Change around laundry and ironing completed. The Shed reclaimed as a bedroom with organised storage. Upstairs upstairs tidied. Windows washed. A sister-out-law to visit. Food eaten. Outfits remarked on. Who stole the youngest Prince? Beds made up. Clothes and food all packed. One on loan sewing machine returned and the last pair of socks delivered.
It was time to load a van and return to Oleanna.
Bye bye Scarborough
Tilly’s pooh box and scratch post were the last items to be added to the van. I knew what had been happening, they normally keep me locked inside when they load up everything, but today I was allowed to supervise. I may have been distracted by the elaborate bird feeder though. Maybe I’d be allowed to supervise in the big white box, but no chance of that as I was bundled up into the cat caravan! I know I wouldn’t get under Toms feet, but She says that Tom isn’t so sure. Hopefully the scratches on my chest from the tussle with Tilly will fade without leaving scars. This morning we’d decided not to add any extra stress to her day by trying to give her a travel sickness pill. If only she’d lie down the motion wouldn’t be half as bad!
I’d refrained from saying how well Tilly was doing as we passed our usual stopping place on Staxton Hill, she then showed signs that we’d soon need to stop to refresh the puppy pad in the caravan. Thankfully there were only two stops today then she calmed down, sat with her back to the door of the caravan where I could sort of stroke her.
On our route we somehow got talking about cows. Tilly tried joining in, but her mooing fell short!
On arrival at Viking Marina, Tilly was the first thing off the van and inside. There was time to appreciate the nice clean floor before it was filled with bags and boxes that all needed emptying and places found to stow it all. Tilly checked everywhere over, peeked out the back and then settled down, It’s good to be back home.
Alastair chatted with Mick. Two new engine mounts had been fitted. The stern nav light attached. Leak on the skin tank had required a 46mm spanner to tighten the pipe and all was good.
With everything for the galley, saloon loaded onto Oleanna it was time to make a move. Well just reverse back, wind and come in for the bow to be nearest the bank. This would make filling the water tank easier. The bags of clothes would come straight into the bedroom, plants could go on the bow straight away and Mick would be able to reach to replace a steel cable tie on the bow fender that had broken in Bramwith Lock three months ago.
Whilst knitting socks my back has improved, but sadly moving things around, stoopid stooping has encouraged it to ache again. A few hours sitting down helps. Today though to be able to sit down lots of things needed to be stowed, moved here and there. Yes Mick could have done it all, but it was just easier to get on with it, someone needs to remember where things have been stashed after all! Tilly didn’t help with any of this, she was far more interested in the secret passage and refusing to come back out when I wanted to put the sofa back into sofa mode!
But I like it down here!
Once we’d remembered we’d put the duvet and pillows in vacuum bags Mick made the bed up whilst I adjusted the Sainsburys delivery for the morning. Diner was some left over gammon we’d shared with Kath (Mick’s sister) and Bill one of our lodgers, with some carrot and parsnip hash. Thank you Mick for being on cooking duty.
Ohh Tilly!!!
0 locks, 180ft, 1 wind, 27 cheese scones, 1 painted wall, 1 van full, 2 puppy pads, 1 proud She, 1 last pair of socks delivered, 1 determined Duncan, 1 more painting hung, 1 slot filling booking, 1 chocka boat, 1 empty water tank, 1 full water tank, 2 new engine mounts, 1 stern light, 1 secret passageway, 1 cat on the shelf, 2 happy boaters, 1 happy cat.
With two weeks to go before April it’s time for me to launch my Sockathon.
Last March I joined a knitting challenge to help raise funds for Versus Arthritis, I managed to raise over £300 during the month knitting pairs of socks. I really enjoyed the challenge especially when I got photos sent back to me of people wearing the socks I’d knitted in return for their sponsorship. So I’ve decided to challenge myself again.
Me and my Mum
This year I’m raising funds for Dementia UK. This April will mark the 21st anniversary of the passing of my Mum, Lil Leckenby, who in her later years became a victim of Vascular Dementia. In the last few months of her life she was appointed a dementia nurse who helped greatly with many things and supported us as a family. I’m not sure if the lady was an Admiral Nurse, but I know that her knowledge helped our family through a very tough time. Dementia UK offer the assistance of their Admiral Nurses, specialist dementia nurses who provide life-changing support to families.
Every day during April I will be knitting when I can, hopefully all the decorating will be done by then! I have had a couple of offers of donations of yarn from Indie dyers from across the UK and I’m hoping more will follow to help make this years socks extra special.
Some of last years socks
If you fancy a pair, let me know your size and in return for your donation you will receive a unique pair of hand knitted socks made just for you. Last year I managed nine pairs, this year I’m aiming for ten, who knows I may manage more! The first skeins have been wound into cakes all ready for April.
Or you can just make a donation to help keep my needles clicking every day through April. I’ve set my hopes high to raise £608, which could fund a newly appointed specialist dementia nurse to complete a 12-week training module, developing their skills to support families facing dementia.
Here’s a link to my JustGiving page. Thank you in advance for your donations
Unfortunately as of sometime this afternoon JustGiving has encountered a technical glitch, so currently my page is lost. Hopefully they will have it back up and running soon.
Update. The link is working again as of Saturday morning. Thank you Joa and Christine for getting the ball rolling. Four pairs of socks are all ready spoken for.
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.
The canal banks were frosty even Oleanna’s eyes were frosty this morning. We decided to let things warm up a touch whilst we joined the Geraghty zoom. Subjects covered, being unique, the difference between English and Scottish NHS, advance packing, we felt slightly left out as we have no spare bed available to collate clothing.
Hello Woofer
Thankfully the flow along the Nottingham and Beeston Canal meant we didn’t have ice to contend with, just the odd bit crackling in the margins. There seem to be new areas that the local boaters moor, several groups have managed to pin themselves to the bank, one stretch with an ice rink for a towpath.
Moorings reduced at Castle Marina
Mick made a call through to Castle Marina, we were wanting a top up of diesel, the answer came back as expected the marina was frozen over, we’d be heading on straight past. There seems to be problems with the pontoons in the marina. As we passed numerous big signs line empty pontoons. Maybe they are getting replaced.
No stopping for a shop today, straight through a first for us. The towpath in parts needs work as it is undulating by the edge. This boat caught our eye NB Bird on a Wire, I like the addition of a squirrel.
Reaching the bend
Castle Lock was surrounded with crud, two life buoys by the weir and a blue fat fender by the lock gates, this was picked up, with a new bit of rope it may be useful. Plenty of the buildings now seemed empty, that may have been because it was Sunday, but dusty windows were not inviting.
Posh new restaurant
By the big bend the building work has been completed. Cleaver and Wake now sits alongside the canal, run by Masterchef Professional winner Laurence Henry, it offers an ‘elevated dining experience’. We cannot afford to eat there so our roast pork this evening would be enjoyed onboard at the fraction of the price for one of their starters.
Fishermen slowed our progress. A new mural along a wall suggests some regeneration money is being ploughed into the area, The Island Quarter, a new ‘destination’!
Meadow Lane Lock
Meadow Lane Lock required a couple of logs removing from behind the top gates then we took quite a bit of rubbish down with us to the river where only a couple of rowing boats were busy zooming past the lock. Two boats on County Hall steps, not surprising after the floods. The occupants of County Hall itself may be moving and the building sold off for a hotel.
Trent Bridge
Back on the river we zoomed along, it was in the green but the flow was quite strong, tick over to keep steerage required. The river was strangely quiet, we’d expected sailing boats and more rowers, but none were seen.
Rufford Hall or Southfork as we call it
Southfork looked dead as usual. A peer in through the first floor windows revealed some dodgy tromp l’oeil around some archways. From Rufford Hall on-line interior design courses are run!
As we approached Holme Lock mad people were climbing into canoes to launch themselves into the river and head down the white water course. The pull towards the hydroelectric plant was strong so more power was required on the lock cut to keep us going straight.
A chap walking his dog said he wasn’t sure what was happening with Stoke Lock, a boat had gone down there yesterday. Luckily we could fill him in that it requires booking.
Ice filled the lock along with more flood detritus. Holme Lock takes SOOOOoooooo long to empty or fill, you could add a half hour to your journey here. But we were soon out, the hydraulic rams on the gates cutting through the ice easily.
Radcliffe Viaduct
One last reach of the river gradually getting more and more rural. Numerous Herons and Egrets sat and watched or flew past. Only one Kingfisher spotted in amongst the trees. A train came with potential for a good photo of Radcliffe Viaduct, except it’s progress was very slow compared to ours, the view left for someone else to see as we headed round a bend.
Stoke Lock
Up ahead at Stoke Lock the low mooring was occupied, presumably the boat that had come down Holme Lock yesterday. This wasn’t good news for Tilly as she isn’t allowed out on pontoon moorings on rivers, especially ones just out of flood. We pulled in, the current wanting to pull the bow out from the pontoon, we’d not wanted to wind to face upstream due to the pull from the weir.
Time for the joint of pork to go in the oven.
3 locks, 9.6 miles, 1 left, 1 marina frozen over, 2 rowing boats, £40 for 2 courses, £10 for both of us onboard, 0 shore leave, 1 blue fat fender.
Time for the annual round, a long post so sit back, put your feet up and enjoy.
The New Year kicked off with winter maintenance in the house. Having two hallways proved time consuming refreshing the woodwork and patching up the worst of the wallpaper. But this was broken up with weekly walks to see the sea. I resumed work on the development showing of #unit21 for Dark Horse and a Christmas present of a cheese making kit proved very tasty in creating my first ever Yorkshire Curd Cheese Cake from scratch. I plan on having a second go at this soon!
In February work progressed in Huddersfield towards opening night, the floor painted, final costume fittings and then the set and lighting added. All while Mick serviced our life jackets and Tilly grew more and more bored of life in the house.
Once the show was opened we had a trip down to London to catch up with the London Leckenbys for a belated Christmas, on our way back we visited Oleanna. When ever we could we visited Blue Water Marina to do jobs and have a pack up lunch. The stove was reblacked, walls washed down and cupboards sorted through.
Then at the end of February, Mick and I left Tilly in charge of the house, we packed enough clothes and food for a couple of days boating and headed to Thorne to move Oleanna through Thorne Lock before a winter stoppage began. Blimey it was chilly out there, but wonderful to be back afloat and moving Oleanna to Goole. Now we were all set to move back onboard and have a few weeks of pootling about in Yorkshire.
Back at the house we made it ready for the first of this years lodgers. Our boat Christmas tree was retired into the back garden where we hoped it would thrive, this of course was before we knew a drought was on it’s way! Tilly said goodbye to the dragon that lives up the chimney, left Seville and Valencia to look after the house before having to endure the car trip back to boat life.
After a few days sorting ourselves, including having one of Joan’s gluten free Chinese takeaways, we unplugged Oleanna and backed out from our mooring at Goole Marina (Boat House). We spent the next three weeks bobbing about between Pollington Lock, Doncaster and Goole. Maintenance jobs were ticked off the list.
Alistair did engine and weedhatch jobs, Frank joined us a couple of times to do carpentry jobs, our galley drawers no longer have a life of their own, the covers had a good scrub and a spray of Wet and Forget to help them keep clean.
In March I’d set myself a charity challenge, to knit as many pairs of socks in the month as I could. Nine pairs knitted for people in return for sponsorship, I also got a very generous donation of yarn from Lisa on NB Summer Wind.
Our plans had had to change as Thorne Lock still hadn’t closed, but was about to! Plans to visit York and West Yorkshire were abandoned, we’d bought ourselves a Gold Licence for the year so wanted to make the most of it. So on March 24th with all the jobs done we turned our backs on Goole and set off into the sunset to see where 2022 would take us, all three of us grinning from ear to ear.
We made our way to Keadby ready for our booked passage on the tidal River Trent, the fast route south. A phone call from a boating friend in need of support meant we’d be doing our best to make use of the spring tide to reach Cromwell in one go despite the weather forecast. We spent a couple of days doing what we could to help in Newark before we needed to be on the move again.
On upstream to The Trent and Mersey keeping up our cruising hours and Tilly hoping we’d stop with enough time for her to explore each day before cat curfew.
Up to Fradley then onto the Coventry Canal, we played leapfrog with NB Free Spirit for a couple of days.
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Curdworth Flight then a turn left onto a section of the Grand Union we’d not been on before at Star City. Up Garrison Locks, Typhoo Basin and then the Ashted Locks where we now have the measure of that Tunnel! A mooring space at the top of Farmers Bridge had our name on it. This was handy for a road trip to swap lodgers and for visits to the dentist. It also meant we were in shot when a group came to jump the top lock!
Fast forward to 6:15
Our route out of Buminghamsaw us through Edgbaston Tunnel, down Lapworth followed by Hatton. A pause was needed for Tilly’s annual visit to a new vet, the one here the closest to the canal we’ve visited so far, also handy for The Cape of Good Hope!
At Napton we joined the Oxford Canal and headed for Braunston, pausing to stock up on goodies from the butcher. On the Grand Union we made our way up over the hill and started our descent down The Long Buckby flight back towards tidal waters.
On the 1st of May we turned left at Gayton Junction onto the Northampton Arm dropping down the flight to the River Nene. We’d only been this way once before and that was when we’d just bought Lillian (NB Lillyanne) back in 2014. We bought ourselves a second Abloy key, showed our Gold Licence to the chap at Northampton Marina and started our journey down stream, time to explore.
A decision was made to head down to Peterborough taking note of places we’d want to visit on our return journey. We worked our way through the guillotine locks, many button operated and others with the wheel of cardiovascular overload.
Tilly loved many of the moorings apart from those in Peterborough where crowds surrounded the boat and meant returning from shore leave was impossible for several hours.
In two weeks we reached the end of the river at the Dog in a Doublet Lock. Here the river becomes tidal, we’d save that trip for another time and turned back upstream to head for the Middle Level.
Here we wanted to explore all the drainage channels, but decided we’d do that on our return too. So we took the direct route and crossed the low lying waters in three days arriving at Salters Lode on Mick’s birthday. The levels out on the tidal stretch of the Great Ouse needing to be just right to get through the lock, turn and head upstream to Denver Sluice.
A lovely GOBA mooring was found on the River Wissey and eventually the sun came out for a birthday barbeque, we’d made it to the Great Ouse.
The remainder of May was spent exploring the River Wissey, Ely and The Little Ouse. Brandon Lock sits at the most easterly point on the connected navigable network for boats Oleanna’s size. Sadly a build up of silt stopped us from getting her bow into the lock, but we did get her as far east as was possible, ticking off the fourth point of the compass.
There was a trip to Hull Truck to meet old friends at a gala evening followed by a meet up with Micks family back in the Fens. At the end of the month we got to know Neil the seal at Ten Mile Bank moorings as he basked in the sun and took sunset dips in the river.
The Jubilee was seen in at Denver, we lit our guiding lights as a Lancaster Bomber flew overhead heading to see the Queen. The Relief Channel gave us a good mooring to be able to have a trip away to celebrate Dawn and Lee’s 50th Birthdays in Scarborough, we went as Wallace and Gromit and won an Oscar!
Another visit to Ely to see the Cathedral, Farmers market and meet up with Heather from NB Bleasdale, the first of many this summer. The River Lark was explored, the end of navigation reached with a handy mooring outside a pub.
We headed for the Cam, our paths crossing for the first time with Ken and Sue from NB Cleddau. Then onwards in to Cambridge where we visited colleges, ate chilled medication and had a day trip to Duxford so that Mick could sit in the pilots seat of a Trident 2, a seat his Dad had sat in on many a flight.
Oleanna squeezed along each of the three Lodes, Wicken, Burwell and Reach. Wicken Lode a magical place and a day visit to Anglesey Abbey with it’s wonderful gardens.
Then we headed onto the Old West a river with a very different feel than the Ely Ouse. A pause was needed when we reached Earith for us to have a tour of Heathers new to her boat GT. Once off the tidal water we were on a different Great Ouse again. Here St Ives, St Neots and Hemingford gave us sunsets, D shaped locks, huge meadows and wonderful towns and villages to explore.
As the temperatures started to rise I needed to do some work. Cruising happened in the mornings, my Panto script and sketches were done in the shade of what trees we could find. White sheets were bought and we hoped for a mooring with shade for the really hot days that were to come. Tilly took to lying on the floor and we took to wearing wet t-shirts to help us to keep cool. Thankfully the hot blast only lasted a couple of days then the temperature dropped and we could continue to head upstream.
July 21st we reached the navigable limit of the River Great Ouse, having to reverse some distance to be able to turn round and return to Bedford for the River Festival.
Here we met up with Ken and Sue, Jennie and Chris from NB Tentatrice and Heather again. Plenty of things to see, do and hear. The boat parades, raft races, vintage cars, all sorts kept us busy for the two days.
Now at the end of July we alternated the days between cruising and my work. More beautiful days cruising and more wonderful sunsets, one day off to visit Cambridge for some more chilled medication and to see the Hockney exhibition.
August saw more hot days. Trips to London to celebrate birthdays, panto meetings, catch up with best friends and travellers over from Australia.
On the 15th August we crossed back from Denver Sluice to the Middle Level having really enjoyed our three months on the Great Ouse. Now water levels were a worry along with having enough time to reach Oxford for me to go to work in October. We made the decision to come back and explore the Middle Level another year, maybe we’ll cross The Wash to get there!
By the end of August our progress up stream on the River Nene slowed to a halt. First one lock broke then another two ahead of us. We’d recently been accepted to join the Reflections Flotilla on the Thames to mark the Queens Jubilee in a few weeks time, now that time was ticking away.
When we did get moving again we had to make up our cruising hours. With the news of the passing of the Queen we didn’t know if the flotilla would still be going ahead, we carried on at pace waiting for news. Back up the River Nene, turning onto the Grand Union, working our way southwards. The news came through that the flotilla would go ahead, but now in remembrance of the Queen.
With a couple of days to spare we squeezed into the Eco-Moorings by Islington Tunnel. Two days of catching up with family and more friends over from Australia before we joined boats heading along the Regents Canal towards Limehouse Basin. An afternoon of activity saw numerous narrowboats festooned with white lights.
On the 24th of September the Thames barrier was closed and we all headed out of Limehouse Lock up stream to Chelsea where we clung onto buoys until the early evening when the flotilla started to muster.
Getting on for 150 boats all displaying white lights got into formation and headed down stream. Crowds stood on the illuminated bridges and Tower Bridge opened up in a royal salute as we passed underneath. What a truly amazing day.
Now we had to head towards Banbury, back round the Regents Canal as a leak in the engine bay needed testing on the calm waters of the canal rather than the tideway. By the time we reached Brentford we were confident with Oleanna’s engine again. On the Thames Tilly got a birthday present of a night on a Cliveden Island. Sadly we got an unexpected present on our arrival in Oxford, a second red line on a covid test! Panto painting couldn’t be put off so we made our way gradually up the Oxford Canal keeping our distance from people at locks and taking maximum doses of paracetamol.
A week of painting in Banbury before I moved to Chipping Norton to stack up the hours over the next four weeks getting the 50th anniversary panto ready. Rendez Vousing with Oleanna at weekends in Banbury and Coventry kept me sane. Mick had to single hand across the summit of the Oxford Canal to avoid the first of the winter stoppages.
All three of us were back onboard by mid November, covid free and vaccinated. We took things slowly now, time to rest up, meet friends, gather family and pootle towards Christmas. Our 20th Anniversary was celebrated with a Chinese takeaway at Alvecote Marina, a planned stop which ended up being extended due to plummeting temperatures. The canal froze, there’d be no moving the outside for Tilly!
Temperatures lifted dramatically and the ice just about vanished in a couple of days, we could now be on our way to Christmas. Alrewas was a good place to spend the festive days, a very good butchers and a village with lots of character and humour.
Bookings in the New Year had been made for passage on the tidal River Trent for us to reach Yorkshire, but this would not be. The Trent had risen before Christmas, Cranfleet Flood Gates were shut ahead of us, so no New Year at Hazelford Lock. Instead our alternator played up and we sought out a mooring to hook up to and see in 2023.
This year we’d been wanting to explore again. This year we cruised miles of new water, made new friends, got too hot, got iced in, got stuck, got to be in the first illuminated flotilla on the Thames for 300 years. What a great year it has been.
So our vital statistics for 2022 according to Canalplan are
Total distance is 1249 miles, 6½ furlong and 555 locks . There were 88 moveable bridges of which 29 are usually left open; 156 small aqueducts or underbridges and 18 tunnels, a total of 7 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 227 miles, 1 1/2furlongs of narrow canals; 363 miles, 2 furlongs of broad canals; 85 miles, 5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 269 miles, 1 furlong of small rivers; 234 miles, 7 1/4 furlongs of large rivers; 69 miles, 6 furlongs of tidal rivers; 176 narrow locks; 232 broad locks; 54 large locks; 2 locks on major waterways.
731.7 engine hours
1156.1 litres diesel, 5 (although we’ve got 1 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 28.5 litres oil, 3 oil filters, 1 fuel filter, 2 air filters, 1 water pump, 2 new belts, 690kg coal, 1 overnight guest twice, 6 packs Dreamies (not enough!), 56 friends, a record breaking 41 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval (4 in one day!), 15 pairs socks, 2 shows designed, 9 lodgers, 2 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 30 boxes of wine delivered, 2 lost unicorns.
Thank you all for joining us on our journey. Wonder where we’ll get to in 2023?
Topics in the Geraghty zoom this morning included foxes, calculus, hyacinths and magnolia trees. Good to see everyone again after Christmas and the New Year.
1.55m up 2 inches from yesterday, the River Soar is closed again
I needed to make the most of day light hours so I was soon out on the stern. Wind direction was checked, then Mick helped remove the starboard side of the pram cover, extra ventilation required today.
Milk pods
Rain had been threatening for most of the morning. When it struck it did it in style! We’d chosen the right side of the pram cover to remove, but the rain still came in. Things were moved round, items removed from where rain water gets diverted on the roof. Just about everything important stayed dry and by lunchtime the milk pods were finished. They moved into the cratch to free up space in the stern workshop.
Now the moment of truth. Would my measurements of the stern doors have been correct and had I built the giant mug to those dimensions. Tilly was locked in the bedroom. I lifted the mug out from it’s position on the dinette, over the kitchen units, a few inches to spare there. Then offered it up to the back doors. I could have hooked them out of the way, but that might mean they wouldn’t end up being as open as they could be.
How much space past the doors?
I rested the mug on the top/threshold of the door. Very little light could be seen either side. I then carefully pushed the mug through the opening. PHEW! It fitted. I really had no idea what I would have done if it hadn’t. Phew! Maybe 2mm to spare. Phew.
Thank goodness for that!
The rest of the afternoon I spent sticking yoga mats to the inside of the mug. It sat on off cuts raising it off the wet deck. It pee’d it down again and I risked having the back door open for some fresh air, the sides of the pram cover back on trying to keep everything dry. This did mean the back of the mug got a little bit damp, but it should dry out fairly quickly.
With next to no room to work in and day light fading fast I had to stop. The large pieces to cover the outside of the mug would have to be done elsewhere with more space. The mug was lifted onto the hatch just enough space between it and the pram cover for it hopefully to stay dry overnight.
Sun setting, time to stop work
Items were packed up to take to Huddersfield. Not having the mug in the corner of the dinette made the boat feel so spacious!
Happy bunny
The evening was spent replacing the bunnies ears with longer versions and watching Happy Valley. The Piazza in Huddersfield featured as a location. Tomorrow we’ll be delivering the giant props to a unit that was just out of shot, I’ll have to check if there really is a chemists there.
After stockings came a glass of Bucks Fizz and breakfast, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, using a bit more of the parsley mountain now in our freezer. A festive chat with the London Leckenbys who were about to sit down to ham sandwiches and presents.
VHF for tidal waters and Trent Locks
Next Christmas presents. Thankfully delayed deliveries hadn’t managed to spoil our main presents. Tilly and I had clubbed together to buy Mick a new VHF radio as ours had gone faulty on the reflections flotilla, we’d ended up having to borrow one. Now that we seem to go on slightly more adventurous cruises we went for a better handheld radio than before. This should cover a larger distance. Mick put it on charge straight away and then had a go at turning down the squelch.
Sander
I got a cordless sander. I should also be able to get other tools that will use the same battery. When working on panto, Jo the props maker had a very small hand friendly cordless electric drill, so I’m hoping that might be the next tool to be added to the collection. We got plenty of other goodies too.
Time for a Christmas walk before any more booze was consumed. The last two years we’ve headed down to Scarborough sea front to have the wind clear away any cobwebs. This year we’re back on the canals, not quite the same as the north east wind making your cheeks ruddy, but just as good.
We chose to walk into the village, turning up Post Office Road. The Crown pub seemed to be popular as families turned up for a pint and lemonade.
The model cottages sitting facing each other both had wreaths on their front doors. At first I thought it a shame that they hadn’t consulted each other and gone for the same. But when I spotted the wreath on the red door, it made me laugh.
Mums and Dads
Baubles hung from a tree, this needed investigating. It is a memory tree for Mums and Dads, some of the baubles have messages written on them. Below there was a tin with a couple more baubles, were these for anyone to use or sat waiting for particular offspring to come and hang them on Christmas morning.
There was a nice looking house for sale, £620,000 for a five bedroom house, not bad. Although it feels lovely and light inside I think it’s lost some of it’s period character with the modern cupboards everywhere.
Back to the canal and a walk to look at the river levels. In the amber, Mick said it had gone down since yesterday, if it carries on in that direction that would be good. We walked down to the weir a short distance further on. The river swirled confused under the walkways and sped it’s way to the weir. Mick thought with enough umph we’d be fine going past.
A look inside the church, still warm from the mornings services. A big tree stood to one side, this with the smell reminded me of Christmas Days in the 70’s when we’d head to The Homestead for drinks with the Rowntree family in York. There in a hallway stood a tree as tall as the room, it’s base swathed in cotton wool. Trains, sledgers, animals decorated the snow below the poor tree that strained under the weight of SO many decorations. The sight kept my brother and myself transfixed, the coloured lights twinkling in the oak panelled hallway as the hubbub of adults came from the library where sherry and mince pies were handed out. At ten to one Peter Rowntree would call everyone silent, there would be a toast to Christmas and then a round of Happy Birthday for me. Today stood in All Saints I glanced up at the clock, ten to one, the time I was born.
In the churchyard many of the gravestones have been moved to the sides, this was done in the 70’s when the grounds had a change of layout. In the nearest corner to Oleanna stand the three wise men and their camels, followed by a donkey. His tail had been pinned on several times before.
Stoned!
Back to Oleanna, a few more Catnip Dreamies for Tilly had her gazing into nowhere for quite some time. I think she was just that little bit off her face!
The duck was pricked, stuffed and popped into the oven. Timings worked out for everything else. Bread sauce and cabbage put on top of the stove to reheat. Veg peeled ready to roast or steam. Sausages wrapped in blankets to keep them warm. It was as if we’d done Christmas dinner on the boat before! Well it’s actually easier here than in the house believe it or not.
Not normally one to watch the Christmas Day speech, lunch is normally timed to clash, but this year we thought we’d give Charles a chance as the pigs in blankets went in the oven. I think normal timings will resume next year.
Two plates brimming full were dished out, some roast potatoes had to be put back to make space for all the extras. All very nice, although my experiment of using oat milk for bread sauce won’t be repeated, it was okay but a little porridgy.
Full to the brim, Snowman was watched before the day moved to Birthday. Cake, candles a cup of much needed tea and then presents.
I got a gluten free recipe book, some waterproof thermal work gloves, some magnifying work glasses to help with model making and illustrations and a box of Pantomime yarn from Riverknits. I’m not sure I’ll knit the pattern the yarn came with or something else, not decided yet.
Another glass of wine accompanied Morecomb and Wise. A very good birthday and Christmas.
0 locks. 0 miles, 3 stockings crammed full, 5 bedoingee balls, 5 chocolate oranges, 2 styles of quality street wrappers, 1 vhf radio, 1 sander, 1 bottle of English fizz, 2 bottles wine, 1 packet of serious crack for cats, 1 spaced out Tilly, 15 pairs socks, 3 cans of beer, 4 spices, 7 silicone lids, 2 boxes matches, 1 pair of glasses, 1 book, 1 wifi camera, 2 plates only just big enough, 2 slices cake, 2 rather full boaters, 1 lovely day.
NB Victoria next door was covered in frost again this morning, the pontoon was slightly white too. Was the weather really going to change so dramatically?!
We took our time to get up reading our Saturday newspaper at leisure, then joined the Geraghty Zoom. New sofas were absent, football baubles and benylin were all discussed. Then it was time for breakfast. Giant tomatoes ruled the plate today.
Time to try to make Oleanna look a bit festive. I needed to find some wire to hold bits of greenery together first. In a box in the cat proof cupboard I found the wire, I also found bags of press studs. Time to digress.
For months one of the poppers on a blind on the front door has been broken, the bit that goes through the fabric having come away. So for months we have lived with a corner of the blind hanging down. We’ve also lived with not being able to roll that blind up to see out of that side of the door.
A hammer was found in the ‘shed’ cupboard. Using the table didn’t prove to be solid enough, so I moved to the floor with a mat under the base to protect the floor. On my second attempt it worked! We can now sleep in darker conditions, well until the popper falls out again which it will do. I think the punch tool actually needs to be a very tiny bit bigger to get a better hold.
By now outside it was raining. The precipitation started off bouncing off the gunnels of the boats either side, then it just turned into wet rain. Any whiteness on top of the ice vanished quickly, we were now into plus temperatures.
Bag of potential
My bag of ivy was sorted through. The long straggly bits went together in a circle easily, but were just too weedy. Then chunkier bits were joined together, but they didn’t make a pleasing shape. In the end I used the long bits and added into it sprigs of chunkier ivy to beef it up.
Needs beefing up
We had a discussion as to whether it would be better to add battery powered fairy lights or should the long string of lights, we’ll be adding soon, be wound into the wreath. I decided that it would be easier to put the battery powered lights in, if Mick fancies adding even more from the long string then fine.
Just a ribbon needed to help secure it
Once the lights were wound round I added the dried seed heads, which are really quite fragile. They may or may not survive being on the bow. Only thing needed now was a dry ten minutes to put it on the cratch. That didn’t happen, so it ended up sitting in the well deck away from Tillys chewing teeth.
Solid under the surface
By the end of the wet day, the ice surrounding us was now submerged under water. Will we be able to move tomorrow? It would be good, but we don’t think it will be possible, the ice was really quite thick. We’ll be patient.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 popper/press stud mended, 1 dark bedroom again, 3rd go at wreath, 1 cooked breakfast, 2 invisible sofas, 2 boaters waiting for someone else to move first, -2C to 10C in 14 hours.
Mick headed off before breakfast to Bethnal Green to see if he could get his parcel, it wasn’t there. Because he’d requested it to be forwarded to a different post office he then made his way over to Homerton. It wasn’t there either. It must have been on it’s way, a suggestion that it might arrive by midday was made, he came back to the house for some breakfast and to discus what to do.
One of us needed to head back to the boat today no matter what. Rail strikes tomorrow. There are only two compartments in the magic food bowl, so Tilly would be getting hungry. The other reason was that neither of us had turned off the stop cock from the water tank. The boat was being kept warm by the electric central heating (we hoped), so no worry about frozen pipes. However as a matter of routine in cold weather, we’d put the shower head into the shower tray and left all the taps open, with the water pump off. This is good practice should anything freeze. However, the shower head was now lower than the level of water in the tank, therefore a syphon effect would be happening, gradually emptying the water tank with the aid of gravity! If both of us loitered for another couple of hours would it make much difference? We decided to risk it.
A tracking notice came through, Mick’s parcel had arrived. Time to say farewell to the Leckenbys and a big thank you for hosting the get together yesterday. Andrew gave us a lift to the post office and then on to a bus stop.
New departure boards at Euston
At Euston several trains were cancelled, ours thankfully was just late, but everyone seemed to be waiting for it! We got a seat and enjoyed the ride back northwards through the snowy landscape, every canal we saw frozen. It seemed like the north south divide at Watford was being adhered to by the weather, as soon as we’d passed the junction the snow covering petered out. By Milton Keynes only small patches of frost were visible.
Snowy
Tamworth station was easy today as we arrived at the platform by the entrance. Another Acorn Taxi back to the marina. Here the haw frost we’d seen when we left had shrunk. There were reports of some snow, but it hadn’t hung around for us. Tilly greeted us shouting at the front door.
About bloomin time! I was starting to look for the next flipping lid to open!And I was getting wet toes when going for a drink!
First job, check the shower. About an inch of water sat in the tray, it maybe could have lasted another day before it spilled over onto the bathroom floor. All taps were turned off, shower head put back up where it belongs and the water pump turned back on.
To the top of the tray, but not as high as the enclosure
Next the central heating was given a boost, the stove fire was laid and lit. Soon Oleanna was warming back up.
The water pump was making a bit of a funny noise, had been for a couple of days. Mick opened up the front step to see water. Maybe the pump had got cold and when warmed up it decided to leak, or maybe it had been leaking for a while. The nappy it sat on was soaked and couldn’t hold anymore.
I had to wash my feet to get a drink!
Mick pulled out the other water pumps we have, ones bought cheaply last year, known to possibly have a fault. The one with the tick on the side was plumbed in. Noisy but it pumped water, a good outcome. Even so a new water pump will be required, a job for tomorrow.
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 visits to post offices, 0 presents arrived for the Leckenbys, 1 big bag to take home, 1 bus, 1 train, 1 taxi, 1 not as frosty Tamworth, 1 shouty cat, 1inch away from the top, 1 stove, 1 pan of emergency tuna pasta, 1 shopping order checked over.
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.
Quality control in operation
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, Marion, Andrew and Christine
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.
Snow starting to settle
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.
Settling out the front
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.
A snow blanket
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.
