Category Archives: Gluten Free Cooking

Edwin and Gertrude. 27th July

Godalming

Godalming Museum is small but crammed full of information. Quite often such places are all about face, information here and there all jumbled up. Others consist of someones collection of bits and bobs and not much else, these range from mildly interesting to far far too much eagerly collected information that over powers you and to appreciate them fully you’d need a year or two of concerted effort. Godalming Museum is very well thought out, packed with information should you choose to look it up.

Lutyens with his T square and Jekyll with spade and cat

There is a room dedicated to two locals, Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll. Lutyens was a famous architect who adapted traditional architectural styles to the needs of his times, designing numerous country houses in the Arts and Crafts style, the Cenotaph in London and much of New Dehli, India.

He was commissioned by Gertrude Jekyll to design Munstead Wood, a house for her and this was a start of their professional partnership. Gertrude would design the gardens that went long with Edwin’s houses, quite a package, if you could afford them.

A model of a statue of Gertrude sadly never made

The room is filled with sketches, cartoons and a scale model of what would have been a wonderful statue of Gertrude had it been made.

Maybe some of this would help with my back

Upstairs are rooms about the history of Godalming. Shallow places on the River Wey encouraged the Saxons to settle in the area. The river also became a natural barrier for King Alfred holding back the Vikings and in WW2 pill boxes were built along it’s length. Mills played a large part in Godalmings history, with corn, fulling, paper, gunpowder mills and tanneries. In 1881 the River Wey powered the worlds first public electricity supply, but sadly due to flooding and technical difficulties the town returned to gas lighting three years later.

From the 17th Century Godalming became the centre of the framework knitting industry. Framework knitters worked long hours producing stockings in wool, silk and by the 1760’s cotton. Several framework machines are on display far more complicated than my knitting machine back in Scarborough. How I would love a sock knitting machine, giant french knitting for grown ups!

A wall of magnetised photographs of local people ‘The Peoples Gallery’, all collated as Artists, Heroes, Writers, Booksellers etc caught our eye. Just browsing through the photos you want to know why they were important. A computer and large lever arch files hold a lot of information about everyone. From Jack Philips the junior wireless operator on the Titanic, who learnt his skills at Godalming Post Office. To Galton and Simpson who wrote Hancocks Half Hour and Steptoe and Son. To Chennell and Chalcraft who were hung on 14th August 1818, on the Lammas Lands for murder and parricide. To Mary Tofts who gave birth to rabbits!

Mick managed to find details of Charterhouse School, where his Great Uncle Norman taught mathematics from 1909 to 1945. Sadly he wasn’t famous enough to manage to get on the People’s Gallery.

At 15:58 we stopped what we were doing and waited and watched as the clock mechanism from the old Town Hall wound itself up to chime 4 pm. Chains, whirling things and of course a bell sounded the hour.

A large map adorned a wall of one of the archive rooms. This showed the layout of the town with illustrations of the buildings to be found there. On leaving the museum we decided to have a look at a couple of the streets that had looked interesting, so we walked down Mill Lane towards the station.

Pretty house after pretty house. The roses on the house at the end of Mint Street such a picture.

Different textures, angles nothing at 90 degrees

Further down one skewed property made me want to get a sketch book out to record it’s uniqueness, my photograph doesn’t do it justice, the lense removing the gingerbread quality it had.

Property Game

A semi, it possibly floods every now and then.

An old mill sits by a mill stream, maybe this was where electricity was generated. The station sits proudly on the other side of the narrow valley, a KX telephone box from the 80’s spoiling the view along with modern ticket machines outside.

Plenty more properties delighted our eyes as we made our way back into the main shopping area. A sweet shop with chilled medication naturally drew us inside. Over the last few hot days we have had a distinct lack of chilled medication, so it was time to make up for it. Both opting for Salted Caramel cones, mine a gluten free one, the first I’ve tried. Despite the usual shrinking factor that tends to come with the lack of gluten and an extra 50p (!) it was just as crispy and tasty as a standard waffle cone.

Gosh mine looks bigger than Mick’s in the photo

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trips into town, 2 hours at the museum, 8p short! 2 many knitting needles to count, 1 caseless clock, 15th century buildings, 2 many famous people, 1 very pretty town, 1 museum well worth a visit, 3rd shore leave in one day, 1 packet boat back on it’s mooring, 1 pram cover re-erected.

Buddy. 27th July

Godalming

Tilly was given freedom of the towpath for an hour or so as the weather sorted itself out. A bit of a damp morning which gradually improved. Once Tilly was back on board we locked up and headed off into town.

Considering we were moored so close to Sainsburys we had quite a walk round to Town Bridge, which meant in the end we were closer to Waitrose. I’d already prepared a short list of things we’d not bought yesterday hoping it would amount to £10 to be able to get a free newspaper. With our list complete we then spent a good five minutes trying to find something for 20p or more to get us over the threshold. Marmite came to the rescue.

The Godalming Art Shop provided me with a new sketch book for work. This was followed by a walk up through the town to see what we could see, just so happening to coincide with a Farmers Market! Oh dear!! Fortunately it was by no means the largest market we’ve seen with only about 8 stalls.

The first stall caught our attention. Large posters for Binary Botanical, ‘Tangy like prosecco, refreshing like beer’. Samples were being handed out, so it would have been rude not to try it especially as it was gluten free. Very tasty, we ended up with three bottles. A sausage roll stall also received some of our money in return for a pork and black pudding roll for Mick. Now with a heavy bag we headed back to Oleanna for some lunch.

Second shore leave had Tilly coming and going, Tesco Pillow Pockets seem to be going down a treat. A chap came past and asked how easy it would be to lower our pram cover, no problem at all, we’d been expecting to have to do it. At around 1:30 the doors were closed, no more shore leave and Mick flattened the pram cover, then checked for anything on the roof that might cause a problem.

Back at the wharf preparations were being made. Iona’s hold was now full of passengers and there was just one thing missing, Buddy a 22 year old Clydesdale cross gelding. The white band on his nose just visible inside the wharf building.

Two ladies donned high vis and brought him out to walk him round to Town Bridge and back down along the towpath to opposite Iona’s mooring.

Winding with no power other than that from the river and a pole

After an introduction talk to the passengers, the chap at the helm walked up to the bow and gave it a push, then the stern was pulled back into the winding hole, the flow of water keeping the bow moving to wind her. He then walked along the roof to the bow which needed a little help at the bend, so a few pushes from the barge pole.

By now Buddy was chomping his way through the undergrowth on the towpath, having a snack before his work commenced.

The tow line was thrown to the bank, attached to the boat’s roof at one end and with a large toggle on the other which was then passed through Buddys harness. He had his eye on a tasty branch which he swept down as he moved forward to start pulling the load. This wasn’t a popular choice of his with the ladies, it was soon confiscated and thrown back into the hedgerow.

With Iona now winded, Buddy took on the work and started to pull her downstream. Once she was moving they had Oleanna to contend with.

Buddy was slowed to a stop whilst the other lady gathered the tow rope on the ground to give her enough slack to hold the line above our roof. Iona had enough momentum to keep moving by herself.

Our pram cover would have been quite a problem had it been left up. We checked how long it would be before they returned, a couple of hours, as it wasn’t raining our hood stayed down and we headed back into town.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trips to town, 1 free newspaper, 1 sketchbook, 3 bottles beer/wine, 1 horse, 46 passengers, 1 giant toggle, 1 dry day, 2 loads washing.

Staying Shady. 23rd July

Broadford Pipe Bridge ish

No intention of going anywhere today, we relaxed having a cuppa in bed. Our nights sleep had been a touch disturbed. The first train to cross the bridge behind us at around 5am, stirred us from our slumber, they move slowly across the rumbling clanking bridge. It’s not quite as noisy as Vazon Sliding Bridge on the Stainforth and Keadby and has far fewer trains. Then Tilly woke me as her body decided it didn’t want anymore to do with last nights Ding Ding! Unable to bend well I had to enlist Mick in the tidying up aspect. I just pointed and gave Tilly a chin rub before returning to bed.

Our mooring sits pointing north/southwards. So the morning sun sprinkled itself through the trees of the off side of the canal whilst we had breakfast. Day boats from up ahead started to come past mid morning, followed by NB Ella and one or two others brave enough to cruise in the midday sun. We however stayed inside at our shady spot.

Tilly spent all day out and about. Only one woofer to have a go at her today, the rest passed by without noticing her.

Mick caught up with cycling, I put scripts in a folder and then sat out under the canopy of trees in my office for the day. There was Act 2 to re-read of my next show before talking to the writer about it.

On our way down to London I was contacted by Joshua Richards an actor I’ve worked with in the past at Hull Truck, if you watch Emmerdale you may know him as wrestler Bear Wolf! A couple of years ago he directed ‘A Regular Little Houdini’ which won quite a few prizes. He and the actor/writer Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, were approached about remounting the show, expanding it a touch as it had been a one act play along with expanding it visually from a chair and a suitcase to something more.

I got chance to read the script before I decided to do it, which was a first for me. It is a great script, a wonderful story that as I read it conjured up an atmosphere of the docks in Newport Wales in the 1900s.

Houdini our first second mate five years ago today.

It has Houdini in the title, the name of our first second mate. So what was not to like, plenty of lead time too and it should fit around Chippy panto and our plans to cruise this summer. Oh and there was one more thing that swung it, it is being produced at the Vienna English Speaking Theatre, in Vienna, in January!

Tilly climbed trees, stuck her arm down holes whilst we prepared a barbecue, my office transforming itself into our leafy terrace for the evening. Only one problem, due to our wonky mooring our table top was being used as a plank to get on and off the boat. We managed in the end and enjoyed sitting out watching all the runners and cyclists sweating their way along the towpath.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 sickly cat, 31ish degrees C, act 2, 1 writer, 9 hours plus! 1 very exhausted cat, 4 veg kebabs, 2 chunky turkey steaks, 2 cobs of corn, 1 troublesome back, 5 years full time CCing.

Yesterdays Property

https://www.seymours-estates.co.uk/properties/12092475/sales

5 bedrooms for £650,000

Southern Woofers Have NO Manners! 20th July

Pyrford Basin to Send Church Footbridge

Rain hit Oleanna’s roof for much of last night, but by first thing this morning it had dried up. Mick headed off on a bike to find a Waitrose for a free newspaper, along with £10 of shopping. He was fortunate as when he returned we had a couple of major down pours, the sort that would soak you to the skin despite waterproofs.

10% chance of rain! Well we’d got that 10% and we weren’t going to set off whilst it was at it’s worst. By midday the sun was trying to make an appearance so we made ready to push off. A boat appeared from behind, we had a locking partner.

The Anchor Pub was already attracting customers and would be a handy place for a delivery should we need one on the way back. The crew of NB Montana were setting the lock when I reached them after dropping off some rubbish.

I’d set the bow rope on the port side roof, but as the boats came into the lock we ended up on the starboard side, I’d be needing a boat hook to get the rope. The hook we were left with at little Venice is nice and light weight with an aluminium pole so easy to handle.

We tied up as we’d done yesterday using the yellow post at the stern. NB Montana tied up using all three ropes, but not one of them round the yellow post. There was a lot of rushing around trying to stop their boat from surging forward and backwards, the centre line getting tighter and tighter whilst Oleanna just rose up the lock gracefully. I mentioned to the lady about the yellow post, she wasn’t aware if they’d been told about it at Thames Lock.

Time to turn the engines back on, not a rumble from NB Montana! He tried again and again, still no joy. We said we’d wait for them at the next lock, for a while anyway and left them to bow haul out of the lock making way for a boat to go down.

The next stretch was narrow and slow going. We think it was both the depth but also the current as we were heading upstream. A quick look at a map showed us that RHS Wisley isn’t too far away and to keep an eye open for an Elizabethan Summer House. There it was nestled in amongst the trees.

The lock cottage at Walsham Flood Gates watched our progress, Mick was impressed by the telephone bells by the front door.

Now we were back on the river, wider and deeper. The moorings by the lock looked like they’d be fun to reverse out off and not get drawn towards the weir!

A boat was just coming out of Newark Lock leaving it all ready for us. How long should we wait? We decided on ten minutes or until a boat came the other way. The sun was now out, layers could be removed as we waited. After eight minutes a boat appeared above the lock, oh well we’d have to ascend as we were in the way.

A lady came to help and we left her with a message for NB Montana that we’d wait at the next lock, they’re on a mission to reach Guildford today for dinner.

This looks a good place for the way back

I’d seen that NB Huffler had moored at Papercourt Meadows a few days ago, this had to be those meadows. Wide grassy, perfect place for a barbecue, maybe on our way back. We noted a couple of places that looked deep enough to moor as boats were already tied up.

I hopped off just before we reached the bywash from the weir and walked up to the lock, pausing to take photos. What a picturesque scene in the sunshine with the cottage and stepped weir, chocolate box.

A family of Egyptian Geese were preening themselves by the top gates which kept me occupied as we waited. NB Montana could be seen making her way through the meadows, as they got closer I spotted a second boat hot on their tail. Should we go up on our own or wait. We waited saving them an extra ten minutes emptying the lock.

This time they used the yellow post and both boats sat calmly as they rose, affording everyone chance to have a chat. Paddles were wound in unison. They’d had a chap this morning lift a paddle straight up which had sent the plume of water straight into their bow and inside the cabin. She got him to quickly close the paddle and avoid them sinking, they still had a wet floor that needed mopping up. Have to say we never go up hill with our cabin doors open just for this reason.

We led the way for the next two miles. Pretty rural turned into offices/factory at the cut side. Another flood gate at Worsfold where the National Trust work yard is. Nicholsons mentions a turf sided lock here, but we didn’t spot it, we’ll have a better look on the way back.

The river now winds and twists towards the next pretty lock, Triggs Lock with another fine cottage. The bottom gates when open lean over the channel so, as on other gates, there are chains and a bar to help you pull them towards you from a safe distance. This was to be our last lock of the day, so we waved NB Montana goodbye and hoped they had a lovely evening.

Through the next bridge was a trimmed stretch of towpath, we arrive just as a group of canoeists did, they loitered exactly where we wanted to pull in but they got the message in the end. The wind had been doing it’s best to aid us in mooring when the canoes had been in the way, but now had disappeared. Oleanna just wouldn’t go into the side, Mick hopped off but no matter how he pulled on the centre line she just wasn’t having any of it. A blast of reverse to get her back close enough for Mick to jump back on and we headed off to try the next place.

This was also too shallow, a shame as there would have been a great view of Send church from our bedroom in the morning. The next trimmed length we were determined to moor in. The bow came in close enough to hop off, but the stern wouldn’t. Any further along the river and we’d be too close to roads for Tilly, so here it was to be. Spikes banged in and plank deployed, the first time since the Lancaster. This reminded us that we really need to get a longer one very soon!

Excuse me!!! Just what were they thinking? This outside had water everywhere! How was I meant to be able to get to it? Tom showed me this sloping thing, it smelt like ours but really! No thank you!! A thin slice of tree is no good for anyone!

However the trees here were good. Good for climbing. I soon discovered that I could jump the gap over the water and onto the roof when a rude woofer came to see me. It didn’t stay long when I showed it what I was made of.

I really wasn’t sure about this outside, so She came out to go for a walk with me. I like this, both of us discovering new things, mostly trees and friends for me. Today however we discovered that most Southern Woofers are very rude!

One came running from quite a distance, so I decided to head up a tree. Here I had to cling on whilst it shouted at me for ages. It’s Tom just smiled and walked by calling it’s stupid name. In the end She had to risk her life and stand in between us as the woofer just wasn’t going to leave. Have to say I was glad when it did my claws were starting to ache!

I discovered that I could jump onto the side hatch with relative ease which came in handy later on when the stupid Tom came back with his exceptionally rude woofer. Doors were closed very quickly on the boat locking it out. Why was the Tom stupid? He had a lead and knew I was there so why hadn’t he used it?! Stupid and selfish, if I’d been a little kid running away I bet he’d have apologised. Maybe he is scared of his woofer and can’t keep hold of it or is even afraid that it might bite him. Anyway my Tom was so not impressed! I now HATE woofers!

Last night I’d prepared a sponge for a loaf of Sour Dough, this had been getting frothier all day. So once we’d moored up I mixed in the other ingredients and added some yeast so that we wouldn’t have to wait until midnight to bake it. It rose nicely over a couple of hours. Then as I popped it in the over I happened to give the tin a slight knock against the grill pan. My recipe warns against this as with no gluten the loaf can collapse, all those hours of rising gone immediately to waste.

The loaf looked okay as it went in the oven, but when I turned the temperature down I had a look. It had sunk by about a quarter, a big dip in the middle! I toyed with abandoning it there and then, not wasting gas. But baked it in the end, we’ll see how it turns out for toast tomorrow.

4 locks, 2 flood gates, 5.19 miles, 1 summer house, 1 broken boat, 1 meadow mooring noted, 3 shallow moorings also noted, 0 outside close enough, 2 rude woofers, 3 woofer incidents, 1 freaked out cat, 1 totally selfish dog owner, 1 sunken loaf, 1 migraine brewing, 1 property game put off till tomorrow.

https://goo.gl/maps/WR2SmvBriVkRYdfYA

Posh Pooh. 19th July

Weybridge New Bridge to Pyrford Basin

What a wet start to the day. Mick managed to cycle to the shops first thing to get some gluten free crumpets. We had eggs to eat up and I had nothing to absorb the runny yolk. A loaf of bread was a possible but my sour dough starter is in need of waking up so in a days time I’ll have a homemade loaf, crumpets are a treat anyway.

He returned with some bacon to accompany the eggs. Then the rain set in.

Over the next few days we need to keep moving, my panto meeting next week necessitates being near public transport, so we couldn’t just sit the day out. We did however delay our start, hoping the rain would ease.

The solar panels had been needing a wipe down so with a constant shower provided by nature Mick tried out his new waterproof coat and gave them a good clean down. Mick sat catching up with the Tour de France coverage and Tilly sulked in her escape pod as I pottered away the morning.

There hadn’t been much scratching in Tilly’s pooh box this morning, so I was a bit surprised at an aroma that was building up. ‘Not me!’ ‘Nor me!’ said Mick, it certainly wasn’t me! Now our neighbours here might be posh driving their Porsche, but they could still pick up after their dogs!!!! GRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! Mick had managed to pick up about a weeks worth on the bottom of his shoes, which was now deposited on the floor. Maybe the owner had been leaving it for their staff to pick up. Have to say one thing for the dog, it must be fed on something expensive as the aroma wasn’t as pungent as you’d expect from so much.

A nice picture of horses instead of pooh!

This then kept us busy for sometime, cleaning up. Thank goodness we don’t have a carpet!

The rain kept coming and in the end we decided that we’d risk Tilly going out for an hour. After twenty minutes it had stopped raining, time to go if I could get the cat back. One call out on the towpath and I got a reply, Tilly sprung out of the friendly cover and we could be on our way.

Sharp right after the bridge to the lock

A short distance on is Town Lock. Ian had warned us yesterday to pull in just after the first bridge and walk up to the lock as it is at right angles to the channel. This we did and sure enough the lock was full with gates open. Here on the Wey you are asked to leave the gates open, both of them. So if the lock is set against you there is more to do especially as you have to walk round.

With the lock set and both gates open Mick brought Oleanna in. With the gates closed Mick passed the stern line up which I passed around the yellow stake and returned to him to tie off on the boat. I’d laid the bow rope on the roof with a loop to make it easy to get hold of and pulled Oleanna into the side and wrapped the rope around a bollard.

The Wey windlass has a long reach, making it easier to wind the paddles up, it does mean stretching somewhat though. I opened the paddle a bit and the plume of water came out. Oleanna stayed put so I opened it up some more, then more until it would go no further. The gear on these paddles is reminiscent of that on the Huddersfield broad it stays put magically until you start to wind it down, no visible break on them.

It doesn’t feel right leaving gates open

Once Oleanna was up at the top Mick was able to walk round to open up the off side gate as I dropped the paddle and set my rope on the roof for the next lock. It does feel odd leaving lock gates open.

Coxes Lock sits just past three fantastic mill buildings, Alexander Raby Mill, Daniel Lambert Mill and John Bunn Mill. These buildings have had a number of different uses through their 200 odd years. Foundry, flour mill even silk weaving for a time. Originally powered by a water wheel with a large mill pond, level with the lock, which was dug to alleviate the barges becoming grounded. This was superseded by steam and then electric. They have now been converted into apartments.

As Oleanna rose in the lock a boat headed down towards us. A cruiser moored on the lock landing had left enough room for them to tie up, but they decided to hover in the cut for the lock to be ready for them. This turned out to be Nb Huffler heading back down stream.

Marvelous we thought, the locks would now be sat waiting for us with open gates, but sadly this wasn’t the case, New Haw Lock sat with it’s gate very firmly shut. We reset it and worked our way up. This lock has had a new road bridge built over it’s bottom gates, necessitating the beams to be cranked, these are always hard to get moving and quite painful to push. The pretty lock cottage more than made up for this.

Just as we finished and were about to leave the chap from NB Ella appeared behind. I helped close a top gate and then hopped back on board before Oleanna was dragged towards a weir.

Up ahead we now had the crossing of all sorts. M25, railway and a canal junction. Each support to the motorway has been decorated, most with elaborate writing and one with a very good painting of a Sphynx cat, not my favourite I prefer my cats to have fur.

Then the Basingstoke Canal heads off to the west. We hope to be able to cruise up there, but water levels are bad as their supply is from springs not reservoirs or rivers. A phone call is needed before we go that way as the locks are only open on certain days and have to be booked in advance.

Then the railway, nearby is West Byfleet and New Haw station. Way back when I used to do work for a scenic company based here, my first job painting the Muppets Christmas Carol grotto that was to be at the Trocadero in London in 1992.

By now we were wanting to stop, as soon as we were a distance away from the motorway we tried pulling in, but had no luck. Further on just before the Anchor pub at Pyrford we tried again, here the water was deep enough. Soon after NB Ella pulled in leaving a good gap in front of us as they have a dog.

Blimey! They promised me a better outside, so many trees, some thin, some thick, others giantly big. Loads of friendly cover too. It was certainly heading towards having a Mrs Tilly stamp until a woofer came and spoilt it all. She said to Tom to pick me up, but I didn’t need that. When Tom came between me and the woofer I headed back towards the boat only to be followed at speed by said woofer! This happened several times. It stopped within swiping distance scared off by my huge tail and arched ridge back. No need to get the claws out, but it was a close thing!

Property Game

This one is on the Wey and comes with a slipway for a small cruiser.

3 locks, 4.09 miles, 1 wet day, 2 outsides, 3 mills, 1 huge dollop of pooh, 1 very clean cabin floor, 10 groundplans completed, 3 muddy paw prints! 1 shady mooring we’d like next week.

https://goo.gl/maps/29givTp3ap8TMiR49

Yesterdays Properties

https://jezzards.co.uk/property/for-sale/Platts-Eyot/Hampton/TW12/100220

£225,000 on Platts Eyot

https://www.purplebricks.co.uk/property-for-sale/3-bedroom-detached-bungalow-shepperton-721366

£750,000 I suspect in need of a little TLC

Bubble Failure. 13th July

Paddington Basin to Ballot Box Bridge

Our time here was up, well at midday it would be. Check-out time is at midday and check-in at 1pm, not that there is anybody to check in with. Some people have opted to stay for longer in the basin, once their booked mooring has elapsed they keep their eyes peeled across the way. As soon as a space becomes available they move over to the hospital side, giving themselves more time, but this time for free.

We could easily stay for longer, loads more people we could catch up with. It’s been great to see those we’ve seen, but we both were looking forward to heading out of town away from the constant hum of the buildings around us and into the cool of some countryside.

It looked like there was nobody on board the boat behind us, but as soon as we’d pulled away a chap appeared out the back, time for them to nudge up and be able to use bow and stern. We moved on down to the end of the basin and winded, turning our back on central London.

When we’d returned to Oleanna last night we’d been surprised at the amount of duck weed that had reached the basin, yes there had been numerous boats moving through the bubble barriers, but the amount was more than you’d expect to be pushed through on bows of boats.

The bubbles were working at the first barrier, maybe too much duck weed had now crossed and it was multiplying at a rate of knots. Ahead of us was a green lagoon that had been Little Venice. Hardly any water visible anywhere. People queued for the trip boats, students threw bread in for the ducks off Rembrandt Gardens as we pushed our way across.

At the services there are two taps. The first one was in use and as we got closer to Westbourne Terrace Bridge we could see two boats there. No option for us but to wait today our tank was down to 1/8th and the next tap would be past where we wanted to pull up for the day. We pulled up to wait in the bridge hole, hoping no wide beam would want to pass.

Go boats came past, the narrowboats through the bridge swapped positions, one leaving, the other sounding like it had a very empty tank. After quite a wait the boat just behind us moved off and we wee able to pull back. Oleanna’s length too much to tuck into the gap so her bow stuck out in the bridge hole. A while later a work boat approached, wider than a narrowboat, would it fit through? I pulled the bow as far over as I could and there was just about an inch spare, phew! The bubble barrier here wasn’t working, the amount of duck weed on the move explained the green lagoon.

Slipping away from the services with the help of Custodian of the Bins

As soon as the other boat had finished filling on the other side of the bridge we pulled Oleanna through so that we’d be out of the way, one lady asked if we’d broken down! Coal Boat Indus came past, so Mick flagged him down for a bottle of gas which turned out cheaper than in Uxbridge. Bottles were swapped as the dog on the roof helped cut back the overhanging tree.

As we continued to fill we emptied the yellow water and the next boat wanting the tap breasted up against us. once full we crept out from the inside and headed outwards, a mile along realising we’d gained a boat hook on our roof. I could have walked back to return it, but he was likely to have moved off, three directions he could have gone, it seemed pointless.

Slow going past all the moored boats not helped by the thick layer of weed. We had to wait for a line of work boats to be nudged out of the way for us to pass, a weed collector and a couple of skips fighting a loosing battle.

The moorings at Ladbrooke Grove Sainsburys were full, we’d hope to pull in to do some shopping and then have lunch before continuing on our way, but no chance. Happily a short distance around the bend a suitable gap showed itself, so we moored and headed off with our bags, the shopping list reducing to supplies for the next couple of days, we’ll do a bigger shop at Bulls Bridge.

How dare they! They’d moved the outside and there were trees! Yet I wasn’t allowed out. They came back, sat around, and then carried on. Didn’t they know it was getting late!

The weed stayed with us to about a mile before we moored. A length of towpath empty opposite the golf club on Horsenden Hill was appealing, but this length is closed at the moment due to the towpath being resurfaced.

We pulled up around the next bend more or less where we’d left a week ago. The shouting from inside Oleanna so SO LOUD, Tilly was excited! Within seconds she disappeared into the nature reserve, showing her face a couple of times and returning for a late Ding Ding.

Our evening meal got later and later. I’ve been wanting to make a quinoa crust quiche for a while and we’d stocked up on the ingredients today. The crust is made from cooked quinoa, ground almonds and Parmesan. The quantity of this seemed a touch too much, but I forced it all into the quiche tin.

Chicken, bacon, spinach, onion, feta, garlic, quinoa, parmesan, almond. Yummy!

The quantities in the recipe were cups, so I’d converted them, despite the amount of filling I had being a touch short I still had way too much! We’ll have spare chicken to eat for lunch for a while. Six eggs were needed for sticking factor, but I felt this was maybe a touch too many. So instead I used three with some creme fresh and a glug of milk. It smelt fantastic, but maybe the creme fresh had given off a touch too much moisture and I’d have been better using more eggs as the centre of the crust had more slop factor than crunch. However it tasted very good accompanied by some of the new potatoes Marion and John had given us.

0 lock, 7.69 miles, 1 wind, 1 left, 1 green lagoon, 2 familiar faces, 1 hour wait for water, £33 for gas, 1 load of washing, 2 boxes wine, 1 reduced shopping list, 1.75 hours of freedom, 1 HAPPY cat, 12 meals worth of quiche, 4 years of being an amputee, 1 TV tuned in for tomorrow.

https://goo.gl/maps/WGAZsEFg4oWNL6Si6

Shiny Boat Central. Day 6

Paddington Basin

A cuppa in bed, then a shower and we were ready for the day. Bang on time another familiar face walked under the footbridge into the basin. My college friend Kathy coming for breakfast on her way to work.

Kathy has worked her way around the drama colleges of London through the last few years and now is head of Production Design at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, possibly the highest thought of design college in the country. Kathy was the first person I met when I moved to Croydon for college and our first day in the student house together we just didn’t stop talking. We don’t get many opportunities for a catch up nowadays, so it was great that we’d managed to find a couple of hours today.

We headed over to Kupp for breakfast, Kathy must have know where we’d be going as she matched the decor perfectly. Mick and I opted for poached eggs with bacon and hollandaise sauce, whilst Kathy had wild mushrooms spinach and a poached egg. It was all very tasty, my only criticism was that just because my gluten free bread was smaller than Mick’s sourdough slice shouldn’t mean that I got less sauce than him!

A touch more hollandaise would have been nice

We talked about friends, family, theatre and boats. During the week Kathy lives on board Dora May on the Thames, her mooring just down stream from Tower Bridge, a fantastic view from their wheel house. All too soon it was time for her to head to work. Hopefully she may come out and join us for a day when we’re on the Thames, but we’ll see, she’s a busy lady.

Some shopping was needed, so Mick headed off again into central London this time in hunt of some new clothes for himself and a stock up of tea for me from Whittards. I in the mean time did my best to finish scanning my Dad’s second diary. Not as many pages as the first one, but this one has the account of his journey by ship to India.

I was determined to get the diary scanned today, the only thing distracting me was the GoBoats. Several of them had been hired out to teams all in matching fancy dress. Dalmations, Rabbits in hats, Blackbirds, Elfs. Each one set off from the next pontoon and just about all of them managed to collide with us. We may now have access both bow and stern but it does mean we are the first and most likely boat to get hit. No wonder the boats have had more and more padding added to them from when we first saw them.

A new boat arrived for the pontoon, having to hold back under the footbridge as there was no space. Who was overstaying? Yesterday a not so shiny boat had pulled in and the chap carried his bike along the gunnel and disappeared, he was an obvious choice, but being shiny isn’t a prerequisite for mooring here, anyone who books and pays can.

There followed a bit of complex boat moving. The central boat moved out, the one on the inside then pulled out and moored on the Hospital side (they were the ones), before the boat from the outside moved into the inside, the central boat moved back into position followed by the new boat onto the outside of the pontoon. Everyone was happy now.

Mick returned with a stash of my tea, showered and put a new polo shirt, far less creased than normal but with tell tale signs of it being new. I still had 20 pages left to scan, we decided to be slightly late to our next engagement so that I could finish.

Across London to Homerton, here I’d spied a stockists for Charlie and Ivy oils and bread dippers. One of these I use on lamb and veg kebabs and I’m having to cobble together my own version, which isn’t quite the same, the lack of juniper lets my version down. We hunted the shelves of Eat 17, but nothing from the range was to be found.

At my brothers they have been joined by Jac’s Mum over from Australia for six weeks. Not bad doing that journey in her mid 80’s. Helen is as inquisitive as her daughter, just with a Scottish accent. We were asked endlessly about life on the boat, my favourite question being ‘What do you eat?’

A lovely evening with them as ever and Andrew cooked a wonderful paella on the barbecue, packed with fish chicken and prawns.

Helen had made a lemon tart, the crust having been made with corn flour for me, very tasty it was. A good evening to mark our last in London.

Helen, Mick, Pip, Jac, Andrew, Josh behind the camera

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 tubes, 2 buses, 1 overground, 1 best friend with a beaming smile, 5 poached eggs, 2 hours to catch up, 157 pages scanned, 0 juniper balsamic dipper, 1 huge paella, 1 slightly nutty Scottish Australian, 2 diaries handed over, 1 slow journey home, 1 fruit cake of a cat, it’s time for Tilly to have some shore leave.

Shiny Boat Central. Day 4

Paddington Basin

There were movements outside early this morning. The boat next to us had dropped it’s pram cover by 6:30. They were being considerate keeping the noise to a minimum, eventually pulling away at 7am. They were soon followed by two more boats, including the one in front of us. Once we were up Mick pulled us forward all of 60 ft. This end of the pontoon is longer, so we can now use front and back doors, better for visitors.

No work today, just some scanning of my Dad’s diary before we headed out. The memory card in my camera has been playing up a little recently so Mick formatted another card. But the camera didn’t like it as I tried to take photos of the female Tufted Duck with her 9 ducklings that she proudly displays around the basin. So a quick trip back to the boat to sort it and we were on our way again.

This delay was quite fortuitous, as we walked towards the end of the basin our route across to the bus stop was blocked. Blocked by the very bridge we’d intended crossing.

Several times a week the Fan bridge is opened to show it off. It does this very well. Made of five fingers, it pivots it’s digits up into the air until all the counter weighted ends lie level on the ground, this produces a fan above the water.

The buildings got in the way of a good photo

We paused to watch it reach it’s highest point. I felt sorry for the chap who had his finger on the button, knowing how much your finger joints start to ache after a while lifting or swinging a bridge. At least he didn’t have the added pressure of traffic being held up and if the bridge broke whilst up fully it would only slightly inconvenience some pedestrians.

The Number 27 bus runs up to Camden where we alighted and walked our way through several streets, the hubhub of Camden soon falling silent on the calmer side streets.

Christine (Mick’s eldest sister) and Paul have a lovely house in Kentish Town where tall hollyhocks grow around trees in the street. We had a lovely few hours catching up with them over a very nice lunch of salad, bread and cheese. The cheese was very tasty, a Caerphilly, a goat, then something blue which was tasty but the best one which was slightly creamy, sadly I can’t remember the name of it.

These were followed by some Lebanese cannoli, based on Sicilian cannoli but with an almost almond brittle brandy snap outer. The insides were reminiscent to Halvah just not as crystalish. These were very tasty indeed.

The London Transport lady on the buses doesn’t know how to say Hammersmith Grove, she falls silent instead after announcing the number of the bus. Maybe that bit just hasn’t been recorded yet.

Back at the boat we gave Tilly some fusses, two more boats had arrived, leaving one available space. Soon I spotted a familiar face walking towards us, one of my best friends from school in York. Big hugs all round and then we were straight onto the wine.

Morag has recently started a new job helping to smooth existing arrangements world wide which have been and will be affected by Brexit. Her daughter today became a barrister and her son now 17 works hard at school and hopefully has stopped growing having now reached 6ft 1.

We caught up on each others news and then passed on that of other school friends. Later in the summer there is hopefully going to be a get together of our A level Geography group. I had a few leads to pass on of other members of the group. Mick did well listening to tales of Tim going for ‘Gold’, Jason’s wild card to Wimbledon and many others he’s never met.

A lovely evening which we finished off with a visit to Pizza Express.

0 locks, 60ft, 3 boats gone, 2 new boats, 13 pages scanned, 1 fanning bridge, 2 buses, 4 treat cheese, 1 sister-out-law, 1 best friend, 6 hours of catching up, 1 allusive school friend found, 1 too many glasses of wine.

Oy! That’s Not Your Boat!! 4th July

Debham Bridge to Above Uxbridge Lock

NB Augustus came past us whilst we were having our cuppa in bed, there wasn’t enough time to get the covers rolled up and pushed out to join them for Denham Deep Lock, anyway I hadn’t finished my tea.

An hour later another boat came into view, we started to get ourselves ready when Mick spotted another boat behind them, they were obviously already sharing the locks, so no need to hurry. We pushed off and followed on behind them knowing we’d be the odd one at the back of the queue.

Chatting to the two boats ahead as they descended the lock, they both were heading into London, one to take their chances with the masses, the other has a booked mooring.

With nobody coming from below we filled the chamber up, all 10ft 6″. A large group of students came up to the side of the lock to watch.

They just about filled the towpath side and I suggested that some of them move, just in case Mick knocked the bottom gate as he left, we didn’t want anybody tumbling into the canal or onto our roof. A chap sat on the off side closed the gate for us meaning we could be on our way.

We were now looking for a mooring close to Uxbridge, one with cover would be ideal. Soon there was space in the shade and Mick pulled us in, both of us doing our best not to get nettled as we moored up.

An early lunch then Mick was off to make use of his 60+ oyster card. He headed across London back out to Hackney where my panto model was sat waiting at my brothers. Hopefully I’ll be able to get on with finishing everything so that as soon as we turn out onto the Thames I can concentrate on boating.

Tilly headed off and soon found gaps in the mesh alongside the towpath to be able to access the trees and find friends for the afternoon. This left me with the panto script and a spread sheet to compile a props list. It is way bigger than last years, but with fewer tricksy makes. A set builder also needed more information so some of my technical drawings had to be scanned and emailed off.

The shade that we’d arrived to was short lived. I had about an hours worth before the sun crept along the cabin sides, this lasted well into the evening. Inside I was at least sheltered from the sun, but the temperature kept on rising. Tilly even had to return for spells to be a long cat on the floor.

When Mick returned we made use of the shade Oleanna was now creating and sat out to enjoy a barbeque, the towpath just wide enough. Sweet corn, followed by some chicken thighs marinated in ginger and garlic with a hint of chilli and veg and halloumi kebabs.

1 lock all 10ft 6″ of it, 1.17 miles, 1 shady mooring for an hour, 1 bright mooring for 7! 1 oven, 1 long cat, 4 tubes, 2 buses, 118 props, 4 kebabs, 3 thighs, 1 model back to be finished, 1 cat preffering a wider boat roof, 1 big hello again to Ali!

https://goo.gl/maps/CEdsoKLHjrK2wnTC7

Paddles Up! 27th June

Cow Roast Marina to Pixes Farm Bridge 146

Final load of washing on whilst we had breakfast, most of this got a turn or two in the tumble dryer. By the time it had all finished the post still had £8.03 on it. Not bad.

The bow post hadn’t fully cured but the fenders had to go on, it’s not often you can get this close to the pointy end without having to hang over the gas locker and that doesn’t appeal to either of us. The button was put back on and then Mick tried to work out how to attach the new fender underneath.

It seems to want to hang a touch more vertically than horizontally. Mick tried shackling it in a different place but this seemed to be looser, so we’ll see how this arrangement works, we just want to stop biffing as we go up in locks.

Whilst this was happening outside I was unpacking the summer clothing bag, with temperatures expected of around 30 degrees on Saturday I wanted my shorts out. Bulky winter jumpers were popped in the vacuum bag ready to be compacted and hidden away for the next few months.

Wayne in his Lemon van arrived a good twenty minutes early for our delivery slot, one substitution and unfortunately a hole in the bag of rice flour. I’ve asked for a refund and popped the bag in another bag. With gluten free ingredients replenished I can make bread again.

Once the water tank was topped back up, rubbish taken to the bin and the marina gate fob returned to the office we were ready. Mick gently nudged us backwards, instead of fending off at the front I pulled us in towards the boat next door trying to get as much turn as we could before the stern met the concrete edge behind. Finally we were free and back out on the canal.

Cow Roast Lock was being emptied so we pulled in to wait our turn. Walking up to the lock I could see that it was a huge widebeam going down, taking their time not to hit the bridge with their wheelhouse canopy. They got back onboard, leaving the gates, was someone waiting to come up? Or are we now south enough for southern cruising ways?!

Two boats were waiting, phew we’d not spend the next few hours closing gates at every lock. The gates at Cow Roast have been replaced, somehow new huge baulks of oak catch your eye more than old painted ones. Here the usual roofing felt anti slip strip isn’t present, instead they have added studs to do the job. Apparently the roofing felt holds moisture underneath it helping the beam to rot quicker. The studs are a good idea, but according to a C&RT chap a bit further along as the oak dries out the studs become loose and you can just lift them out.

At Dudswell Top Lock, two chaps were letting water down. Thier boats were sat in the next pound and as boats came down they refloated, but then as they left the pound they were going aground again. I’m fairly sure there used to be a note in the Nicholsons guide suggesting not to moor there. If it was us, we’d move to the next pound.

At Dudswell Bottom Lock a C&RT chap was sat waiting for someone to turn up with things to fix a hole in the towpath. He’d come out to unlock the offside top gate for the wide beam. He showed me where the gate was rotten and badly needed some TLC. The bottom gates are also bad, two big holes constantly letting water through. The two boats in the pound above really should move down, they were fighting a loosing battle trying to keep their boats afloat.

North Church Lock needed refilling, the widebeam having just gone down. We’d now gradually catch them up. By the time we both reached Gas Locks coming into Berko we both sat in line waiting for the lock to fill.

Obligatory photo. Looks like it needs a touch up

Here the two locks are close together, so I offered to go and set the second one ready for them to go straight into, knowing that Mick would reset the top one for us. However the bottom lock was empty and below there was a coal boat across the cut. I walked down to see if he wanted the lock or if it was alright to reset it for the widebeam. He was with a customer but was heading up the way to wind and come back, so he’d top up the diesel later.

Pretty archway by people who build tree houses

Just as we were starting to fill the lock a Wyvern Hire boat appeared, so we emptied the chamber again to open the bottom gates. The widebeam above came down, the lady not having spotted boats coming up was closing gates and about to help lift a paddle for us. Luckily Mick had spotted what was happening below. Having such a big boat the crew had walkie talkies, she would help guide the boat in by standing at the bottom gates and then give the chap at the helm a distance to the bottom gates constantly. I wonder if they enjoy cruising on canals, or just can’t wait to get onto the Thames.

We followed them down and found a space on the moorings in Berko. By now we were ravenous and after lunch I popped over to Waitrose for a couple of bits and to pick up an order from John Lewis. The decision was made to move on further today, we want to be within the M25 and find shade before the heat hits on Saturday.

Chairs piled high, the show takes place right next to the lock

At The Rising Sun pub the aftermath of two nights of Mikron shows was visible, large piles of plastic chairs still lock side. Today it seemed to have converted into a resting place for walkers. They were apparently walking a circular route from Goring to Goring. Most of the people we’d seen on the towpath with numbers on them were walking carefully, it was only the first chap we’d seen a few hours earlier who didn’t seem to be limping.

Down a few more locks to below Sewer Lock. Most of the locks today we’ve had to leave empty, necessitating leaving a paddle up when you leave. This is great when you arrive going up hill, but a touch more work to do when going down.

Here we had a couple of attempts to moor up where our 2014 Christmas card photo was taken. In the end we decided that being a couple of foot away from the bank would be good practice for when we get to the Kennet and Avon. It was now 7pm, but Tilly was allowed special dispensation and given an hour of towpath frolicks. We introduced ourselves to the boat behind, they are heading the same way as us, if we manage to push off at the same time tomorrow then we’ll share the locks into Hemel with them.

13 locks, 7 following, 4.77 miles, 1 coal boat, 1 late lunch, 2 parcels, 1 red onion, 1 very sunny day, 2 obligatory photos, 4 pairs of shorts dug out, 1 offer, 1 script.

https://goo.gl/maps/Ev8hCDn8dgKRBLtF6

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna