattern. I’ll need to get a bit of stuffing for it once it’s knitted. Progress was slowed somewhat as we watched the last episode of The Serpent which had been broadcast ages ago. Blimey that man was horrid!

0 locks, o miles, 3rd del boy pump, 1 proper one on order, 1 soggy bottom step, 30 round robins, 45 cards, 3 parcels, 1 new recipe pastry, 9 pairs trainers, 1 overall.

**A stunning view, but will we ever escape?!**

Erratum

*Having not been able to stick my head in the bottom step to observe the problems with the pumps myself, I have had to rely on information passed to me from Mick, who did have his head in the bottom step. This information led me to believe that each and every pump Mick tried leaked. This was incorrect, they simply just stopped working!

Video Link From Scotland. 11th December

‘Avecoat Marina

Mick set off this morning to see if he could catch up with a parcel that had been diverted to Bethnal Green sorting office. With card in hand he arrived and joined the queue where news reached his part of the line that the sorting office was closed due to strike action. His trip out though did mean he bought some stand in presents for his sisters as the parcel containing those also hadn’t arrived despite several attempts at delivery.

Meanwhile back at the house preparations were underway for the first Leckenby Geraghty family get together since the pandemic. Whilst Andrew and Josh worked on work things Jac and I made salads, prepared a fish pie laid the table and tidied up, all under the watchful supervision of quality controller Finn, he’s very particular about his fish pie!

Kath was first to arrive out of the cold, soon followed by Christine and Paul. John and Marion had changed their plans and driven up from the south coast, sadly they wouldn’t be staying as Marion was full of cold. An exchange of presents was done accompanied by some festive fizz before they headed off back home with a welfare package of fish pie. Anne, Mick’s fourth sister joined us briefly via video link from Scotland, which was lovely to have everyone together for a short while.

What a lovely afternoon and early evening, drinking, eating and chatting away. The fish pie was very tasty along with the salad. Then pudding came out decorated with some of the candied orange slices I’d made the other day. Sitting in the tuperware they had got very sticky again. One orange seemed to have candied better than the other. The cheesecake was very rich, which went down well.

It really was great to get people back together for an early Christmas, just a shame not everyone could stay or be there. There were a couple of plans talked about for next year, where we hope to be able to get the next generation and the one below that together too.

Around 6pm Josh came down and said it had started to snow. By 7:30 this was more obvious looking out of the window as it was starting to build up. A taxi was called to get people home and as we waved goodbye there must have been at least an inch and a half of snow.

Poor Marion and John had left us most probably around 3pm and had got stuck on route home by snow. A pause in a pub for a few hours before they altered their route back to the south coast, arriving home as we were all heading to bed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 canal not frozen (Hertford Union) yet, 3 sisters, 1 videoed in, 11 bottles, 1 welfare package, 0 left overs of fish pie, 0.25 left of cheese cake, 1st get together since 2019, 4 stand in presents, 1 still to be caught up with, 1 happy Finn, 10C on Oleanna! And don’t I know it!!!

If people would like me to post how I candied the oranges I’ll add it to the recipes, let me know.

Supermodels. 10th December

‘Avecoat Marina

With Tilly left staring into the corner of the boat, ‘in charge’, we headed off with overnight bags to meet a taxi which took us to Tamworth Station. Today we’d not be heading northwards but south to London. For this we needed the platform opposite the entrance. Getting there you really need to read the signs, as just getting the lift up to the higher platform doesn’t actually work! You need to take the second lift, hidden round the corner under the viaduct to be on the right side of the higher tracks to then be able to take another lift down to the correct platform. Tamworth Station may be handy for access to different parts of the country, it however is quite confusing.

We were lucky to get seats as the train very quickly filled right up. An hour and a half later we arrived into Euston. A 30 bus took us the short distance to Kings Cross where we alighted and walked round the corner onto York Way. We were looking for a recessed courtyard at Jahn Court and the Supermodel exhibition.

Architects Piercy & Company have put together an exhibition of architectural models based on buildings they have designed, some built, some not. All the models have a life given to them, some with sound, all with light and several with moving elements.

They were made over a period of five years between projects. Jahn Court building is part of Endurance Land’s ten-year plan to revitalise the Regent Quarter to the east of Kings Cross. The building is currently in a stripped out state awaiting redevelopment and gives an interesting background to the exhibition.

Each model had either a motion sensor or a button to press which would set things in motion. Projected people moving about staircases and landings. How passing daylight affects a building, revealing different things as the day progresses including a giant balloon dog.

A camera on a track through and around a model, the footage projected onto a screen close by. A choir singing as light directs your eye around a modern church.

By far the best was Two Villas. Two Georgian villas open up like a cantilevered metal tool box to display the rooms inside.

This was closely followed by Steel House. This was the first model of the collection, it is modeled on a steel framed house that had to be craned onto its site. The buildings slide or rise upwards, a bird flies over the roof, a puff of smoke comes from the chimney. Apparently there was an aroma of cinnamon, but we didn’t notice it.

**Footage of the models being made and the rather nice benches** **to sit on.**

A very good way to spend an hour, thank you Heather Bleasdale for sending me the link to the Ian Visits article about it.

Back on the 30 bus and out to Hackney and the London Leckenby’s where a warm welcome awaited us. Plenty to catch up on as we tucked into a wonderful beef stew. Josh headed out to meet some friends to watch the England game whilst Mick, Jac and Andrew settled in the living room to also watch.

Meanwhile I busied myself in the kitchen, blitzing digestive biscuits, beating cream cheese and sugar together, melting chocolate and grating the zest off oranges. I managed to occupy myself for just about all of the match aided by my assistant Finn. By the time we’d had another glass or two of wine, pudding for tomorrow was baked and cooling on a rack.

**Finn who comments all the time as you cook**

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very frosty Tamworth, 1 taxi, 3 lifts, 1 train, 30 bus twice, 8 models, 1 beef stew, 1 chocolate orange baked cheesecake, many glasses of wine.

Noting Locks. 2nd December

Springwood Haven to between Locks 5 and 6 Atherstone flight

Grey and misty. The hill opposite came and went as we had our breakfast. A call to the marina to check on their diesel price, £1.63 confirmed that we’d be continuing onwards without topping up the tank, maybe we should have pulled alongside the boats at Armada where it was £1.44.

We pootled onwards. At Hartshill the first building of the yard sits by the bridge. Today it had scaffolding up around the two chimney stacks. This brought our attention to the interesting roof line on the left. The building curves round into the yard, a common feature so let horses and carts turn the corner more easily. This means that the roof line is cut off with the curve, the gutter staying low .

The Mancetter Marina now looks more settled than when we last passed and soon afterwards the Rothen work boats line the off side bank. Looking up above the moorings to their yard you can see boats and skip boats stacked up on racks ready to be selected for the next job on the canals.

Coming into Atherstone people are starting to get with the Christmas festivities. Trees in houses and bankside Santa hats.

The moorings seemed to be busy, but we’d have found room for Oleanna if we’d wanted to stop. The end nearest the old hat factory was empty, a recent fire and road closure have most probably put people off mooring at this end.

Mick walked up to the top lock a paddle already raised to keep it full. As he opened the top gate two volunteers popped out from their hut. As the blackboard suggested we’d be the first boat through the top lock today.

One chap walked ahead to set the second lock as Mick and a chap in high vis emptied the first one. High-vis man stayed at the top letting the other chap walk down with us.

We made steady progress down the top five locks, Mick hopping back on board below and the volunteer heading back up the flight.

The moorings in the longer pound had plenty of space for us. We pulled in about half way between the two roads. Lunch first, then a top up shop. As we walked back up the towpath I could see feet at Lock 5, a boat was coming down, the second through the flight today. Considering the amount of boats we’ve seen moving in the last few days it was a surprise not to see more boats on the flight.

Today I tried adding notes to my Nebo voyage at each lock we entered. This gave us an extra page on our log, with times. Nebo is looking to be the way we go, except we’ll be wanting to run it from the trip computer inside Oleanna, so adding notes won’t be so easy as on a phone. More thought is required on this matter.

We started our shopping in the Co-op, but the lack of eggs and price of a few things took us across the way to Aldi where the gaps were filled in.

Back at Oleanna Tilly wasn’t too impressed with the outside, muddy and some sideways trees, but not enough for a stamp of approval. I got on with making some mince pies.

The recipe from my gf River Cottage book for frangipane topping had appealed and I wanted to see if the extra that Adam adds to his pies would work. I rolled out my pastry and lined the muffin tin, blind baked them.

Whizzed up the frangipane topping. Spooned in the mincemeat, added a blob of cream cheese and then topped with the frangipane. The recipe said to bake them for 30 minutes, but I could smell they were doing well long before that. The tray was turned round in the oven, a chance to notice the topping had splurged across the top of the tray and not sought height.

They were left to rest for ten minutes, a knife round them to free them from the tin, gluten free things always stick, a greaseproof circle used at the bottom to aid removal. Then another ten minutes before it was time for quality control to test them. They were very fragile and a plate and fork needed. Verdict yummy, Adams addition a very good call! The rest were left in the tin to firm up more before removing.

A second mince pie was enjoyed for pudding this evening. One thought was that maybe the frangipane topping was a little bit treacly. The recipe uses light muscovado sugar, maybe the next batch I make will just have caster sugar instead, see what that does. All the same they are very nice.

5 locks, WE 4.19 miles, Pip’s Nebo 4.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 4.3 miles, 5 notes added, 2 much walking, 12 mince pies made, 4 consumed, 2nd night of chilli on the stove, 1 unimpressed cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/z4DdVQQ3TEot28zm7

Without Touching The Sides. 1st December

Ansty Waste Bridge 12 to Springwood Haven, Coventry Canal

Was Tilly disgruntled not to be having shore leave this morning or was it the smell of Deep Heat that had her sit bolt upright and give me a Paddington stare. I promised that the outside we’d tie up today would be far better, she settled down and patiently waited.

Extra layers required today, thermals under the padded trousers and I seem to have found the shortest thermal vest I posses, annoying as it ruckles up under jumpers. But the layers helped to keep the chill out for much of the morning.

We pootled our way along to Hawkesbury Junction and Sutton Stop Lock, passing the campervan graveyard. The water point before the lock was free so we pulled in to top up the tank. At this time of year we like to keep the tank as full as possible and having just done a load of washing it needed a top up. Mick walked the rubbish over the bridge to the bins and we were soon ready to move on.

I don’t often take the helm, my choice, I prefer working the locks. The most often asked question from Gongoozlers is about why the men are usually at the helm whilst the women work the hard heavy locks. Well everyone has their reasons, mine is that I love working locks, I get exercise, I get to chat, I get to take photos, I get a walk, I find driving a touch boring to be honest. But right now most of the reasons I enjoy working locks are not good for my calf muscle, so no choice.

When I lost my little finger I helmed Lillian through many locks. When Oleanna was brand new I took her through her first locks down from Sheffield as I was recovering from a broken ankle, that was far more daunting than taking her through Sutton Stop Lock today, all of 10 inches deep. Mick went ahead to open the lock, I nudged the bow out and headed for the narrow entrance.

**Mick waiting for the lock to equalise**

With no-one sat outside the Greyhound I decided to have a go at turning Oleanna onto the Coventry Canal 180 degree turn under the bridge to head northwards. Mick sat down to give me a better view. Gently I turned her under the bridge, I knew I wouldn’t manage the turn in one go, not many do. More like a three point turn and the bow came round, neither end of Oleanna having touched the sides.

**Not bad for the stand in photographer**

This did mean passing the job of photographer to Mick, requesting a photo looking under the bridge towards the Greyhound, a photo I don’t think I’ve taken for a very long time as I’m usually on the bank, keeping an eye out for on coming boats, setting or closing the lock.

**At least they still get a view of the canal from the top floor**

Now in Frank country, our friend grew up in these parts. The big house, once a pub by Bulkington Bridge now has a high wooden fence cutting off the view of the canal. Past Avril’s old school, one of the first Comprehensive schools in the 1950’s.

Charity Wharf. Every time we come past I wait to see what the display might be this time. In our early days of boating there was always something new to see, a new group of mannequins dressed up suitably for the season, Halloween especially good. However the last few times we’ve been past there seem to be fewer figures on display. Stig has been stood in the same position for years. There is still plenty to see, but not the display it used to be, maybe the person who used to do it all has moved elsewhere.

The Morris Minor still sits on top of the mound of stuff by the dry dock, entrance blocked off by boats as usual. A little further on we noticed the ribs of a wooden boat sticking up from the water like fish bones left by a cartoon cat.

We’d considered heading up the Ashby for a few days, a visitor mooring being £18 a night without electric put us off somewhat, so we continued on past.

Diesel was next on our minds, keeping the tank as full as possible in cold weather a good thing. We pulled over at Star Line Boats. No-one came out to help us, Mick had chance to see their prices £1.60 domestic, maybe not thank you. We’d not even tied up before he pushed the bow back out.

**Maybe the person from Charity Wharf has moved here?**

Yesterday we’d had compliments at our passing speed, today a grumpy man shouted from within his cruiser for us to slow down. We had. A quick look at his ropes suggested that maybe it wasn’t our fault he was moving about so much, no wonder he was grumpy, he’d be shouting at every boat that went past!

A boat came towards us, quite a breaking wash behind them. Their engine making such a noise as we passed, then the throttle was cranked up, more noise, more wash, I found myself shouting, I couldn’t help it. Maybe there was an emergency somewhere! They’d certainly give the grumpy man something to shout about!

A mural with a bendy tree. The first flag we’ve seen held by a giant teddy. Then the obligatory telephone pole.

Soon Springwood Haven came into view, the basin a third full of hire boats, it’s now an ABC marina. We pulled in opposite, 14:30 not much day light left for our four legged crew. The doors were opened an hour and a half shore leave granted and off she went. She was right this was a far better outside! One of my favourites

A big batch of chilli was got going on the hob then moved to the stove to carry on cooking during the afternoon. Then a batch of sweet gluten free pastry was made up and left to rest in the fridge, I’m going to have a go at making some mince pies tomorrow.

***Thank you for the good outside today***

Tilly arrived home with fifteen minutes left of shore leave. ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies were dispensed. As here is one of her favourites and I felt generous I allowed her out again. At 4pm, cat curfew, I called for Tilly and was ignored. At 4:30pm I called again and waggled the big torch about and was ignored. At 4:45pm I thought I heard her running along the towpath, but it turned out to be some percussion on the programme Mick was watching about Fleetwood Mac!

At 5:10pm when I’d run out of things to keep me busy, I popped on my coat and shoes, time to be the mad cat woman. Big torch in hand I called for Tilly once again. Before I even stepped off the boat I could hear her bell. Was she on the towpath or over the bank. After a few minutes Tilly arrived along the towpath, trotting along in the dark, very ready for her evening dingding followed by a snooze in front of the stove. Only 70 minutes late. If you knew what I’d been up to out there you’d have come and joined me!

1 lock, WE 9.99miles, Pip’s Nebo 9.4 miles (missing off the start of our voyage!), Mick’s Nebo 10.1 miles, 180 degrees without touching, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 batch pastry (not for steak pie making!), 1 vat of chilli, 1st coat of dark on door, 1 very happy stop out cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/B1yPSvcCDPi7Udn5A

Pie Approved. 24th November

Avon Aqueduct

Time for a proper lie in, my cold felt like it was sitting on my chest now. The day went slowly on Oleanna. Tilly came and went and I ended up watching TV for much of the day with little impetus to do anything else.

Up in Scarborough Mick got a lift from our next door neighbours to the dentist, the buses out of town have changed to only running every two hours, not so helpful. So a big thank you to Andy and Lisa.

Back at the house Mick did a paw count of the local felines, everyone was present. Then it was time for him to head back to Rugby. The train via Hull had been cancelled, so instead he took the route via York. The Ouse very high and understandably no boats were moored at Museum Gardens.

Back at Oleanna I prepared a chicken, tarragon, leek and feta pie. Tilly leaving her stamp of approval on the crust. Jacket potatoes baked in the stove accompanied my pie. Very tasty even with a cold.

With Water Explorer closing down at the end of the year we’ve been looking into different ways we can track our movements. One idea is via our Victron Venus GX which can log our journeys automatically, we’d then have to down load it and do something with it. Another is via the Nebo app. Last year when we escaped Goole with SeaMaiden and Lullabelle, we all downloaded the app. This helped us see where on the river each of us were when not in view. It was designed more for off shore use, but more and more boats seem to be using it on the inland waterways.

Recently Nebo has had an update and some of the trips I logged with it earlier this year have arrivals and departures from locks, on other trips there are no way points, others it seems to make note of a lock every minute that you are there, ending up with numerous entries for one location! We’ll trial it for the next few weeks alongside Water Explorer. We’ve already adjusted our What3words app to give us a grid reference alongside the three words when we moor up. Both of these are noted down each time we move just in case we should need any assistance from the emergency services.

We’ll see what we think.

Thank you Dave Scouts for you advice on the font colour. Mick has done as you suggested, the colour is black as I write a post now, or so it seems. But then in preview mode it goes back to a dark grey! Boo.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 trains, 1 lift, 3 lemsips, 1 lazy day, 4 paws, 1 yummy pie.

Seven And Mature. 1st October

Windsor Road Bridge to Cliveden Moorings

Today I turned 7 in human years, that’s 44 in feline years. She said that now I’m 7 that I am mature. She kept saying this most of the day. I don’t think I smell like cheese!

She said that I would be getting a present later on if all went to plan. I tried looking for it, but she said it wasn’t inside.

Last night was meant to be all wild and windy. Tom said that if I went into the outside I might have gotten blown away, but it didn’t sound that bad. It never sounds that bad to me, well not until it starts blowing at my bum, then I’m not happy!

Anyway I think someone needs to write a new version of the song.

Pussy cat Pussy cat where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the Qu…… OH! Apparently Queen She doesn’t sit on a chair anymore.

*She used to stand on this bridge and watch the big planes go by , especially Concord*

Yesterday the outside had been wet but it had picked it’s ideas up this morning as they untied it and let it move away, the sun had come to visit. Only right as it’s my birthday! Did you know that it’s my birthday?

I watched the castle drift by. They caught a water point that was all smelly from a noisy little boat. But apparently it didn’t have the right fitting so they pushed it way and found another. This one was silly stupid as it sprayed water everywhere! Just as much went on the bank as into Oleanna’s tummy. After the summer we’ve had too! She said that it’s impractical for us to have a 7m hose, They’d have to tie the outside up in a very particular way for such a hose to reach.

Tom kept stopping the outside, I had to check he was doing it right. In fact he was just moving the outside down.

He had to have the help of another boat to do this on several occasions. Just look at all those flowers!

Then She and Tom got all excited, my birthday present (did I mention it was my birthday?) was just about in view, we all just had to keep our paws crossed.

It took them a while to tie the outside up. Then She came in and wrote down the numbers, played the magic music and noted three words. Then she gave me the rules. 4 hours with no woofers.

My birthday present was an Island!

I know I couldn’t believe it, A National Trust Island at that! There was one other boat, but they left. We had it all to ourselves, well until another narrowboat tied it up at the other end. I don’t know why they had to do that as it wasn’t being awkward or troublesome. It was just being a nice and peaceful island.

She said she had something secret to do. But after a while we went for a walk, from nearly one end of MY BIRTHDAY ISLAND right to the very end at the other end.

TREES!!!!

Sideways Trees!! And friendly cover!

She had more to do inside so left me to it, which was fine because She’s not as good at climbing trees as I am!

**I don’t think I look mature, I certainly don’t smell mature!**

Tom lit the stove so I could be all cosy and warm. Then after we’d all had our dingding I got a birthday cake!

I’m not fussed about the cake, they can have all that, but the cream cheese topping looks mighty fine!

3 locks, 2 self service, 8.2 miles, 6003.36 miles in total on Oleanna, 7 years old, not 7+ yet, 44 feline years, 1 island present, 4 hours of climbing and pouncing, 1 carrot BIRTHDAY cake, 1 cat who never ever eats human food licking her lips, 1 stove, 1 sunny BIRTHDAY, 1 boating goal achieved, 1 Cliveden Island moored on.