Category Archives: Food

Is It A Car? Is It A Boat? 21st September

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Trent Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Cut

‘Girl’ the comic, Marie Antoinette, Processed water, Singing washing machines and the Life of Brians were all discussed this morning on the Geraghty zoom.

Puddle hopscotch

Plenty of puddles to play hopscotch with this morning along the towpath back to the start of the Erewash Canal. Over the very steep footbridge to Mills Dockyard. The place had a jolly hub hub of activity and some very beautiful things to look at.

Mills Dockyard

Mills is quite an historic boat yard. Founded by Amos Mills in 1895 concentrating on wooden barge building, houseboats and rowing skiffs, the company has been passed down through four generations and is now run by Amos’s Great Grandson Steve Mills. Steve restores wooden boats as well as offering services for more modern boats.

Outside lay two rather wonderful skiffs. The woodwork varnished to such a glorious finish. Restoration works had been carried out on these boats and my they were gorgeous. Rattan backed seating. Leather upholstery, pristine coils of rope and polished engines.

More boats sat indoors, a wonderful beaver stern playing out from a beautiful pram hood.

Car or a boat?

Then under cover were two cars. Or where they? One with the body of a boat and wooden mud guards. I believe this will be exhibited at the NEC later this year. Then behind was Burglar Bill, Matt Black, evil gangster style speed waiting to be unleashed on the neighbourhood.

Burglar Bill

History filled walls, the chandlers showed off traditional painting. A one man band sang, played his banjo and hit his suitcase held in place by a toad. Clog dancers clogged and people enjoyed cake and cuppa all under the Sunday sunshine.

Shardlow levels

Time to wind and get moving before the river levels start to rise after the recent rain fall. We chose our time to push off between the sailing dinghies racing at the club opposite.

There were plenty of people enjoying the beer festival by Cranfleet Lock. The level not wanting to equalise again to open the top gates, so I enlisted a chap to help push, he thought the beer was exceptionally good, it certainly wasn’t helping with his diction!

Below Cranfleet Lock

A cruiser zoomed to join us in the lock. However their width was just a touch too much for us to share. Two people appeared at the bottom gates, one starting to lift a paddle before the top gate was even closed, they soon stopped. Mick closed the off side top gate and I could see what was about to happen. The crew at the far end started to whip up the paddles, without checking first. Mick still on the bank, we both shouted to stop.

Thankfully they stopped. Once Mick was actually on Oleanna we gave them the go ahead. I walked down to chat. ‘Sorry I shouted’ I lied. He said, ‘I’ve had a boat for 7 years, so I know what I’m doing!’ I refrained from, in my mind, stating the obvious that he really didn’t! If he’d have waited for the go ahead from the skipper and for the skipper to be on the boat, we’d not have had to shout and he’d have known what he was doing. Helpful people are not always helpful and they could well have been drinking since the bar opened this morning!

Have they gone aground? Was it intentional?

Once down, we were on our way, zooming with the increased flow on the River. No sign of the boat we’d helped to rescue a few weeks ago. But where he’d been stuck there was now a cruiser seemingly stuck. No-one on board that we could see, so no-one to help should they need it.

The lock landing nearly full of moorers!

At Beeston Lock we worked our way down the lock with help from a white haired chap who was made up when I said he could open and close gates. A top up of water then we needed to find somewhere to moor.

Coming into Beeston Lock

No space alongside the road anywhere. I counted 18 motor homes parked up. Through the next bridge. Gosh when we’d come the other way there had only been a couple of other boats along this stretch, today it looked chocka. One possible space which we manged to shoehorn ourselves into, the nearest neighbour impressed that we’d guessed right.

I had a walk to check how far the station was, I’m on an early train in the morning. Then I carried on crossing the railway again and returning to Beeston cut via the Attenborough nature reserve.

Gadwalls

Mick had been under instruction to pop a joint of pork in the oven before I returned. I’d left it uncovered in the fridge for most of yesterday to help dry the rind out, the plan worked and we had very good crackling. The joint big enough for four meals for the two of us and some sandwiches.

2 locks, 5.5 miles, 4 beautiful boats, 2 extraordinary cars, 7 years! 1 unimpressed cat, 14 minutes to the station, 68 brisk minutes walking, 1 beer, 1 joint of pork, 1 camera charged, 1 bag packed.

https://what3words.com/slick.miss.dizzy

100.8% 20th September

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Trent Junction

Our morning view

Recently we’ve had a couple of people who subscribe to the blog via email, say that they’ve not been getting our posts. In one case they have stopped altogether, in another they receive all of them once a week! The Oleanna IT department doesn’t understand. We unsubscribe them, then resubscribe them again, which seems to work. Whilst doing this we can see how many posts have reportedly been sent to each subscriber and the percentage of posts that are opened by the recipient. In one case they have received over 300 posts, their read rate is 100.8%! Incredible for what should be a totally new subscriber. Another person who we know reads the blog regularly has a read rate of 96.7%, not bad Ade! We don’t necessarily believe these stats, and don’t worry, we’re not keeping an eye on you. But you know me and numbers!

Tilly was granted shore leave whilst we had breakfast, then was called in so that we could go out. Luckily she was only in the sideways trees by the boat, so this only took a matter of seconds for her to return for a morning cat nap. Mick headed off to buy a newspaper and I strode off along Cranfleet cut for my walk.

Someone was keeping an eye on me

Two volunteers were waiting for boats, chatting about weather warnings. Bunting hung from everything around the lock, there is a beer and cider festival at the boat club this weekend. A burger van was serving up bacon and sausage butties and a nearby field was filled with motorhomes all come to drink and enjoy the music.

That’s why we had some boats moving long after dark last night

I followed the river path round a big meander in the river. The occasional glimpse of the river below, but never a good view. I tried to see if I could spot the boat we’d rescued a month or so ago, see if they’d got themselves out from behind the sign on the offside, but the view was obscured, we’ll see when we come past tomorrow.

The airfield

Model aeroplanes were doing tricks over the river, a silver arrow shaped plane diving towards the ground then spinning back up to the sky. A wind sock wafted in the breeze and a crowd watched as planes came in to land. It was all happening on the opposite bank, so sadly I couldn’t get close.

I then walked over a bridge crossing one of the many lakes alongside the river. Crossed the railway, one of many lines in this area, HS2 would have added another line, but this stretch has been cancelled. Into an industrial area of Long Eaton, then a housing estate, under, across more railway, more uninteresting housing. I’d hoped there might have been an interesting factory, or stretch of houses for which I could look the history up, but no.

There it is!

Drizzle started to fall as I zigzagged my way past 80’s houses. I had been going to join the canal at Fields Farm Road Bridge, but opted to cut a corner, under a railway bridge where I sheltered for a few minutes hoping the now heavier rain might ease.

Then to the canal. Here I spotted that tomorrow there will be a Heritage Open Day at Mills Dockyard. We’ll maybe come and have a look as we’ve not been into tracking down places to visit recently.

Not the healthiest of snacks

I paused to see what was on the menu at the Lock Cafe, some tasty morsels no doubt, but I didn’t fancy the dripping toast. Back to Oleanna for lunch. Today the temperature had dropped considerably, the stove was lit.

Trent Lock

Lists of panto questions were typed out and distributed in three directions, I don’t expect to get any answers over the weekend but I’ll be otherwise occupied at the beginning of next week so I wanted to get it out of the way. Then the big pan came out to make up the sweet potato dhal I’d been going to make last night, plenty left over for another meal next week.

0 locks, 0 miles, 100.8%, 1 weeks worth of blog in one? 87 brisk minutes, 4.69 miles walked, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 slightly damp day, 3 questioning emails, 250grams lentils, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 chilli, 1 lost weather station outside sensor.

Strauss Is Taking Credit For All My S**t. 19th September

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Derwent Mouth Lock to Cranfleet Cut

Conkertastic

Late last night a new annotated props list landed in my inbox. This morning it was time to arrange a meeting with Min the Props Maker and find out what the props budget is. This done, breakfast consumed and Tilly back on board we pushed off to drop down Derwent Mouth Lock. The Chestnut tree here producing some serious conkers, all glowing brown fresh from their shells, things of beauty. I picked up a few to enjoy for a while until they grow dull as they dry out. Long gone are the days when kids would be seen throwing sticks up into trees to bring down what might turn out to be a truly legendary conker.

M1 ahead

Now to cross where the Derwent meets the River Trent. I’d checked the level board this morning, the level had dropped by at least a bricks worth since yesterday, yet the push of the current coming down stream had us skidding to keep going straight ahead to Sawley.

Sawley

Through the flood lock, past all the moorings, space for visitors, but we didn’t want to stop. Volunteers were keen to help at the locks down onto the river, but we wanted to offload some of our rubbish as it was starting to take over the stern of Oleanna.

We managed to place some of it in the bins which were already quite full. According to the volunteer, they have problems with bin collections here at the moment. Between Sawley and Fradley there is now only Willington where there are bins, since we last did this stretch two bin sites have gone, no wonder these bins are getting overwhelmed. We kept some back to add to the next bins.

Down the lock and back on the river, no space on the pontoon today, but we weren’t wanting to stop there anyway, our second mate would complain about the lack of friendly cover and trees close by. Down to the junction of the Erewash, Trent, Cranfleet cut and the River Soar, we headed right, south, a kingfisher darting along in front of us and an Egret watching on.

Coming in to moor

Through the flood lock at Red Hill, named as the sandy bank behind the houses on stilts is very red. Then we looked for a space to pull in, just enough room for us. A lorry arrived with a narrowboat sat on its trailer, what looked like a fresh coat of paint above the gunnels, but old blacking below. The lorry nudged back and forth on the slipway getting into position for the boat to be lifted off.

We walked round and found the office. Mandy welcomed us in, we’d said we’d be calling in for a chat. Oleanna is booked in with Tom at Gibson and Kentwright for a repaint early next year and we wanted to sus out about coming out of the water early to wait for our slot on the hard, which will save us money on our CRT licence.

Lorry lining up for the boat to be lifted off

Mandy was very straight with us about the marina and their rules. It is a very busy boat yard, with boats moving around on the hard most days. Several builders and painters on site, so it’s not a place that suits everyone. No dogs or kids allowed, too dangerous to have them running around. They would need to know if we wanted to do any work on Oleanna whilst she’s out of the water so she’s blocked up appropriately. Would we want power? We’d need a long lead as the meter may not be next to the boat. Don’t expect them to drop everything should you want something moved as they are very busy. They also charge 6 months land storage when you arrive, then if there are any months unused when you leave you get them refunded. Our quote from Tom includes three moves, so we’d be adding another one. Coming out of the water, laying up and six months storage would come to just under £2000, all payable the day we arrive! Gulp!!

We chatted about dates, all possible. We chatted about being still on the water whilst we move off, then being lifted out, less stress for Tilly, also all possible. We left with a mooring contract to fill in and her quote.

Back we go

The boat on the lorry was now being lifted by the big crane, just high enough to get the lorry out, then it was lowered, ropes handed down to chaps waiting so that when the boat is back in the water they can move her about. We wanted to go back the way we’d come. Where to wind? Ahead not really enough room and with a narrowboat about to be launched we’d be in the way! A winding hole back through the flood lock, Mick reversed us back then did his best to wind in between the banks of pennywort.

Back to Trent Lock where we pulled in to try out the new mooring rings that have recently been added, much better spacing than of old and not too big a step off Oleanna. Tilly was given the rules and off she went to explore whatever lies behind the hedge. CRT notices came in regarding the South Oxford, Coventry and Grand Union Canals, these will not be opening yet, but they hope to open them for a window of two weeks at the end of October for boaters to return to their moorings. If we positioned ourselves well we’d be able to make it to Oxford or Banbury for me to commute from the boat to work on Panto. But then we might find ourselves getting stuck at the wrong end of the country and miss our paint slot. The CRT notice just reinforced the decision we’d made a couple of weeks ago, to keep the boat north and if possible I’ll have a long weekend back home, if not Mick might come to Chippy or London for a weekend instead.

After lunch Mick headed off into Long Eaton to pick up his prescription and I got myself ready for my meeting with Min. At 4pm the meeting started. Getting to know each other, how we both work, when things will be needed for rehearsals was one side of the meeting. Then there was the nitty gritty of each item, a long long list for a pantomime.

More panto lists

Mick arrived back a little after 5, we’d not got half way through Act 1. We jumped about a little, some props having things in common with items later in the show. 6pm, we’d not reached the interval. Tilly came home wanting food, Mick fed her. We could break the meeting and carry on some other time, maybe over the weekend. 7pm, Mick was happy to wait for food, he had a shower. Four hours after we’d started Min and I reached the end of the list, both of us with lists of questions for other people, but a very good thorough meeting. Thank you Min.

What to do for food? Emergency tuna pasta or see if one of the pubs was still serving food, it was possible it being a Friday night. We tried The Steamboat Inn first, no-one at the bar, a few people sat drinking, no signs of any food being served, we turned round and walked on to The Trent Lock.

Tonights naughty meal

Yes they were serving food, quite a few tables occupied, we picked up menus and ordered. A glass of wine to accompany a bacon chop, egg and chips, just a different name for Gammon really, but it was very nice and saved cooking late, just that bit more expensive than the dhal I had been going to make this evening!

Back on Oleanna we had another glass of wine and ended up as we quite often do on a Friday watching old music programs. Tonight there was one about great guitarists. Jimi Hendrix was playing something that sounded remarkably like Smoke on The Water. Had he written it? Or was it Deep Purple? Jimi died in 1970, Deep Purple recorded it around 1971. Mick checked on line and came across a forum, this had started a spat.

Jimi wrote the song and then the singer from deep purple found a tape laying on the ground, played it, and it was the song. so they learned it and gave themselves credit.

The “tape” as he specified was not considered an ideal medium to record music because it was too primitive be used for anything that requires detail. The cassette tape was primarily used for diction. It was not until ’71 that companies began to modify and tinker with the technology to make it suitable for different applications i.e. music recording.

Don’t try to bring logic and facts to this thread, Jimi Hendrix wrote Smoke on the Water, PERIOD.

No, I wrote Smoke on the Water. PERIOD. He stole that song from me, just as The Beatles took my idea for Sgt. Peppers, The Rolling Stones took my “Satisfaction”, and that prick Beethoven stole my Ninth. And don’t get me started on those bastards, Mozart and Bach. The Vienna Waltz? That was mine too. I dropped my USB key in Autstria, and the next thing I know, Strauss is taking credit for all my sh*t.

2 locks, 3 flood locks, 3.6 miles, 2 rights, 1 wind, £2k, 4 hours props meeting, 2 A4 sheets of notes, 2 late to make dhal, 5 minutes brisk walking! 2 bacon chops, 2 glasses of wine, 1970, 1971, 1972? 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/crazy.rides.rigid

No Running! 18th September

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The Wharf, Shardlow to above Derwent Mouth Lock

A damp morning, the precipitation managed to increase just as the Sainsburys van arrived with our shopping, meaning Mick and the driver got slightly soggy along with our shopping. Despite this it was a good place for a delivery as the van could park right alongside us.

Pushing off

Once things had dried up a touch we pushed off and headed to moor above Derwent Mouth Lock to give Tilly some shore leave. I walked and Mick brought Oleanna, there’s not much further for me to walk as we’ll be back on the rivers soon.

Tilly was granted shore leave for the remainder of the day. It’s okay here I suppose!

After lunch I headed out for a walk. A quick check of the river level, under the green marker so we should be okay for a while longer. Then across the top of the lock joining a footpath that follows the bywash then cuts across a field to the banks of the River Derwent.

I seemed to have caused a mass exodus, all the sheep walking in line to the next field. One stopped to look at me, ‘You go on ahead, I’ll follow you’ I said. I waited for them all to pass before cutting across the field.

The River Derwent

The flow down the river was pretty good, it should aid us heading down stream tomorrow. Across more fields, flood banks marking the edges. Horses came for a nosy. A glimpse of Shardlow Hall, now an old peoples residence. I made sure I didn’t run anywhere, although there weren’t any cows in the field. Down a snicket back to the main road through Shardlow.

I then chose to walk round the rest of The Wharf, passing some lovely houses, a few conversions and some modern. Shardlow is a very pretty place, one that was once a major trans-shipment river port, with goods moving from river to canal in the 18th Century.

House to the left. House to the right.

We pottered away the rest of the day. Me waiting for an approved props list from John for panto. A few emails were sent regarding boating plans and phone calls were made too.

Pretty cars too

I then had a hunt for the scans of my Dad’s diary from 1943 to 1946. I wanted to see if he’d ever been posted to King’s Newton. The nearest he’d been was a camp on Bowbridge Road in Newark. I looked to see where he’d been on the 18th September 1945. Sailing through the Bay of Biscay headed for India, it was a very rough journey, his description of the way the ship was rolling in the swell makes me even more wary of lumpy waters. He did however manage to down two servings of afternoon tea, a cuppa and a bun, then his evening meal. He and the other officers were travelling in the first class accommodation and he was enjoying the food, well, when he wasn’t seasick!

September 18th 1945

Tonight we had salmon crumble, this should have been a fish crumble but Sainsburys didn’t have the fish pie mix so we got salmon steaks instead.

0 locks, 0.6 miles, 3 boxes wine, 2 salmon steaks, 1 squash, 0 new toothbrush! 0 neighbours, 69 brisk minutes, 0 cows, 39 sheep, 0 running, 1 props list at 10pm, 13 years without my Dad.

https://what3words.com/label.freely.palm

That’s Not Castle Howard! 17th September

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Massey’s Bridge 12 to The Wharf, Shardlow

Wet overnight and still wet this morning. We opted to wait a few hours before making a move, it’s always hard getting going when there is wet stuff in the air.

That’s not Castle Howard!

Mick got a text from the GP’s. An appointment would be made for him locally to see an Ophthalmologist to check his eye sight before there can be a decision regarding his driving licence, and another appointment to see a stroke person. Come the 28th September it will be a month since he was admitted to hospital and this is when his month of not being allowed to drive started, a standard thing after a stroke.

That’s Castle Howard!

Just three minutes later he received an NHS message inviting him to an Ophthalmologist appointment in Derby! Ah, what had local meant? Had this appointment come about from the GP? Or was this on the cards anyway and been organised by Derby Hospital? Was this Micks original appointment to the Ophthalmologists at Derby that he’d waited a weekend for? Thank goodness they’d not kept him in until this appointment as it’s not until the end of October! If it’s not from the GP, will he be offered another one locally in York or Scarborough? We’ll wait and see, at least there’s an appointment in the diary.

Ohh Betty!

By about 11 we were making ready to push off, waterproofs donned as we didn’t trust the weather. I walked ahead to Weston Lock as Mick brought Oleanna behind. A touch damp, but also quite warm, so striding out meant I was getting hot legs. The water tank needed a refill so we pulled in at the tap above the lock. Chance to catch up with Frank, last night he’d been to press night at the SJT to see our lodgers in the latest Ayckbourn play, he’d really enjoyed it.

Don’t let this gate open!

What ever you do don’t open the off side bottom gate! The lock was full, we descended. I opened the near side gate. Yes I’d be walking to the next lock, but could Mick loiter to see if I was going to be able to close the gate? I tried and tried, but the big chunky oak gate leans back into it’s recess and the beam is just a touch too short to comfortably use the bridge wall to push off with. It was obvious I wouldn’t manage it, so Mick pulled in below and came to assist.

Swapping with a rather smoky boat at Aston Lock

Should we pause for lunch above Aston Lock or carry on to Shardlow. If we delayed would we loose a possible mooring where a delivery was booked to arrive. We opted to carry on. A boat was coming up Aston Lock, we swapped and headed down. The same happened at Shardlow Lock, although as they left Oleanna wasn’t to be seen as she’s slowed to pass a line of permanent moorings including one that had come adrift and was being tied back up.

A view of the lock beam

The extension to the lock cottage is still being worked on, they will have a good view of the top gates through their window.

Going down Shardlow Lock

Now what to do? There was space outside the Clockhouse, but would there be space at The Wharf where our delivery was booked? I walked ahead to check things out. Thank goodness, there was space for two 58ft boats. Once moored up we broke the news to Tilly that there’d be no shore leave this afternoon due to the proximity of cars, one being parked right outside our side hatch.

Shardlow

Emails had been flooding in this morning from CRT. Rain must have been falling on the west side of the Pennines as the Leeds Liverpool locks from Wigan to Greenberfield are set to reopen, but those down to Leeds will for the time being remain closed whilst levels improve. West side of the Huddersfield Narrow opened with immediate effect, Fradley locks are operational. The Ashton Canal is to open. Flood locks and gates are in operation on the Aire and Calder. All looking good. I’m just hoping canal beds and gates haven’t dried out too much, causing more problems once the water returns.

The weather forecast suggests that parts of the country have already had twice the average amount of rain for September. We’re going to have to keep an eye on River levels!

Think I prefer my plain wooden benches at the house

Finishing touches were put to our supermarket delivery, a restock required.

Chicken Curry Old Style tonight.

3 locks, 4.8 miles, 3 minutes, 1 GP in Scarborough, 1 appointment in Derby, 1 letter to London, 1 NHS likely to get more confused, 1 PA phone call, 1 District Nurse, 1 full water tank, 2 needed, 1 perfect mooring, who said it was perfect! 0 props list, 1 enquiry, 1 river rising.

https://what3words.com/milkman.montage.screaming

Crunchy Under Foot. 16th September

Massey’s Bridge 12

Today we’d be waiting around for a phone call from Mick’s GP surgery from the person who can prescribe drugs. Before Mick went into hospital with his stroke they had just changed some medication, so this would be a follow up appointment for that. He jotted down other things he wanted to talk to them about as when he’d been to the surgery last week for a blood test etc. the person he’d seen couldn’t answer any of his questions. There were also his new drugs to be added to repeat prescription and as yet his discharge letter from Derby Hospital hadn’t appeared in his notes.

We were wanting to move on, but didn’t want to move from somewhere with good phone signal. Mick had called the surgery yesterday to see if they knew what time it might be, ‘it could be anytime’. Time to be patient again.

The morning was pottered away. The wind reduced from yesterday, but still quite blustery. A few boats were on the move, we stayed put, Tilly got busy in the outside.

No call by lunchtime. We had lunch. We waited.

Mid afternoon and I needed to stretch my legs, hopefully a walk would encourage the surgery to phone.

Wide viaduct

Back to the viaduct, this time I turned right and headed for the River Trent. The flow seemed quite strong, levels up a touch after the recent rainfall. Good in one respect that there is more water in the system, however this water is heading straight out to sea and not helping fill the reservoirs, but maybe that is happening too, fingers crossed. Today there have been more CRT notices regarding a few more areas. On the Macclesfield stop planks are being lifted to help the canal fill up, although they do warn that levels will still be low for navigation. Hopefully things will improve up on the summit pound for boaters and boats being fitted out too.

Looking downstream

The area around Kings Newton was used by Sappers in WW2 for training, building and dismantling bridges and work on railways. I wondered if my Dad had been trained here, but research later suggested that he was too young and would have been posted elsewhere. But I’ll check his diary at some point just in case.

The track goes onwards towards Loughborough, it is Route 6 of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, this actually stretches from London to the Lake District. A good surface to walk on, interrupted occasionally by lines of rivets.

Yesterdays wind had blown down hips onto the towpath, up on the railway it was acorns which made for a very crunchy walk. Later they would be joined by red apples and chestnuts. Natures bounty strewn on the floor.

Running into the distance

Not much view from along the track which soon clings to the side of the hill that Kings Newton sits on, trees on either side of the track and bridges crossing overhead. I wasn’t sure if there’d be access points at some of the road bridges so I opted to take the steps of love up the side of the bank. Gosh these were steep steps, I hope my knees, now quite happy with walking distances, will cope with climbing ladders whilst working on panto!

Steps of Love

I joined the roads through the village, passing modern houses, 1940’s houses, Victorian houses, Shazza’s Cafe. Up to the cemetery with its chapel and many many headstones. On the way to a snicket a young girl sat on her Dad’s shoulders reaching up high with a stick to encourage one of the last red apples still clinging on to drop into her hand. I don’t know if she succeeded as I was busy trying to get away in case any apples were to fall on me!

Chapel

Saturday is Derbyshire Day, I’ve seen posters for various things happening in villages. Here and in Melbourne (not the one in Australia) there is an art and architecture trail happening. If we were still to be around the area it looks like a good thing to do, but sadly we need to be elsewhere by then.

Seeing for miles

I caught a glimpse of some older buildings before crossing a road to join a footpath back towards the railway line which had great views northwards. Stiles with dog access too. Then back along the railway line, across the river and back to Oleanna.

Still no phone call from the GP’s. Maybe they’d call after surgery hours? Maybe they wouldn’t? Maybe we should move Oleanna to get water and tackle Weston Lock? Maybe we should stay put and carry on waiting.

Dog access

Mick’s phone pinged. A text message from the GP’s! They were happy with recent results, so keep taking the new medication. But hang on! What about the stroke? He’d be needing other new drugs adding to his repeat prescription! Thankfully there was an option on the text to reply. Thankfully the repeat prescription wouldn’t be going to Burton! Texts went back and forth for a while, one including Mick’s discharge letter. Maybe a phone call would have been better.

The person Mick was communicating with was only aware of his change in meds for blood pressure and not that he’d had a five day stay in hospital after a stroke. A text message was all that was required for the surgery with the info they had. He’d had a long day waiting for a phone call, if we’d known it would be a text we could have moved this morning. A touch frustrating.

Mick sent an online question to the GP regarding a vision test to see if he can get his driving licence back, also to get the ball rolling on a follow up with a stroke person. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, see if he can get to talk to anyone, maybe even a doctor!

Chicken and cauliflower Macaroni Cheese tonight, we’d forgotten about the cauliflower on Sunday!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 less windy day, 1 very long wait, 1 sausage day for cats, 1 litre pink or is it magenta? 67 brisk minutes walking, 2 dog gates, 1 long cycle track, 4 texts, 1 online question, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

If Anyone Is Interested! 15th September

Near Massey’s Bridge 12

Hello!!! If anyone is interested …. I’m fine, thank you.

Sunshine and wind

My left arm was a touch sore but it has recovered nicely now with a bit of bed rest and gentle exercising, the occasional pounce has got it back in full working order. I get daily strokes and have no idea what all the fuss has been over Tom’s one. No need to visit the green Toms and Shes for me. Thank you Dave for your concern.

Today, however is a touch too blowy for my liking, even too blowy to sit on my throne under the pram hood, so it’s the window view for me today.

Not many berries left on the bushes

A touch too blowy! Understatement. I managed to sit it out for a few hours, the small willow trees opposite bending right over, the Hawthorne hedge giving us some shelter from the gusts. Mick tightened our ropes, not that there was much slack in them to start with. By midday I’d worked my way through panto references pulling out good images for Min the props maker, but I’d also had enough of the lumpy water. I was starting to feel a touch seasick.

Apparently the worst of the wind had passed over, so I headed out for a walk on solid ground. Up to the viaduct. I crossed the canal and then followed the old Midland Railway, Derby and Melbourne Line until it met with the Sawley and Western Line at Chellaston East Junction. Here I could hear the woofers barking away that we’d heard on our way west a few weeks ago, they were tucked away behind trees and a big fence. The Derby and Melbourne Line used to turn into the Derby and Ashby Line heading through Tonge which is 10 miles from Derby. The mile posts sponsored by East Midlands Electricity seem to cover both railway and canal.

Derby to Tonge

I’d done my best to rush through the trees, but they’d offered me some shelter from the wind. I intentionally zigzagged my way along the open road, being in view of on coming traffic as well as avoiding trees and being blown into the road by possible gusts. It was a hood up day, even that needed hanging onto! Thankfully soon a footpath dipped away from the road to Massey’s Bridge on the canal.

Humans are horrible!

Now on through the fields on the other side, low growing crops and some fields left after the harvest. A stile, an electric fence, a pile of beer bottles and cans! Someone had managed to get them all here full, why couldn’t they take them away empty!

An intentional line of trees, then a slightly ornate stone wall surrounded the destination of my walk today. Swarkstone Pavilion. I’ve seen it from the canal many times, looked at the details on the Landmark Trust website, but never managed to get this close before.

Thankfully the weathered oak gate isn’t filled in, so I respectfully had a nosy through it.

This was the location for an album cover photo shoot for Beggars Banquet by the Rolling Stones in 1968. The images weren’t seen by the band to be edgy enough at the time, they preferred graffiti on a toilet seat, however the record company didn’t like this either, so it ended up being just copperplate writing on a white invitation. One image from the photoshoot ended up being used as a promotional poster for the album. More info can be found here

No chance of playing bowls today on that lawn

The pavilion was built to give a grandstand view over what ever took pace in front of it, inside it’s stone enclosure, be it jousting, bear-baiting or bowls. It is Tudor/Jacobean and was built in 1630 by mason Richard Sheppard, designed by John Smythson. It belonged to Swarkstone Hall a great house which was demolished in 1750. It came into the hands of the Landmark Trust in 1985, they re-roofed it and put in floors so you can now stay there. Have to say I’m glad I wasn’t staying there today as to reach the bathroom you have to cross the roof terrace!

It is a wonderful building even though it is only just a bit deeper than it’s two towers are wide, so quite a skinny building.

Tithe Barn

I headed onwards to see what I could see, an old Tithe Barn which has been converted into a house. then across another field to St James’s Church. The church dates from the 12th and 16th Centuries and was rebuilt in the 1870s. Sadly today the doors were locked, I only just managed a peek through a door but couldn’t see much.

St James’s

An angel in the graveyard warned me to look up. They were right as a chunk of the roof had recently come crashing to the ground. I kept my distance as I walked round and apologised to the residents below my feet.

I crossed back over the fields. The turn around staff at the Pavilion were just packing up their car to leave, the property ready for the next guests arriving later today. Sheep grazed in the fields. I returned to the boat along the towpath, discovering the possible culprits of us being kept a wake a few nights ago. Two chaps were busy sawing up big logs with a chainsaw. Along the towpath the wind had brought down a few more branches for them to claim. Maybe the sawing we’d heard around 1:30 in the morning had been them collecting suitable wood, hoping no-one would notice in the dead of night!

Branch down on the T&M

Back on board I managed to eat some lunch, my stomach having calmed down. Mick took a walk to the viaduct turning right to have a look at the River Trent. The wind hung around for much of the remainder of the day. Tilly didn’t venture far, in fact she gave up with outside and ended up having to use the still clean facilities onboard.

0 locks, 0 miles, 40+mph winds, 565642387686534 berries on the towpath, 1 pavilion, 1 church, 1 angel, 47 brisk blowy minutes, 2 chainsawers, 1 paint list, 1 props folder, 4 homemade chicken spring rolls.

Out In The Open. 14th September

Massey’s Bridge, a little bit further on

Breakfast, poached eggs and mushrooms on toast this morning. Then 16,000 views, weighty porridge, poor Olive and Sue Pollard were all topics of conversation on the Geraghty zoom.

Route 6 on the viaduct

With rain forecast for this afternoon followed by strong winds tomorrow we opted to move sooner rather than later away from any trees that might come down. I walked ahead to check for a suitable mooring, more or less back where we’d moored a couple of weeks ago. Only 0.1 mile, but that would do for us.

A quick comfort break for me before I strode off on a walk, hoping to return before the rain set in.

The towpath here is a lovely surface for cyclists and today they were making the most of it, but soon they veer off onto the old viaduct heading to Melbourne. I popped up to have a look at it myself. A great view back towards Swarkstone. Messages have been added to the iron work to encourage exercise, with bees and butterflies to jolly things up even more.

There was a great big hole

Back on the towpath I carried on to Weston Lock, where I turned towards the Trent. The path became more and more muddy, soon the reason why became obvious. A large gravel pit with diggers, in fact just about the whole north bank has been taken over, very glad I’d put my walking boots on today as the mud in places was quite deep.

The Priest House

I’d walked down here to check to see if the hotel across the way was where we’d attended a wedding a few years ago. We’d considered mooring NB Lillyanne by Weston Lock, but the lack of river crossing meant we’d ended up in a hotel in Castle Donnington. It was The Priest House. A little less idyllic today from the north bank surrounded by diggers and then there was the roar of cars going round Donington Park Racetrack. The car park looked busy though, maybe racing drivers staying at the hotel.

I nearly came a cropper in this puddle

I walked along the river bank until the path brought me to more gravel works, a lake marked on the OS map had very little water in it, but a good quagmire of mud to wade through. Under the railway and then along quite a good track to the canal, crossing over it at Weston Grange.

Weston on Trent was founded in 1012 by King Ethelred the Unready. Weston Lock on the canal was built in 1770. The village was split in two when the Midland Railway branch line was built in 1873, and a station served the village until the 1920’s.

Coopers Arms

Lots of cars seemed to be heading up towards Weston Hall which is now the Coopers Arms, a popular carvery by the looks of it overlooking a lake. It was built by Thomas Roper in 1633 and is one wing of what would have been a much larger stately home, however the rest f it was never built.

I could hear the tinkle of a bell, bigger than the one Tilly wears. A look across the field I was about to enter I could see a chap walking with a bird of prey on his arm, sadly I’d missed it in flight.

St Mary The Virgin

Next came St Mary The Virgin Church, which dates back to around 1280. Many of the grave stones have been moved to the edges of the yard. Quite a few of them have been carved from what looks like slate. A line of them dating back to 1769, whoever carved them had a very curly style, very flamboyant, but it does make them a touch hard to read.

A path brought me down to Hospoda, Ukrainian Country Social Club which was quite unexpected. Down a steep path back to the canal. The little bit of dampness in the air thankfully held off really going for it until I was back, tucked up inside Oleanna.

The social club

The rain came down, Tilly insisted on exploring, returning very soggy and muddy. The rain came down more, there must have been quite a social gathering in the sideways trees to keep Tilly outside for so long! Some work on panto filled the afternoon until we popped a chicken in the oven to roast.

0 locks, 0.1 miles, 6.21 miles walked, 103 brisk minutes, 2 heavy muddy boots, 1 very soggy afternoon, 1 soggy moggy, 1 file of cloths for printing sent, 6 sketches requested for Separate Doors, 1 roast chicken.

https://what3words.com/glow.probing.plump

Paper Girl. 13th September

Lowes Bridge 15 to Massey’s Bridge 12

The loitering look in the bathroom was saying it all! Before I could do anything else this morning Tilly’s pooh box needed refreshing. Shore leave was granted which hopefully would give me time to clean her litter box out before it was too late. Quite often I’ve only just added the fresh litter and in hops Tilly! However by the end of today the clean box remained untouched, I’d had to find alternative arrangements, hadn’t I!

Our papers were checked over, paperclipped into four wadges and slid into the only big envelope we had. Wanting to know when they arrived meant dropping them off at a Post Office as we’d not all the relevant details to buy suitable postage online, this could be combined with my walk today, plus newspaper hunting and purchasing something to roast for Sunday.

Even Tilly had to get her paws on our paperwork!

First we moved up to the water point and waited, another boat already filling, they had quite a large tank. A load of washing sat in our machine waiting for the hose to be filling our tank before it could be turned on. I headed off along the line of the Derby Canal, continuing on northwards which is now a cycle route, then cutting across a park, wiggling my way through houses before turning onto Derby Road.

Here my Saturday morning newspaper hunt was to start. First chance was a Tesco Express, BINGO!!! Four, yes four copies! Brilliant!! I only wanted one. Well that wasn’t hard.

Next port of call the Post Office, as I joined the queue I checked their range of newspapers, good job I’d not started here. The fat envelope was handed over paid for and a signature requested when it arrives. Next a few doors down to Lidl for a chicken and veg for tomorrow, no newspaper of the right flavour here either, my route had been chosen well. Back to the boat following a footpath through the housing estate to the canal.

Dark skies behind us

The boat that had been on the water point was just finishing going down the lock, Mick had had to wait for quite a while before it had been our turn. The washing machine was on, keeping up with the flow from the tap. It took a while before our tank was full then we decided to nudge up onto the bollards for lunch, just as the dark skies loomed over us. Two boats had just come up the lock and they rushed to tie up and take shelter, leaving git gaps everywhere, this meant we had no option but to pull up on the lock landing!

Going down …

We waited out the downpour by having lunch. The skies started to clear a touch as a boat rose up the lock ahead of us, we’d take advantage of the full lock and hope to reach our mooring before the heavens opened again. By the time we’d pushed off and got to the lock the level had dropped by a good 2ft! The leak from the bottom gates a fountainous spray and serious bubbling up from beneath them, it’s a good job this stretch of canal is fed from the river!

… pretty quickly!

Wanting to keep quite close to Cuttle Bridge for access to buses we opted for our first M on the Waterway Routes map. As I walked the towpath, the sky grew dark again. Three lads I’d already seen twice before today were taking cover under a bridge fishing, cheeky lads, but harmless. Should we pull in here? Or here? Maybe a touch further along where there was a gap in the hedge, it didn’t really matter now as I was quite damp around the edges already.

A good sky once the rain had stopped

Tilly got the best of the downpour, sheltering under the pram cover. Then the skies cleared, so much so that Mick decided to risk hanging out our washing on the whirligig. This however meant bringing it inside twice when it started to rain again. In the end our pants ended up in the tumble drier, good job we’d topped up with water today!

New improved roses

During the afternoon I started working through my list of panto jobs. Looking out certain items on gumtree, ebay and marketplace and sending links to Chippy. Making up some paper roses to see what sizes would be best for various things. Rolls of suitable paper were also passed on to be ordered.

Cauliflower Cheese with a dash of wholegrain mustard

Cauliflower Cheese was enjoyed tonight, with a bit left over to accompany our Sunday roast.

In water level news, links between the Wolverhampton Level and Birmingham Level have been reopened along with the Wolverhampton flight.

1 lock, 1.1 mile, 70 minutes brisk walking, 2 many showers for pants, 1 Saturday newspaper, 5 roses, 4 wadges of paper posted, 3 cards, 1 huge cauliflower cheese, 4 git gaps.

https://what3words.com/ready.maple.surcharge

Dashing. 11th September

Lowes Bridge 15

Tilly requested to go out this morning, before any shore leave was to be granted we got her to walk up and down the boat to see how that limp was doing. Heading towards the stern and Mick, there was a slight spring in her step. But when called back to me by the bathroom the limp was there! Was this a sympathy limp? All that walking backwards and forwards would give anyone a limp! Shore leave was granted and we got on with the morning.

Tonge?

Supplies are running low, a supermarket delivery might be possible to the lock, but it would be a long walk back to Oleanna as we don’t really want to move up just yet. Only one thing for it, head to Aldi a miles walk away for a top up shop of fresh things. Taking the Brompton we walked towards the lock. Dark skies behind us, which way were the clouds moving?

Wonder how often Starfire goes out?

The Derby Canal branches off to the north of the Trent and Mersey above Swarkstone Lock, the first stretch up to a bridge still in water and used for moorings. A path runs alongside what was the canal, now overgrown, the by wash at the lock flowing like there was no drought! Under the A50, cars and lorries hammering their way along to Stoke. We now walked through a modern housing estate, round a roundabout to a crossing. A big clap of thunder, we weren’t going to get away with staying dry for long. As soon as the green man showed, I picked up my pace and Mick got on the Brompton, we managed to get under the roof of Aldi just as it started to hammer it down. We’d got here, but would we get back dry?

Two bags of shopping then quite a wait to see if it would stop raining. Maybe it was lighter rain now, we couldn’t stand here all day! We got part way back through the housing estate when fork lightening could be seen up ahead, it didn’t take long for the rumble of thunder to join it. We picked up our pace again dashing for the A50 and some shelter. Of course this was the time when Frank called to report about his latest visit to the hospital. Not totally drenched we waited out the worst of the rain and I chatted about drugs with Frank, I’m sure others have done similar under this bridge!

How many drug deals has this face witnessed?

Back at Oleanna we were damp around the edges, the stove was lit and we started to dry off. A suggestion came from the IT tech support at Chippy to log out of Microsoft 365 in Word, then log back in again. This didn’t work. But with the help from my IT department and logging out of Microsoft fully, then back in again I got back into the system, just one file I couldn’t access which might not have been there, I’d managed to get sent to me a few days ago so that didn’t matter.

Grown up

The afternoon was spent finishing off touching up images for print and rationalising the paint call with what the theatre already has. Then it was time to do some very grown up paperwork. Our Lasting Power of Attorney forms. Our stupid printer doesn’t like the paper we’ve currently got to do double sided printing, so with both of us and both Health and Wealth forms filled out on line we used getting on for 100 sheets of paper. Four stacks of paper now wait to be signed and witnessed before heading off in the post.

A touch flat, but still tasty

Tonight we had toad in the hole with chicken sausages. Maybe I didn’t use enough oil in the tin and the sausages didn’t add any fat to the cooking equation, so the Yorkshire pudding didn’t rise. Oh well, at least the mushroom and pea gravy made up for it.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wave to Nichola and Andy, 2 bags of shopping, 1 soggy bag of oats, 2 soggy boaters, 1 semi limping cat, 88 plus sheets of paper, 4 stacks, 1 envelope, 1 fat pudding, 6 chicken sausages.