Category Archives: Knitting

The Year Of The … 2024.

Time for the annual round up of travels on Oleanna. So sit back with a glass or mug of something nice, put your feet up and I hope you’ll enjoy the read.

We saw the New Year in in the house. Some canal side painting to hang in the downstairs toilet kept me busy during betwixtmas. I decided to set myself a new knitting challenge for the year, to knit a pair of socks each week for the full year to raise funds for Dementia UK. Emails were sent out to numerous yarn dyers and the parcels of generous donations started to arrive along with my needles starting to knit round and round in circles.

Late January we hired a car. First trip was to Dewsbury to purchase fabric for new dinette cushions, it also gave us chance to catch up with Mick’s old work colleagues Mark and Sarah on our way back. The next day we started to do jobs on Oleanna. Mick set too in the engine bay and The Shed to get ready to install our new lithium batteries, I sanded and cleaned the oak floor inside. Window surrounds with water damage were sanded back, stains removed and then revarnished. The stove top was given a fresh coat of paint and the floor two coats of Danish Oil. Mick fitted the batteries and chunky cables and tested things out, all seemed to be good.

Bowls of soup kept us going whilst on Oleanna and whilst in the house I made gluten free crumpets and focaccia. I just have to make the most of the big kitchen whilst I’ve got it!

February. More and more donated yarn arrived, I was going to have to make space on Oleanna for it, just as well I wouldn’t be making a panto model this year!

New dinette cushions were covered. The Galley tap was replaced, we’d discovered that the tap we had was no longer made, but managed to buy two along with spare cartridges, hopefully these will see our boating days out! The new battery installation was tidied up and hooks were added into The Shed to make better use of the storage in there.

Tilly had her yearly vaccinations and we stocked up on flee and wormer for her. Opticians were seen, improvements to a bathroom in the house were started, we had our first lodgers of the year and a lovely visit from Pip’s old school friend Morag. We then called together our Scarborough friends for a gathering before a final tidy up of the house and our return to Oleanna at the beginning of March.

***Shore leave permitted for another year***

With just about all the house jobs done in the house we moved back onboard, this pleased Tilly and she found her way into the secret passage as soon as she could If I stayed in there I might never have to return to the house again!

Our first aim for the year had been to join the Fund Britain’s Waterways cruise on the Thames, quite a journey from Goole especially when all routes south were blocked by winter maintenance. Once we’d stocked up the boat we headed straight for the New Junction Canal, pulling in to give Tilly some much needed shore leave. She was happy and so were we to be back out on the cut.

We headed towards the first of the stoppages that would be lifted, got stuck by rising waters on the River Aire, made a dash to Lemonroyd when levels dropped a touch. Here things didn’t go too well, two visits to an emergency dentist and Oleanna’s cooling system developed a fault for which we needed a part. Thank goodness we’d upgraded our batteries, but there was no hot water. Alastair from Goole came out to fix our problem and we had a few days plugged in at the marina before river levels dropped and Woodnook Lock on the Aire and Calder reopened we could now be on our way again.

Making our way up towards the Rochdale Canal we negotiated river sections just coming out of the red and made our final dash to Brighouse before the level rose again. We were now at least two weeks behind our planned schedule to reach London in time for the campaign cruise, yes we could have upped the hours we were cruising, enlisted extra crew in places to speed our journey, but we opted to slow down and enjoy the journey and abandoned joining the cruise.

Through Tuel Lane the deepest lock on the network arriving in Hebden Bridge for Easter weekend. We enjoyed cheese, hot cross buns and a pint with Alex one of our favourite actors. Then an evening with old college friends Alan and Doug up near Todmorden before we carried on climbing over the Pennines.

The Rochdale was how we remembered it, hard work but wonderful scenery. The Great Wall of Tod and ducklings took us up towards the summit where we’d booked our passage across the top, a shame it was an overcast damp day. Two C&RT chaps helped us up the last uphill lock and then down the first few locks on the other side getting us through a section guaranteed to be low in water.

There was a pause in Littleborough meeting up with Mick’s sister Anne and his niece and great nieces, first time I’d met the great nieces and the first time we’d seen Anne and Ruth since lockdowns.

A mystery man arrived near Slattocks on our descent towards Manchester, Paul Balmer (Waterway Routes). He’d offered to help us on the long stretch into Piccadilly but arrived a day earlier to help get us to the Rose of Lancaster, he did return the following day and was rewarded with the first batch of apple flapjack.

Down the Rochdale Nine and onto the Bridgewater Canal where we turned left heading southwards. We pulled in for a couple of days at Little Bollington for Mick to have a couple of days away in Scarborough, leaving Tilly and myself on the embankment where the breach on New Years Day 2025 has now happened.

Through Preston Brook Tunnel and on southwards on the Trent and Mersey. Up the Cheshire Locks for the first time this year we paused and had a night out at the New Vic in Stoke to see One Man Two Guvnors with a cast of so many familiar faces. Then on through Harecastle Tunnel and down to Stone where we were joined by Bill and Lisa who got to work their first locks.

At the beginning of May we turned a right at Great Heywood and onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal. Unfortunately one of our new lithium bully boy batteries had gone faulty. This needed sending back which took some packing and planning for a pick up. It was deemed to be faulty and a replacement was made ready to be sent out to us when we’d reached somewhere suitable.

A dentist check up in Birmingham suggested I’d be needing a few appointments so it was just as well I’d been before we arrived in Birmingham. Up the Wolverhampton 21, we like that flight, and an overnight stop at Urban Moorings to donate our deposits from our separating toilet.

We now had a rendezvous. Messages had been sent back and forth and as we arrived in Birmingham we were able to pull in right behind NB Lottie Jane where Clare and Graeme were waiting for us. They were over from New Zealand for a few months and had borrowed their friends boat. Over dinner we arranged to share the broad locks ahead of us, they’d head off in the morning and we’d loiter for my dentist.

A few days later after coinciding with another Graeme on NB Misty Blue, then descending Lapworth Locks we rendezvoused again on the embankment above Rowington on the Grand Union. Here there was a meeting of boats as we managed to also coincide with Chris on NB Elektra and have a guided tour and a catch up sat out on the towpath.

Down Hatton, both boats glad to have company to work the locks, we rewarded ourselves with a meal at The Cape of Good Hope. Onwards to share the locks back up the other side with Clare and Graeme. It was very nice to be able to spend some time with them again before our journeys took us in different directions at Napton as we headed onto the South Oxford Canal and they headed towards Crick for the boat show.

Mick’s birthday was seen in on the South Oxford, now a state pensioner! A new battery was delivered and looked after at Aynho Wharf for our arrival, more socks were knitted, one pair hand delivered in Thrupp and we managed to moor at several of our favourite moorings as we headed down to Oxford.

**Sally, Andrew, Ian, Mick, Jenny, Pip, Sam, Jac**

A big Leckenby get together was arranged at the Kings Arms by Sandford Lock on the Thames. Andrew and Jac drove over from London and Ian and Sally along with Sam and Jenny drove over from near Lechlade and Windsor. We had a very loud Sunday lunch, so good to be able to get us all together at a jolly event.

Now we headed down stream on the Thames, we usually end up going up stream! Perfect timing to meet up with Australian visitors Siobhan and Patrick in Wallingford for lunch.

A perfectly timed arrival at Clivden meant we got to moor on an island for the second time, perfect for Tilly. A warm evening bbq above Boveney Lock, watching the royals in Old Windsor. Then we arrived at Weybridge where we joined the River Wey, with a transit licence we moved up to Pyrford Marina meeting up with Ann-Marie and Dave from NB Legend and then a trip back to Scarborough to do a turn around at the house.

On our return we picked up extra crew member Kath (Mick’s sister) and turned onto the Basingstoke Canal. Kath has lived close by to the canal for several years but never seen a boat on it. The following day we joined forces with NB Olive to continue our climb up the locks, there were now 6 cats in the locks not just 1! We cruised our way up to the end of the navigation only to have a phone call saying that a boat had hit a lock gate behind us and that the Deep Cut flight of locks was now closed. Would we be stuck for days, weeks or months?

Oleanna’s horns were removed for some of the lowest bridges on the network, we’d actually have had plenty of space for them. Lunch was enjoyed with Marion and John, a walk over the top to visit the other end of Greywell Tunnel was enjoyed in the sunshine. We then spent the next few days waiting for news on the broken lock and trying to find moorings for Tilly away from NB Olive as Tilly isn’t too keen on other cats!

We spent time visiting Brookwood Cemetery, walking in the woods near Mytchett Visitors Centre and caught up with Sam Leckenby for a meal. Then we heard that the Canal Rangers would be able to give us assisted passage through the troubled lock. Four boats were bow hauled through, only cats allowed to stay on board. At least we’d managed to cruise The Basingstoke Canal on our second attempt.

Downstream on the Thames again to Teddington and a lovely early evening trip to Brentford ended our journey on the Thames this year. We’d booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a few days giving us chance to catch up with friends and family in London. Andrews birthday was celebrated in true Leckenby style, meet ups with Christine and Paul for Tapas, brunch with Kathy and a few pints with Nick, Kerry and Harry were all enjoyed even though my left knee was starting to seriously play up.

We pulled out from London as the General Election was looming, we’d done postal votes some days before hand. Back along the Grand Union heading northwards we decided to attempt the Slough arm for a second time. Sadly our depth meant all we achieved was a load of weed around the prop and had to abort our mission.

The Grand Union is a very familiar waterway now to us, we climbed up to the Tring summit and headed off to Lizzie’s 50th birthday party in Crick. Lots of boaters we’ve met through the years were there to have a catch up with. We also took the opportunity to catch up with my college friend Jen who’s joined us for a or two cruise in the past.

The first lock of the Marsworth flight was hard work for my knee, the second impossible. Time for role reversal, I’d be at the helm, Mick wheeling a windlass from now onwards. A turn onto the Aylesbury Arm, water Oleanna hadn’t been on before. Our only sight seeing was at an NHS walk in (more like hobble in) centre in High Wycombe, but we did pop to say hello to Ronnie Baker.

Another turn around in Scarborough before we headed towards Milton Keynes joined for a lovely day by Mike and Chris. Northwards to Braunston and onto the North Oxford Canal passing through the large landslip site which had the canal closed for months earlier in the year. Right onto the Coventry Canal, Atherstone and up to Fradley where we turned left for the first time in years.

Now we met up with our old shareboat NB Winding Down and walked round Shugborough Hall, my knee having improved with exercises. Straight on to Stoke then a right onto the Caldon Canal. There was the opportunity to coincide with Debbie and Dave on NB Bonjour, handing over another pair of socks, before we carried cruising both arms of the canal. Having limboed our way on the Basingstoke we decided to give Froghall Tunnel a go. Horns removed again, we slowly but surely managed our way through and had a very quiet night in the basin one lock down on the Uttoxeter Canal, another first for us.

At the beginning of September we retraced our route back to the Trent and Mersey with perfect timing to meet up with Mike and Christine on NB Alchemy, we had time for a catch up and introduction to Tilly before we headed in different directions. Middleport Pottery was visited for the first time, then it was through Harecastle Tunnel for the second time this year.

Paul joined us again to assist us down the Cheshire Locks getting us a little ahead of schedule which meant we were at the Anderton Boat Lift at a weekend meaning Lizzie could join us for the trip, even though it was an exceedingly wet day. This ticked off Oleanna’s seventh and final wonder of the waterways.

We cruised to both ends of the River Weaver on new waters for all of us. A tour of the Daniel Adamson was offered and taken and the last pairs of socks for my sockathon got sponsors. The monthly market in Northwich caught our attention and we had a very lovely evening in Manchester with the London Leckenbys when Josh moved to the city to study at the University.

Back southwards on the Trent and Mersey we crossed paths with NB On The Fiddle and NB Cobweb meaning I could hand deliver some more socks to an old SJT colleague. We started up the Cheshire Locks on our own, but soon picked up Bridget and Storm who were in need of a canal fix, it was great to have a couple of days with them.

Now we turned over the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield Canal. The Bosley flight was low on water so I handed the helm back to Mick and reclaimed the windlass, Mick is willing to give Oleanna extra umph when needed.

A belated birthday trip on the PS Waverley for Mick had us moored in Macclesfield for a few days, NB Alton stopping to top us up with diesel and coal. Then we were across the top of the Macc and down the Marple flight ready to turn onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Rain gave us a day off in Stalybridge. Another pause was taken at Uppermill for a trip to Scarborough to see the latest Ayckbourn play and meet up with our lodgers before they headed homewards.

On our final ascent to the summit of the HNC, we thankfully we swapped roles due to low water levels, a 100 meter dash and quick thinking by Mick averted disaster at Lock 29W where Oleanna had got stuck on the cill as the lock did it’s best to empty itself behind her. Once we’d reached the summit we had a quiet afternoon preparing for Standedge Tunnel the following morning.

Our third time through the tunnel, Tilly resigned to hide tucked away behind Mick’s pillow. In Marsden there was then a wait for a lock bridge to be mended before we could descend through Yorkshire. Paul came to assist again on a very drizzly day getting us to Slaithwaite.

From here we had a trip southwards to help celebrate Kath and Sean’s Civil Partnership, a wonderful day with all the Geraghtys together.

Mick and I worked the rest of our way down to Huddersfield where Paul came to assist again wanting to check data for Waterway Routes which is hard to do without being on a boat. We finally waved goodbye to Paul in Wakefield and did our best to avoid the River Aire going into flood, but ended up having to wait a few days at Castleford.

Back on the Aire and Calder we headed to Sykehouse Junction and tucked ourselves on the moorings at the start of the New Junction where we’d moored on our first night this year. Tilly was given shore leave, I remember it well! whilst I tried to finish off some painting jobs before we returned to Goole.

By the end of October Oleanna was tucked up in Goole and we were back in the house with our next lodger, the baddie from the Christmas show at the SJT. Back in the land of veg boxes, get togethers with friends, lantern parades and walks on the beach. Jobs in the house have been listed, a few ticked off and more to work through next year in between lodgers.

The run up to Christmas also included visiting a couple of potential boat painters. A trip to London for a boat trip on the Thames to mark Marion and John’s Golden Wedding Anniversary and at the same time catch up with my family too.

This year Christmas was just the three of us with lots of food and some sock knitting of course. In fact I knitted right up to the bongs of Big Ben at midnight getting part way through my 55th pair of socks in 2024.

So this year was The Year Of The ……

… SOCK!

Now for our final statistics for 2024

This year is the first full year that we’ve logged our journeys using Nebo, but I’ve also kept a tally as we’ve cruised using Canalplan, I’ve got quite a spread sheet. The two methods of recording distances give different totals so I shall list them both. Nebo calculates distances, has average speeds and maximum speeds. Canalplan doesn’t do speed, but includes locks, tunnels, bridges, etc so I suspect I’ll carry on with both next year.

Canalplan stats.

Total distance of 956miles, 4 furlongs and 846 locks.

There were 56 moveable bridges, of which 11 are usually left open; 205 small aqueducts or underbridges and 28 tunnels – a total of 12 miles, 4 furlongs under ground and 1 major aqueduct.

This is made up of 426 miles, 1 furlongs of narrow canals; 279 miles, 7.5 furlongs of broad canals; 55 miles, 1.75 furlongs of commercial waterways; 44 miles, 1.5 furlongs of small rivers; 137 miles, 5.75 furlongs of large rivers; 5 miles, 0.75 furlongs of tidal rivers; 417 narrow locks; 353 broad locks; 55 large locks; 2 boat lifts.

Nebo stats.

Underway 289.95 hours; end mileage 943.24miles; average speed 2.5mph; maximum speed 27.8mph (the link was doing something odd for the first few months then it became more realistic); maximum speed 6.5mph (I hasten to add this was on the River Aire heading downstream in the amber)

Other stats.

58 Vehicles held up at moveable bridges; 1011.03 litres of diesel bought; £0.90 lowest diesel at Viking Marina Oct 2024; £1.24 maximum diesel at Aynho Wharf May 2024; 490kgs coal; 3 x 13 kg bottles of gas; £52 electric at moorings; 2 buckets of compost deposits; £20 donation; 630.4 Engine hours; 4 packs Dreamies; 51 friends; 4 brought in; 2 upset tummies; 40 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval; 51 boxes of wine; £252.45 spent on mooring fees; 1 overnight guest; 0 shows; 12 lodgers; 5 supermarket deliveries; 1 problematical knee; 8 months cruising; 20Litres oil; 0 fuel filters; 2 oil filters; 1 kitchen tap; 3 new batteries; 1 faulty; 150amp hours to 460 amp hours (at 24 volts); 1 boat mover sighting; 1 blue boat sighting; 11 days of guest crew; 54.4 pairs of socks; 1,000,000 plus knitted stitches; £1525 raised for Dementia UK; 271 posts; 268,000 words; 353 likes; 399 comments; 15900 visitors; 41300 views!

Thank you for joining us on our travels in 2024.

The count down to the start of our travels for 2025 has started.

Presents And Licenced. 25th to 31st December

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**Tide was in by the time we got to the beach Christmas morning**

Christmas and Birthday. We’ve had a good year this year, not so many boaty presents as usual, but still some worth mentioning.

Mick got a serious pair of bolt croppers. These may be handy should anything ever seriously stubborn find its way onto Oleanna’s prop. A new weather station is currently being tested out, there are frequent comments as to the temperature on the coal bunker outside the back of the house. The old weather station wasn’t quite so detailed and it had ceased to show you much other than the time! I had considered getting Mick one that showed the tide times, this may have come in handy for 2025, but he’d selected a different model on his present list. Gardening gloves and bulbs for the house, hopefully the squirrels will leave the bulbs alone as the number of daffodils in the front flower bed seem to have decreased since we let the house out ten years ago, so hopefully we’ll be able to boost them again this year.

I got a new ‘to me’ camera! It was a well researched pre owned purchase from Amazon. I’ve taken a few photos so far mainly of garden benches for reference in the weeks to come. I must read the instruction book to make the most of it. So far so good, it has a 30 times optical zoom. No macro setting that I’ve found yet, but a symbol occasionally appears. I’ll just have to get used to carrying it about with me again and using it rather than my phone.

**We need at least two more people to be able to play The Traitors game**

A new bumbag came from Josh. The one I bought last year was waterproof to start with, but as it was used the coating was wearing off, so a bad purchase. Hopefully this new one will be better and there is plenty of room for my camera and phone. As suggested by Jennie I will endeavour to swivel it round to the side or my back when working locks so as to avoid pressing buttons on my camera which most probably did for the last one.

Tilly got a book on the Regents Canal with places to eat. I’ve had a scan through it, however it doesn’t mention Perivale Wood at Ballot Box Bridge, a busy fast moving spot, with delicious rodent main courses. It also mentions too many places I’ve not been allowed to sample as shore leave was deemed unsafe.

I’ve also had three large white hardback books. One a gluten free baking book with lots of science in it, another a veggie cook book and Billy Connelly’s arty book. All will require some looking at. I also got a bag of Italian pizza flour that is gf. I’ve heard good things about it so I’ll be giving it a go in the new year. Oh and some sock stitch markers.

A cats Protection t shirt and a chopping board came from Tilly, She needs reminding of my dingding time at frequent intervals throughout the afternoon when She’s in, so let this serve as a reminder when she’s outside too! I also got some new baking trays for the boat, the ones I’ve been using were really quite cheap and tinny, so these are an upgrade.

We’ve gradually been eating our way through the mountains of Christmas food, my birthday cake is still on going, I must remember to make a half sized one next year. It was a very good choice, but we’re a little bit bored with it now.

Well the time of year to buy a new licence for Oleanna has arrived. A bigger outlay than in previous years as we now have the Continuous Cruisers surcharge to pay for. We want to cruise the network so we don’t mind paying the extra. However we have waited for the latest credit card statement to come through before buying next year’s licence to help spread the cost a bit.

**Tilly’s new rechargeable catnip felt balls**

On the renewal there was a button to read the continuous cruisers rules. Mick clicked the button only to find it led to a “404 error. Page not found”! He then hunted round until he found a version of them from 2022. I have just found a more up to date copy (03/2024) but blimey it doesn’t half take some finding!

For those who don’t know about the new Continuous Cruisers surcharge, this has been brought in this year for boats that don’t have a home mooring, we fall into this category. The T&Cs say that we have to move every 14 days, this is nothing new and we abide by this as it’s what we’ve always signed up for and we prefer to be cruising anyway. To avoid the CC surcharge you need to prove that you have a home mooring for 6 or more continuous months. On the latest T&C’s (I think they are the latest!), I’ve just spent a couple of hours searching for, our winter mooring at Goole is covered in the section “14 days or such longer period as is reasonable in the circumstances” in Schedule 1. For staying longer than 14 days anywhere we should have immediately contacted the Trust’s Licencing Support Team, this is what you should do if you have engine failure, medical requirements etc, to overstay in an area.

In previous years we’ve logged onto our C&RT account and changed us from being a Continuous Cruiser to having a mooring. This meant that should we want to go out every weekend to Sykehouse Junction or Pollington Lock we wouldn’t be classed as over staying if spotted in the same place three weeks apart as we’d have returned to our mooring in between. Now that there is the CC surcharge you can no longer adjust this on line, it appears we should have contacted the Licencing Support Team regarding our marina mooring otherwise we could get an overstay notice. Oh well, we’re fairly unlikely to go out for little jaunts every weekend anyway, but contacting a team member to let them know seems like a waste of their time when we just used to switch from CC to a mooring.

PS if you follow a link on the C&RT website to what is expected of you as a Continuous Cruiser you end up with a document from 2012, long before the surcharge came into existence! Oh Well!!!

But Oleanna is now licenced for the next year, that is what’s important and we can start looking forward to our new adventures on her.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 treat cheeses, 1 year older, 4 balls, 8 pairs of socks, 2 pairs scissors, 1 green triangle, 3 white books, 1 weather station, 1 camera, 1 very cheeky cat, 2 much to eat, 1 Christmas show, 3rd Paddington film, £1525! 54 pairs of socks, plus a little bit.

Thank you Bridget and Storm for your photos this morning of the last official #pipssockathon2024 socks

I have managed a 54th pair too. I really must get round to updating my sockathon page!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

**OOps! I just can’t help myself! Pair 55**

Happy New Year! xxx

A Golden Ride On The Thames. 21st December

Masthouse Terrace Pier, London

Our journey continued down to London Town, conversation regarding Oleanna’s boat paint as we headed southwards. We shouldn’t chose a painter just because his paint shop is in the shadows of cooling towers! This wasn’t the case but Tom was certainly in the lead.

The traffic was bad in places. Our satnav decided to take us on a short detour at one point, handy as it avoided standstill traffic and took us past Wansford Station where we’d moored a couple of years ago on the River Nene. Good Christmas lights were seen, no time to stop to see any of the trains though as we were directed back onto the A1 in time to see the field Tilly had gone AWOL in until well after dark.

It’s been sometime since we drove to my brothers in Hackney and we nearly always get the turn off wrong, but this time I’d remembered to look out for B&Q, then there’s a really tricksy junction to get on the right road. I think this is the first time we’ve done it without a single hitch and thankfully there was a parking space not far from Andrews front door.

Josh was home from University and we had a very pleasant evening catching up, eating a seriously chunky beef bourguignon and drinking maybe just a little bit too much wine. Good to see them all for an evening on our own.

Friday some of the morning was spent sending, or trying to send our email Christmas card. Why does it always have to be so hard? But we got there in the end. What to do with ourselves for the rest of the day?

**Selfridges windows not as good as I remembered them being**

We didn’t really want to spend any money on going to a museum or a special exhibition. For some reason the Wallace Collection came to mind. Mick checked out a route by bus and we were off heading into London. Three buses later we pulled up outside Selfridges, their Christmas windows were okay, but not quite as slick as I’d expected.

Now it was lunch time, we ended up with an M&S sandwich each sat on a bench outside the Wallace Collection, their cafe menu a touch too expensive for us. Time for some culture. Hertford House in Manchester Square was the home of the Seymour family, it’s named after Sir Richard Wallace who built the extensive collection along with the Marquesses of Herford in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

I was expecting quite a good collection but nothing by any means as large as it turned out to be, 25 galleries housing arms and armour, furniture, porcelain and so many paintings from the 15th to 19th Century. Yes you will find The Swing by Fragonard, much smaller than I’d thought it would be, The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals to name just two of the very famous paintings in the collection.

There are Watteaus, Velazquezs, Rubens, Rembrandts, Gainsboroughs, Canellettos, Van Dycks all great stuff amongst lots of Francois Bouchers fluffy pink huge canvases which don’t really do anything for me. I walked round spotting paintings I’d learnt about in A Level art, but then pin pointed paintings that stood out to me.

My favourite was simply called A Dutch Lady, by M.J. Mierevelt. She was just at the right height to have a conversation with. Her 1628 ruff exquisitely painted. I wanted to ask her so many questions about life in the 17th Century and why she wasn’t named on the frame as many were.

Then we hopped on buses out to Camden, catching glimpses of the canal as we crossed over bridges. A quick call in to drop off a Christmas present with Christine and Paul before we met with my friend Nick and his Canadian friend Rob at a pub just round the corner. I’ve known Nick since we were babes in arms, for some years we went to school together, then did our Art Foundation course together too, we’ve never lost touch. The frequency meeting for drinks on Christmas Eve has dropped in recent years, parents no longer calling us back to York for Christmas. So it was very nice to be able to exchange presents face to face, have beer, food and conversation this close to Christmas.

Saturday was the main reason for our trip down to London. Regular readers will be excused for not remembering what we got up to 10 years ago on the 20th December. Back in 2014 we joined all the Geraghty family for a vintage bus tour around London to celebrate Marion (Mick’s sister) and John’s 40th Wedding Anniversary. Today was naturally their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary.

**Interesting buildings in the complex**

Andrew and Jac joined all the generations of Geraghty family and friends for the day. Meeting up at Richards flat on the Isle of Dogs we had nibbles and a glass of fizz whilst every one gathered. Then a five or so minute walk to Masthouse Terrace Pier on the banks of the Thames. There waiting for us was an Uber Clipper hired for a trip on the Thames. Marion and John had originally booked a smaller boat, but the toilets weren’t working they’d had an upgrade to a much bigger boat.

With about 40 of us onboard there was plenty of room, you could stand out on deck or stay inside with a window seat, where ever you fancied really. Soon we pushed off, two other boats were waiting to come in. Off upstream we headed. Downstream of Tower Bridge boats go fast, it was quite exhilarating stood out on deck at the stern.

The first 2km of our cruise was water we’ve not cruised on Oleanna, in fact I think I’ve only been further downstream on a Clipper for Kath’s 50th birthday when we headed to Greenwich. When Canary Wharf came into view we were now on water we’d cruised on the night time flotilla in 2022. Past Limehouse Lock, now landmarks were familiar.

Sadly the weather wasn’t on our side so many of the taller buildings were only just visible . As we approached Tower Bridge we were all called towards the bow, where John and Marion put on floral garlands to mark the occasion of their anniversary.

Under the right hand span of Tower Bridge. Landmarks were pointed out to the youngest of passengers. Places of work were pointed out to new victims and sisters by Mick.

We were moving quicker than we did on Oleanna, the bridges coming one after the other. It was handy to have Waterway Routes up to confirm the names as we passed underneath.

Occasionally John would go on the tannoy, pointing out places of interest in his and other passengers lives. The National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, the Tattershall Castle that many a Geraghty had crossed the Humber on. The exclusion zone in front of the Houses of Parliament seemed to be smaller than I remembered it.

We made it under Vauxhall Bridge but sadly not quite as far as Battersea Power Station. It was in view though and everyone got a good view as the clipper winded to return us back to Masthouse Terrace Pier.

**The first time we’ve been under the centre span with it down**

Then it was back to the flat where a chap had been laying out a fantastic buffet from The Space Bar. Drinks, conversation, speeches, photographs and plenty, I mean plenty of food was enjoyed. Then there was cake! Not just one but three types of cake! What a grand way to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Congratulations to Marion and John and thank you for sharing it with us all.

Back at the London Leckenby’s we fell into the sofa and didn’t do much for the remainder of the evening.

Presents were exchanged on Sunday morning, then we climbed back into our little car and headed back northwards. A pause near Cambridge to refuel and have a substandard breakfast before we carried on up the A1, M18, M62 and then back across the Wolds to Scarborough.

**Knitting two together so as to not run out of yarn**

Tilly was very pleased to see us. David our lodger had been feeding her whilst we were away, but he’d left food for our return, Tilly apparently hadn’t been impressed with not getting her dingding earlier than normal and she’d been quite noisy about it after not being spotted for three days.

**Back in Scarborough before the sunset**

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car to London, 3 London Leckenbys, 2 cats, 1 huge gallery, 1 oldest friend, 1 whiffy pub, 5 buses, 1 train, 1 clipper, 40 passengers, 50th anniversary, 50 golden balloons, 2 much yummy food, 3 cakes, 1 gluten free take away box of brownies, 1 lazy evening, 1 pleased Tilly to see us, 1 poorly baddy!

Christmasification and 1st Painter. 16th December

Goole

Things have been busy here in Scarborough getting ourselves ready for Christmas.

A tree was purchased from a pub car park, lights added and celebrated with this years new version of mince pies, Viennese topped, think I prefer frangipane topping. We celebrated our 22nd anniversary of being together with a Chinese, very nice too. Mick walked up the hill to help me collect ivy for wreaths and the outside of the house is now decorated.

Last Friday we headed out for drinks with friends and managed to catch the Snainton Illuminated tractor run along the Foreshore, a very noisy affair, but very festive. The Christmas biscuit factory got busy last Saturday, 60 gluten free Lebkuchen were baked and have now been distributed about town.

After four quotes for a new lean too we’ve decided on the company, but now just need a roofer to come and see if we need reroofing on the house, wise to work both things around each other. A new cooker hood was fitted by Mick and his friend Mark and at the end of last week, a new lid to the coal bunker and we’ve had a new back door fitted, the last bit of single glazing in the house now replaced.

**Humberside NHS on the top floor in Eastfield**

My GP has referred me to the Self Referral Physio! I got to meet Meera last week who checked my knees over. My leg muscles are strong, all that lock beam pushing. So far she thinks that my leg muscles are too tight, so new exercises consist of stretches. She also spent time explaining the x-ray I had done in the summer and why it was deemed normal. No signs of arthritis but the cartilage behind my knee caps may not be helping things to glide as it should. I think I can tell the difference all ready, we’ll meet up again in early January.

The choice of birthday cake is still to be made, three contenders have been whittled down to two. So it’s between rice or oranges and plums.

We’ve now received 7 estimates/quotes to have Oleanna repainted. Only one company we contacted hasn’t replied, sadly that was Finesse in Sheffield, most probably busy getting the next batch of new boats in the water and out before Christmas.

One company were several thousand pounds more just for painting her and before adding in the alterations/additions we are wanting to do. But there does seem to be a going rate between several painters and yards. The quotes have been whittled down to four now. We’ve seen examples from two of them and heard good reports whilst out on the cut. The other two have advantages about them, but we’re not aware of having seen any of their work. So we’ve arranged to go and see them before Christmas.

This morning Mick picked up a hire car and we headed down to Goole. I had my knitting to keep me busy over the Wolds, finishing off pair 52 and continuing pair 53. There are some things that can’t be done in the passenger seat of a car so I’d got a more complicated bit done last night in preparation.

Plenty of ships in at the docks. We headed straight past Albert Street, the way to Viking Marina, and instead turned up alongside the Dutch River and headed to Goole Marina. It was lunchtime for us so we decided to try out the Coffee Dock which over looks the visitor moorings in Goole. A covered, zipped up outdoor area was negotiated and inside it was nice and cosy. Mick had a toasted panini and I enjoyed a generous jacket potato. Highly recommended and we’ll be back should we not have sandwiches with us when we visit Oleanna.

Then to the marina office to meet with David Brown who now runs Goole Marina, which was Goole Boathouse.

A friendly enough chap who wanted to show us a boat they’d painted and done some work on six months ago which was located at the far end of the marina, close to where we’d moored a few years ago. He talked through how they paint the boats.

All boats are shot blasted as standard, including the base plate. Then all fixtures and fittings are removed, apart from through skin fittings. Areas which were missed by shot blasting are cleaned back to metal ready for painting. This is when any steel work would be done, we’re wanting to add a couple more T studs at the bow. The hull is then fully painted in Jotun Jotamastic 90 two pack epoxy including the base plate, with an airless spray to a min of 200 microns, which allows for a 9 year guarantee.

Above the D-bar the boat is then painted in Jotun Megaprimer, also two-pack system (additional 150 microns). Then all areas are sanded and prepared for final coats, anti slip areas done where requested. 3 coats of Jotun Mega Gloss (UV resistant) which is a two pack polyurethane system.

From cabin sides to water line, is done in Jotun Hardtop HB, more two pack, giving a satin black on the gunnels, this also protects the two pack epoxy from UV stopping it from going a milky colour. They aim for a 500 microns of paint in total.

Signwriting and coach lines follow before all the windows, fixtures and fittings are put back on. They’d be able to replace the windows for us with thermal break double glazing, do some wood work jobs too.

Apart from the boat we were stood in front of we’d not seen any of his work, also when asking on various groups for recommendations he hadn’t been mentioned. I asked where he’d come from before taking over the marina. He used to build boats near Ferrybridge, then ran Selby Boat Centre. We were shown a few photos of other boats they’d painted and we can go to see them if we’d like.

DB Marine build boats, so are not solely painters as other places we’ve approached are. Their location would be ideal for us to have Oleanna repainted out of season and currently their next slot would be June 2025. The price quoted was a little bit higher than others, but does include all the extras we are after.

We thanked David for his time and then headed back round to the other side of the docks to Viking to say hello to Oleanna.

There she sat, front door sticking a little from cold and dampness. Mick wanted to run the engine for half an hour and I wanted to top up the damp traps that we have in various cupboards.

I also wanted to see what radius our windows were. From inside it was a little ambiguous, well if you are not dealing with boat windows regularly. From out side the outer frame suggested 4 in. One boat painter has suggested that we may not be able to replace the windows with double glazing of the same radius, right now I can’t remember which radius is done both single and double. However David today said that they are available in both 3 and 4 inch. I may need to phone Cauldwells to check for myself at some point.

We knew Alastair had been about yesterday to do an engine service and check the engine mounts etc. Mick lifted the engine board to check all was fine. Ah, the oil filler cap was off! Had Alastair finished? It didn’t look like it, unwise to run the engine not knowing how much oil there was. The engine board was replaced.

Not much more we could actually do today. We spotted Alastair before leaving so managed to have a chat. He’d got so far yesterday with Oleanna’s service and then been called out by RCR, he’s a trusted engineer for them. When he got back it was too dark to continue, he hoped he’d be able to return to her tomorrow. Nothing much to report other than the inline diesel filter which he’d like to replace the seals on, everything else looks good.

Back across the Wolds for us arriving just before evening Dingding time for Tilly. I think she’d only just woken up, her tummy rumbling.

Another painter to see before Christmas.

0 locks, 0 miles, 37 tractors, 1 works do, 1 improved bunker, 1 shiny extractor, 1 double glazed door, 1 blind cleaned, 60 lebkuchen, 5 miles delivery, 4 new exercises, 3ft tree, 2 wreaths, 1 batch mince pies, 1 very bored sleeping cat, 1st painter, 54th pair of socks in sight.

Turning The Temperature Up. 28th November

Over the last week or so, Mick had noticed that Oleanna’s heating hadn’t been coming on when we’d expect it to. Snow in Goole as seen from our webcam suggested it had been quite cold, along with the sensor in the engine bay. This needed checking out. So on Thursday Mick caught the 9am train down to Goole, arriving 20 minutes late due to signal problems near Brough, £2 back on his fare.

I was left in Scarborough to bring in the weeks shopping and await the delivery of a new cooker hood for the house, along with chasing up quotes to replace our lean to.

It was chilly down in Goole. Mick opened up Oleanna and fired up the heating. He thinks that the temperature sensor he’d added a couple of years ago isn’t working. This connects to the Aldi Boiler and because we’ve never got round to drilling holes through cupboards and drawers, it gets positioned out side the electrics cupboard when we’re not onboard. There is a thermostat on the Aldi boiler controller, but that sits inside the electrics cupboard where it tends to be that bit warmer than the cabin. The solution for now is to leave the electrics cupboard open so the boiler controller will hopefully notice if it gets below a certain temperature and then fire up the central heating. Our gas boiler has the advantage of being able to work off electric when we’re hooked up, so there’s no danger of us running out of gas and the gas can be left turned off in the locker.

In Scarborough I somehow missed the delivery driver. Or they didn’t even bother to knock on the door, maybe not even come up the street. Delivery to be attempted again on Friday.

Tilly and I spent time tidying up the bedroom. Our listing on the SJT digs list was in need of updating, ready to go out to actors coming to Scarborough in 2025. Some new photos were needed, the original one of our bedroom was quite pallid and dull. With a jollier duvet cover on the bed this would make a difference. I just needed to tidy up and keep Tilly out of view. All easier said than done. The sun shone, reflections showed laundry baskets piled high with our possessions on the landing. Tilly managed to get inside the wardrobe and flash her white bits through the glass, but after numerous photos we succeeded. I now just have to get the accounts up to date to check we’re charging a suitable amount.

Mick ran Oleanna’s engine. Then checked the temperature of the battery terminals where he’d just recently shortened the chunky cables to the Bully Boy batteries. The new crimps were holding well and the temperature was good.

Mick went to find Alastair, who was busy welding. We’d left several jobs for Alastair to do for us, so Mick just wanted to check in. Today could have been an oil change day, removing that job from the list, but it was too cold so Mick left it on the Alastair list, hopefully next week.

**When we get a repaint, we don’t want the same to happen again**

When getting quotes for a repaint I’d been asked by one place if we could take photos of the locker lids at the stern. Our stern lockers have wooden tops that slide and lift off. When Oleanna was new we quickly noticed we couldn’t help but mark the paintwork opening and closing the lockers. We keep all sorts in them, the tiller, spikes, chains and nappy pins are in there they tend to be opened twice a day when we’re cruising. The lids were reduced in size a fraction to try to help with this, but after 8 years the marks are embarrassingly bad. A suggestion made by Paul Balmer to reduce the lid size and have a wooden surround that they sit in is a good one, so any bumps happen to the wood rather than the paintwork. Mick took photos, lots of them.

His next job was to find the big container of Fertan we’d bought back in April. It took some hunting down as it had been beavered away in the port side bow locker, paints tend to be kept on the starboard side. Then some Uhu glue was wanted back at the house and I knew exactly where a couple of tubes of it were on the boat.

All jobs for the day had been ticked off, Oleanna’s cabin warmed up a touch, it was time for Mick to lock up and head back to Scarborough.

This week has been all about cake! Great British Bake Off final, whilst I knitted away at a pair of ‘Cake’ socks using a cake of yarn I’d just wound. Then a cherry cake was made to use up some frozen fruit from the freezer. On Wednesday Frank must have heard me cracking the eggs from two miles away. Whilst the cake was baking I got a message asking if the kettle was on and if there was any cake! The recipe said to leave it to completely cool, but needs were such that we consumed the first slices whilst still warm. A second slice was had to see if it improved as it cooled. Thursday Frank returned, quality control of the now fully cooled cake was needed. Our consensus, it was crunchier and tastier whilst still warm.

Out on the canal network there has been plenty of water. In recent years we’ve spent November on the South Oxford. The amount of rain that fell a week ago had Banbury turn into a lake, the new moorings by the new cinema and Tooleys up by a foot, the bus station under water. Even higher up the canal Cropredy found itself become an island all roads cut off and the 300 boats moored at the marina needing their mooring ropes loosening overnight. Levels have been high elsewhere, towpaths being over topped and navigations closed, they are only just starting to return to normal levels. I hope everyone and their boats remained safe after Storm Bert.

On another note should you have ever stopped in Berko and enjoyed a pint or watched a Mikron show at The Rising Sun, take a look at this link. They are seeking financial assistance to help pay legal debts they have incurred over the last three years after a noise complaint was made by a neighbour. We of course do not know the other side of the story, but it would be a truly miserable world if such pubs ended up closing.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 0 oil change, 1 slightly warmer boat, 1 caput sensor, 2 locker lids, 1 bottle fertan, 2 tubes Uhu! 1 upstaging cat, 50th pair of socks, 2/3rds cake gone within 1 hour, 1 sunrise appointment, 54 Christmas cards, only a few hours left to add your name to the sockathon list, 2 sock shots from New Zealand, £1450!!!

Socking Along

Well my fundraising for Dementia UK has reached £1360 which is absolutely brilliant. THANK YOU!! And there is still some sponsorship money to come in for the 53 pairs of socks in my original challenge. Yes a year has 52 full weeks and knitting a pair of socks a week throughout 2024 would mean that I could stop when I reached 52 pairs. But that would leave a couple of days overhanging and as the 53rd pair will be for someone who’s birthday happens to be right at the end of the year I obviously had to include them.

However in the last few weeks I’ve had quite a bit of interest from a Boat Women group on Facebook, people wanting to be added to a waiting list. Then whilst at a friends house the other evening I had requests for 3 more pairs. So currently I have an extra 22 pairs to knit, not all this year I hasten to add! I might allow myself the first week in January off.

I’ve decided to keep my list open until the end of November for anyone else wanting to sponsor a pair. I don’t want anyone to miss out and it would be great to be able to use up more of the wonderful yarn that was donated by indie dyers.

If you thought you’d missed out and would like a pair, speak up NOW! Or forever have chilly toes.

I’ll need your shoe size and a word to base your socks on. This could be anything, a season, mood, era, colour, just so long as it’s not blue as I’ve just about run out! You could even request socks to match your boats livery. I’m happy to add your name to my list, then get in touch shortly before I’m about to cast on the first stitch for you to make a donation to my Just Giving page. Mental reminder to self, must extend the closing date of my page.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1704636205453&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Pair 49 are currently on my needles so as it’s week 47 (I think) I’m a couple of pairs ahead of myself. So there are nine days left to put in your request to be added to my list. More photos of finished socks have been added to the Sockathon page

Anyhow, boat news. On Tuesday our webcam showed us that the world of Goole had gone white with snow. We’d been expecting some here in Scarborough too, however it missed us. Mick can tell how cold the engine bay is whilst sitting in front of our fire, the temperature had dropped to 2C.

On Wednesday morning we woke to a little dusting of the white stuff. Whilst we lay in bed with our morning cuppas Mick had an alarm from Oleanna saying the power was off. It came back on briefly, but went off again, all before the marina was open. Was it just Oleanna or a more wide spread power outage?

I checked all the Goole facebook pages I’d joined when there was the breach on the Aire and Calder, no mention there. Should Mick jump on the next train to Goole to check things out? The next train was cancelled.

Just gone 10am he gave the Marina a call. It wasn’t just Oleanna, Mick got to talk to Laird and he was having difficulty getting into his office due to the lack of electricity. Mick quickly left him to get on with things, no point in getting a train, our inverter would inform us when the power came back on, this was 3:15pm.

The heavens opened in Scarborough and the world became a very white one, over a proper inch, maybe even two fell during the morning. Very glad we didn’t need to go anywhere. Once it had stopped Mick swept the paths in front of the house. Tilly headed out to assist, but soon changed her mind. I couldn’t see my paws and She’d suggested I should get them painted a different colour, maybe a dark red! I wasn’t up for that. Maybe she should knit me some bright socks to wear out in the snow. I don’t fancy trying to put them on you though Tilly!

The image for our Christmas card has been chosen and worked on, a little bit different from past years. Veg box ordered, Duck ordered, Christmas booze arrived. I’m going to run out of things to do in preparation for Christmas before November is out! Well that’s what comes of not doing panto and not being able to get on with a decorating a dining room due to having a lodger.

Another visit to the SJT last week to see the touring production of John Godber’s Perfect Pitch. The play was commissioned back in 1998 by the SJT and premiered as part of the 10 x 10 Season. It was also my first design for The Round. It played in rep through the summer with Comic Potential (Alan Ayckbourn) and Love Songs For Shop Keepers (Tim Firth). A couple going caravanning for the first time to a site just south of Scarborough, having their idyllic weekend broken by a couple who pull up close by. The play has been updated and sections rewritten meaning the caravan can now be just off stage, saving on set build and touring costs. Back in 1998 we also had real grass that required watering and grow lamps on through the night to keep it alive. I’ve now seen several productions and still no-one has beaten John Branwell in the part of Grant.

More quotes have come in for both boat and house. One boat yard’s excuse for not having got back to me in two weeks was ‘That boat doesn’t need repainting!‘ Well that’s because the photos I sent were when she was a matter of weeks old, she’s done at least 7000 miles and most probably over 5000 locks since then. Still to hear back with a price from them, think he’s already lost the job.

Anyhow, keep warm everyone, well until the weekend when we’ll be leaving doors open and admiring the blue bells coming up!

0 locks, 0 miles, 53 to 75, 5 house quotes, 6 boat quotes, 2 more to come in, 1 appointment, 3 Morse episodes, 1 extreamly bored cat, 1 focaccia, 2 veg boxes, Tilly Too keeping the snow outside, 2 boaters nearly ready for Christmas.

A Ride In The A. 3rd November

A document listing requirements for Oleanna’s repaint has been compiled. An order made for primer, undercoat, replacements and filters placed. The living room rug keeps on being murdered (the fish is innocent by the way!). My work room has been reclaimed from items that just get dumped up there ever year. Drawings and dimensions done for various things about the house. Front flower bed trimmed back, the brown wheelie bin been filled twice and our back passage is now clear!

Frank came round once he’d heard there was some parkin to eat, he did a good job of eating several pieces before leaving. We were left with a few pieces to keep us going for another day or two, however it was all gone before it had had chance to reach it’s full stickiness potential.

Sunday, after a cooked breakfast, we had a walk down to say hello to the South Bay. Not a bright blue skied day, but at least it wasn’t raining. Plenty of dog walkers enjoying the tide being out and leaving plenty of sand to run around on. The sea had scoured away the beach by the Spa wall revealing weathered wooden planks, we’ve not noticed these before. Then because of my knee and Mick deciding that now he’s a pensioner we’d ride the cliff lift up to the Esplanade. Apparently he’s never ridden in one before!

Monday and Mick had arranged to get a lift with his friend Mark down to Goole. Mark recently has bought himself a rather lovely car, an MGA, built the year he was born. If the weather was fine they would drive down to Goole in the ‘A’. The hood sits too low for Mark so he doesn’t put it up, taking waterproofs might be a sensible precaution. If they knew it was going to rain they’d go in a far more modern vehicle.

At 11am there was a ‘Beep Beep!‘ as Mark drove up the street. Wow, what a beautiful car. Only just enough space for two and Mick’s laptop and a couple of things were better put by his feet than in the boot. ‘Can’t come in, don’t want to stop the engine as it might not start again!’. Mark’s face certainly that of a cat that had got the cream.

A quick look around the outside and then Mick worked out how to open the door, no exterior handles, before concertina-ing himself into the passenger seat. With a whooosh of exhaust fumes they sped off, Goole bound.

They chose to go up Staxton Hill (quite a steep hill up onto the Wolds) and through Sledmere down to Goole, travelling in style. On arriving at the marina Mick checked that the A would be alright going over the severe speed bumps which are followed by potholes out on the lane. These were negotiated and in through the gate. It’s hard not to notice such a car, she turns heads, so Mark got lots of comments from people.

Mick got on with the jobs in hand on Oleanna. Setting the heating thermostat to come on at 4C. Switched on the security camera that I’d efficiently turned off last week. Riveted a popper to the bow so the cratch cover would close fully and not get whipped up by wind. All the time Mark kept the engine running.

He did turn the engine off briefly so they could have a walk around the marina. Thankfully she started up again using a bit of wire (the solenoid is faulty) then time for another comment from someone before they were back on the road heading northwards.

I’d guesstimated that with our normal journey time to Goole being around 1 hr 30, a round trip without stopping for too long would be a bit over 3 hours. Mick ended up having just over ten minutes doing jobs before they were on their way back over the Wolds. No time for photos of any sort. They pulled up outside the house at 2:45pm after sitting in traffic and being noticed on their way back into Scarborough.

A very nice drive out for the two of them. Being able to have a catch up shouting at each other as they went and thankfully the heater worked. Mick definitely enjoyed himself, but he’s reassured me that he won’t be saving up for one himself, we’ll stay with our life at 4mph, after all what would Tilly have to say about it!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 beach walk, 1st tram ride, 1 Christmas card short list, 1 boat quote email, 1 house quote email, 1 saveloy, 2 yolks, 1 nice trip out, 0 handles, 4 warm feet, 10 minutes, 0 fertan, pair 46 cast on, 1 very bored cat!

The Last Ding Ding. 24th October

Viking Marina

It may have been the person who heads off in a vehicle at 6 something in the morning that woke me up, but it gave me a chance to check emails and see if we’d had any substitutions on a Sainsburys order going to the house this morning. A few bits but nothing drastic. I then closed my eyes for a while longer.

In Scarborough Mick took the shopping in, had time to pop things in the fridge and freezer, hopefully we’d thought of just about everything that we’d run down on the boat. Then he caught a bus to pick up a hire van. Beerhouse matched the price from Enterprise for a two day hire. He stopped off at Pets at Home for a big bag of cat litter, so that Tilly’s toilet would be stocked up. Time to drop this off at the house and pick up boxes and crates we use to move along with the cat caravan. A visit to the dentists and then he was on his way back to Goole.

**There wasn’t much point in putting two crusts back in the freezer was there!**

Finishing things off on the boat meant I should use up the one egg and the last few slices of bread in the freezer. A plate of eggy bread was very nice and would see me through till the evening.

The latest sockathon socks had their photos taken and added to the queue for editing. These will go in the post just as soon as there is time. Then the packing continued.

Mick arrived with the van, sorted out getting us plugged in with Laird. We made sure we made note of the meter reading as when we came to leave at the beginning of this year we ended up having to tell Laird how much power the Victron inverter thought we’d used as the meter reading didn’t make sense to any of us.

The sun was out, the port side of Oleanna to the bank. Time to get some masking tape out, sand paper and the touch up paint. I’ve been planning for years to repaint the grabrails, but there simply wasn’t enough time to do a proper job, I’d need several more days of just drying time to do that. So today I taped off lengths of grabrail, sanded back the old paint and around the undercoat, then applied a coat of topcoat. Hopefully this will stop any rust forming over winter and I know I can do a much better job given more time and not being in Goole. I say not being in Goole, because even after just one day we’ve already got a layer of dust on the roof! So the paint I put on today is more than likely to be anti slip by morning!

The angle of the sun brought to my attention the rust around the mushroom vent above our bed. I’d suspected this would be the next mushroom that would need attention and if we’d had another big pan I’d have been tempted to work on it at the same time as the one above the sofa. But blocking off two mushroom vents wouldn’t be so good for ventilation, plus we’ve only one big pan that I could spare. A bucket will be positioned underneath it for winter just in case.

Items were loaded into the van. My sewing machine, bags and work boxes were pulled out from under the dinette and back steps. When I took the back steps out I took the opportunity to give the floor a good sweep finding the connector we thought we’d lost for the pram hood back on the Caldon.

Mick put the pram hood back to how it should be and he also took some time to remove the tunnel light and horn bracket at the bow. I don’t believe the bracket was ever undercoated as it started to bubble with rust within a year, the tunnel light also needs replacing as that has been rust coloured for a similar amount of time, plus the horns need a bit of sorting too!

Things needed pulling out from under the sofa, This meant Tilly got to explore the secret passageway via the lower route as well as from the top. This always scares me as I’m afraid to close the sofa up in case she was just in the wrong place and I end up chopping her in half. She never listens to my concerns, she’s just too eager to squeeze through any gap!

The kitchen was all packed up, I weighed out enough rice to go with the last of the chilli tonight so nothing needed to hang around apart from breakfast stuff. Even Tilly was in finishing things off mode, the last pouch of pink food served up for ding ding this evening.

Quite a busy day all round.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 boat hooked up, 1 van, 30 litres cat litter, 1 delivery, 1 van 3/4s packed, 1 grab rail touched up, 1 smile removed, 1 pram hood back as it should be, 0 pink food left, 2 glasses of wine enjoyed.

Spaghetti Fork. 22nd October

Castleford to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

Yesterday was the start of Chippy panto rehearsals for Jack and The Beanstalk. I’d be wrong if I said I wasn’t missing working on it this year. I’d also have rather been at the meet and greet followed by read through and fit up followed by fish and chips at the Blue Boar then having stinging eye drops in my eyes yesterday. I’m hoping we get chance to go down to see the show but we need to combine it with other things in the south, otherwise it would be a very expensive theatre trip. I’m still in touch with many people and am getting the occasional sneak peek at what’s happening.

Rather than drawing things out or base coating bits of scenery, today we were going to find out what the health and safety problem was at Ferrybridge Flood Lock and hope for a mooring suitable for some jobs and some cat shore leave.

We got up and pushed straight over to the water point close to Bulholme Lock. With the tank filling we sat down for breakfast. Then the yellow water was pumped into a container for disposal later. Just as we were sorting this a boat came past heading for the lock. We’d have been able to share if they waited five minutes, but by the time we were sorted they had dropped down the lock and were on their way.

I was on key duty and filled the lock. Just above the top gates was a huge island of pennywort, it spanned the the width of the lock. Mick decided to take a run up, either to split it in two or to take it into the lock with Oleanna. As soon as the bow hit the island he cut the engine and she drifted into the lock with the weed surrounding her. As the lock emptied the weed drifted in front only to be picked up again on exiting the lock. Mick then managed to loose it by stopping to pick me up at the lock landing.

Going downstream there’s about an hours cruise before reaching Ferrybridge. Lots of trees and today lots of sunshine. One of those lovely autumn days to enjoy being on the back of a boat.

Just about the only thing that gives away the old Ferrybridge power station is the old wharf where the Tom Puddings were brought to be raised up to empty their cargo of coal. The building is now gone, but the wharf still exists. Pylons stretch off in all directions and stepped back from the river power is still generated. It’s a boring landscape now the cooling towers are gone, so there’s no point in taking photos anymore.

The last couple of bends and we could see we’d caught the boat ahead of us up. A boat came from the lock too. Then through Ferry Bridge we could see the amber light, self operation! The flood lock is operable.

We caught the boat ahead up just as he was about to negotiate climbing a ladder. I managed to stop him, suggesting that as there were two of us we’d work the lock. I climbed the ladder, then over the footbridge.

Maybe the health and safety issue is with the walkway on the top gates, as you’d need a very big stride to get onto them, the step being a good three foot. But that has been the case for goodness how long. The river level board showed green! Not long till the gates could just be left open. I knew there wasn’t a gate through the handrail to reach the panel, so climbed over it. Maybe I’d have been better walking to the far end of the lock and crossing the gates there, but that was a very long way round, these locks are big round here!

On our own now, the other boat not in a rush, we carried on heading eastwards. Fishermen lined the banks and nodded at us as we passed. Lots of boats around Bank Dole Junction, quite a few big ones too. We headed right, turning left will be left for next year, or maybe we’ll head to York direct from Goole, or via Pocklington?

Kellingley Colliery is getting more overgrown around the edges, only the occasional gap to see if anything is happening, nothing since March that we could make out.

Now we were back on the waterways with big skies, reaching from way over there to way over there! We’ve enjoyed trees, hills, rivers this year, but we alos like being back here with so much sky.

The M62 comes close then drifts away. Then it returns to be passed underneath just before Whitley Lock. Here a weed boat was busy collecting Pennywort. The fork lift prongs on the bow jab into islands of leafy green, then rise up. The down side of this is it’s a bit like eating spaghetti with a fork and not being allowed to twist the pasta onto the prongs, the tomato sauce making the pasta slip off. The chap scouped up the pennywort time and time again to deposit it on the bank. Whitley Lock seems to be a place where the weed congregates. Last year there was a closure for quite sometime whilst it was cleared, at least they seem to be trying to keep on top of it this year.

As we approached the lock he asked if he could come down the lock with us. Apparently yesterday above the lock had been choaked with the weed. So we lowered down to the next pound the weed boat shooting out of the lock in front of us, hunting down the next mass of weed to collect and deposit on the bank.

This is all such familiar water to us now. Past the CRT boat yard at Heck. Plenty of work boats in, one out on the bank getting a new lick of CRT Blue.

Then Pollington Lock, our last lock of the year! In Oleanna went, the lolly pop indicators raised and down she descended to the Goole level of the Aire and Calder. The Key of Power could be put back on the main key ring and have a rest.

The VHF radio blurted something out. We always have it on around here to listen in in case there are any freight boats about. It was hard to understand what was being said, Mick checked on boat movements into Goole, Exol Pride had come up Ocean Lock an hour and a half ago. Exol was heading for the New Junction and all the lift and swing bridges, then on to Rotherham. We’d almost certainly have missed her by the time we got there ourselves.

Now at every overhead power line there were notices on the bank on posts, at every culvert notices too. Back towards Christmas 2020 there was a breach on the Aire and Calder, a huge amount of water was lost, the level from this huge pound dropped and several sections of piling and bank slumped into the canal. There is currently a stoppage notice for piling works.

Four hi-vis CRT staff walked towards us on the bank. Then a fence that really meant the towpath was closed, not one that you can manoeuvre to get round. Up ahead several work boats. New piling had gone in and a digger was back filling with earth and packing it down. One worker walked backwards with a remote controlled spikey roller. Skip boats of fresh earth were being brought from past Sykehouse Junction, no dredging silt from the canal, this back filling needed to be sturdy.

Our favourite spot at the junction was taken, so we turned onto the New Junction Canal to see what was available. One narrowboat at the far end, we pulled in just where the edging starts to flatten out and tied up. This would do us nicely.

Tilly you have four hours! Four!! Brilliant!!!!!! No eating your own body weight in rodents! Spoil sport!

After lunch I got the attachment of doom out. The rusty patches on the port side that I’d treated before Standedge needed cleaning off again. Then a coat of primer was applied. The boat ahead was being repainted by the looks of it. Tilly would now have to stay off boats and cat walks!

Mick put the mushroom vent top back on, only tightening it with his fingers, not wanting to put strain on the glued threaded bar. This will be fine. Then the interior cover went back on.

Then it was time to enjoy our evening as the sun set. Tilly zonked from so much friendly cover, now lounging on the sofa in front of the stove. Yarn was selected for the next pair of socks, they were cast on. What a lovely day and cruise.

4 locks, 16.5 miles of big skies, 0 red light, 1 lock on self operation! 2 locks shared, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 empty yellow water tank, 1 right, 2 colds still clinging on, 1 grab rail with some paint on it, 4 hours of freedom, 3 little friends, 43 pounces, 2 trees, 1 slight patch of white, don’t know how that got there! 1 exhausted cat, 1 cosy Oleanna on our last night out on the cut.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZxiYHj3QcSKLyPwH7

Precautionary Nutty Chocolate. 21st October

Castleford and York

Storm Ashley arrived with us quite late on yesterday. More wind than rain. The level in the pound had come up and our fenders weren’t doing their job, but after a bit of adjustment we could settle down to sleep through the night.

Back in February at my last eye test, my optician referred me for some further tests. I’d chosen for this to happen at York Hospital as the waiting list was meant to be 12 weeks and York would be easier and cheaper to get to from anywhere in the country. Today was my deferred appointment from two weeks ago, just so happening to coincide with Huddersfield Station being closed for the Pennine improvements. I had a train planned, but trains were being held up here there and everywhere. Castleford has a direct train once every two hours to York, Mick spotted that it hadn’t arrived at it’s previous destination, so could end up being quite late. Time to make a dash for the station and try to catch the next available train via Leeds.

I made it, Mick having bought me a ticket and emailing it to me for use. No boats moored above Office Lock in Leeds and only a few in Granary Wharf, apparently the pontoons are currently taped off, so you can only moor against the bank.

The next train was very busy. I was very willing to use my walking stick card, but luckily there was an older lady sat with her bag on a seat next to her who moved it for me. She was an interesting lady. Lived abroad for much of her life, now lives in Elgin, Scotland and had just had five weeks away from her 80 something year old husband who is ‘enjoying having Long Covid too much!’ as she put it. We had quite a chat, when her family were young they did the Cheshire Ring in a week on a hire boat.

Just enough time to get something for lunch and find somewhere to eat it, a bench over looking the River Ouse. Three cruisers were moored on the high bit at the end of Marygate as the normal moorings were under water. Trip boats were still cruising along with a narrowboat heading down stream. Then I took the direct route up to Bootham, through the grounds of Bootham Hospital arriving with five minutes spare for my appointment.

Checked in I was sent to Area C. General eye test done, followed by colour blind test. Area A next and the periphery vision test. This is why I’d been referred as I’d had to redo the test back in February. Back to C for scans. I had a short wait before I got to see a doctor. Time to research diet and Glaucoma, the lady on the train this morning had suggested it could be controlled by what you eat. Leafy greens, carrots, avacados, nuts and seeds, then it mentioned that chocolate was very good. Who’d have thunk it!

I thought I’d got away without having any of the horrible eye drops, but the doctor did them herself. Talk about stinging! She could have warned me! Pressure tests, a very good look and more dribbly stuff in each eye. Verdict no signs of Glaucoma, but my periphery vision has changed in the last four years. They’ll see me again in a few months to see if anything has changed, if not I’ll be discharged, just like they did four years ago. I’ll just need to keep an eye on my slight blind spot.

With very blurry eyes I made it back to the station, pausing to purchase some precautionary Whole Nut, if I hadn’t got glaucoma I need to make sure I don’t get it, best start right away!

Onto a train back to Leeds, another back to Castleford. I returned to Oleanna via the curved bridge over the weir with the sun glinting on the rushing water, making my eyes even blurrier. I called into the Premier Store to see if they’d have anything for lunches. Todays special sandwich looked interesting, think I’d have asked for beans with it! Nothing for homemade lunches though.

Back at the boat it had been a busy day. Two loads of washing hung out to dry and Tilly had been busy in the friendly cover. There was a new neighbour too, a very familiar boat, but I don’t think the new owners originate from Scarborough.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 6 miles walked, 1 salad by the Ouse, 2 sheets of lies, 1 eye patch, 2 stingy drops, 1 numbing drops, 2 sinks worth of water, 0 spam sandwiches, 1 small bar of whole nut, pair 44 finished.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna