Life continues onwards in Scarborough. Jobs in the house continue. The roof space needs clearing for when we get a new roof done in a few months time, so it’s time to go through things again. All the things that have been kept for posterity have been gone through several times and are gradually being worked through in case any can go on to have new lives elsewhere. There are also all my accounts since the turn of the century! Boxes and folders to go through, only the last few years needed which now all fit into one slim folder.
Old shows, technical drawings, reference, costume designs, sketch books, programmes, scripts. A lot of these have been hitting the recycling bin, two big boxes of venue plans, but there is still a lot I can’t throw away. I haven’t started on model boxes yet, but I did do a huge cull of those eleven years ago.
Then there are the more personal things, tins from my Mum’s sewing cupboard, round robins from 1999, Christmas cards and first night cards, newspapers etc. All these will be kept as I find them interesting and many are close to my heart. Mick has yet to look through the box of telephones, I know we’ll be keeping them.
Walks round Scarborough continue, tomorrow I’ll cross the line of walking 100 miles in February. Just thinking back to last summer when I struggled to walk from one lock to the next, what a difference.
Mick has started to do research for the main part of our cruise this year. We’d originally planned on making use of the longer days in June, but our friends who will be joining us, won’t be able to until later in the summer. So we may have to cruise some bits earlier on our own before we meet up as we want to be heading southwards come September.
I’ve been helping on a community mosaic project that will adorn the back wall of a community centre. I’ve never done mosaic before, it’s quite therapeutic unless you get mosaic dyslexia trimming down tiles to fit in with the andamento, this week I did a bit of crazy paving known as Opus Paladanium in the earth section. It’s a way to get to know new people in Scarborough, although sadly I won’t be able to attend many more sessions as the commute from Oleanna will be too much soon. Instead I’ll be doing mosaic knitting on a few pairs of socks, think I’m getting addicted to this method of colour changing.
Tuesday’s view of the Humber
Tuesday the 25th February arrived. Mick was on an early train down to Goole. Today was the day when Hannah would be giving Oleanna her Boat Safety Test which needs to be done every four years. The stove was lit, a touch more warmth to help dry things out and be a more pleasant place to work in.
Tuesday’s view in Scarborough
Hannah pointed out that we should have a sign to indicate where the diesel cut off is. Handily she happened to have one in her bag, so that was a very quick fix.
New sign
She looked in the gas locker, noting that it gets wet in there. When Oleanna is out of the water for repainting next year, Hannah suggested we get the vent holes in the gas locker extended upwards. This is so that even when the water tank is full and we’ve got full bottles of gas on board any leaking gas would be able to escape through the vents as they would be guaranteed to be above water. Oleanna passed and is good to go for the next four years.
Hooray!!!
See you soon
We now have medical appointments to attend, finish jobs at the house, finalise arrangements for workmen in the future, finish emptying the roof space, do some more painting and mosaicing, wait for a big box to arrive and then pack our lives away to move back on board.
Nine years with this little thug in our lives
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 111.7 miles walked in February, 2 many boxes, 2 many plans, 6m diameter mosaic, 1 pile appearing in the dining room, 1 lazy cat, 1 boat safety passed, 1 boat ready for this year, 1 mattress still required, 9 years of Tillyness.
Priors Hardwick Bridge 123 to Claydon Top Bridge 144
Our neighbours for the night
As we sat in bed with the view out across the sheep field opposite the first boat came past at 7:30. A panel on the side of the boat said Finesse No 2, this was NB Gra, not the second boat Finesse had built, the number a choice of the owners, maybe the second Cowpar Finesse had built. We waved but no-one saw us, I sent a message to Laura on the Ladies of Finesse group to say hello. They’d been aiming to get to the locks before the masses, they were wise.
Soaking up the rays
We got ourselves ready for the off and crept through bridge 123, here along another length of armco were two moored boats, we’d not been on our own, but it had felt it last night.
A hazy morning
We pootled our way along the summit pound the high hedge obliterating any view to the north and rolling ridge and furrowed fields to the south. A misty morning with sheep grazing. As the sun showed itself it became warm, so much so we were down to tshirts, then a cloud would come over and jumpers were required again.
How many boats all in a line?
As we came towards the big boot of the navigation so did another boat from the opposite direction. The lady on her phone nodded to us as she passed. Then another boat came round the bend, followed by a third. The chap at the helm warned us of a fourth boat a short distance behind. Mick held us just before the bend, no point meeting at the bend if we were forewarned. Sure enough round it came. Anyone else? No. NB Gra had been right to be off early as they were now being followed by at least four more boats, there’d be a queue at Marston Doles Top Lock and nowhere to pull in.
Round the boot we tried to remember what the mounds of HS2 earth had looked like in August last year. Plenty of diggers were around then as they were today. A large area looked to have had a membrane laid and then covered with hardcore and sand. Is this the base for an embankment or will there be a lake here?
Another boat passed us as we came towards where HS2 will cross the canal. The temporary bridge has traffic lights at both sides and signs give towpath walkers a diversion to follow. To the north the bridge support is being welded together, catching up with that on the south side. I wonder how it will look when next we pass? Don’t know when that will be, suspect it won’t be this year. Will Bridge 128 remain alongside? Are the things clipped onto the off side armco monitors to keep an eye on the canal?
To the south
The usually popular mooring overlooking the radio mast was empty, is this where all the boats had come from this morning? Or is this no longer a good place to moor due to HS2?
To the north
As we pootled along a few more boats came towards us whilst I wove ends in on last weeks pair of socks. These are having a bit more added to them and I needed confirmation from Clare that I was getting it right, her being a pianist an all! Thankfully I was and I wouldn’t have to carefully snip away any mistakes. The job is a time consuming one, but hopefully the recipient will appreciate it.
Approaching Fenny Compton we pulled into the first available mooring, it’s normally chocka around here. Mick headed into the village to post a card and to buy our Saturday newspaper. I elected to stay on board, there were some secret things Tilly and I needed to do! Lunch and we were on our way again, more miles of the summit needed to be ticked off today, well all of them really!
Tunneless tunnel
Thankfully the traffic had calmed down somewhat as we headed towards Fenny Compton Tunnel, no longer a tunnel just a cutting, but very narrow at times. We got through before a hire boat appeared ahead of us, good timing.
The old railway bridge
The railway runs alongside the canal, however out of view. As we approached the now dismantled railway bridge that used to cross the canal it sounded like a train was on it’s way about to cross over head. It sounded like a ghost train was running from Stratford to Towcester and would crash into the canal because the bridge was missing! How many times had this ghost train crashed?!
The first bridge lufted
Not far on was the first iconic Oxford Canal lift bridge, Bridge 144, usually left open. Soon followed by a right hand bend and a boat heading towards us. Oh Blimey! Mick tried taking an avoidance course, the other boat did it’s best to go into reverse, but did not change course for the turn. Both boats slowed, but contact was unavoidable. Just a Bumph! from a bow fender onto our gunnel. No harm done and we could both be on our way after a ‘Sorry!’ and ‘Fancy bumping into you here!’
Finding some shade on the roof
Slow progress past the long term moorings and then we kept our fingers crossed for a mooring before the top of Claydon. The first spot, only long enough for one boat was occupied and as we rounded the next bend we started to count the number of moored boats. Half a boat length of armco had our name on it, there may have been space further up, but it looked like there were a couple of git gaps so nothing would be long enough for us. Nappy pin at the bow spikes at the stern, then the doors were opened for Tilly to head off and explore.
See ya!
As Tilly came and went and Mick snoozed on the sofa I got round to a job that’s been needing to be done for a while. About this time last year my agent said that she would be cutting back on her work and reducing her client base to just a couple of designers. She would look after me for the contracts already on her books, panto, but anything else that came in she wouldn’t represent me. I was welcome to find a new agent, but as I only do a couple of shows a year, I suspect no-one would really be interested in taking me on, after all I wouldn’t earn them much money!
So I shall look after my own contracts from now on, should any shows come my way! What I have lost though is an internet presence, my biog and some photos were on my agents website, that doesn’t exist anymore. It was time for me to rectify that. So for those eagle eyed readers (I know someone has already spotted it) I have added a page to the blog with my biog and a few photos. When I find myself with a bit more time I’ll add a link to more photos, an online folio.
0 locks, 9.1 miles, 2 many boats, 1st Saturday paper in a while, 1 tunneless tunnel, 1 ghost train, 1 lufted lift bridge, 1 Bumph, 1 boat tagged on the end, 0 key for the locked rooms in the house! 1 head returning to normal.
As we were getting ourselves sorted with a cuppa in bed this morning we both could hear a droning noise. What was it? I went on for ages, then it just stopped. Ahh of course, Exol Pride on a run up to Rotherham! We’ve normally checked Ship Tracker to see where she might be when we’re in the area, then listen in on the VHF radio, but we’d been lax about it. She must have come in off the Ouse last night or early this morning.
Tilly was keen to be out again, we didn’t have any plans to move today, well maybe to the other side of the junction as we wanted to be Billy No Mates. But there wasn’t any need in the end as our neighbours moved off just after we’d had breakfast, so Tilly was awarded another 7 hours to go with her original 1.
Look into my eyes. You will get out of bed and let me out!
My current pair of sockathon socks have been giving me some trouble. I’ve tried several techniques of colour work, but I’ve been over complicating everything. A simpler approach was needed and it now being Thursday and I’d not turned the first heel, I needed to catch up. The next job on the list of boat jobs for me was to give Oleanna a damn good wash, she is filthy as ever after being tied up in Goole for months. But I decided that this should wait until we were closer to a water point, so I got on with knitting, soon frogging back to the toe yet again.
Old tap soon to be replaced
Meanwhile Mick got on with his boat jobs. time to sort the galley tap out. Water off he attempted to remove the ends of the taps to replace the cartridges. One side came off fairly easily, the other one was not going to budge an inch. Good job we’d bought a whole new tap. I emptied the under sink cupboard, the least I could do. A check over the instructions and comparing tap for tap. The new tap seemed to have extra bits compared to the old one. Finesse possibly had left some things off as there is less space under a boats sink than in a house. Mick soon had everything plumbed back in and working again. No river of water running over the worktop anymore.
New tap. More shiny things
The amount of space under our galley units is vast, having lifted the inspection hatch under the sink we got to see just how much air there is down there. Quite a few people remove their cupboard plinths and replace them with drawers, useful for tin or bottle storage, maybe an extension to the shed? We could think about this, but as our cupboards are not made from standard kitchen carcases and were made to my requested measurements I think the plinth is part of the main structure and not just clipped on. Further investigation will be done, when Mick isn’t lying on the floor with his head in a cupboard.
Empty cupboard with lots of air beneath
Throughout the day I’ve received several emails from a producer I’d worked with on a tour of ‘Bouncers’. He’d been thinning out his store and was wanting to either sell on or give away seven DJs, the costumes from the show, but he couldn’t find any labels with sizes. Could I remember what we’d bought. Well no, it was twelve years ago and all my records are back in the house, if I still have them. I got in touch with my friend Sian who’d done some alterations on them, she made a guess at sizes, but her main comment was ‘Who would want those after how ever many sweaty shows?!’ Finally my phone stopped pinging and the producer went away.
Another job Mick ticked off was installing lights in cupboards. He’s always wanted these, they were on the wish list back in 2012 when we visited Stillwater Narrowboats. Somehow when Finesse built Oleanna the lights dropped off the list. Then they reappeared on Christmas lists. I attempted to buy them but they never arrived. The following year my brother tried again, they never arrived. Mick spotted some in B&M last September, but they had vanished by the time Christmas shopping was being done. So finally he gave up hoping someone would buy them for him and ordered them himself.
How illuminating
One went in The Shed, two in the corner pull out cupboard. I can actually see where everything is in there now! One might have gone in the electrics cupboard. All very good and he’s pleased he now has them.
By the end of the day my sock was progressing well, it’s just taking twice as long to knit as the others I’ve done recently. I was planning on doing a few more pairs similarly, but I may simplify them a touch. There’s more to them than I’m willing to show you right now as that would be unfair on the person they are for.
Pair 10 coming along
Another episode of Traitors USA. Well so far it’s the same tasks as the UK first series which is a touch disappointing. But Alan Cummings outfits and his demeanour more than make up for it.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 big blue boat, 1 The Boat, 1 light in the shed, 2 in the pan drawer, 1 new tap, 8 hours! 1 sock nearly up to the heel, 1 boat still very dirty.
Saturday, first day back. Glad I was aware that the front door to the theatre doesn’t get opened until nearer 9am. Just walking in to work felt like I’d done enough for the day!
A walk round to see how my stand-in painters had done whilst I’d been away for five days. They’d most certainly helped to keep things moving in the right direction and the trickiest piece of furniture and the time consuming pattern on the rostra had been drawn out and was awaiting colour. Thank you Tim and Imogen for your help.
The stagger through
In the morning the cast with the Pippins did a stagger through of the show, scene changes happened and mostly were achieved in the time there was. It may have just been me post covid but it felt a little under energy. I strongly suspect other members of the company had had covid, as I was the only person to have taken a test I was the only official case.
The afternoon I spent starting to colour in the rostra whilst lighting happened on stage. The lights needed focusing, Nathan the Lighting Designer ( who normally works at the National Theatre) was speedy and not concerned at leaving a few lights till Monday. The advantage of him wanting to see a show in Stratford meant that the stage was actually cleared for the first time in five years at 6pm and was mine to start painting the floor.
In previous years I have worked until the floor was painted and had two coats of glaze before heading home in the early hours. Originally I’d planned on getting ahead over the previous few nights , but being ill this hadn’t happened. I drew out the design, then quickly realised that doing everything would take me far far longer than the time and energy I had. So for the first time ever I altered my design, simplifying it. A tidy up of the base coat was needed and I laid in the base colour for leaves before calling it a day.
Sunday. I don’t normally do Sundays, but needs must. I’d painted the model back in June/July time and luckily remembered how I’d painted the big leaves, I needed to recreate them for the floor. I did a try out on an area which would be hardly seen and soon got the hang of it. It took 6 hours to paint the leaves in, glad I’d amended my design!
Poor Paul had to be called in to get the heating going so that the paint would dry quicker, the office staff who were in keeping me company sadly didn’t know where the controls were. Abby by the evening brought her work from her chilly office to sit in the now warming auditorium. A coat of glaze then time to add more colour to the rostra before I gave the floor a second protective coat.
By 8pm I’d achieved the days mission the floor was finished and I’d cracked on with the rostra, sadly not finished, but getting close. During the day I’d received the news that my brother was in hospital with a lung infection. Quite a worry, but the hope was that once his oxygen levels were improved he’d be allowed home.
One line, that’s better
Monday. Today a week after testing positive I had a negative test result for covid. I still felt very weary. Gemma joined us today, The drummer who’d arrived on Sunday started to learn the songs, kicking more life into them. The rostra was finished, I dabbled some flowers onto a town flat finishing that also. Lighting states were plotted, flashing lights and blackouts not helpful to my wobbly brain, but thankfully Nathan was considerate and left me with some light most of the time.
Time to give this chap some colour
Tuesday, the musical director and drummer moved into their area on stage. Microphones were set up around them and then a sitzprobe was started. This years panto has two composers, today it was Becky Applin’s turn to hear her songs with full musical accompaniment, some wonderful ballards. The Pippins joined later in the day and added their voices to the songs.
Wednesday and it was now the turn of Eliane Correa the second composer. Her numbers are full on big numbers, a saxophone and trumpet being added. Wow what a sound! The MD needed reigning in a touch as he was adding a few twiddly bits to the songs which didn’t appear on the dots in front of him. At one point as I was trying to work in the wings I had to close a door on the brass section so that I could hear myself think!
In the afternoon we started on the technical rehearsal. This is when the lights, sound, set, costumes, props and actors all come together to create the show. Tech’s can take some time, today we only had the adult cast and managed to get through the big opening scene and into the next one. Time for a few jobs to be done on stage afterwards and then some of us headed to the pub, my first glass of wine in over a week. Maybe I shouldn’t have had so much as it set my recovery from covid back by a few days.
Thursday. More technical rehearsals. Time to find jobs to do in the dark. The carnival clock was painted up, Jo the props maker joined us and rattled through the props notes, still plenty more jobs to be done. We just about reached the end of the first act before the Pippins joined us for a late afternoon session. This meant going back to the very beginning and working through all their scenes three times, so that each team of kids got a go at everything. The evening was spent sorting problems out and drilling holes for fairy lights.
Andrew in hospital a couple of days ago
News came through that my brother had returned home, unfortunately whatever he’d originally had Jac and Josh now were suffering from. The medics opinion though was that they’d be really unlucky to end up with a lung infection like Andrew.
Friday. For the last three days I’d been coming in early to get some paint on the archways that make up the main part of the set after the portals. An hour and a half with few people about was used well and soon the archways looked how I intended them to and no longer just white. Gemma and I spent time adding greenery to the town and then the archways, this still needed flowers adding, but that would gradually happen.
More teching, grabbing meals quickly at the ends of the actors sessions so as to be able to work through their breaks. Food and paracetamol keeping me going. Mechanisms for the second clock were worked on, extra dancers tried out, adjustments required to their feet. More jobs found that could be done in the dark of the auditorium.
The end!
Saturday. Time to finish off the technical rehearsal with the full company in the building. Mission accomplished, final number teched admittedly without costumes and my extra bits. Even when the actors had left, the songs, now more bright and lively still echoed around the theatre.
Lanterns the office staff have been making were flown. White blobs were added to greenery. a few problems solved before the theatre went very quiet. Time for the technicians and crew to head home and leave me to get on with catching up on the painting front. Glenn the Front of House Manager stayed to make sure I was alright. Crates were painted, flowers blobbed, but there are still more to colour up.
By 10pm Glenn offered to stay later if I wanted to, but by now I’d had enough. There will still be time to get other jobs done next week between dress rehearsals and notes. Still plenty to do but now it was time for a rest.
Tom’s legs will have to do as SHE has deserted us!
In Scarborough Mick considered putting outdoor lights up on the gable end, he bought a string long enough. But sadly there were no cable ties in the house to fix them with and the following day the chaps arrived to remove the scaffolding.
A touch of plumbing happening
Mick has been working on plans for some electrical upgrades to Oleanna, but is also planning a trip to London this coming Tuesday. At 14:11 there is to be a rally of boats on the Thames outside the Houses of Parliament where they will blast their horns to raise awareness about the funding cuts to Canal and River Trust. Mick will be joining a group standing on West Minister Bridge supporting the boats below. If you haven’t already please sign the Fund Britain’s Waterways petition. I hope the weather is good for the event and that there is a good show of boats.
Finally a big Thank you for the donations to my sock knitting. Progress is much slower this week than last, but I am managing to do at least 30 minutes a day, just £60 short of my new target for the year.
Last Fridays post was filled with woolly goodies. Two more Independent dyers had sent me some yarn for my sockathon. What kindness! The two parcels together most probably had enough yarn for 14 pairs of socks. Thank you so much to Jem (Under The Olive Tree) and Beth (Beehive Yarns) for your generous and wonderful support.
I had a day out to Leeds to visit the Hello Stranger Yorkshire exhibition. Lots of photos from shows over the last four years and how the pandemic was coped with and how the industry has changed since. Designers were invited to add their details to a map of Yorkshire. One colour string showed where Yorkshire designers lived, the other where people from outside Yorkshire have worked. As I fitted into both categories and neither I decided to have both colours of string on my label.
I made sure my return to the station included the wonderful markets and the Exchange. Must remember all that fish when we pass through Leeds in a few weeks time!
Saturday morning started with me casting on the first pair of socks. These were to be knitted in yarn that I had bought for the challenge, matching the logo colours of @dementia-uk. In the post that morning I received a card from their Fundraising Officer wishing me luck, what a lovely touch, especially hand written, my sister-in-law would approve.
So far I’ve managed to knit a sock a day, that’s an average of 8 hours clicking a day. I go to stretch my legs each day so that my natural posture doesn’t take to being a seated one. The occasional move from one chair to another also helps. Podcasts are listened to when I’m going round in circles and we’ve taken to watching an episode of Downton Abbey each day, starting from the very beginning. We may have to up to two episodes a day as there are 50 in total. Blimey some of those servants are really really horrible!
Mick has been seeking out new insurance quotes for Oleanna. For some reason our renewal quote from GJW had gone up whilst reports on social media suggest other peoples have gone down. Craftinsure are by far the cheapest for both contents and the boat, however some things are not covered such as laptops. Why are they so much cheaper? How are they so much cheaper? Do they pay out without hassle if you need to claim? All questions Mick is seeking the answers to before we commit ourselves to a new policy.
Oleanna on a sunny day
The days, weeks and months are ticking away. Time to visit Oleanna and give her engine a run, check her over and now that we have a date we need to be back on the boat for, give notice on our mooring. Mick took the train down to Goole an easy and familiar ride now, whilst I sat on the sofa knitting.
The daffodils at Oleanna’s stern are long past their best and the scraped paintwork turning orange on the gunnels shows that she hasn’t moved anywhere for sometime. Hopefully there will be time to give things a good rub down and repaint before too long.
Clear view to NB Ivy
Mick sent me a photo looking out through the new window in the pram cover. A vast improvement from the old one which not only had holes in it but had become a touch white making the view a bit foggy. The boat opposite our bow has had a change of name, a very wise change by Lisa.
Mick ran the engine and went to see Laird and also had a catch up with Alastair. Sadly Viking Marina are out of diesel at the moment, so the tank still hasn’t had a fill. Then it was time for Mick to plug the laptop into Oleanna’s brain and give the inverter a firmware update. This new version means we can control the charging of the lithium batteries more, especially when the temperatures are really low which lithium’s do not appreciate.
Daffodils and gunnels past their best!
With everything locked up, Mick headed back to the station with the intention of being back in Scarborough to eat with me before I headed out for the evening. Sadly there were problems on the tracks. A vehicle had run through both barriers of a level crossing at Gilberdyke. This meant all trains had to run slowly and that Mick’s train which normally would have continued on to Scarborough stopped in Hull.
The chandelier at The Bike and Boot
The next train northwards followed a slow train and by the time it had reached Bridlington it itself had been cancelled as the train behind had just about caught it up! In all it took Mick four hours to return to Scarborough by which time I’d cast on the toe of sock 5 and decided to give myself an evening off. Spent at the Bike and Boot with old female friends I used to work with at the SJT. It was very nice to see every one in the flesh, many I’ve only seen on zoom get togethers over the last few years and those have gradually petered out.
The Chippy model box waiting for me to be creative
Another parcel has arrived at the house. The empty model box for Chippy Panto, all ready for me to start designing. It made sense for it to come here, rather than us trying to guess where to get it sent to in a months time.
For those wanting to know what panto will be this year, I can now confirm it will be ‘Cinderella’. But not just any old Cinderella, this one will be set in Latin America! So the music will most certainly be toe tapping. Sadly the budget won’t stretch to a visit to South America for research purposes, the internet will have to do!
The Sockothan continues and if I continue at the current rate then I should manage to beat last years pairs by several! Thank you so much to those near and far (Hello Canada!) who have sponsored me. Thank you also to those who’ve requested socks. All socks on my list are guaranteed to be knitted in April so make sure you’ve made your donation on the JustGiving website. I may be opening the challenge up for more sock requests in a weeks time, so if you feel you missed out first time around you’d best keep an eye on the blog.
The weather forecast next week looks to be cold. What’s new? Well it’s going to be colder than it already is up on the north east coast. Goole looks like it will have below freezing temperatures. When we left Oleanna we’d left her with everything sorted for such a cold spell, she was plugged in with the thermostat ready to kick the heating on should things get really chilly, the advantage of our Aldi boiler being able to run off electric when hooked up.
Daffodils are coming!
However in the last couple of weeks Oleanna has been turned round by Alastair ready for when he has time to do jobs on her. Mick left him with some keys and the camera on board had broadcast movement a few days after his last visit, so we knew she’d been winded. She’d been unplugged from the mains, turned around for easier access, then plugged back in again, Oleanna has two hook up points to make this easy. However inside there is a switch you need to flick to select which end of the boat you are hooked up to, Alastair didn’t know about this. So for a couple of weeks Oleanna has been living off free solar, but should the heating need to come on it wouldn’t work. Someone needed to flick the switch.
Mick caught the train down to Goole a now familiar journey and if you break your ticket in Filey it’s cheaper. Oleanna was given the once over checking she was ready for minus temperatures and the switch was flicked to accept power at the stern. A catch up with Al from NB Summer Wind was had and a chat with Alastair.
The alternator chap he’d had in mind to refurbish our faulty one is no more. Another company said that unless it was something special/historic then it wouldn’t be worth doing! Well they obviously didn’t want the job. We’ll be scouting around in Scarborough to see if anyone here can help us instead.
Topping up the diesel didn’t happen again as Laird had just run out as Mick arrived. Hopefully next time.
The other job today was to meet up with Sean from SPL Covers, who just happened to be at the marina on another job. Our covers are in need of some tlc, too much use. The pram cover front window has had a hole in it for a couple of years and this year it has made a few friends. These happen when it gets folded down for cruising, a crease happening in the same place time and time again has taken it’s toll. The window has also gone quite opaque too, so this will be replaced.
The cratch cover zip that failed early last year will also be replaced. I tacked it together last spring so it was about time it was replaced. Mick checked to see if SPL could clean them too, however that would likely take several weeks to happen and we’d rather the covers were back on Oleanna as soon as they can be to help keep the weather off.
A productive visit.
Admiring the view on high
Meanwhile on land.
Last week was production week for #unit21 in Huddersfield. The upgraded set went in easily but as the temperature of the set increased we found a problem with the fabric it was covered in. When the flattage arrived in the cold it was very baggy saggy. But as it warmed up in the theatre it tightens up making things look wonderfully smooth. However the upgrade to the set involved slitting the fabric to insert LED lights and perspex to create fake neon. In hindsight the original covering of the flats and upgrade should have been done in a warm environment when the fabric was taught, not an easy thing when workshops tend to be chilly places! This is also the first time either Graham or myself have used Ripstop on a set.
So as the set warmed the fabric tightened starting to distort the slots the lights were in. Clamps and cable ties stopped the movement, but the fabric carried on doing it’s thing. Thankfully the atmospheric lighting doesn’t show any of our problems up after a touch of colouring in with a Sharpie was done.
The actors did a couple of run throughs for technical purposes, then a full dress rehearsal where one of our new Led strips decided it didn’t want to do green, the main colour required. So sadly on photos we have a rouge strip and on press night it and it’s partner were unplugged.
The show was very well received and there were plenty of familiar faces in the audience, including Vanessa Brooks who used to be the Artistic Director at Dark Horse, also Pete Massey who used to work at the SJT in Scarborough. It was great to be able to have a catch up with him and Rach his wife after the show.
#unit21 is now on tour for the next few weeks. The Lowry in Salford 3rd 4th March, Chroma-Q in Leeds 10th March, The Junction Goole 15th 16th March, Storyhouse Chester 23rd 24th March.
Decorating of the back bedroom has started. Well the decorating bit hasn’t yet started, it’s more the demolition stage. I’d hoped to be able to remove the cornice and ceiling rose that would never have been in such a bedroom, but they have turned out to be plaster and very well attached. With my back still making me cautious they can stay for a while longer, the last thing I want to do is be patching up a ceiling.
Blistering paint
Lots of patching up and some paint stripping to do, interesting how some new Eco friendly paint stripper has and hasn’t worked even with being left overnight to work it’s magic.
A new sewing machine has been invested in along with a cordless drill that matches the sander I got at Christmas, so we now have three batteries between tools.
Tide’s out
Estimates for new windows have been coming in, all very expensive. The funding we’d applied for from the council to help insulate the house we were told a few weeks ago had run out, but yesterday we had a phone call suggesting there are now more funds available. We’ll have to see what happens on that front.
Our cruising plans for the year have had to be slightly altered. Two offers of work and an invite from my cousins will see us heading down south rather than staying in the north. It will be good to see family members at something other than a funeral and I think I was 18 when I last spent any time with my cousins kids. Hopefully there will still be enough of the summer to return northwards to accomplish our original plans of cruising the River Weaver. The life jackets have had their annual service, left inflated in a room over night well away from any cat claws.
#unit21 socks
Pip’s Sockathon 2023 will take place during April this year. A charity has been selected, a conversation with their Community Fundraising Executive has been had, so I’d best get my needles ready. There are still some things to sort for it but there will be more news on that front very very soon.
A Sunny Scarborough Sunday walk
So for now that is all our news. Stay warm everyone, I can safely say it is far warmer on a boat than in our house!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wind captured on camera, 1 boat unhooked, 1 boat rehooked, 1 new sewing machine, 1 drill, 2 batteries makes 3, 1 red strip, 9 ensemble, 2 job offers, 1 workshop, 1 family get together, 1 brown bin, £30 curry for 2, 1 soda bread, 1 bored cat, 4 troublesome doors, 1 job made longer, 1 room stripped back, 36k or 26k? 1 charity, 10 pairs maybe this year, 1 vanity project, 174 x110, 1 blind, 2 covers at the menders.
Since arriving back in Scarborough it’s taken Tilly a while to settle down. She knows where she is, but the house makes odd noises, different from those on Oleanna. Add into the mix our lodger Claire making noises in the morning and singing in the evening, it all makes for a nervous cat. Over the last couple of days Tilly has ventured outside into the static world the house is surrounded by. She obviously remembers the local cats and is constantly looking out for Alan, Betty and Shoes. I have tried to explain to her that none of them live here anymore! But still she looks. The annoying thing for us humans though is that we thought the runny cat pooh would have ceased since Shoes moved away, however it is still lurking in the grass!
I managed to borrow a sewing machine from my friends Dawn and Lee at Animated Objects, so all the costume alterations have been finished. A few small house jobs have been done and I’ve been baking.
I made some fresh curd cheese and a batch of Yorkshire Curd Tarts to use up the pastry left over from mince pies. The slightly orange pastry was rather nice with the curds. Then yesterday I made a loaf of cheese and spring onion gluten free soda bread using up half the buttermilk I’d been left with from the curd cheese. We had to try a bit with our dinner last night as it smelt so good. Very very tasty. A definite recipe I’ll be doing again, there is still enough buttermilk left (now in the freezer) for another loaf.
Snowdrops everywhere in Scarbados
Now that Maud’s Swing Bridge on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal is left open to boat traffic we needed to identify a window of opportunity to move Oleanna up to Goole. I have work commitments over the next few weeks and we wanted to give Tilly a chance to settle down in the house before we’d be leaving her for several days. We estimated the journey would take us a minimum of four days.
Mick checked the tide times, then the weather. Our first window looked good. A couple of days ago he called Cromwell to check on tide times for Sunday. Then a call to Keadby to check times there too. Both locks were booked.
Time to work out how to get back to Newark. The railway line out of Scarborough has been closed for much of this week due to engineering works, strikes and the poor service on Transpennine Express made us look at the buses to York, The Coastliner. These run every hour and currently a single fare being £2, it would be a bargain.
Going over Ouse Bridge in York
So this morning we were up early, breakfasted, a few items packed, soda bread and my work things in case we are held up on route. We caught the 9:10 which was pretty busy already and by the time it arrived in Malton it was chocka, I think we even passed hopeful passengers at a bus stop on our way into York. We hopped off at the station and had a half hour wait for the next train to Newark Northgate arriving a little after midday.
Pontoon B at King’s Marina
We headed straight to the marina as the office would soon be closing. When we’d arrived, we’d imagined Oleanna would be stuck for several weeks, maybe even months, in the end it was only nine nights. Two bags of coal were bought and popped on the roof.
I then headed to buy supplies whilst Mick topped up the water tank and made ready for our departure. I hunted round Waitrose for yellow labels. We’d brought a few days worth of food with us, but needed another couple of days supplies along with milk and cereal. Two heavy bags later, including two boxes of wine, I could drop the gate fob back at the office.
Click photo for recipe
Lunch was had, soda bread, still pretty good even when cold. Then it was time to put our life jackets on and push off, reverse out from the pontoon and say goodbye to King’s Marina. Paula the marina manager came out to wave us goodbye and wish us a good journey. Thank you for accommodating us in your friendly marina.
Goodbye Pretty neighbours
Left. We headed towards Nether Lock where I climbed up a ladder to head to work the lock. The paddles were half raised, it was refilling itself. I turned the key of power and encouraged it to fill quicker, which worked, except the panel still had to work it’s way through all the button presses! It took quite a while before eventually the button moved the gates. Getting my phone out to take a photo of Oleanna coming into the lock, I lost grip and it bounced across the concrete, each time getting closer to the lock edge! Thankfully it stopped a foot short of me having to replace it, a shame the screen is now cracked.
Nether Lock
Back in April last year the levels had taken forEVER to equalise when emptying the lock to come in, I did it twice in one day, so today I was prepared for a long wait again. The lock did not disappoint! I had to press the button several times when it did nothing at all for it to get itself ready to open the gates. But we got there in the end. A helpful couple walking their dogs offered to finish working the lock for me, so that I could get back on. I turned them down, no way would I be climbing down the 12ft or so of lock ladder when below at the lock landing it would only be three foot of ladder.
We passed North Muskham, Muskham Ferry where a group from King’s Marina were enjoying a few pints having come down in ribs. They all waved us on our way.
Fishermen lined the banks. One young lad had caught a fish worthy of a photo, his mate catching one a quarter the size was still eager to have the photographic proof. Then a group of men in waders stood round weighing up the days catch, there must have been a match on by Cromwell Lock.
Muskham Ferry
Mick winded Oleanna to face upstream and bought us into the pontoon. Time to head to the bow to tie up. We don’t often cruise without Tilly on board. When opening a door it is automatic to check to see if she is waiting on the step inside. Don’t let the cat out! She’s never allowed out until we are moored up, yet she is so excited to be somewhere new, she charges to the other door before you can get there. Gentle persuasion is required to keep her away from an opening door, sometimes a ‘Grrrrr!’ is required to keep her eagerness in check, it works quite well. Doors are rarely left open, they always get closed behind you. At times trying to keep Tilly in is a pain, but today there was certainly one big hole without her on board. Hope her magic food bowl has opened up and that she’s cosy on our bed.
1 lock, 4.9 miles, £2 coastliner, 1 train, 1 Lincoln Cathedral in view, 0.5 loaf of soda bread gone, 2 boxes wine, 3 yellow stickers, 2 boaters back afloat, 1 feline boater stuck on dry land, 2 pork chops and 2 jacket potatoes.
The decision to stay put today had been made last night. C&RT were working on Town Lock in Newark today with possible delays for two hours. That was if we could get there as yesterday we’d had reports that between the lock and the next bridge had been frozen.
Mick made a phone call to King’s Marina, were they iced up? What was their diesel price? There was ice still around the edges of the marina, but the central section had thawed. We’ll do a diesel price comparison with the other two marinas tomorrow.
On the outside
A sausage day for Tilly. Allowed out at breakfast time with two hours. The two hours was extended each time she returned. Something was certainly keeping her busy out there.
Simon from C&RT walked by during the morning, presumably continuing his checks at each lock. Then there was a chap walking his dog, most probably from the Dutch Barge Lily. Other than that island life was quiet, except the noise from the weir. No passing boats today.
Hand sewing still possible
Time for me to collect my thoughts a bits and pieces together for my next visit to Huddersfield this week. Name tags were sewn into the new overalls. A couple of spare chip trays were made in pink and purple. A new batch of felt badges were started, ready to be added to overalls. The large wheelie bag was dug out from under the bed and filled up with things to take. The back steps were taken out to access my paint brush bag and an edited few brushes and chalk line made it into things to take.
Badges in the making
Tilly returned to warm up three quarters of an hour before cat curfew. We tried to convince her that she should make the most of her shore leave as it will be the last for some time. But it fell on deaf pointy ears, Tilly preferring to have a bath in front of the stove instead.
Winter sunset
This evening we enjoyed the last, apart from a butties worth, of roast pork with red peppers and paprika. Yum.
First there was ice. Then too much water. Now it’s a bridge!
Our plans may have to change. We’d been hoping to reach Yorkshire by now, but obviously the River Trent being in flood hasn’t helped that. All part of boating through the winter especially where rivers are concerned. Now as the river levels are dropping, gradually, we’ve been looking further ahead.
1.5m today down 28cm from yesterday
Vazon Sliding Bridge had problems in the heat last summer, since then the bridge is opened twice a day to boat traffic at 9am and 1pm, apart from when Network Rail are on strike. If the river hadn’t been in flood we’d have had a days wait before we could pass through.
When Mick had phoned to book passage in at Keadby the Lock Keeper mentioned that Maud’s Swing Bridge was also closed. A date for it to open unknown! Hmm. Here’s a link to the stoppage notice LINK. It has been closed since the 23rd November, the notice hasn’t had an update.
Maud’s Bridge 2nd April 2022
Mick rang C&RT and worked his way though to the right part of the country and got to talk to a lady regarding the bridge. Apparently the bridge was struck by a vehicle back in November causing a lot of damage. It has been taking time for the drivers insurance company to sort things out and as yet the engineers haven’t come up with a method of mending the bridge. So at the moment there is no known date for it to open, it could be months! The lady was trying to get someone to do an update.
Poo bar bum!
A re-think is needed. Options.
We continue downstream and exit the River Trent at Keadby, then sit and wait for the bridge to open. Not a popular option.
We head downstream on the Trent and wait for a suitable day to head round Trent Falls. Not a popular route in the winter months.
We continue downstream and find somewhere to moor that isn’t in Yorkshire, but as close as we can get with good transport links. Maybe.
We stay put in Shadlow, easy access to transport. Maybe.
We turn around and once Stenson Lock reopens, with its new gates, we head up the west side of the country to cross the Pennines over into Yorkshire. A lengthy journey especially in winter, juggling it around work, stoppages and weather. Hmmm.
We’ve got some thinking to do. One option is looking the most likely at the moment.
Today I managed to work through the alterations on another pair of overalls. These were size XS, but still needed the arms and legs shortening. One pair left to do. Mick returned from Scarborough with a few bits I’ll be needing for #unit21 in the next few weeks.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 bus, 1 broken bridge, 1 river coming down, 5 options, 2 pairs overalls finished, 7.5 inches, 5.5 inches, 1 still to do.
Brrrrr! Chilly morning. The levels are improving and with little precipitation in the forecast they should hopefully continue on downwards. This afternoon the flood gates at Newark opened up again, we just need levels at Cranfleet to improve some more then we can be on our way.
Photos of ice on the cut this morning appeared on facebook, thankfully we only have patches in the off side vegetation, here’s hoping it stays that way.
Tilly didn’t mind the cold fluffing up her coat to go off on the towpath. She scuttled along on low legs hoping to pounce on a friend, but they are a touch too quick for her around here.
A touch chilly under paw
Inside I stoked the fire, riddled the ash into the pan below. Time to empty it into our ashcan outside on the towpath. In the past we’ve heard lots of people going on about which coal to use, which one is better? Staying in over night, amount of heat and quantity of ash all factors people compare. ‘How do you find Excel this year? I find it produces more ash this winter.’ Etc.
Our normal coal tends to be Excel, although we have had quite a bit from coal merchants with no brand name other than smokeless, along with Taybright, Red etc. To be honest we’ve never really noticed the amount of ash varying between brands. Our ashpan gets emptied once a day to keep the stove operating as it should. Ash always goes into our ashcan, never in the hedgerow as coal ash is poisonous, never mind unsightly and can cause fires. Once cool the ashcan gets emptied into an old coal bag and disposed of in the rubbish bins. When we’re moored up our ashcan lives out on the towpath where any deadly fumes can dissipate rather than enter the boat.
The coal Mick bought from Wickes came in handy 10kg bags, easy to carry along the towpath and to move about. Boaters on Canal World Forum had said it was good, so as it was easy to collect when we had a van he bought several bags. Less CO2 and apparently less smoke.
80% less smoke compared to….?
What do we think of it? Well it seems to take longer to stop being smoky. It stays in overnight well, it gives good heat, but the ash! The ash!! The ASH!!!
Just how much ash can it produce? Masses! It’s easy for us to gauge as the ash pan needs emptying twice a day!
Mushrooms Pip Style
Whilst not emptying the ashpan I’ve made use of having the dinette table to myself, so after mushrooms on toast Pip style, I ironed vinyl numbers and lines onto the navy fabric I’d prepared yesterday.
Good news came from Scarborough this afternoon. Both our boilers are back up and running again, one hadn’t been working for a while, but thankfully it’s all good and safe just in time for our next lodger to move in. Mick has packed away the Christmas decorations and then spent some time making beds up.
Time to start alterations on some overalls for #unit21. I’m not a natural sewer so I take alterations slowly. Each pair need taking apart at the waist to loose or gain length or girth, tucks across the shoulders are also required. It seemed to take forever to get things marked out and trimmed, tacked back together to make sure they looked okay before spending fifteen minutes sewing them back together on the machine! 1 pair down 3.5 to go!
Yum num
Creamy salmon pasta tonight
0 locks, 0 miles, 9 numbers, 18 lines, 5 hours of podcasts, 2 fully working boilers, 1 river dropping, 1 cut just about ice free, 1 problematic bridge, 2 beds, 1 overall in bits, 3inches sleeves, 4.5 inches legs, 2.5 waist,1 dead stool, 2 catnip Dreamies remaining, 2 much blinking ASH!
