Category Archives: Films

Frank Screws and Catch Up 20/9 to 1/10

Scarborough/Goole

Life in Scarborough has been busy. Reclaiming our big house is taking time, on the first day I managed to walk over a mile without leaving the front door, I suspect on Oleanna I’d have only managed a couple of hundred yards! Just moving from the cooker to the sink or fridge is several paces rather than just a turn. All the stairs are hard work for knees!

Our first week has been spent bringing down from the top floor only those things we need, which isn’t much. This is so that as I decorate the house there isn’t clutter that needs to be constantly moved from room to room. Hopefully as I work my way round we will have more than just a sofa to sit on.

Having so much space means we can inhabit one side whilst I work on the other side, the only down side is that the boiler on the side we’re inhabiting doesn’t work and needs replacing. We’re waiting for quotes, but it looks like it won’t be until November until the work could be done, good job we’ve a 15 tog duvet on the bed!

Much of our furniture that we’d left in the house has gone through the years. Somethings needed replacing quickly, ie the washing machine and tumble drier so that we don’t have to go to Oleanna to do our washing! We’d leant our TV to some friends whilst we were away, so that was collected early on saving us from having to buy another. We also stocked up on toilet roll, 48 recycled rolls.

Tilly is just starting to get used to there being SO much space, At least four Oleanna’s worth and then there is the upstairs upstairs inside that I’ve only had a sneaky peek at so far. There is still more for her to explore inside, at least it’s keeping her busy until we allow her to explore the new normal outside.

Over lockdown I loved getting a veg box in Nantwich, so I’d already sussed out where I’d be able to get one from in Scarborough. Tree Top Farm delivers organic veg to your door, so Wednesdays is veg box day. Red Kale and Marrow made a few very nice meals and the last of the swede and squash will go into a soup. So far we are managing to get Sainsburys deliveries and three times a week we wake to a fresh bottle of milk on the doorstep.

We are hoping to live without a car, hiring when one is needed, pretty much as we’ve done for six years. Time will tell if this works, the only downside being that we can’t be spontaneous and head to Oleanna without a bit of planning. I suspect the walk to B&Q will become a regular thing, although I have placed a large order with Dulux which gets delivered.

So far we’ve only seen one friend, Frank who came round for a cuppa and catch up almost as soon as we got back. Sitting out in the garden it felt like we’d never been away. Thank you Frank for the beans, tomatoes and apples. We’ve just about finished the beans, some apples went into a sticky toffee apple pudding, but there’s still plenty left for other things.

We’d like to see other friends, but so far we’ve been a touch busy and keeping ourselves to ourselves feels right as the local cases of Covid 19 increase. We were so busy that I got my days mixed up and we missed a trip to the Stephen Joseph Theatre to see The Lighthouse which had been booked for a few weeks!

Last Sunday the sun came back out after a few miserable days, so we made the most of it and walked over onto South Cliff, along the Esplanade, down to the sea where Holbeck Hall Hotel slipped into the North Sea back in 1993. Then we walked back to the valley along the sea front about an hour before high tide, the wind blowing, surfers surfing and the sea crashing against the sea wall by The Spa. We paused and waved to Duncan and Jaye as we passed their house, but nobody looked out the windows. We hope to get out at least once a week to be able to blow away the dust and cobwebs from the house.

This week decorating has started. On days when the weather is favourable I aim to get as much of the outside repainted as I can, someone else will need to be employed to do the stuff up high. Two chaps turned up the other day to do some pointing, they’d actually got the wrong house and street, but they cleared our gutters for us there and then. They think they might be able to paint the gable end without scaffolding, so that would save us some money.

On cold and wet days there is plenty to keep me busy inside. Kitchen first, followed by the living room. If only it was as simple as getting the brushes out, so far there are five rotten window sills that need replacing and numerous sticking doors which have handles that fall off in your hand. This is all going to take time.

The 1st of October was Tilly’s birthday. Her fifth birthday. She was hoping that this might mean she’d be able to go off and explore the trees in the park above our road but they will have to wait a few more days until her two weeks ‘House Arrest’ is finished.

So instead of spending the day with birthday girl we hired a car and headed to Goole. The sun was out, a good day to get some undercoat on the outside of the house, but an even better day to visit Oleanna to do some jobs.

Midland Chandlers had delivered a new 24volt automatic bilge pump along with fresh filters. Mick was wanting to change the oil so that Oleanna can sit over winter all fresh. Scarborough Halfords didn’t have enough, but Boyes in Goole did at a much better price. We also made use of the car by picking up several heavy things for mending a rather large hole that was put in the wrong chimney breast at the house, which currently is stopping us from lighting a fire!

Lisa my Instagram acquaintance had sent photos earlier this week showing that all was well at the marina. Oleanna’s ropes had slackened a touch and she has a couple of new neighbours, a small cruiser and Liberty a Dutch Barge we’d seen about the Aire and Calder recently.

It was good to be back on board. The hull rocking as we stepped on board. People ask us if we’ve got our land legs back, well that rocking feeling left us years ago, we kind of became ambidextrous with such things. Wonder if that will still be the case after being on land for a while?

Once we’d got everything powered up again Mick put on his overalls and lifted the engine board. I did a bit of chopping and frying, a chicken and swede soup to bubble away on the stove for our lunch, getting veg boxes means you have to keep on top of the supply so that nothing goes to waste.

Then I started on my job for the day. Curtain removal. The rods that hold our curtains up have plenty of screws that needed to come out. Some of the screws will need replacing as they have almost turned into Frank screws. So little head left that next time only Frank would be able to remove them for us. Last time we took them down we had a bit of difficulty putting them back up as the brackets although they look identical are not quite. This time as they came down, the brackets were taped onto the ends and each one was labelled.

The curtains need a good wash, but also some TLC. Tilly has a tendency to head behind the curtains head first and then do a tipple tail to turn round, her claws grabbing the lining as she goes. The lining has been suffering for some time. Do I replace the lining now or leave them a while longer, maybe just patching them up? I can’t decided. The bedroom curtains need a bit more than the lining replacing. I’ll use the old curtains as a pattern as I already have new fabric for them. Just a shame I forgot to take down the blinds on the bow doors that match. That will have to be a next time job.

It took a while for Mick to get the bilge pump operational, pipe attaching had been a touch problematic. Then there was the wiring in, the old 12 volt one had run off the starter battery, the new 24 volt one he wanted to run from the leisure batteries. The original pump hadn’t had a fuse, so a visit to the chandlers was needed. This all took longer than expected. It was decided to leave the oil change for another time.

With all the curtains down I gave each window surround a good sanding back. A metal scraper would have been better to remove the old finish, but as I didn’t have one I could only sand back as best I could. Once everywhere was cleaned down I then applied a coat of Danish Oil.

Tilly Too heading off for a wash with the curtains

Most frames came up well, but the occasional water stain despite looking identical to the others decided to darken with the oil. These patches will require a bit more attention. Oxalic acid can be used to bleach out the oxidisation of the wood, but also you can try Bar Keepers Friend, here’s a handy link. Sadly my stains didn’t show themselves before I started so they now have a coat of Danish Oil on top of them. So they will have to wait for another time. Another time when Tilly is not around.

With most of the wood looking better it was time to head back to Scarborough. Mick will return by train to do the oil change and to fit some temperature sensors in the engine bay (when they arrive). We picked up a few bits we’d noticed we could do with at the house, Micks waterproof coat and a couple of cereal bowls, as living with three was getting annoying.

Then back over the Wolds, such a pretty drive with no motorways. The farmers were busy in the fields, the earth being turned over ready for the next crop to go in. Pheasants and deer showing themselves in the grass verges.

Back in Scarborough Tilly was waiting for us and we spent the evening celebrating her birthday. She has a new mouse on a stick which kept her amused for ages and 40 meters of sisal string to restring her scratch post, what a lucky girl.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 7 windows sanded, 7 windows oiled, 5 pairs of curtains down for tlc, 24 volt bilge pump, 2 big bowls of soup, 0.5 mission complete, 1 sunny day not to be cruising, 40 meters 6mm 3 ply sisal string, 5 years old today (ish) or 36 in cat years, 1 boating blogger trying to wean herself off taking photos of Everything!

Where were we

2019 On the Kennet and Avon Canal, I was near Plymouth painting Panto LINK

2018 On the South Oxford Canal, Allen’s Lock to Dashwood Lock LINK

2017 On the Trent and Mersey Canal, Red Bull. LINK

2016 On the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, Victoria Quay to Mexborough LINK

2015 On the Erewash Canal, Sandiacre to Langley Mill. LINK

2014 Trent and Mersey to Staffs and Worcester Canals, Stone to Tixall Wide. LINK

Always Close Your Clough Before The Gate Is Fully Open. Or, What Else Could Go Wrong?!

Keld Well Bend to Gargrave

Wanting to get a touch closer to Skipton today we had breakfast whilst it rained and then hoped for it to be drier for our descent of Bank Newton Locks. With our cuppas in insulated mugs we were rolling back the covers at 10am, Geraghty Zoom time. Mick used his phone to attend the zoom and put it in the clamp on top of the hatch so everyone could see us as we went along.

They had to put up with us sorting ourselves out, but then after push off we could join in on the conversation. Cheese, a friend of Tilly’s (human Tilly) had fallen into the water and Amadeus were the topics of conversation that I got glimpses of.

We waved goodbye to our mooring, two more boats on different loops visible and then we wound round the hills towards Bank Newton.

First lock of the day in view and Anne and Alasdair

Just after we’d arrived at the locks and I was setting the top one the heavens opened, which meant Mick had to leave the zoom as his phone needed to go inside. Hello and bye to everyone from me.

Top Lock cottage and a clough ground paddle open, partially

Just as we’d come into the lock and were closing gates behind us a boat came into view, time to open the gates again and let them come down the locks with us. NB Amelie had been moored round the bend from us last night and they’d spotted us pushing off so had hoped to catch up.

The lady on board hadn’t worked a lock before but that was fine she soon got the hang of things. We wound the paddles up to empty the lock and down the boats went.

Just off the towpath I spotted what looked like a mountain of weed, almost 6ft high, blimey the Lockies must have been pulling this out for weeks!

Always close your clough before the gate is fully open

Now in the land of clough ground paddles I remembered that the best way to move them was by pretending to be the karate kid, well that’s if you could get them moving to start with. The wooden cloughs operate a paddle that sits over the opening below water and you lift the handle up in he air to open up the flow of water. Sometimes the water pressure is such that they won’t shift, but then as the lock fills, the pressure gets less and you can move them easier.

By lock 39 we came across the two Lock Keepers raking weed out from the bywashes, they only had short handled little rakes, I suggested that C&RT should buy them a proper Keb, ‘chance would be a fine thing’ was the response. The mountain of weed at the top of the locks is what they have collected since the beginning of June and every day they collect more and more.

Two hire boats were coming up the lock below so we were asked to wait to empty our chamber until they had lifted the gate paddles so our water wouldn’t flood over the top gates.

I chatted away to the Lockie, Nigel about favourite canals, moorings and where we’d all been for lockdown. However I ran out of time to chat to him about family, back in 2016 we somehow managed to sus that he might just be a distant cousin of mine as his surname is the same as my Mum’s maiden name and his Dad came from Thornton as did my Mum. I still need to check this out with my cousins who we may just get to see on our way into Leeds soon.

The two hire boats swapped locks with us, a lady stood chatting away with me before she realised she might be needed at the next lock, but her boat had just decided to wind before the lock so getting it back on course would take a bit of time.

Nigel informed us that the bottom lock would need all the paddles lifting to fill it as it leaks so much but by the time we got down to it the other Lockie had already filled it for us and opened the gates.

The bridge over the bottom of the last lock has seen better days a huge crack in it and the handrail wrapped in hazard tape. A new box structure has been added on top giving a more solid walkway.

This is when things started to go wrong!

Below there was a wide beam moored on the lock landing. I let the chaps know, they’d be very aware of it as soon as the bottom gates opened anyway. NB Amelie planned on stopping for a cuppa before continuing where as we wanted to carry on to Gargrave. So we were to pull out first, pass the widebeam so that Mick could pick me up at the water point, the other boat loitering until we left.

My gate didn’t open quite fully but I didn’t think anything of it until I came to close it again. Would it move! Would it b**er! With the help of the other lady we tried and tried to push, pull, tug, bump, push again but the gate was just not moving. We’d have to find one of the Lock Keepers.

I stood up and shouted to Mick that I was going to walk up the flight for a Lockie. Then I happened to glance down towards NB Amelie. Blimey, the chap was in the water! His boat was drifting backwards diagonally towards the lock, luckily out of gear as he tried to follow it, swimming with his barge pole in one hand.

Meanwhile the widebeam, realising they were in the way started to untie. The last thing we wanted right now was a turning prop with a man in the water. I shouted to Mick who was looking my way to stop them from pushing off.

‘MAN IN THE WATER!!!’

The chap from the widebeam managed to stop NB Amelie from moving and the chap in the water decided to head towards the off side bank, the water being deep. Fences and mesh were in the way and I knew I’d not be able to help him out even if I could get to him. I think having his pole with him gave him an extra means of pushing himself out, he then just had to climb through hedges fences and wire! But thank goodness he was out.

The lady from the widebeam explained that she has broken ribs and that is why they’d stopped on the lock landing to give her a rest, she’d suggested to her other half to stop a little bit further on. Maybe if they had nobody would have got wet!

The gate still needed closing, still no joy. Three people giving it a heave ho and eventually it moved.

The chap from Amelie was understandably wanting a shower and a cuppa before doing anything else, so we left him to it and pulled out before the widebeam had chance to over take us.

Lock 35 is a bit of a distance on, as we approached a couple of boats were just coming out towards us, marvellous one less set of gates to deal with. We swapped over, I closed one gate and Mick the other. I then wound the bottom paddles up.

Behind us I could hear a boat horn as the widebeam got to the next bridge, there wasn’t enough space for the narrowboat and it, so the narrowboat had to pull over. Mick asked if the gate paddles were closed properly. Mine was, but I couldn’t see the one on Mick’s gate. I walked round to find it a third up, with that wound down we could finish emptying the lock and be on our way.

The gates were open at Lock 34 ready for us, maybe they’d drifted open after the uphill boats had left. Down we went, only for me to not be able to close the bottom gate again. Mick sailed away, looking over his shoulder, but carried on.

I pushed, pulled, bounced the gate. Back and forth the little amount it would move, still no luck. Two ladies walked up and I asked if they were willing to help. With two and a half people pulling it still didn’t move. One lady looked down behind the gate, ‘Look there’s something down there’. Well all I could see was what was meant to be there. We’d have to call C&RT. Luckily by now Mick had realised I needed help so he reversed up and came to help. With the two of us pulling and pushing and bumping the gate in unison it finally moved!

One last lock for today. The gates were open on this one too, but this time it was the bottom gates. Maybe they’d blown open too, or maybe a widebeam had forgotten it was north of Watford and had just left them.

A family stood by the lock. Mum and daughter a bit interested, but Dad had that five year old glint in his eye. Would you like to help? He stopped just short of saying ‘Hell Yes!’ He helped with the gate and then wound up a box paddle to help fill the lock. He and his family were going abroad for their holidays in a couple of weeks, but are now hiring a boat from Silsden instead. He was so excited and very helpful.

A boat was approaching from below, but then they seemed to turn in to face the offside. Where they were wasn’t a winding hole and was far too short for them to turn, so they had got themselves stuck. Me and Mr Over Excited closed the gates, I thanked him and walked down to see if I could help at all.

They’d missed the winding hole and did not want to go up the next nine locks to turn. Only one thing for it, reverse. They managed to get over to the side and let us past, we then promised not to watch as they came backwards. We found a mooring and slotted in. The chap once lined up was managing to reverse really quite well, we congratulated him, as it was his first time.

Before we sat down for lunch Mick headed off on the bike for a newspaper, luckily there were loads of our chosen Saturday read at the Co-op and everyone, including Mick wore a mask.

After a few hours we’ve had to push the stern out and put a tyre fender to work as the pound keeps dropping and we keep listing. Mick’s been to check the paddles at the next lock and all is as it should be. Just too many boats coming into this pound to moor for the day and not bringing a lock of water down to replenish the level. At least we can’t roll off our bed if we list any more.

9 locks, 2.41 miles, 1 damp zoom, 1 cousin, 1 mountain of weed, 1 widebeam, 1 man overboard, 2 sets of gates, 1 dropping pound, 1 cat who’d like to go back to where we were last night please, 3 billboards.

https://goo.gl/maps/6uZVkQnapAdcLJEz6

The Power Of Mascara. 7th June

Lockdown Mooring 6 to Lockdown Pickup Mooring

It appears that something has happened to boat engines during lockdown, tick over is hard to achieve anymore! Boats come rushing past, some keeping to a constant speed, others then increasing their revs after they have passed. This of course is what should happen, but not cranking it up to warp speed! Maybe this is the new normal on the cut.

Tilly was allowed plenty of shore leave this morning, she chose to return a touch earlier than suggested, for a good bath and midday snooze, which meant her leave was curtailed a touch. She and I watched the remaining hour and a half of Metropolis.

It’s amazing what eye liner and mascara do to ones physical and mental self. Blimey the Machine Maria with all her hip gyrating totally hypnotised the wealthy surface dwelling men. She also convinced the subterranean workers to stop their work on the machine that held the world together, flooding their world necessitating the none black eyed Maria to rescue their children from the rising waters. All very dramatic.

After lunch we decided to push off and return to Henhull Bridge. We pootled up to the winding hole below Hack Green Locks, said our Goodbyes to this end of the pound, winded and headed back towards Nantwich.

Here we waved to NB Islonian, wonder where our bows will cross next? Across the aqueduct the Hippie Boat was in full trading mode today. As we reached the water point another boat was just finishing off so we loitered mid cut for them to push off engaging warp drive again.

No chance of beating a warp speed boat to the bridge

Water tank filled, the plants watered, rubbish including a very soggy jumper that had been floating past ‘Home’ the other day headed for the skips and Tilly’s pooh box had a good wash and refresh.

We pushed off, saying farewell to Nantwich embankment and services for the last time. Here’s hoping that the next time we visit circumstances will be better, after all this is where we were for the Beast from the East, maybe Nantwich should be avoided from now on!

Back at Henhull Bridge we pulled in, tyres and mooring spikes at the ready. The last few days of rain hadn’t swollen the ground, hidding the holes for our spikes, they slid back in with ease, just a little tap required.

We’ll be here until our veg and fruit arrives in the morning. Then we’ll bid farewell to this stretch of the Shropie and continue our way northwards.

0 locks, 4.12 miles, 1 wind, 3 hours shore leave, 5mph, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 clean and fresh pooh box, 1 very sodden jumper, 1 final farewell to Nantwich, 2 holes ready and waiting, 2 Marias, 1984 final scene only.

Metropolis. 1st June

Lockdown Mooring 3, to the shade and back again

Tilly was given an hour this morning before we wanted to move. A few calls after we’d finished breakfast to encourage her home along with starting to wash the fertan off the gunnel worked a treat. I’d only just started and she pounced out of the friendly cover back onto the towpath where she was promptly picked up and passed inside.

We made our way to the shady spot again where the washing continued. The gunnels were already quite hot from the morning sun so dried off very quickly as I put my dungarees on to do the priming. I started at the bow working towards the stern which had absorbed more heat before we’d moved, it had cooled down by the time I reached it. Job done for the day.

Mick had walked up to the mill Shop for some bread, only plastic white frozen variety available, whilst I worked. The water point was busy, two boats filling and more waiting their turn. Today C&RT were aiming to have the network open again, so Continuous Cruisers can start to move around again. This has meant a lot more boats on the move and few of them coming past twice.

NB Islonian once topped up with water came past winded and found themselves a space on the 48 hr mooring, another boat had pulled in behind where we’d been moored, but there was still space for us. After lunch we reversed back to where we’d started the day, tyre fenders out to keep the newly applied primer away from the edge.

The bathroom floor is a nice cool place on a hot day

By mid afternoon more boats had arrived the visitor moorings now full and the straight stretch behind us only showing a few gaps. The boating world is on the move again.

I had intended to do some jobs inside this afternoon, but instead I decided to do a bit of research for a possible project with Dark Horse early next year. #unit21 is set in a world where as you reach the age of 21 you are assessed on your adulting skills. A world of uniformity.

Amy, writer and director had said she’d been influenced by German expressionism and films such as The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, Metropolis and George Orwells 1984. I’ve seen the first two a very long time ago when at college and surprisingly never 1984.

A free version of Metropolis was on YouTube, so some of the afternoon was spent watching this iconic 1927 silent film. Not a short film by any means, this version had every scene reinstated. Directed by Fritz Lang it portrays a beautiful cultured utopian world above a bleak underworld where the populace are mistreated. A privileged youth, Freder discovers the underworld and falls in love, instantly clutching at his heart, with Maria a rebellious teacher. His father is none too impressed and orders that a machine man (robot) is made in the image of Maria.

The world is so deco, planes turn corners without having to bank and the work force battle hourly to stop the machines below ground from exploding all arriving at work in a trans like state, leaving exhausted after a ten hour shift. Makeup and the acting are as dramatic as you will ever see. The remainder of the film awaits for in between coats of paint or the possible rain forecast from Wednesday.

0 locks, 500 yards, 1 side washed, 1 side primed, 2 many boats, 1 full stretch of moorings, 1 water world on the move again, 445 deaths missed, 10 hours, 1 popped cat.

One Shot Wonder. 5th February

BUMingham

Time to dig out the model making and paint box from under the dinette. With cushions off the corner of the dinette, top of the seat lifted and the freezer pulled out I could access the boxes below. As soon as there was any gap Tilly made sure she filled it and had a good explore.

I just need to check down here some more

Asking her to vacate such interesting places doesn’t work, but closing the door or putting the lid on for a few seconds usually works. The wood covering the storage has two large holes cut in it to aid air circulation, they are also used as hand holds. They are just about the right size for our mini cat to come through too!

With my boxes out I was able to start on the next part of my design for The Garden. The auditorium layout. The Lawrence Batley Cellar Theatre has no fixed seating, they have different ways of laying the room out for performances, none of which quite meet our criteria. 60 seats with good sight lines to the floor, a playing area of 4.5 to 5m, wheelchair access for both performer and audience.

I then could start to draw up the basic set using pre-made fencing panels and a gate. I’m hoping this will keep the build costs to a minimum. Everything was looking like it fitted perfectly, but then I checked fencing posts dimensions, each an inch smaller. I decided to see what happens when it’s built.

By now it was time to high tail it to the cinema. The prices around here vary quite a bit. The Odeon Luxe £12.50 another £15 each, we opted for the dated Odeon at New Street £5 each if you don’t book in advance. With a late afternoon showing we hoped we wouldn’t be fighting for a seat.

How few people work in cinemas these days? You buy or collect your ticket from a screen and printer. Two people were on the concessions stand, 1 checking tickets, a cleaner and someone to keep an eye on the projectors. 5! It also seems almost impossible to see what films are on. If you know what film you want to see it’s easy, but if you just fancy going to the pictures, does anything take our fancy? Well that’s a hard one.

Today however we knew what we wanted to see, 1917.

Set, obviously in 1917 during WW1, two young British soldiers are tasked with delivering a message calling off an attack doomed to fail soon after the Germans had retreated to the Hindenburg Line. The retreating forces had cut the phone lines so the only way to get the message was by foot.

Co-written and directed by Sam Mendes, the film is based on an account his grandfather told him. Filming took place last year over three months, the film to be shot in what appears to be one continuous long shot. I was aware of the long shots before seeing the film and was amazed when the first shot just kept coming and coming and coming, in and out of dug outs along trenches, up over the top. To start with I was watching out for where a shot might end and the next one start, but the story of these two young soldiers took over.

The camera work is amazing, how did they get the camera up over obstacles, across mud that the actors were slipping and sliding in along trenches amongst hundreds of soldiers and it all to be seemless. If you are interested here’s a link to how it was done.

Two credits at the end surprised us, a Midwife and Weather Consultant. There is a baby hence the midwife. The weather also played an important part. With filming as if one continuous shot there had to be constant weather for continuity. With the camera able to swing to an angle no lights could be used, so natural light became even more important.

The cast is made up of well known British actors, the bigger names having higher ranks in the army, but far smaller roles in the film than Dean Charles Chapman and George MacKay who play the two messengers. What a performance by MacKay. No wonder it’s getting lots of awards, highly recommended.

On our way back to the boat we popped into Tesco for some broccoli to accompany our meal, but then realised it was already quite late and mackerel bake takes getting on for an hour in the oven. So instead we took our head of broccoli for a Nandos, we know how to show greens a good time!

0 locks, 0 miles, 60 seats, 1 small off cut, 1 smiling man, 2 x 3ft, 1 x 6ft, 1 x 3ft x 6ft gate, £5 each, 4 annoying teens, 1917, 1 landline cut, 1 extraordinary length to deliver a letter, 61 plasterers, 60 carpenters, ????? computer animators (we lost count), 1 midwife, 1 Dr weather, 1 familiar face in the background, 1 broccoli head wined and dinned, 0 cats harmed in the taking of photos.

It’s Beginning …… 19th December

Gibraltar Bridge to Bascote Aqueduct

With rain forecast for the afternoon we wanted to be on our way whilst it was still dry. Ten locks lay ahead of us, would we beat the weather?

We pootled past moored boats, many with decorations up. One boat in the summer has a mass of bears sat in it’s hatch, but understandably now it’s winter the hatch was firmly closed. However sat in the wheelhouse was the largest bear, which might actually have been an orangutan, wearing a Santa outfit including a beard. A shame the glass wasn’t clear for the photo.

We’d considered stopping at Kate Boats for a new bottle of gas, but there was no sign of life and the thought of carrying a full gas bottle over another boats bow was not appealing, it’ll have to wait.

The boat that used to be moored by Calias Lane is no more. Here the towpath used to be full of interesting stuff, the boat almost melding into it all. Late last year there was a fire on board and the owner, Malcolm, was quite badly injured, the boat almost certainly a right off. Now there is no sign of where the boat used to be and winter mooring signs sit along the stretch, all lonely as nobody has taken C&RT up on this location.

Father Christmas peered out through portholes and at The Boat Inn two reindeer levitated by the outside tables.

Looking over our shoulders we’d both thought we were being followed, someone to share the locks with, we’d wait at the top lock to see if they arrived. The top lock was in our favour and I soon spotted a boat coming up the lock below, so we entered the lock and dropped down.

The lady working the boat up came for a chat. They’d been planning to moor in Leamington Spa for Christmas but had changed their minds as there was no diesel to be had, so they were hoping they’d make it to Banbury in time. There was time to suggest good places to moor in Banbury as they’d not been before and we were warned that a pound lower down the locks had almost been empty when they got to it.

As their boat passed I recognised it. We had crossed the Ribble link with the boat a couple of years ago, friends of NB Quaintrelle. However I hadn’t remembered the lady having a Scottish accent and the couple on board had been younger. It appears the boat changed owners a year or so ago.

Much of the flight was in our favour and the levels were only a touch low, but as we were bringing a lock full of water down with us this didn’t concern us. One lock had a bottom paddle left open a touch so the chamber had drained. The boat that had been following never showed itself so we descended solo.

With last nights rain, and most probably the last two months worth, the towpath was filled with puddles and was a quagmire in places. The grassy banks more like brown ski slopes, my waterproof trousers now need a good wash. The temperature today had risen so as we worked our way down layers were removed.

Was this the bridge where a widebeam got stuck in June this year? They got jammed in a bridge as they headed up the locks. The Grand Union was originally built for narrowboats but in the 1930’s the locks were widened so they could take two narrowboats. Most widebeams fit, but the one earlier in the year didn’t, coping stones had to be removed.

We spotted familiar boats, overtaking Kate Saffin who was moored up on the off side, NB Jameson moored before the last lock of the day where new houses are going up. The builders returning from a break came and watched as the water emptied out from the lock.

I walked on to where we’ve moored before away from the road and where there are rings. On our own we tied up and let Tilly out. I wonder if she recognises places, she’s certainly been here a few times before.

At around 2pm the heavens opened, thank goodness we weren’t battling our way down the locks in it. Tilly wasn’t too pleased with it either!

During the afternoon and evening I got very close to finishing my last sock before Christmas whilst we watched The Importance of Being Earnest. Hopefully I’ll be able to get it in the last 1st class post tomorrow.

10 locks, 2.47 miles, 1 awol email, 3 familiar boats, 1 muddy cat, 14 rows left, 0 cratch lights yet, 1 Queens speech with possible ramifications for us, 1 afternoon of rain.

https://goo.gl/maps/QT1Z2Pi66ihcceE19

Filling The Roof. 18th December

Napton to nearly Gibraltar Bridge 20, Grand Union

Even though my sour dough starter seems to have faultered again I had a big jar of discard ready to be used, so this morning I had a go at some sour dough pancakes. These can either be started the night before or a little while before you want to cook them. Leaving them over night develops the flavour, but as my discard is a touch dubious I just mixed the mixture this morning.

With a plate on top of the stove I cooked a half portion of the the recipe and kept them warm under a t towel until I’d finished the batter up. Verdict, very nice. Just wonder what they’d be like with proper discarded starter.

Tilly had been allowed out this morning, she was being kept busy. I was just about to go out and do my mad cat woman shouting when she appeared, Mick opened the hatch and we were three again. Time to move on.

Down the last narrow lock we pulled in and disposed of all the rubbish we’d been accumulating. With no recycling bins until the new year everything ended up in the big skip at the service block. People say where there are no recycling bins the rubbish still gets sorted rather than going to landfill, I hope so.

We then pushed across to the water point and topped the tank up, the washing machine had been run this morning, so it took a little bit of time to fill. With the boat moored on the port side we emptied the yellow water into our container for disposal, the towpath won’t be on the right side for a while so best to make use of it now.

Last year we did these chores on Christmas Eve along with quite a few other boats, but today we had everything to ourselves. The sun was out and we pushed on to Napton Junction. The original plan had us continuing straight on here, but today we turned right for the first time, into Wigrams Turn Marina.

There were plenty of people about, maybe live aboards or just folks preparing for a Christmas cruise. The service mooring was empty so we filled it. We’d guessed that it being run by the same company as at Cropredy the diesel price would be the same, but sadly no, 97p a litre, 11p more! Good job we only wanted a top up and four more bags of coal went on the roof. We are now stocked up for Christmas and hopefully into the New Year, the roof is a touch full and hard to see over!

We winded and then back at the junction we went straight on, onto the Grand Union. First thought was to stop above Calcutt Locks, but then we decided to go down them, the top one almost full.

Back onto wide locks with their candlestick/bomb shaped paddle gears. Winding winding winding. Then that hard to describe fluttering noise, as the water lowers around the large openings of the paddle gear on the chamber sides, almost like Hannibal Lecter’s noise when he meets Clarice,

Down the three locks, then we sought out a length of Armco where Tilly could go out. On the off side a group of old boats are clustered, many with memorable names, Adamant the last one not in steam today. We pulled in and gave Tilly half an hour, she returned in good time, then was a touch miffed at the doors staying closed.

As the evening progressed the wind built up along with torrential rain, this of course coincided with the gas bottle running out. We knew it would as it always does just after you’ve been somewhere you could get a new one. We’re hoping for a lull in the rain tomorrow to get down the Stockton flight without getting too wet.

Payment to my brother for our postal service for the year. Lots of smoked fish from the Port of Lancaster Smokehouse.

4 locks, 1 narrow, 3 wide, 3.98 miles, 1 right, 1 wind, 1 straight on, 4 bags coal, 26.78 litres, 20 minutes, 1 sock finished, 1 toe.

https://goo.gl/maps/T9mxMfTYn6yREK8y6

Steak Secrets. 19th November

Jericho

Yesterday we watched the second ever Morse episode, well we are in Oxford! ‘The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn’. Parts of the story were filmed in Jericho on Walton Street, we’re getting good at spotting them. Barbara Flynn did however get out of her car close to the Oxford University Press and walk towards the city centre , the next shot had her walking in the opposite direction towards Studio 2 (The Picture House). This isn’t that uncommon and keeps boaters who are not going very far at the moment occupied.

Today we decided to see what the interior of the Picture House was like and opted to see ‘Official Secrets’. This had a Silver Screen showing for which Mick got £4 off his ticket, I suspect I’d have got in cheaply if we hadn’t been honest when buying our tickets. With large comfy seats we settled down with about ten other people to watch the film. No adverts, other than for the cinema, which was a surprise, but a couple of trailers for films to come which we may keep our eyes open for.

Official Secrets tells the true story of whistleblower Katherine Gun who leaked a memo asking GCHQ to find out personal information on diplomats from smaller countries at the United Nations, so that they could be blackmailed into voting for the second UN resolution on the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Her actions changed the allegiance of The Observer newspaper who brought the story to the public’s attention despite the Americans claiming it to be a hoax memo. The film follows the story up to Katherine Gun’s court case for breaching the Official Secrets Act. We both thoroughly enjoyed the film with it’s great English cast including Janie Dee who I know from my Scarborough days.

On our way back to Oleanna we walked down to look at Combe Road where the first ever murder happened in Morse. The house most definitely is a tardis. No way would three people and a grand piano be able to fit into that little house.

With the stove on Oleanna re-light for the second time today, we suspect the chimney needs sweeping, we headed back out for some food at The Old Bookbinders. The pub had been recommended to us by several people and the menu was attractively French.

Warm and cosy we were greeted by a very French man who directed us to a back room sitting us by a radiator to warm up. The place was starting to fill up when we arrived and we were glad we hadn’t waited until later to eat. There was a Menu Du Jour which we had just arrived in time for (good value), but we both decided to chose things from the A La Carte Menu.

Mick chose Le Benicassim, a burger with everything including a fried egg that revealed it’s yolk through a hole in the top of the bun, it was very tasty. I opted for L’Entrecote Frites, steak and chips with a very nice salad and loads of garlic butter, the aroma will wear off in a couple of days I’m sure. My steak was cooked perfectly rare and had been left to rest before being served.

We followed on with a crepe for Mick, sadly these were not gluten free, so I had a creme brulee. Both were very tasty. With a large glass of wine and a pint of Tim Taylor Landlord our bill was just shy of £60. We don’t eat out much and have become used to pub food being only okay, so today was a treat. If you fancy a slice of France in the middle of Oxford we’d highly recommend the Old Bookbinders, which is nothing like it was back in 1987 when Morse visited.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 silver screening, 1 memo, 1 secret leaked, 1 courtcase, 2 times to light, 1 burger, 1 steak, 1 crepe, 1 brulee, 2 fat content boaters, 1 bored cat who just didn’t bother today.

Out The Other Side, Nearly. 31st December, 1st January 2019

Home Farm Footbridge to Crick Marina Entrance moorings.

New Years Eve morning we got ourselves ready for the off, several boats had already passed us. Full tunnel mode was engaged, Tilly warned, life jackets and waterproof coats donned. Our Christmas lights do a good job of lighting up the tunnel as we pass through, it’s almost not worth turning the interior cabin lights on, except I hope that the light inside helps to keep Tilly calm. Sadly it doesn’t seem to work as she shouted out through the windows and at the back door for much of the passage. She used to be fine in tunnels, so we are puzzled as to what has changed.

Once through we noted that the mooring outside The Moorings was free, if it stays that way we may arrange for a delivery this week. No familiar boats moored outside ABNB, but they soon showed themselves in the next section of Crick Marina, NB Blackbird tucked away in a corner and NB Rock n Roll just across the way.

There were plenty of boats moored up, we went as far as we could, hoping for some phone and internet signal and found a suitable gap for us. Once tied up, Mick headed to the Post Office for some bread and Tilly and I had a good look round. I know we’ve been here lots before, so why did we need a look round? Well we had to find Roger. Roger lives on a boat and the other night he didn’t come home, so she had promised that we’d have a look once we were through the tunnel. I’d been shouting in the tunnel to see if he was in there, but there was no response. She walked along the towpath a bit too quickly to be looking properly, I was taking my time, checking every tree. She had to be slowed down, she’d miss vital clues if she walked that fast!

I decided that Tilly shouting at me to slow down wouldn’t be so good for Rogers’ Mum and Dad to hear, they might think it was him. So we headed back to Oleanna, we’ll keep our eyes peeled for him whilst we’re in the area.

The plan was to have a quiet afternoon in before we headed out to bring in the new year with our friends Lizzie, Andy and Irene from NB Kamili for a meal at The Red Lion . Just as we settled down for the afternoon I noticed a fuzzy patch in my vision, a sure sign that I was about to get a migraine. The pink pills came out of the cupboard with the hope that they would work a miracle before a migraine took hold. Sadly this has never worked and wasn’t going to today. An afternoon asleep was the next thing to try, but the migraine had taken hold and we ended up having to cancel our evening out.

So no three course meal at The Red Lion and drinks with friends, just a bit of left over roast chicken with pasta and a glass of water whilst doing my best not to move. There were a few hoots of boat horns and one or two rockets let off around the marina, mostly it was a quiet evening.

We stayed up to watch the fireworks from London. I suspect they are absolutely spectacular if you are stood by the Thames, but each year looks much the same to us now on our TV screen. What will they be like next year post Brexit? Will London be able to afford such a display? Will they be digging out a selection box from the 70’s. Two traffic lights and a Roman candle on a barge in the middle of the Thames and a Catherine Wheel nailed onto the centre of the London Eye which will rotate five people holding a sparkler each!

New Years Day was a quiet one. Tilly came and went numerous times. Mick got us some food from the Co-Op that was in the Sad Gits section. My head still hurting meant sitting on the sofa for much of the day. Dr Who, Luther and Paddington 2 were watched. The makers of the Paddington films have done a really nice job of them. Being a fan of the marmalade sandwich eating, duffle coated bear from an early age I was very wary about them, but both films have been great. Worth a watch no matter of your age.

0 locks, 1.72 miles, 1 tunnel passing 1 boat, 0 mysterons, 0 Roger, 2 pink pills, 4 yellow, 1 very very still head, 1 passing boater mentioning my name, 0 get together, 2 empty places at the table, 2nd Paddington, 1 boat nearly out of the fuzz of Crick.

Pancakes And Valentines 14th February

Chester

A couple of deliveries had arrived overnight on Oleanna. A card and a box of chocolates had been left in the pram cover and in the cratch there were two cards, a box of chocolates and three cream eggs! Mick got the cards and goodies from the cratch and I got the ones from the pram (who was his other card from?!). My box of chocolates was bigger than the one Mick received, however the card I got had no xxx’s in it! Mick says that he doesn’t know anything about it as the card isn’t from him! But if that’s the case he didn’t send me a Valentines Day card! Not sure which is worse.

As we’d had visitors yesterday we made a management decision to postpone Pancake Day and have a Pancake Wednesday. We are aware that today we are meant to give things up for lent, but as we never do, eating pancakes wouldn’t matter. So this morning we started the day with some Blueberry American style pancakes. Recently I’ve been using gluten free flour more and more, so far simply swapping it for normal flour in recipes has worked, however today I ended up with an extremely runny batter and ended up having to add more flour. Later looking at recipes I’ve noticed that they tend to have a lot more flour in them than with a normal pancake batter. They were tasty, but not as good as they could have been.

The weather today has been extremely windy, so no going anywhere by boat. As the forecast for the day was really rather miserable we decided to catch a bus out to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet for a day out, we know how to live!

Half an hour on the bus and we arrived at the side of the Outlet. Here there are numerous eateries that look like they have just been dumped in the car park of Vue Cinema. We resisted their offerings and headed straight indoors to the cinema. Showing on screen 5 was The Post, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep directed by Stephen Spielberg. Set in the early 70’s it recounts the true story of The Washington Post journalists and their attempts to publish the Pentagon Papers, classified documents regarding the 30-year involvement of the US government in the Vietnam War. The story predates the Watergate Scandal. A very wordy film, but well worth the listening, we’d both now like to watch ‘All the President’s Men’ again.

A bite to eat was next on the cards, we started to look round the Outlet and eventually managed to get served in Costa, everywhere seemed to be vastly understaffed today.

There were a few things that were on my list to find. Firstly a new pair of jeans. M&S came up trumps and provided me with a pair that will fit me and not have space for half my legs again. Then a good look around Joules for some wellies that would fit my chubby calve muscles. There were none that I fancied, although the glow in the dark kids ones were pretty good, I at least know what size now to order.

Next was the main reason for our trip, Whittards. Every morning I have a cup of their Afternoon Tea, it used to be called Pelham Tea. Whittards are not as common as I used to think when I had a car, so when ever we are near to a branch I have to stock up, especially when it’s at a Designer Outlet, it’s cheaper. I’m also on the hunt for some loose leaf decaf tea, this is much harder to find than you would think, most manufacturers only produce decaf in tea bags. We are in the process of switching over from using tea bags due to their plastic content. After my first cuppa of the day I then only drink decaf. Whittards do normally stock one, but currently they are out of stock until the spring. My hunt will continue.

Our walk back towards the bus meant that we passed the Cadburys shop. The purple branding always pulls us in, but we were very good leaving through the door with only a bag of Mis-shapes.

This evening we have had savoury pancakes for tea, stuffed with chicken in a tomato sauce topped with a cheesy one baked in the oven. On cue our gas bottle ran out shortly after they went in the oven. We’ve been waiting for this to happen as we’ve just seen a coal boat! Sadly there was only enough batter left for one sweet pancake each. Gluten free pancakes are not quite the same, good job we’ve both got plenty of chocolate to keep us going.

0 locks, 0 miles, 7 blueberry pancakes each, 2 buses, 3 cards, 14 x’s for Mick, 0 x’s for me! 3 cream eggs, 2 boxes of chocs, 14 watching the film, 1 option for lunch, 16! 4 packets of tea, 750grams misshapes, 2 boxes of wine, 2 savoury pancakes each, 1 sweet pancake each, 1 more day of this boring Chester place!

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna