Category Archives: Films

Purrplexed. 8th April

Bent House Lock 46

An early start for Mick who headed off to Littleborough Station to catch a train just before 8am. Tilly and I stayed tucked up in bed and enjoyed a cuppa with the puzzles from Saturdays newspaper.

A day return to Scarborough woud have been about £70 at that time of day even with an old gits railcard, but Mick had booked his tickets in such a way that he got off peak tickets from Mytholmroyd, therefore costing £37.35 including a plus bus for around Scarborough.

On board, after the usual mornings activities I decided to give the interior of Oleanna a dust down and then a sweep through followed by a floor clean. Tilly kept out of the way for much of the time, the lack of wind and rain encouraging her to go outside.

Then it was time to investigate why our pullout corner cupboard is starting to ground and make grooves in the newly oiled floor! I’ve been wondering if the weight in the pan drawer, which is attached to the cupboard might be doing this. Maybe when I’d reattached it I’d screwed them together at a slight angle that gets exacerbated when the corner cupboard is pulled right out.

I emptied the cupboard and drawer so that I could detach the two. There lying on the floor was part of a circular piece of plastic. Was this off one of the castors? Yes. The plastic helps keep the wheel square and helps to keep the rubber wheel from flattening out under the weight. Without it the rubber wheel was flattening, a bit like a blown tyre on a car and therefore the plinth of the pullout cupboard was grounding across the floor, it having dropped by a couple of mm.

How were the castors attached? To blocks of wood, which of course had been attached from below not above. So to remove the castors we would need to remove the cupboard to be able to turn it on it’s side! A look later on from the opposite side by Mick suggests we might be able to just replace the wheel on the caster without dismanteling everything.

Cupboards were open! Quick quick I must get inside! The way through from one side was blocked by the squishy wheel. I managed to rush round to the other side to get in underneath, one of my favourite places to get in the way. She doesn’t like to close it if I’m in there.

Tilly gave me a site report from low down. She was quite purrplexed about the whole situation. But hey hang on! There’s no top!! Someone’s stolen the top! I can’t hide in here anymore, there’s no IN to be IN! This is what the problem is, the IN, not the squishy wheel. I’ve left the pan drawer unattached until we can replace the wheel.

***It’s okay there’s still an IN to be in here***

Next it was time to restick some edging onto the side of the drawing board slot. This has been held on by tape for about a year. Some wood glue down between the main board and the strip, tape back on to hold it in place. There’s far too much stuff in the slot! It needs clearing out to leave enough IN for a cat.

Lunch was arepas with red cabbage, cheese and slices of apple, very nice.

Time to select the yarn for the next pair of socks. I’ve had quite a few requests for blue socks this year, so any yarn that was blue was laid on the bed. Three selected, I just need to decide how to knit them up.

Meanwhile in Scarborough Mick had caught the bus to the hospital, a blood test required by his GP, this was all very efficient. He then walked to the house to meet with our current lodgers. A coffee, chat and he picked up our post, including postcards about the York and North Yorkshire Mayor election. A few years ago we had lodgers put our postal votes on the top of a book shelf for safe keeping along with other post. Mick got the train to Scarborough especially to pick them up but couldn’t find them. They were found a few months later long after the poll. We now have a tray in the kitchen for post to go in.

You don’t need to be in there! *Just checking it’s still got an IN.*

Then he caught another bus out of town and headed to his dentist. His return to Seamer Station was thwarted by numerous school buses refusing to pick him up and then the next bus was ten minutes late, by which time he’d missed the hourly train from Scarborough!

In Littleborough the day had been a perfect one for cruising, no boats had come past though. I frogged another pair of socks to just past the heel, adjusted my needle size hoping this would rectify their tightness. I watched another Bake Off, more comdey biscuits and The Woman In Gold 2015,starring Helen Mirren. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann, starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt’s famous painting ‘The Lady in Gold’. She enlists a young lawyer to help her and they end up taking the Austrian Government to the US Supreme Court.

Mick returned home a while after 8pm. In amongst the post was a parcel from Rachel at Skein Queen, another rather yummy skein of yarn in white and blues. She’d also added in a pattern for a pair of socks. Thank you Rachel.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4ft edging re-stuck,16 tickets, 6 trains, 3 buses, 3 ignoring buses, 1 flattening wheel,1 pleasant day, 1 test, 1 set of clean gnashers, 1 puzzled Tilly, 1 skien, 1 patter, 1 omlette for 2, 1 normal result.

Paul Didn’t Forecast This! 5th October

Sykehouse Junction

Todays plan was to get up early to clean off the fertan I’d left to do it’s thing on the starboard side grab rail and mushroom, then once it was all dry apply a coat of primer, hoping that there would be enough time for the primer to be touch dry before the forecast rain started.

One app yesterday had suggested I’d need to get up quite early to achieve this. Then Paul Hudson the Look North weather man had suggested that the rain wouldn’t be with us until maybe mid afternoon. Well he was wrong!

I woke at 6:45 to rain. I woke later 7:30 to rain, we had cuppas in bed, no point in getting up. It continued raining for several more hours! Grrrr!!!

When it did eventually actually stop, after a few false stops, I went outside to see how dribbly the fertan had managed to become overnight in all the rain. Ergh! A normal wash doesn’t tend to lift the stains it creates. I washed down the fertan, then started to try to remove the staining. A little bit of Bar Keepers friend seemed to do the job, but careful not to lift paint.

With everything dry it was now time to give the primer a good stir. Then a coat was applied. I’d just applied some onto the patch by the pram cover when spots of rain started again. Pan replaced over mushroom hole, carefully, it was only just big enough! The grab rail would have to fend for itself.

The dinette window now got a good clean, the wind blowing the rain at the other side of Oleanna. Then the bedroom porthole. That feels so much better now. Just the kitchen windows to do. As they are sliding windows they need access from outside, here the bank is much too high for the job. Time to sit down.

Tilly spent most of the day out prowling. The wet grass was not off putting. A glance around every now and again to see where she’d got to, that white tipped tail does come in handy!

Kingfishers darted, hovered, chirped, all still far too quick for a photo without sitting outside in the rain poised facing the right direction.

‘Exol Pride‘ She was on her way back, Sykehouse Lock not replying straight away. The chatter on the radio was that there wouldn’t be a run next week, no cargo. Also that Exol Pride is booked in for maintenance in January. The route through Goole docks will be closed as the casson gates are getting some attention at the beginning of the year. ‘Exol Pride leaving the new junction‘ we bobbed out to see her turn towards Goole and pick up the revs.

I’d just sat down to knit, choosing Early Man over Selma, (the first subtitles already making me laugh) when my phone rang. Peter at Prompt Side. This is the busiest time of the year for them, everyone wanting cloths, tabs making, plenty of printing going on too. Add into that two members of staff being on holiday, he sounded just like I’ll sound in a few weeks time.

He chatted me through setting up the scans and how to save them and which tool would be best for the job. Basically he’s already set everything up and I should just check it’s correct. He explained a bit about content aware and proximity match. He’s hoping to scan the rest of the model pieces tomorrow and send them over for touch up. If I have any problems I’m to ring and say it’s urgent! Thank you Peter.

I then spent a couple of hours working my way methodically across the front cloth scan he’d sent me. Saving the image several times it retained it’s size (thank you Paul for suggesting I should check), just the occasional blip when changing between Content and Proximity settings, but I got it sorted.

More to do tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 coat primer, 1 pan, 9 hours!!! 4 soggy paws, 2 windows, 2 to go, 2 lines, 2 hours touching up, just how did SO many hairs get on my model?! 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval to add to the other one!

Pan On The Roof. 4th October

Sykehouse Junction

The wind was less this morning, but due to pick up in the afternoon again. Time to get on with jobs!

My improved dungarees came out for the first time. They are very bright and I’m hoping that after a few boat jobs they will be broken down a touch, otherwise I suspect the costume designer on panto will have them off my back, she likes orange and very bright colours. I cut up some of the left over yoga mat (from when I made the giant mug earlier this year) to pop into the new big knee pockets, hopefully I’ll have more chance of kneeling on these than the old smaller ones.

Various bits of equipment were dug out from under the dinette and we set to work. The two main things requiring attention the mushroom over the bathroom (which is leaking) and the centre line fairlead/cleat. I’ve touched this up before, but obviously not well enough and the screws have let water in, a big bubble of rust is trying to peel itself away from the cabin side!

We boat too much and don’t stop to do jobs enough!

Mick fought with the fairlead, a Frank screw needed drilling out. Then we moved to the mushroom vent. A bolt undone from the inside to take the cap off, then four screws to remove the stem. This mushroom’s talking to me! There had been a small bubble of rust visible before we removed it, but just lifting the stem up revealed the amount of rust that had been working away underneath! All the others will need doing, but not today.

**Weighted down to stop them blowing away when the wind got back up**

To get onto the roof I’d need to use the stern lockers. The pram cover would be better coming off, a perfect time to give the covers a spray of Wet and Forget. The covers were laid out on the grass, given a liberal spraying and left to dry. Hopefully we’d not have any rain for a few hours! Hopefully giving them a spray now will mean that instead of them going green over winter that they have a go at cleaning themselves. Well that’s the hope.

Up on the roof the attachment of doom was put to use on the rusty roof. Grinding off the brown, back to shiny metal. The grab rail on the starboard side was done too. Then Fertan was brushed on and left to do it’s thing, a gentle spray of water a couple of hours later to help encourage it even more.

Covers back on to finish drying, tools packed away inside. Another window got the full clean treatment, that leaves the kitchen windows, one full hopper and one porthole to do. By now I needed a sit down.

Boats came past throughout the afternoon, turning at the junction. Kingfishers chirped across the reservoir, I’d seen one hovering before diving when out doing the covers. Now two of them darted back and forth along the canal to our stern. Not enough time to grab a camera! Just a joy to hear and catch a glimpse of their electric blue.

More knitting in front of a film. Clemency (2019) about a Governor of an American Prison who has to oversee the death sentence. Her twelfth lethal injection will almost certainly be her last. A jolly film, not. Maybe I should look for another Carry On film to lighten up the afternoons knitting.

During the afternoon a beef and beetroot curry sat on the stove top gently cooking away filing the boat with yummy aromas. To accompany it I made us some pan fried onion bhajis. They went down exceedingly well. Glad I bought the chickpea flour in Doncaster.

0 locks, 0 miles, 9 hours! 1 mushroom removed, 1 fairlead removed, 2 much rust, 1 attachment of doom, 2 kingfishers zooming, 1 sock finished, 1 pan on the roof to keep the rain out, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Postponed Birthday. 2nd October

Doncaster Visitor moorings to the site of Small Hedge Swing Bridge, New Junction Canal

Some blueberries were required before pushing off, so Mick headed to the market to see what he could find. I tried calling Peter at Prompt Side so that we could talk through setting up and saving images for print. But he was busy setting up the days printing jobs, he’d ring back.

Mick topped us up with water, NB Northumbria arrived with Alfie on the roof, time for another chat before we pushed off.

Pushing off shouldn’t really be a problem, except the weed boats were back, three of them today. Two caterpillar boats and one conveyor boat. They were collecting pennywort from around the moorings to deposit on the opposite bank. Happily going back and forth without any thought that other boats might be moving. Eventually we managed to catch a gap and sped off.

The moorings above Long Sandall Lock were empty, a rare sight, sadly we weren’t wanting to stop here today. The lock had just been filled for a boat coming up, the top gates opened and the two boats swapped places, perfect timing. Back down the lock and onwards to Barnby Dun.

Only 16 held up at the bridge today.

Now it was decision time. Should we moor back at Bramwith Junction? Or should we carry on onto the New Junction Canal? Flood locks on the Aire and Calder were closed yesterday so rivers were on the rise. It would be a real pain to be held up on the wrong side of the Don Doors if they had to be closed due to rising levels. We’d cross and then find a mooring as soon as we could. Well that was the plan.

At the junction we waved to David and Clive. Les from NB Christopher B is expecting an operation later this week and will be kept in hospital until she is mobile. The River Don looked higher than normal, but still a difference between it and the canal. Maybe we were being over cautious.

Nowhere to moor, we’d have to carry on. Perhaps just off the end of a bridge landing? No, it was too close to the road for Tilly to be allowed freedom. Onwards, a flag on my map looking like it was the only possible place to moor before Sykehouse Lock.

Low Lane Swing Bridge swung, Top Lane Lift Bridge lifted, only problem was I couldn’t open the gate to get out! I had to climb the fencing. Kirk House Green Lift Bridge took a lot of jiggling for my key to turn to power it up, but soon we were on our way.

The light at the lock was red, a volunteer on duty. We’d already come farther than we’d really wanted to, but just after the narrowing where a swing bridge had once been we saw our opportunity a bar on the piling suitable for chains.

Time for Tilly to head back out and explore. Yesterday was her eighth birthday, but it was no fun for a cat being cooped up in Doncaster, so today we needed a mooring for her and her postponed birthday. Hooray!!! Lots of friendy cover, no woofers, no nobody, BRILLIANT!!!!

A treat cheese lunch was enjoyed, hairs were removed from the songsheet artwork that I’d forgotten, then it was emailed off for approval by John. I took a couple more windows out and gave them the full clean before needing to sit down again.

**Clockwise from left. Yarg, cheddar with Scarborough seaweed, feta (left over from a tray bake) and Wookey Hole cheddar.**

The perfect mooring for a cat, but phone signal nearly non existent, no good for my photoshop phone call. The internet was also slow, apart from when watching a film. Stronger (2017) is based on the true story of Jeff Bauman who lost both his legs in the Boston Marathon Bombing. Mick was astounded at the amount of swearing it contained, what would our parents have thought! Have to admit to giving up with twenty minutes to go when Jeff and his girlfriend started to have a very loud argument after she’d told him she was pregnant. I’ll watch the rest another time, I’d just had enough of them shouting at each other.

1 lock, 8.8 miles, 1 left, 3 bridges, 19 held up, 2 more windows, 3 weed boats, 1 plumber contacted, 1 scaffolder contacted, 4 hours of birthday frolics, 8 years old! plus 1 day, 1 heel turned, 1 very shouty film, 1 stove lit.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/JmAZqxoLQKLP4RgG8

Continents. 29th September

Bramwith Junction to Doncaster Visitor Moorings

Tilly was allowed out first thing, she could decide when we would move on today. Off she went not to be seen for quite sometime! Clive came past with Peg and stopped for a chat, he’s got his car back from West Stockwith and the boat is plugged in, it should make life easier for a while.

We’d run out of things to occupy us, time to move on, but still no Tilly. Time to be the mad cat woman on the towpath. I walked back towards the lock, my voice resonating across the canal. In the past Tilly has spent time in amongst the trees this way, today it looked like the friendly cover might be just a touch too dense for her. No noises came back. I walked up in the other direction. TILLY!! Minny meow!! Was that her bell? Was that a meow? Hard to tell with the wind. Maybe it was. Then up she popped tail held high skipping back to the boat. Time to move on.

We pootled up to Barnby Dun, pausing to drop off rubbish and empty the yellow water. Then the key of power was put in the bridge panel. This road is so busy, do you wait for a gap in the traffic coming from three directions? Or just press the button no matter? The traffic died down, so I chose a moment without a car in view and set the sequence going, no white van to jump the lights today.

Once through and the bridge dropped you then have to wait for a gap in the traffic to be able to cross the road. I like counting the number of stopped vehicles, but just how many more had me waiting?

A dutch barge with a whirligig and washing drying in these parts is almost certainly Dolly Earl. Recently blacked and the gunnels repainted, no name visible. Mick made a note of the boat number, yep it was Dolly Earl! That’s a familiar boat ticked off our list for the year, I think we’re short of only one, the blue boat NB Jubilee Bridge.

Wind swept us up to Long Sandall Lock, Mick opting to reverse and hover whilst the lock emptied. The huge vast lock filled, then I noticed the amount of Pennywort by the top gates. Could I open the gates without it getting in the lock? Yes.

Across the way was NB Northumbria, Paul used to look after the basin up in Sheffield. He bobbed his head out to say hello. We did our best to hover and chat with him as the wind buffeted us about. There was news of a new Finesse boat setting off from Sheffield in the morning, hopefully we’ll get to see her. I dropped Rachel the owner a line, they had their snagging weekend quite some time ago and have a bit of a major weekend cruise ahead of them, very exciting.

Paul suggested that the Doncaster moorings might be full, he’d counted boats on the move today, we hoped some would have stopped at Strawberry Island. He gave a suggestion of where to moor if Doncaster was full. Fingers crossed we’d not need it. There’s ground works going on with diggers perched high up on banks of earth, maybe this is where there used to be abandoned burnt out cars, I’ll have to take more note on our way back.

The Minster came into view, a zoom in on the camera, loads of space at the moorings! Brilliant! We winded to have the side hatch outwards and a better view from bed in the morning. During the afternoon another two boats joined us.

Rafts of Pennywort have taken hold here, two weed boats soon arrived. The one with chopping blades and a conveyor belt we’ve seen before, but the other was new to us. Long prongs on an arm at the front can hook a chunk of pennywort, this can be lifted into the air. The boat is propelled by two caterpillar tracks of rubber blades. This means that it not only moves in the water but it can ride up the bank too to deposit the weed well out of the water. Shame my video isn’t fully in focus but it gives you the idea.

Later in the day MIck made a comment about an island of Pennywort passing by. I peeked out, ‘that’s not an island, that’s a whole continent!’

**Obviously the weed boats had missed this one**

I walked up to Boyes in the town centre to see if they might have some bright pink long fringing for panto. Their haberdashery section was a disappointment, I’ll have to order online instead. They did however have engine oil, Mick will return with the bike for 10 litres.

An afternoon of knitting for me in front of a film. Judy (2019) about Judy Garland’s career in the last year of her life when she performed on the London stage. Flash backs to her early career at the time of The Wizard of Oz. Another lonely sole, what a great performance by Renee Zellweger, no wonder she won quite a few awards. It was also Michael Gambon’s last film, so quite an apt choice.

**Some of the miners portraits in *A Rich Seam* by Laurence Edwards**

Another pair of socks went in the post today, another pair finished ready to have the ends woven in. That’s six pairs done, another two on the list.

1 lock, 5.7 miles, 1 lift bridge, 19 held up, 25 holding me up, 2 hours shore leave, 1 skipping cat, 1 sauce tasting woofer, 0 fringing, 1 walk not hobble, 1 parcel arrived.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/n1GMnQscHaJiWEgs6

07:30 The Time To Go … Somewhere. 22nd September

Torksey Bottom Side to West Stockwith, Chesterfield Canal

The first boat to go past us this morning was at 6am, most probably a small boat being used by a couple of fishermen that we would see several times today. The next boat to head off was the chap with no idea (NB NI), this was just before 7:30, maybe he’d been in touch with the Lock Keepers further downstream, maybe not. Ten minutes later two more boats pulled away to head up stream, they’d be pushing the tide for quite some way. The first boat pulled out at the junction and you could see the push from the tide immediately as the boat skidded round, pushed sideways, the small fishing boat almost certainly not helping matters. The following boat reversed all the way to the junction, picked up the revs and winded. They were off. 7:30 certainly a popular time to set off today.

8:10 a widebeam then pulled off, heading up stream, less of the out going tide to push through. We waited a while longer, just us and the boat with the missing cat left, hope it had returned and they were just waiting for the flood to come before leaving.

Breakfasted, well deck cleared, weed hatch checked, life jackets, anchor checked, chart. We were ready fifteen minutes before we’d planned to push off at 09:30. Mick’s plan was for us to arrive at West Stockwith at slack water which would make our turn into the lock easier than having to turn into the current and then work our way back into the tide. He’d checked with two Lock Keepers that there would be enough water to get us over the cill, it being a neap tide we’d be fine. We set off ahead of schedule.

Back in January we did this trip and onwards to Keadby, we had a display by the Red Arrows and a wonderful if chilly day. Today there was no frost on the pontoon at Torksey, but we did have jumpers and coats on, maybe a pair of gloves will be on hand for the next section of the tidal Trent.

The river is now quite familiar. Torksey Castle and Viaduct.

Trent Port where white posts need lining up to stay in the channel. Littleborough where a Roman causeway crosses the river, used in 1066 en route from Stamford Bridge to Hastings.

Reaching the Folly we’d caught up with the fishing boat. They lifted their lines and sped off into the distance. Maybe when we’ve retired from boating we’ll treat ourselves to a few days stay at the Folly and watch boats cruising with the tides.

We passed the fishing boat near Knaith Rack. Bob the wandering buoy has made his way to near the 83km post, in January it was in Gainsborough. Past West Burton Power Station all with the tide aiding our journey.

**Boating Association charts with Waterway Routes**

Wet mud along the banks showed how far the tide had fallen, the red line was to be followed to keep us in the channel. Some km markers are missing so we not only use the charts (version 18 now) but also Waterway Routes to show us where we are on the river, quite handy.

Turn Post Corner, a sharp bend in the river with a sand bank protruding out from the inner of the bend. Mick slowed us right down here, the water to both sides of Oleanna bubbling away indicating shallow water, then a cross over to the west bank to miss the next submerged bank.

Checking timings on our progress Mick decided that we should slow down, the revs knocked back.

Gainsborough Railway Viaduct, time to give West Stockwith a call. The Lockie said we’d be about an hour he was there waiting for us. Had we seen NB NI? We told him that they had left Torksey at 7:30 this morning, maybe they were planning on stopping at Gainsborough pontoon. Apparently yesterday the Cromwell Lockie had tried to explain to the chap about the tidal Trent and booking locks and going with the tide etc. Then Mick and another boater had done the same at Torksey, giving him the phone numbers of locks. So far NB NI had not been seen!

Onwards now at a slower pace past Kerry Mill, no-one looking out of windows to wave at. The now overgrown building shortly before Gainsborough Road Bridge and various old wharf buildings really need some TLC, the riverfront not that inviting. Mick kept us at a steady pace not wanting to beat the tide to West Stockwith, the current as always running fast through the aches of Gainsborough Road Bridge.

**Gainsborough Road Bridge, the current runs through here so fast**

NB NI was not on the pontoon. Where were they? Mick tried calling the Lockie at West Stockwith, NB NI had just zoomed past heading for Keadby! They must have either been dawdling on the river or had a break in Gainsborough as we’d gained at least an hour on them. The Lock was sat waiting for our arrival, jolly good.

As we carried on at our leisurely pace the current appeared to have stopped, had the tide turned earlier than expected? Our pace slowed, Mick cranked Oleanna up a notch, then some more. Were we now facing the flood?

After the big bend with new flats and concrete footing the red line on the chart runs out just by a big sluice. I could now sit down and leave Mick to judge where he should be positioned on the river. He cranked the engine up some more, the last 2 miles done at speed, maybe we’d not needed to slow earlier.

The Lockie called just before the lock came into view, how were we doing? Mick slowed us brought us along level with the lock. Thinking the tide had turned he’d positioned Oleanna in such a way hoping the current would help us turn in, but the lock was at a more acute angle to the river than he’d remembered and the current wasn’t there. We had arrived at slack water ‘perfect timing’ the Lockie said as Oleanna’s front button nudged the entrance to the lock. Not a clean entrance, but not scary either. Thankfully most people up top were chatting so didn’t notice.

Time to hold a rope at the bow. I remembered this from eight years ago. The Lockie passed ropes down to us to hold onto. Back then we shared the lock with another boat, today we didn’t, today the water coming into the lock pushed us right over to the far side of the lock no matter how hard we clung on to the rope. It wasn’t that the water gushed in, it was just what the lock does, at least we could stop Oleanna from biffing into the side. Slowly we rose.

**Just about up on the Chesterfield Canal**

We asked the Lockie if there was any news on NB NI? Not yet. Two boats had just come past from Keadby heading up stream, they’d most probably seen them fighting against the flood. We strongly suspect with the Lock Keepers aware of the boat on the river someone stayed at Keadby looking out for them even if they weren’t booked in. But would the boat be looking out for the lock? We think the map the chap had was Open Canal Map, which doesn’t mention anything about tides, phone numbers, channel. The blue line continues down to Trent Falls, up the Ouse and out onto the Humber.

We really hope they turned in at Keadby and are safe. We’re also quite relieved that we hadn’t come across them stuck on a sandbank needing rescuing. Preparation for tidal waters is important, they are not like the tranquil canals of the midlands!

Now where? We carried on a short distance along the Chesterfield Canal and pulled in on the first stretch of armco. Here would be good for Tilly and us. Five hours and the rules read. Tilly returned on her own three time during the afternoon and didn’t have to mubble at us once!

Mick walked to Misterton Co-op and butchers whilst I sat and watched Kursk (2018) based on the true story of the Russian submarine disaster in 2000. Were the Russians so unfeeling towards the families waiting for news? Was their rescue equipment so badly maintained and were they far more interested in keeping their secrets than saving the crews lives? I think tomorrow I’ll have to find a comedy to watch.

During our cruise today I’d came across the Fish and Chip Appreciation page on Facebook. Crisp golden batter had made me hungry. A look at the local pubs menus was needed. The Waterfront Inn is just in the process of changing hands (reopening 3rd October). Then The White Hart just on the other side of the River Idle. Their menu just so happened to mention gluten free fish and chips! Bingo result!!!

They were busy and it took quite a while before we could order, the staff did keep us informed and apologized for our wait. Mick had a very good beef, mushroom and ale pie and I had a very crunchy fish and chips. All very nice. We decided to refrain from a pudding and have a second glass of wine back on Oleanna.

Now if you read the blog, you obviously have an interest in the waterways and our life on them. For a few weeks now there has been a link on the right hand side of the blog which will take you to the petition ‘Fund Britain’s Waterways’ which is urging the Prime Minister to safeguard Britain’s Canals and Rivers now and for future generations. This isn’t a petition just for boaters, but for everyone that enjoys being by the water, wildlife, watching youtube vloggers or reading about the canals and rivers. If everyone who reads this blog signs the petition that would be brilliant. Thank you.

1 lock, 14.9 miles, 3 hours, 1 new waterway for Oleanna, 1 boat without a clue, 1 of each, 1 pie and chips, 1 portion of peas please, Louise! 2 glasses wine, 2 lamb steaks, 1 Saturday paper, 1 happy cat.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/abPU7cYHvdM3m2av9

Torksey Central. 22nd September

Torksey Top Side to Torksey Bottom Side Pontoon, River Trent

A quiet morning catching up on things and down loading a free trial of Photoshop. Tilly was kept in, no shore leave granted today, we weren’t going far but we had the tide to catch.

At midday we moved up to the water point, topped up on fresh and disposed of the yellow. The rubbish would have to wait as the top lock gates were already open meaning getting to the bins would take longer.

We pulled in next to NB Olive J in the lock, ropes around bollards, the volunteer closed up behind us then lifted the paddles, down we went. He said we might need to do a bit of jiggling about on the pontoons as they were already quite full.

One space behind a boat of the south bank, NB Olive J headed to a space behind their friend on the north, there looked to be more room right at the end of the long pontoon. Yes 60ft, we’d fit nicely. We pulled in tied up and settled in for the remainder of the day.

**The Lock Cottage up for auction soon**

A while later four boats pulled off, comments of ‘last one there buys the drinks tonight’. The lead boat beeped their horn five times as they reached the junction to turn north. Five beeps means ‘I don’t understand your intentions, keep clear!’ Yes it was the same chap who’d beeped his horn to indicate turning to port the other day.

**One boat without anyone at the helm**!

Blimey it was busy down here. Boats arrived, some radioing the lock to go up, others just pulling in to wait for the next suitable tide. One boat didn’t move off even though they’d intended to, their cat hadn’t returned in time for the tide. Hopefully it’ll be back for their next suitable tide. Tilly has only once almost affected our departure with a tide. That was when a chink was left in the rear hatch and she made the most of it at West Stockwith, half an hour of trying my best not to panic and eventually a well timed rugby tackle worked and we were able to catch the tide.

**This one went backwards to the junction**

Soon the pontoons were full again. One chap asked Mick which the best way was to get to Ripon, without going by the Humber estuary. A conversation followed which gave Mick the impression that no locks had been booked, no lock keepers phone numbers were at hand, they’d arrived without life jackets on, Mick didn’t dare ask if they had the charts, knowing that the answer would possibly be no. Mick and someone else tried to impress on the chap that Keadby would need to be booked otherwise there might not be anyone there to let them in! Gainsborough pontoon was mentioned by another boater. But who knows!

During the afternoon I had a go at starting to learn about Photoshop. One tool looked like it would do the job of removing hairs and replacing them with a suitable background. Photoshop has come on miles since I dabbled a touch ten/fifteen years ago. One demonstration shows you how to remove a house on a mountain side and photoshop just replaces it with more mountain. You can even change the house to being pink and at night time with lights on whilst the scene around it is very obviously daytime.

**All calm at the junction this evening**

I loaded up part of a portal to have a go at removing hairs, the tool didn’t work, something about not enough something or other. I decided that maybe I should start at the very beginning on the tutorial. This I started but then Mick came to tell me about the man who had NO idea. Then Tilly came and shouted at the back door, stating that it really wasn’t fare being kept locked in when another cat had been allowed to roam free all morning. I gave up, time to do some knitting.

Todays film Wildlife (2018) about a family in 1960’s Montana struggling to make ends meet. Dad goes off to fight fire, their son takes a job at a photographic studio and Mum starts to teach swimming. Things go array for them all, their poor son observing more than a 14 year old should. A sad tale in which I got the start of another sock knitted.

1 lock, 0.4 miles, 4 going down stream, 6 or more arriving, 1 missing cat, 1 mardy cat, 1 AI program on my laptop, 1 clueless chap, 6th pair started, 1 leaking bath.

PS. I made a complaint to C&RT regarding the boat on the Kiln Pontoon in Newark. This week I was asked for the boats name and number, which of course I couldn’t give them as we’d not seen them displayed. I could however give them a photograph of the boat and suggested that their local team were VERY likely to know of it. The local team have since been in touch to inform me that they are very aware of the boat, so are the police. ‘Our Licence Support Team are dealing with it through our official process, but unfortunately this does take time. We are also monitoring the anti-social behaviour and building a case with regards this.’

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xnvdXyeYccja54x87

Floating Fish. 21st September

Brayford Pool to Torksey Top Side Visitor Moorings

The water tank filled as we had breakfast, the last load of pants and socks had been dried in the washing machine, it was time to head off. However there was first the matter of getting my model pieces into the post, we’d not be near a Post Office for a few days. Mick headed off to the nearest post office only to find a huge long queue outside, everyone holding passports in their hands. Were they all foreign students requiring stamps of some sort in their passports? Mick didn’t loiter long as the queue wasn’t moving, instead he walked another mile to the next Post Office, my model was on it’s way.

Back at Oleanna the hose was wound up, a trustee of Brayford Pool stopped to chat to Mick, our next door neighbours had just come back from having their Covid jabs. They were very chatty about all things Brayford Pool, turning in at Keadby and the announcement from C&RT about the license fees going up. Thankfully his opinion was a similar one to ours, we all knew it was coming, nobody likes a price hike, if it wasn’t for the funding cuts, etc. We’d also like to add we are all boaters and the divisive comments appearing on social media are prejudiced, sad and so disappointing. Bringing in a Continuous Cruiser licence was always going to bring out such opinions. I do my best not to be political on the blog, but the human race sometimes really disappoints me!

Once the covers were rolled up and the chatting had stopped we pushed back leaving our mooring in sunshine. Thank you Lincoln, we’ll be back, don’t know when, but we’ll be back. We wanted to stop at the services, but they were occupied, someone looked like they were heading for a shower, we’d not wait for them, our yellow water could sit in its container for a while longer.

As we got close to the Pyewipe Inn we started to spot fish, a few big ones at first, all very much dead, floating on the surface of the canal. Then more and more, hundreds of them. In the hot weather there have been instances of fish dying, lack of oxygen in the water. The water here looked cloudy, cloudier than normal. Was this run off from fields or some nearby industry causing this? We made a comment to some fishermen, they said they’d report it. They didn’t really need a rod and line in places, you could have just gone along with our landing next and scooped the fish out! Thankfully past the entrance to Burton Waters Marina the water cleared to it’s more normal brown colour and the dead fish gradually declined in number.

On through Saxilby, the chip shop mooring very full today. C&RT had been and chopped up the boughs from the willow tree that had cracked and the narrowboat that had been close to possible danger had been pulled back to the end of the mooring, away from the willows.

On the banks towards Torksey there were a couple of diggers on the top of the bank. Were these cutting the grass? No, it was piling work going on on the other side of the flood bank. Hopefully it was far enough away from the moorings for us not to hear it.

Cottam Power Station came into view, our destination for today almost reached. One boat on the moorings, we pulled up a suitable cat gap away. I ventured onto the bow today for the first time since breaking my toe, very cautiously stepping round the cratch board to tie up, I’ve so hated just standing there with a rope in hand waiting for Mick to moor us up, it’s as if I can’t be trusted to do it properly! I’ll remain extra cautious for a while, uneven surfaces are awkward at the moment even whilst wearing anti-slip crocks.

Four hours Tilly! It took a while for her to sus that the world improved greatly at the top of the bank. An hour later, moek mho mi mgset, muffled cat conversation could be heard coming down the bank. ‘DOORS!‘ A while later she returned again. Oh blimey! Thankfully I was able to rescue this friend, Tilly was now grounded for the remainder of the day despite her protestations. She really needs to mend her ways!

All this was going on whilst I was trying to get some knitting done in front of Dunkirk (2017). What I’d class as a quiet action film. Not much dialogue, quiet underscored music of the evacuation from Dunkirk, very modern British. Stories from the sea, land and air. Think I’d have enjoyed it better had there not been so many interruptions and miscounted stitches which required pulling out!

Socks have started arriving with their owners. Another pair finished today, just a shame the lady who requested them hasn’t responded to my messages. If I don’t hear back there will be a size 7 pair of socks up for grabs in return for a donation.

0 locks, 10.4 miles, 1 wind, 1 full water tank, 1 parcel on its way, 1 box approved, 1526 fish, 1 toe improving, 4 hours curtailed to 3, 1 grounded cat, 1 spoilt afternoon, 5th pair finished, 300,000 men evacuated.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7pJ2bUWiUAedwgxs9

Back Again. 18th September

Burton Waters to Brayford Pool, Lincoln

Blimey the rain at 4am! Whilst Mick managed to ignore it I got up and closed all the windows that had already allowed rain in onto the sofa, dinette and Houdini shelf! The puddle had also returned in the bathroom. At times the rain was soo loud I found it impossible to get back to sleep, but I did in the end.

As we were just finishing breakfast we could hear a strimmer start up, someone had come back to finish cutting the grass at the mooring. We decided this should speed up our departure so we headed out to roll up the covers and get moving, the chap however walked up the steps and vanished. He’ll have to come back another time now.

**A familiar sight coming into Lincoln**

We pushed off, heading back in to Lincoln. Today we had a mooring booked in Brayford Pool, £16 a night with electric included and plenty of noise from the freshers. A week ago we’d been told which berth would be ours so we were able to pull straight into our spot. Mick then headed off to check in at the office, then we settled in, the washing machine going on.

**Pontoon B with a view of the Cathedral**

Shortly after 13:24 we heard a train going past, the line is pretty close to Brayford Pool, this was our train, leaving without us!

Yesterday there had been a change of plan for this week. Mick had been bought a ticket to go on a trip around the Isle of Wight on the Paddle Steamer Waverley from Portsmouth with Marion and John for his birthday this year. I’d declined the offer, I’m not too keen on boats at sea, but I was going to meet a college friend I’ve not seen in decades. So today we should have been heading down to the south coast. However with strong winds forecast for Tuesday the trip had been cancelled and PS Waverley headed straight to Gravesend on Sunday for safe waters to sit out the winds. The trip on the Waverley will be rearranged for sometime next year. We could have still headed down to the south coast, but with my toe etc we decided to see if we could get our train fares refunded.

A boaters discussion yesterday had us decide to still take the mooring in Brayford Pool. Maybe we’d get to see some sights? However that wasn’t for today.

Time to try to see what was happening with the scanning for panto. I’d tried emailing, now a phone call was needed. A lady answered the phone, as soon as I said who I was she apologised for the delay and that I was on Peter’s radar. It might not be until tomorrow that my model would be scanned. Nothing to do but wait.

**Someone reminding me that they exist**

A tenth sock was cast on and we watched Tom Hanks try to fend off Somali pirates in Captain Phillips (2013). Barkhad Abdi who played the lead pirate in the film won a British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and was nominated for an Oscar. It was his first acting job, he and the other three pirates all came from the same block of flats in Minneapolis. On the films opening night, Abdi apparently gave up his job driving limousines for his brother. He earnt $65,000 where as Tom Hanks earnt $15 million!

During the afternoon I got an email through from Chippy, they had had a phone call from a lady called Ann offering us the use of her overhead projector. Ann reads the blog and has used her OHP for similar things in the past so knew how helpful it would be. Thank you Ann, I look forward to meeting you.

Late afternoon I stopped what I was doing as an email came through from Peter at Promptside. His short comment accompanying it said, ‘Here’s the scan, I think it looks good.’ Oh thank goodness!!!

I opened the link, zoomed in. My scan had been 11MB this one was 161MB! Chris on NB Elektra had managed to up my scan to about 40MB. I did a quick comparison, obviously it was so much better, but the most important thing was that it was all in focus, you can even see brush strokes and tiny hairs, the later not intended! It will need a touch of touching up, but ohh the relief!

0 locks, 2.9 miles, 1 mooring, 2 loads washing, 1 film, 2 windy for paddle steamers, 1 change of plan, 0 trains, 0 connections to catch, $65,000, 1 more sock, 1 more film, 1 OHP, 161MB! 1 relieved designer, 1 bored cat, 1 new plan despite a foot, 11 years.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YCH9YDLKnWTEv6wn7

Intelligent Alien Carrot. 16th September

Lincoln Visitor Mooring to Burton Waters Visitor Mooring

**Wonder how much longer I’ll be strapping my toes together for?**

Needing to run the engine in the morning to top the batteries up means there is hot water, so a morning shower is possible. At the moment this means taking off the strapping from my toes, being very careful not to knock my little toe in the shower, then once dry the strapping can be reapplied to help keep everything where it should be. It’s quite frustrating as I feel as though I should be able to do all sorts of things as it’s only a little toe, but when walking it is painful on and off, so I sit down again. But it’s only a little toe!

Yesterday we’d discussed if we could get up to the cathedral with the minimum of walking. If we moored just through the Glory Hole we’d be able to catch the bus up to the top of Steep Hill. This however wouldn’t be fare on Tilly as she’d not like our location, we’d also possibly not like it with it being freshers week. If we headed out of the town could we get a bus back in. All these options were considered, what was the point if all I’d do when I got there was sit in a pew and not feel able to have a good walk round. The sights we’d planned on visiting in Lincoln will have to wait for ‘Next Time’!

We did however need to move today our two days up. We pootled on into Brayford Pool where there would be plenty of room to wind. Several crews wearing high vis were out in ribs, presumably training for the emergency services, there have been crews each day on the canal since we’ve been close to Lincoln.

Round we went and then back to the services where we topped up with water, emptied the yellow water and pushed off again. The Brayford Belle came past, we’ve been getting things wrong for years, C&RT is actually the Canal and Riverboat Trust, who knew?

Our original plan was to head to the mooring at the Pywipe Inn, wind and moor up. We tried to wind opposite the pub, but the width of the canal encroached by sideways trees was not enough. Then we tried under the A46 road bridge, a hard edge on both sides. Not enough width again. Those Romans didn’t take into consideration 58ft 6″ narrowboats when they built the canal!

**Paddleboarding popular in these parts**

On we pootled, sitting outside the pub wouldn’t have been an ideal mooring for the weekend anyway. Instead we continued on to Burton Waters where we’d wind in the entrance of the marina, then reverse back to the moorings.

Just as we arrived so did a couple of boats coming towards us. Mick tucked us into the marina entrance and held us there for the boats to pass. Two beeps on the horn of the first boat, oh blimey he was wanting to turn to port, into the marina! Ah no, he always sounds his horn as he passes the marina just incase. We were fine and not in the way at all. Once they’d both passed Mick completed our turn and then started to reverse us back to the moorings.

In the last two days the banks have been mown. A shopping trolley we’d spotted in the long grass the other day was still there, the grass mown underneath it. At the moorings we could see where boats had been moored when the grass cutting had occurred, at least no-one would have grass stuck to their gunnels.

Four hours Tilly. Hmmm! Friendly cover up to my shoulders, I can stalk through that.

This afternoons film was a period piece, The Thing from another world (1951), I wonder why they felt they had to add ‘from another world’? Possibly the alien, made up from plant matter, a bit like an intelligent carrot was felt to be too much like a human by the producers, so it needed some clarification. Other than the THING being compared to a carrot I particularly liked that everyone was told to ‘Close the door’ when they came into a building, gusts of snow following them inside. Surely in the Arctic there would be some vestibule or curtain to help keep drafts out! The 1950’s Parker was obviously a very well insulated garment. The ending of the film was quite electrifying!

0 locks, 3 miles, 2 winds, 2 failed winds, 1 canal 57 ft wide, 1 prescription collected, 0 cathedral this time, 1 stealth cat up the banks, 2 bipps means turn to port, 2 git gap cruisers, 1 boat pulled back, 1 sci-fi comedy, 1 roast chicken, 4th pair finished, 5th started, 1 helicopter crash at Great Heck! 0 hurt.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6XqBCwtkZQzwBwZD7

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna