Category Archives: Model making

Shower! 7th June

Woodlesford Visitor Moorings, Aire and Calder Navigation

After breakfast we started to make ready to push off. It was a little damp in the air, but we really now needed to fill the water tank and to improve the internet as that had become seriously dull.

Outside the rowers were heading up stream then returning. The local swan family that process about with their seven cygnets were about. Dad really was not happy with the rowers! He would take off, wings flapping to speed to the chosen boat, landing just by their stern. Screams came from young teenage coxes. Then the next boat actually got collided with, the cob landing just behind the end rower in their boat! The trainers tried to get the rowers to keep moving, but they were all concerned and wanted to know if the end rower was okay. They did need to get shifting before the cob had sorted itself out again and aimed itself at them again. We pulled out and got totally ignored by all.

I walked to Woodlesford Lock, the only walking I’d get done today. Up we rose with the help from a volunteer, he pointed out where the bottom gates had been biffed this week by ‘a Commercial boat’. Yellow tape marked where the two walkways now didn’t quite line up.

Straight onto the water point above the lock. With clean water filling the tank, we dealt with yellow water and then I gave the bathroom a good clean, followed by a wonderfully hot long shower for myself, no need to conserve water now.

**You could almost hear Oleanna’s sigh of relief**

We pushed over to the spot we’d vacated a couple of weeks ago. Tilly was granted shore leave, then was ushered inside as we wanted to head back to The Spud Boat moored by the lock to get some lunch. Two tuna crunch potatoes, very tasty they were too and she certainly didn’t scrimp on the butter, just the perfect amount.

The drawing board came back onto the dinette table and I worked through the remainder of the pieces of model whilst MIck headed to Lidl for some supplies and a Saturday newspaper. On his return the only place he could sit was on the sofa, so he watched an episode of Narrow Escapes. We’re a bit out of sync with television programs at the moment, that will need to sort itself out as I’m not so good at watching things twice in quick sucession.

All drawings were completed, one empty box, another full. One job left to do, to have a rehearsal for my model showing, make sure everything is there and pack ready for my trip to Chippy.

Tomorrow I really must pull out some yarn to get some socks on my needles again, as I really can’t just sit and watch tv without something to do. Here’s hoping I have enough time as tomorrow we’re going cruising!

1 lock, 0.9 miles, 1 mardy swan, 2 totally freeked teenagers, 1.5 miles walked, 14 minutes briskly, 1 clean bathroom, 1 clean Pip, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 1 panto ready for a meeting, 1 evening off!

A Doctors Walk. 5th June

Aire and Calder Navigation.

This morning I had a telephone appointment with a GP in Scarborough, I’ve some wonky levels in my blood, which they are keeping an eye on. I checked phone coverage throughout the boat. Pretty poor, not unexpected. I tried out the stern, bad. Out the bow, that was much better, ahh no it dropped to only one bar! Would I have enough signal for the call?

I worked through my panto model notes, then decided that I’d take a walk up to Woodlesford where the signal is far better, there was still an hour left of my appointment window, perfect to do both things together. I had to bully Tilly off of her throne so that I could go out, then I strode on up the cut towards the lock.

Past the road bridge signal improved greatly. Onwards past the lock and along the track heading for Fishpond Lock. I was surprised at the number of boats still moored on the towpath that had arrived when we were there. No phone call so I crossed over the lock gates and started to head back. More wooden birds seem to be on the roof of one boat, think it’s my favourite with it’s swan neck.

Then it started to rain. I took shelter under trees, my walk would soon have me leaving good signal if I kept up the pace anyway. Gosh the level was down. By the lock the bywash usually thunders away was just a mere trickle today, maybe C&RT were expecting a lot of rain so were compensating ready for it’s arrival. Looking at the river level over the bank, that had certainly gone up, less gravel visible.

I crossed back over the lock and sat on a bench for ten minutes, still no phone call. After a while I decided to give up and risk the doctor calling when I was back at the boat, I’d done all I could, but couldn’t afford any more time away from work.

An hour later my phone rang, sticking my head out of the side hatch I managed to get sufficient signal for my call. Still wonky levels, I’m booked in for another blood test with extras in 3 months time, nothing to be alarmed about. You have to take them at their word really.

The roofer had been! He’d looked out of The Shed window from a ladder and said what we thought he’d say, the leading needed replacing, he’d be back tomorrow to do it. Great, if he turns up. Mick had just about got the house ready for lodgers by now, but decided he’d stay one more night to be around for the roofer.

The white card model was worked through again, all done and dusted. Did I really need the second (or first) pair of sliders? We’ll see. I then had a go at making paper roses. We need a way of making them, that is simple but effective, for volunteers to make, we want quite a lot of them. I tried origami versions from the internet, some good, some so hard to follow I gave up quickly, others just ended up in a mess if you weren’t concentrating, so not ideal.

I then tried one where you cut rings of petals then glue them together. Bingo! That’s the way to go. I made several sizes and one that will go on the proscenium so it had to be at 1:25 scale. It was quite fiddly, but I got there. Wonder if I’ll be as sucessful with paper that starts off as 2ft squares?!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 roofer Hooray!!! 1 white card model completed, 3.22 miles walked, 47 minutes briskly, 1hour 10 minutes late, 1 borderline, 1 rising, 3 months, 4 lovely roses, 1 diddy one for the model.

STinky!!!! 3rd, 4th June

Aire and Calder Navigation

In the mornings I open up the back of the boat, slide the stern hatch open, then Tilly can go when ever she wants, I still need to open the door or side hatch to let her in. This can be annoying, but it’s far far better than having to try to catch a rodent friend scurrying around the boat! This morning was no different and she’d been out for a while then come back in for a snooze. WE then heard a scurrying on the stern deck!

Pirates!!! We’d been borded!!! Were they still on board? Their paw prints required a good amount of sniffing for identity. Bigger than mine. A WOOFER Pirate! The smell made my lips curl. Eurgh!!!

I made arches and barrels for the walkdown scene, the tip of my poor index finger is now really quite sore, but the end was in sight. After lunch I popped everything into the model box. My barrels were far too small, pethetic really. Time to remake them that bit higher.

In Scarborough the lean to was coming along well. All but one pane of glass was in. Neat flashing around a soil pipe, bits of timber at joins. What would we like where the pitch of the roof had been altered on the inside? Mick had made the right decision, wood. Un-surprisingly the roofer had messaged saying he’d be round tomorrow. Is that the tomorrow that never comes?! I’d put photos of the lean to here, but the internet is abismal!

**Tilly watching and waiting for the battery status to show**

Wednesday. When I finished work last night and popped the new barrels in the model box I hadn’t achieved my goal for the day sadly, but I was also disappointed that my new barrels were now too big! Barrels take a lot of making at 1:25 and I seem to make them for every panto at Chippy. Maybe there was a different solution, thankfully there was and a mixture of the two sizes of barrel did the trick. Hooray!!!

**At least this boat that’s been there for a year has it’s uses**

All of a sudden there was a smell. Oh Blimey that was rank!!! What was it? Where was it coming from?

Was it the sewage works that sit behind Lemonroyd Marina? I went outside, there was a vague aroma there, back inside it was stronger and not quite the same as the sewage works. I walked round, far stronger around the galley and dinette. Maybe our starter battery, although new, was gasing?! Tilly was closed inside, I lifted the engine board, all was fine in there. Just where was it coming from?

Inside it still stank! Do Lithiums make a smell? I opened up The Shed cupboard, nope it just smelt of life jackets and gloves. I turned to ask Tilly what she thought it might be……my lips curled. Oh Barry Gibb! It’s YOU!!!!!!!!!!

**You can stay out here with your Stinkyness!**

A closer sniff made my eyes water! What on earth?! Her paws were a touch grey, had she found a hole to go down that was inhabited by a musky stinky creature? That was the only explanation I could come up with. What a Stinkerooni!!! I avoided beng close to the stinky one for the remainder of the day, she was constantly having a bath, but didn’t seem to be too perturbd by the stink.

In the afternoon I ran through panto scene by scene. Checking positioning of things. Did I need more sliders? Would that look better a bit more upstage? Was more room required for that scene? A list of notes to work through.

An email about the white card model meeting arrived. What time and where? I was now able to book my train tickets, a touch of flexibility required but having 5 return tickets splitting the journey up instead of the one saved over £100. Now with a definate deadline I was spurred on to tick things off my notes list and worked on to midnight.

**Roses, think I’m going to have had enough of roses by the end of the year**

Back in Scarborough, guess what? The roofer promises he will be round tomorrow! But the lean-to was now completed. They had said it would take three days and it had. They’d even tidied up and helped Mick move the extra fridge back in along with Tilly’s tree back into the corner. Rain is forecast so we’ll see if it’s water tight.

**Robin Hood came back with the crane boat**

By bedtime Tilly wasn’t quite so stinky anymore, but I really didn’t want to share the bed with her!

0 locks, 0 miles, 4.58 miles walked, 81 minutes briskly, 1 Bee Gee on a post, 3rd time lucky with barrels, 1 cocker pirate, 1 sheet of notes, 1 lean to, 36 hours to sink, 1 tree back where it should be, 1 absent roofer, 1 definate leak, 5 return tickets, 1 extreamly STINKY cat!

It’s Just Some Old S**t. 1st, 2nd June

Aire and Calder Navigation

Paul Fernley Whats-his-face, Shetland plans, Sherry, Mars Bars and AI train Announcements were the topics of the Geraghty zoom on Sunday morning after we’d had a cooked breakfast without eggs.

Having a car meant we could head to Tescos to stock up on a few things that Lidl wouldn’t have, enough supplies for one onboard and a loaf of bread for Mick to take back to the house. After lunch I cracked back on with model making as Mick reset the toilet, our fourth solids bucket being put into action. Then the trolley came out along with bungees and three buckets of some old S**t headed off to go in the boot of the car then on to Scarborough to do its composting for a year or so mixed with garden waste. The fishermen must have wondered what sort of bait Mick had and so much of it!

Model bits for Act 2 were started.

Monday and Mick awaited the chaps who were coming to fit the new lean too at the house, we hadn’t heard anything from the company for a few weeks, admitedly we’d not called them last week to check they were still on track, but sure enough they were. The hope that the roofer would return today to look at some dodgy flashing that a cowboy had done a few years ago was obviously postponed due to their van breakdown…..again! Here’s hoping they turn up and sort things which will in turn sort a persistantly damp wall in the kitchen.

Time to harvest the first of the Alpine Strawberries from the roof of Oleanna. These little plants have regenerated several times over since I bought them from an honesty box on the Trent and Mersey years ago, they seem to have enjoyed being repotted this year and hopefully there may be some berries at the house too.

Wiggly things and more beads stuck to wire and card today, more inventing for intentions sake. Mid afternoon there was the Hello from Mick returning with empty buckets, a huge bag of wooden cat litter and several weeks worth supply of toilet roll, he’d ordered plenty from Naked Sprout so I suspect The Shed room in the house is now filled with bamboo toilet rolls with nowhere to sleep.

We delt with the yellow water, water supplies onboard were deemed to be enough to last out the next few days. Then it was time for Mick to head off to return the hire car to York and catch the CoastLiner bus back to Scarborugh to see how the lean to had progressed during the day. Not bad, all the frames were up, no glazing but that would follow tomorrow.

By the end of the evening I’d only got one more scene to make in the model box, the walkdown finale.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 return trip to Scarborough, 3 buckets of deposits, 1 broken down van, again! 6.71 miles, 95 brisk minutes, 0 new PA notes, 1 framework up, 1ft diameter giant wiggle, 47 beads, 2 more sausage days for Tilly, 1 hire car returned.

A Touch Wet Under Paw. 26th to 28th May

Aire and Calder Navigation

A refill of the water tank, we’d been using the washing machine and had had to top up on the electric too. A shower for me whilst the tank filled so that I’d not need to head to the water point this week. Then just as we were untying to leave it decided to rain, not much thankfully. Sarah waved as we pulled out and turned back towards the canal, maybe next time we meet we’ll be able to have a longer chin wag.

We pulled into the first available gap alongside the road that leads to the marina and awaited a supermarket delivery. Stocks were quite low and the wine cellar under the back steps nearly empty! With everything stowed we pulled away again and went to find a view for this week, away from badger holes. Mick added a spring line and we hoped that our chains would be strong enough should Off Roader come past heavily loaded.

Time for Tilly to stretch her legs again on the towpath after being cooped up for a few days. With boat chores done Mick packed his bag and headed off to catch a bus into Leeds and then the train back to Scarborough. The roofers are returning to the house to tidy up, Mick thinks he’s found a probelm on a different bit of the roof! Time to get the house ready for our next lodgers.

Late evening I recieved an email from John, he’d spent all of Bank Holiday Monday working on the script for panto. There were new ideas he wanted to pass on, one that should give us a wonderful end to Act 1. Time to amend the current storyboard.

A walk before the rain was due. I’ve changed the shoes I’m wearing to walk in to see if that might help with my calf. So far it is better, but it’s not a miraculous recovery. On the other side of the River Aire is the site of some open cast mining, now St Aidans Nature Reserve. Numerous lakes and reedbeds were busy with so many birds it was almost deafening as I strode my way through a central path.

Great Crested Grebe, numerous geese and Tufted ducks, a lapwing who was camera shy and then this duck. The size of a female Mallard but with far superior plumage. Could it have been a Gadwall?

As I walked back to the boat I could hear that something big was on the canal. Off Roader had just come up Lemonroyd Lock. Would our chains hold as it went past deep in the water. Thankfully it didn’t get up to full speed as the canal was also being used by rowers, so Oleanna just bobbed about a touch, the ribs with the rowers causing more wash than the multi tonned barge!

**New treads and flying bar supports and a spruced up prosc**

Back at Oleanna I edited the storyboard for panto and emailed it to John, hoping this version would have a better responce. The answer came back from an initial look, he was all smiley, thank goodness! He’d be in touch tomorrow after spending some time with it. Phew! I pulled the model box out of my clothes cupboard. It’s been used a few times since I last had it and was showing it’s age. I deceided to give it a make over, and new rests for the flying bars, whilst I waited for Johns verdict.

Tilly spent much of the afternoon avoiding getting her paws wet as the rain set it. She has taken to sitting on the stern hatch, so her bed was moved out there a week or so ago. Today it made for a very good DRY vantage point to watch the ducks and swans whilst listening to the rain.

6:30am we bumped the side, Off Roader was on it’s way towards us. I peeked out of the front curtains, there it was some distance away. But more worryingly there was a deer in the cut! Oh blimey! Could I mount a rescue mission? It swam away from Oleanna trying to find somewhere to get out. I thought of various ways I might be able to help, the highish bank wouldn’t help, should I end up in the canal too that would not be a good thing as other than Off Roader there was nobody about. I so hope it managed to swim up stream where the bank is lower and doesn’t have piling.

Tilly has now worn this outside out, she’s used it all up so she says. Sitting in her viewing area wasn’t even enjoyable today. I walked round the block taking the rubbish to the bins at the marina. Plenty of Recycling and General Waste bins, then two wheelie bins with no lables on them. I assumed one would be for glass, correct assumption. The other for food waste, well nobody else seemed to have made that assumption had they!

Back at Oleanna I returned to a great email from John. Just one scene to rework and his choices on options I’d given him for other scenes. I now just need to finish off the storyboard to make it pretty and get cracking with the white card model and sketch working drawings before a meeting that is looming. I decided to treat myself to getting the basic set made for the model with an outline design drawn onto it. By 10:30pm I’d achieved my goal for the day. By 10:30 I’d given up hoping for a lap to sit on! Come back Tom I need someone to pay me some attention! I would just like to point out that I am not ignoring Tilly and I’m more than happy to play the fishing rod game at bedtime. Too right, if that stopped I’d be looking for somewhere else to live!

0 locks, 0.5 miles, 1 full water tank, 0 response from Aquavista still, 1 wind, 1 left, 2 moorings, 1 empty wee tank, 4 boxes wine, 1 full fridge, 2 sausage days, 1 world wet under paw, 8.57 miles walked, 130 minutes briskly, 1 Frank PA phone call, 1 viewing position, 1 edging restuck, 1 actor squeezed in, 2nd WIP storyboard, 1 big thumbs up, 1 scene to amend, 2 portals, 1 front cloth, 1 cyc, 1 improved modelbox, 1 theatre designer needing some new things to listen to.

The Last Art Shop. 4th April

Kiln Pontoon, Newark

With a few days before the next suitable tide for us to return downstream from Cromwell we have some spare time around Newark. Ten years ago we spent the winter months here so got to know it pretty well.

This morning there was a prescription to collect from Boots, grub screws to be hunted out as we’ve lost one from the handle of the front door. I’d come across mention of an artisan gluten free bakers, that had to be worth a visit and maybe even a suspension of my current avoidance of baked goods.

We set off individually, I headed to the bins by the flood lock trying to clock up brisk walking minutes and then into town crossing over Town Lock and up to near the castle where there is this house for sale.

Round the shops and the Friday market. No bakers in Chain Lane sadly, just cuddly toy pastries, pies and cakes in one window.

The market wasn’t half the size we remembered it to be and just where was that really good tool and hardware stall, nowhere to be seen. Maybe this was the wrong day for them. Some clothes, plants, a glutenfilled bakers and what seemed to be a cauliflower stall, the white heads piled up and very few other veg visible.

Into Boyes, would they have grub screws, nope! A walk down the other end of town where Wilkos used to be, some new development going up there. With none of the smaller items on my list found I then walked up Barnby Gate to find Hills the art shop.

But where was it? It’s always further than I think, but I was certain the shop front I stood in front of used to be the side with all the racks of paper and card. Next door thankfully showed signs of artist equipment. I went in.

I was after some heavy weight watercolour paper in an A3 pad and some mount board. I chatted to the assistant. They have had to let out part of the shop to keep going, their main business picture framing, the sale of the odd tube of white paint wouldn’t keep them going. We discussed watercolour paper pads, only one quite costly option, then mount board which was £10 a sheet! Flipping heck it’s been a while since I bought some. When the assistant returned with two very large sheets of mount I was told that they were £10 for A0, they could cut them in half, but half a sheet would still be £10. I chose to take all the sheet, but if they could cut them in half that would be far easier to store on Oleanna.

Before I left with my big package under my arm I made sure I thanked them for still existing, finding a good art shop is getting harder and harder and certainly one with stock that you can look at and feel near impossible. I may even have said we’d come to Newark specifically for me to visit them, only half a lie.

Back at Oleanna we had lunch, Mick had succeeded in buying a pork pie. I wrote some more blog, quite a bit to catch up on and getting on for 700 photos from two days of the Fund Britain’s Waterways Cruise to edit.

**Squeezed into the drawing board slot**

The Brompton then accompanied us back into town, our chosen supermarket was to be Morrisons, here we hoped to find everything we’d want under one roof at a reasonable price. After an hour we headed back to Oleanna the Brompton earning it’s keep once again as a sherpa.

Mick also spent some of today trying to get tidal locks booked. The West Stockwith phone number was on answerphone and suggested to call the main CRT number, which he did. They said you should be able to book on the number he’d called, but try Keadby.

Times and dates were discussed with Mark at Keadby. Our original plan had been to head to Torksey, wait for the level to be right to go up the lock for Tilly to have some shore leave for a day, before making our way onto West Stockwith, then should the tides be right we’d carry on to Keadby the following day. However we’re now into neep tides and the likelihood of being able to get over the cill at Torksey was slim. Our message would be passed on to West Stockwith.

**The Sonning no longer moored below the castle, now sold and possibly in Hull**

Later the Lockie from West Stockwith called, he’d had a missed call. Times, dates and tides were discussed. We changed our plans. Up to Torksey, no point in waiting to see if there’d be enough water to go top side. Instead we’d head onwards to West Stockwith the following day and have a couple of days on the Chesterfield canal before carrying on to Yorkshire. We were booked in at all relevant locks, three more tidal days. However Mark at Keadby had mentioned that Vazon Sliding Bridge was currently out of action! This would mean we’d only be able to get to Keadby and not onwards to Thorne. We left our bookings as they were, there was no official stoppage notice from CRT. Should we need to find a different route in a weeks time then we’d look into going round Trent Falls/End as we have somewhere to be. Hopefully by then the bridge will be sorted and our original plan will still work.

The Campaign Cruise made it to Nottingham County Hall steps yesterday, today they all cruised through Nottingham, some carrying on to the Soar, other stopping at Trent Lock where the Erewash, Soar and Trent all meet at one big cross roads.

Various photos and bits of footage have been gathering, so I thought I’d share them with you. Thank you to people who have taken photos of us on Oleanna, a rare thing as I’m usually the one behind the camera.

31st March

The flotilla turning out of Keadby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-F9NNCTv9Y

On BBC Look North 1st April https://www.facebook.com/767692647/videos/8980739002031183/

Going through Gainsborough https://www.facebook.com/1284892766/videos/586352897755148/

On BBC East Midlands 2nd April. https://www.facebook.com/767692647/videos/869484491969642

**Thank you Sue O’Hare, just before we passed West Stockwith Lock**

**Thank you Jo Sharples, Oleanna in Town Lock after storming the castle**

0 locks, 0 miles, 5.37 miles walked, 46 minutes briskly, 0 grub screws, 1 pork pie, 2 A0 sheets mount, 1 A1 foamcor, 1 A2 black, 12 sheets watercolour paper, 4 bags full of shopping, 2 boxes wine, 1 art shop still surviving, 11 years of being boat owners.

How Does It All Fit? 20th March

Viking Marina, Goole

We all seem to have got a good nights sleep on the new mattress. Maybe it would have been better to get it made an inch thinner, giving Mick more head space under the gunnel. But he says he’ll adapt the way he sleeps, if anyone can he can!

The fire was stoked and the boat warmed up again. Tea in bed was enjoyed before I had a go at my morning stretches. I wondered if the bed would be good, but the width of the boat is a little restrictive, so tomorrow I’ll try the floor in front of the stove to see if there’s enough room there.

After breakfast it was time to empty the van. Useful empty boxes were popped back into it so they could head back to the house for the next time we move. Mick then headed to the marina office for a new gas bottle whilst I wove ends in on my latest pair of socks, these were to be hand delivered to Georgie back in Scarborough by Mick. I’d sneaked her in ahead of some boat women as they were taking their time in getting back to me, with Georgie it took her less than a minute to respond to what shoe size she was!

Mick returned having paid for our electric and the gas bottle along with a new wee tank connector. Laird was fine with us still being hooked up overnight until we leave, we are leaving a day or two before our mooring fees run out. Only the fob for the gate to return now.

Time to head to Tescos to collect our order. Six crates! Just where would I be putting everything? I really hoped it would all fit, having said that there was still quite a large gap in one of the food drawers, I can’t remember what used to occupy the space. With things squeezed into the fridge we then headed off to buy some coal. The marina doesn’t sell it, but Coopers does near East Cowick. Four 25kg bags of Excell got Mick very dusty moving them about, he should have brought his mucky coat!

Back to Oleanna, lunch and then Mick set off back to Scarborough to return the van in the morning, the final hoover round of the house, cut the grass and hide our things in the shed and enjoy a fully glutenised pizza from Pizza Tempo.

**I’ve opted for tuperware this year rather than plastic bags.**

I got on with sorting things for the freezer. A chicken to joint, sausages, mince and turkey steaks to portion up and then get freezing whilst we were still on hook up.

**Pedestrians are shorter and thicker in Goole than they are in Scarborough**

Tilly was left in charge as I headed out for my walk. Down Albert Street, right at the end, then left down towards Ocean Lock. I wonder if we’ll end up using Ocean Lock at all this year? Currently there is a problem with Thorne Lock on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal, which hopefully will be sorted before the boats from Strawberry Island want to head that way along with us! Ocean Lock would give a different route to Gainsborough, round Trent Falls, but hopefully CRT will have Thorne Lock back in working order.

**Ocean Lock, see the size of that motorhome next to it**

Only two ships in the docks today. Down at the river the tide was neither in nor out, or so it seemed. Back through town, a pause at Boyes to see if they had a waste food container we can use when the new recycling takes affect across the canal network. I also stopped to say hello to 007 in a shop window, Sean was my favourite Bond.

I’d left the stove to dwindle as it was such a warm day, but it now needed encouraging so I could bake a jacket potato to have with left over chilli. Now it was time to find room for clothes. A shelf in my cupboard needed moving and what I thought would be an easy fit for my Sockathon yarn bag proved to be quite hard. How can that be? It came out of the drawer five months ago and I’ve knitted I don’t know how many more pairs of socks since then and only added a small amount of yarn to it. Some summer clothes needed to be added to the vaccum bags that go under the bed, I did wonder if it was a sensible thing as today had been so warm, maybe I should have put my big fat jumpers in there instead.

A quiet evening for us girls, still surrounded by bags, but nice and cosy in front of the stove casting on the next pair of socks.

0 locks, 0 miles, 100kg coal, 1 bag kindling, 6 crates, 1 ordered freezer with spare room, 5 miles walked, 2 office shelves sorted, 1 wardrobe stowed, 5 boxes of wine in the cellar, 1st jacket baked, 1 new mattress to wrestle with on my own later, I’ll help jump on it for you!

Lipstick!!! 5th March

Scarborough / Goole

**Painting finished and waiting to be hung**

Whilst being in Scarborough we’ve managed to catch up with most people, some more than once, some many times. However one person has eluded us, I knew there’d be trouble if he didn’t get a mention here on the blog, so there was only one thing for it, best invite Duncan and Jaye round for some food. It also gave me a good excuse to make the Squash Winter Herb Crust Butter Bean Pie I’d made last winter. It was just as delicious as last time, the company wasn’t too bad either!

**Lovely to have an evening with you both**

More walks have been had.

The other Saturday I took advantage of all the sunshine and managed to walk through the old cemetery, down Peasholm Glen to the park (sadly no Naval Battle taking place), round by The Corner onto the North Bay, said hello to Freddie and held his hand, then walked round Marine Drive spotting the fin of a dolphin in the waves, round the south bay which was a bustle with day trippers and back home up the valley (the daffodils still waiting to come into flower). A good 5 mile walk.

More of the roof space has been emptied, we just hope the floor of upstairs upstairs can take the extra weight for a few months! Family history treasures have been seen for the first time in eleven years, theatre models have been reduced in number and scrap books of when the SJT first opened perused.

I think I’ll have quite a project next winter sorting through my Dad’s kitbag with letters, sketch books and negatives from the late 1940’s.

With the weather being that bit better Mick hopped on a train to head to see Oleanna with the aim of getting the horns and tunnel light attached and wired up ready for cruising soon.

Earlier this week we’d seen photos of a ship bound for the Trent that had managed to get itself on a sand bank on the Humber. This was achieved on one of the biggest spring tides of late. Tugs, the Coast Guard came out from Goole and Hull to try to free it at the next two high tides. They had no luck, so with the tides now getting lower the ship will be stuck for another couple of weeks with the hope that when the next spring tides come it will be able to be re-floated. On Mick’s return train journey he managed to catch a glimpse of it, here’s hoping we manage to stay the right side of the buoys when we come to cruise the Muddy Humber in the summer!

Mick checked over the electrics on Oleanna. The engine was turned over for a while. He popped into the office to catch up with Hannah and pick up the new BSSC. When we come to leave we may need some extra pairs of hands as we are breasted up to the boat next to us. People to flick and hold ropes as we extricate ourselves would be handy.

Then it was time to fix the horns and tunnel light back on the cratch. The cratch cover needs removing to do this at the top, then it slides back over the top of the bracket. Mick had purchased a waterproof box so all the cables could be connected and stay dry. However, as thought, it was too bulky to slot in somewhere on the bracket.

Cables were joined, self amalgamating tape used then covered in heat shrink. This hopefully will keep everything dry until he has a smaller box for the connections.

Before he’d left Scarborough this morning we’d discussed Oleanna’s smile. Now with 24volt horns the cable connecting them isn’t actually needed as it was before when they were 12 volt, it will purely exist to give her her smile back. What colour should it be? I was given the choice of black, grey, red or cream. Red would fade and her smile had been black, so black in preference.

The horns were connected up to power and tested. The same tone plus one a touch higher. He hunted round for a suitable piece of wire for the smile and connected it.

I got a message that he’d not manage to catch the next train but would be on the following one. This was followed by several photos that I’d nagged him to take. The light in situ. The horns in situ. Then her smile.

Hang on hadn’t I said not to use red wire this morning?! Either he had no suitable wire other than red, or he’d not been listening to me!

I showed Tilly to see what she thought.

Why has Oleanna got LIPSTICK on?!?!!

When questioned later Mick said he had been listening, but had no choice as there was only enough red cable available for the job. Having some black cable would be a good thing in his tool kit, so once some has been purchased the red will be swapped out.

So even though Oleanna looks a little bit strange with her statement smile, she at least has it back along with her voice. History of lipstick.

**Red lipstick showed strength and power in WW2**

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 ship aground, 2 horns, 1 light, 170 Rimmel Alarm Red, 1 Duncan, 1 Jaye, 1st tidal lock booked, but more about that in the next post.

Empty. 10th July

Fishery Lock to Sharpes Lane Bridge

The air looked like it had potential to be wet this morning, waterproofs put on over t-shirts just in case. A boat had not long gone past us when we pushed off ourselves, we’d not catch them up before the first lock though.

Two chaps were working on an old day boat below Boxmoor Lock, new engine boards and a lot of cushions, not sure the cushions really gave the luxury look suggested in the company name. The boat ahead was just finishing going up, the crew returned to lift a paddle, that was nice of them, maybe they’d wait at the next lock for us.

Our turn, the bottom gates were clogged a touch with towpath clippings, Mick tried to clear them before I filled the lock. New signs on the lock beams ask for the lock to be left empty, so I returned to lift a paddle. I suspect we’ll see more of these new signs as we climb towards the Tring summit.

Under the railway that had kept thundering past last night, we’ll not be shot of it for some distance, but we’ll also be glad of it too. The boat ahead was just finishing again at the next lock. One of the chaps shouted back to me that they’d wait at the next one for us. As we rose he walked back and said they’d operate Winkwell Swing Bridge and that we could go through first. This bridge has it’s off days so I was quite glad not to be the one pressing the buttons, but it behaved impeccably. Nine held up between the two boats.

I opened one gate at the next lock, Mick would move Oleanna over to let our lock partner in, I waved them in. The chap at the helm was obviously used to single handing, his crew vanished below and left us to it.

I hitched a lift to Winkwell Top Lock. There must have been another boat ahead of us as it hadn’t quite finished emptying when I got there. I opened up the second paddle to help and then one gate. As this was happening a boat arrived above NB Burnt Oak, I’ve seen them before, maybe even chatted to them. The lady came and helped, dropping a paddle and opening the other gate for us. Here another sign asked us to empty the lock a rather good home made one with a 2.5D model boat.

Our locking partners were stopping for lunch, we thought we’d carry on. But then changed our minds a short distance on, this would possibly be the last Tilly suitable mooring before Berkhamsted, so we found a space with no overhanging trees and tried to pull in. The pound was quite high, I’d been warned that the towpath further on was under water. A bit of jiggling about got us closer to the bank.

Tilly 5 hours! Brilliant!!! Off she went. A few returns and then gone for what felt like hours, so long I felt the need to just see her and called, but no sign, she was too busy.

Wow! This outside was great, plenty of friendly cover, I went self catering. This took quite a while as there was a banquet waiting for me. After I’d had my fill I returned inside to tell them all about it and get some Dreamies to finish off, maybe have a little kip. That’s when everything changed.

Bleurgh!!!!

I wasn’t very well. Understatement there Tilly!

***Sheee!*** ***I don’t feel too good***

Someone’s eyes had been far too big for their belly! After a while things settled down and as cats do Tilly had some biscuits as she was now running on empty. A blade or two of grass did the trick outside. Then she returned inside and carried on being ill. Her food was removed and the doors closed. I’d planned an afternoon of painting and cooking, but spent most it washing the floor and making sure Tilly stayed on hard surfaces. Both of us were starting to wonder if this was more than over indulgence, had she eaten something really bad. We’d wait a while. Thankfully things calmed down.

Tilly sat on the drawing board slot eyes closed sat upright. I started to cook, a beef and beetroot curry popped in the oven and a batch of cheese scones, a necessity to use up the mass of yoghurt about to go off. Tilly gave head nudges, had a little snooze. After an hour or so she climbed onto the ‘Feed Me‘ shelf. Was this a good sign? No food until normal ding ding time though.

A small amount of whitefish food was put down. It was eaten. Half an hour passed, she was allowed a bit more. Phew, she seemed to be better. A long snooze before bedtime, then a short round of the fishing rod game before she snuggled up for the night.

4 locks, 2 shared, 1.5 miles, 1 bridge, 9 held up, 1 jaunty mooring, 3 push off required during the day, 5 hours curtailed to 3, 1 large friend or was it more? 1 very sickly cat, 1 clean floor, 1 last test match, 12 cheese scones, 2 meals worth of curry, 2 gf naan breads, 1 final, £1015 sockathon total, 9 pairs of socks still in need of toes.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Quk1HFHERwd8VPz37

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

2023 A Sociable Year

A long post, it’s the annual round up.

January, we sat waiting. Waiting for a new alternator to arrive, for the River Trent to come out of flood and then for the canal to defrost sufficiently for us move. This meant Pip doing work on the boat instead of in the house, this made for smelly days and a very cold workshop under the pram cover.

After almost three weeks we were on the move again having to navigate through thick fog, navigational aids helping us not to bump into the banks! Ahead of us in Yorkshire was a troublesome swing bridge, closed to boat traffic. Our plans had to change, we arranged to moor up in Newark and head back to Scarborough by van. Chin rubs nearly made the longer journey better, but I really don’t like the outside moving SO fast!

Four days later we were back on board, the bridge ahead was now open. Tides were checked, locks booked, cupboards stocked for a few days cruising. Winter cruising can be so so pretty, yet so so chilly. A display by the Red Arrows as we left Torksey kept us amused and a defrost was very welcome when we arrived at Keadby. After four days cruising we were moored up in Goole and walking to catch the train back to Scarborough.

#unit21 in Huddersfield kept Pip occupied for much of February. Then it was time to give the house some TLC in between lodgers. A back bedroom got a makeover just in time. Mick had trips to see Oleanna, a jobs list left with Alastair and the covers headed off for some much needed mending. Tilly was kept busy checking out the neighbours, they stay inside so I get free reign of their outside!

April arrived along with two lodgers, it was not possible to do more work on the house, Pip chose to knit socks instead. Dementia UK her chosen charity this year. Donations of yarn came from dyers and Pip’s needles started to click away, keeping up with requests. 15 pairs knitted and her target met.

May, visits were made to Oleanna preparing her for cruising, these were interspersed with visits from family, delivering socks, getting the house ready and starting work on the design for panto. On the 9th of May we loaded a van and returned to life afloat. Tilly the happiest cat once she was back onboard! A day later we set off heading west. Leeds for a few days for Pip to head to Matlock for work and then a wonderful visit to see 93 year old Betty in Harrogate.

Working our way up the Leeds Liverpool Canal, locks and the new stupid swing bridge much lighter work with two boats. Our favourite canal with wonders of the waterways, friends on route, Mick’s birthday and a trip to Bowness to see the latest Ayckbourn play. We managed a night on our favourite mooring on the network sadly it was too windy to enjoy the view with a barbecue.

Up over the top, we teamed up with NB That’s It, thankfully descending the Wigan flight in a window between vandalism and blown cills that have hampered the flight this year. Then along the Bridgewater Canal, panto designing whilst on the flat. Through Preston Brook Tunnel and onto the Trent and Mersey turning right onto the Middlewich Branch.

Back on lockdown ‘Home’ waters we cruised the Nantwich pound, 5 hours 13 minutes including a lunch and shopping stop, back in 2020 we’d spent 80 days here. We cruised southwards on the Shropie joined for a day by Carol and George from WB Still Rockin’. Laura and Alison from NB Large Marge joined us for the ascent up the Wolverhampton 21.

Through Bumingham and on to Lapworth and then Hatton where we had an extra pair of hands from Jane, who hopefully now has her own narrowboat. A well deserved burger at the Cape of Good Hope with Emma and David, then a lovely evening with Lizzie (NB Panda) at The Folly, it was turning out to be quite a sociable June.

Oleanna wiggled her way across the summit of the South Oxford, very familiar water to us. Despite the sunny weather and us cruising most days our batteries were not happy, turning themselves off overnight! Diagnosis was required, we pulled into Cropredy Marina to plug in and run tests. One of our three batteries was dead, bad enough but thankfully nothing more. Once a panto meeting had been attended we could move on, except there was an emergency closure at Banbury Lock. C&RT worked hard to get the canal open as quickly as they could, thankfully our hold up wasn’t too long.

We met up with the crews of NB Azzura (Liz and Mark) and NB Perseus (Julie and Simon) both Finesse boats, had a visit to London for Andrew’s birthday. Then had a rendez vous with Paul and Christine and enjoyed a good catch up onboard NB Waterway Routes.

Down to the River Thames where we turned upstream onto waters we’ve only cruised once before. Such a lovely stretch of river, sadly with fewer moorings now. We sped up to Lechlade where we took up residence for a week so that we could attend a get together at Pip’s cousins which coincided with the Royal International Air Tatoo in Fairford. It was great to be with family on a jolly occasion.

Work took over for Pip as we made our way back down stream to Oxford, Cinderella had to go to the ball and the model needed to be finished. Then we sauntered our way back northwards. One day had us meet up with Frankie NB Discovery, NB Dusty the local coal boat and Graeme on NB Misty Blue, it was good to catch up with Graeme and hear of his adventures since we’d seen him last year.

A trip for us both back to Scarborough to do a turn around of lodgers, see a show and pick up post. Mick would have to return the following weekend to swap bedlinen over again, this time by train from Rugby. Stand still budgets and inflation required Pip to do more work on panto so her days were kept busy reducing Cinderella’s carriage from £2000 to £400.

Stoppages around the network meant we had only one real route we could take to head back north. We winded and climbed our way up to the Leicester Section. Here we met up with Ken and Sue NB Cleddau at Houdini’s Field sitting out till way after dark. Then a small detour to Welford to meet up with NB Panda and Lizzie for an evening before we continued our way north.

Another detour to Market Harborough before Leicester where North Lock had a badly leaking cill which required a crew of C&RT chaps to force the bottom gates open, booked passage was required, this meant we got a few days to enjoy the city whilst we awaited our turn.

Sadly by now the lack of water on the Chesterfield Canal meant the top end of the canal was closed, no point in rushing up the River Trent for a return visit. In Nottingham Pip’s little toe had a kerfuffle with a cupboard necessitating a visit to the drop in centre for her little pinkie to be realigned. This meant Pip had to hand the windlass and key of power over to Mick for the last locks of the year.

Downstream on the River Trent, stopping at all our favourite moorings. Pip’s knitting needles came out again to knit more socks for Dementia UK. We had a trip into Lincoln along the Fossdyke Canal, we actually managed to finally visit the Cathedral this time!

Tides were not helpful for the rest of our trip north so a couple of days at West Stockwith was needed, but that did mean we’d be sharing the tidal waters back to Yorkshire with NB That’s It whom we’d met earlier in the year.

There was time for a catch up with David as we passed through Bramwith, a jaunt up to Doncaster and then finally along the New Junction and onto Goole where a space had been found for us in the marina. A train ride to Scarborough to pick up a van and see the latest show before packing up the boat again for the second time this year.

Planned works at the house then went very smoothly. Scaffolding arriving the day after we arrived, new windows later in the day with four carpenters and two days later the decorator who was to give the house a much needed new coat of paint outside.

Mid October Pip moved to Chipping Norton for a month to work on panto, Mick and Tilly left to welcome a new lodger for the Christmas show in Scarborough. Panto was as much work as normal with the addition of Pip getting covid after the first week of rehearsals. The show opened to toe tapping audiences and many many bananas, getting great reviews. Mick had a days trip to London to support boaters who had gathered outside the Houses of Parliament for a Fund Britain’s Waterways rally.

Back in Scarborough Christmas came early with a visit from the London Leckenbys at the beginning of December, they hadn’t been to Scarborough for ten years. A few more house jobs have been done but a list has been compiled for the new year along with those on Oleanna. We’ve had a lovely Christmas, catching up with Scarborough friends, Tilly has slept lots, we’re lucky to see her before 2pm most days! I’m just resting for when the outsides start changing again.

Don’t worry Tilly the count down has started.

This year our plans changed all because of an invite from Pip’s cousins. We travelled our favourite canal, cruised many familiar waters , visited ‘Home’, climbed trees and pounced, caught up with many boating friends and made many new ones along the way. One very sociable year.

So our vital statistics for 2023 according to Canalplan are

Total distance of 805miles, 2.25furlongs and 436 locks.

There were 121 moveable bridges, of which 33 are usually left open; 151 small aqueducts or underbridges and 16 tunnels – a total of 6 miles, 5 furlongs under ground and 7 major aqueducts.

This is made up of 244 miles, 1.25 furlongs of narrow canals; 251 miles, 5.5 furlongs of broad canals; 69 miles, 1.5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 95 miles, 4.75 furlongs of small rivers; 57 miles, 3.75 furlongs of large rivers; 87 miles, 1.5 furlongs of tidal rivers; 185 narrow locks; 223 broad locks; 28 large locks.

Although according to Nebo we did

815.09 miles and 431 locks! Hmm maybe my maths isn’t so good. But then we only started using Nebolink in August, tracking our every move rather than just on our phones.

470 engine hours, 789.8 litres diesel! Ouch, having to run the engine to top the batteries up on an evening didn’t help with this, 150amp hours down to 100, 3 gas bottles, 120kg coal, 19.5 litres oil, 2 oil filters, 2 fuel filters, 1 shower mixer, 1 domestic alternator, 1 set new engine mounts, 1 overnight guest, 3 packs Dreamies, 1.5 packs Bonkers, 39 friends, 6 brought in, 34 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval, 34 pairs of socks, £1132 for Dementia UK, 2 shows, 9 lodgers, 10 supermarket deliveries, 33 boxes wine, 1 toe, 6 months cruising, 3 boat mover sightings, 209 posts, 184 likes, 9,503 visitors, 31,309 views!

Thank you for following our journey during 2023. We have a plan for 2024, but there are several invites and a rendez vous with some New Zealanders. Will we stick to our plan? Have to alter course to fit everything in? Wait and see, we’re already counting down the weeks to being afloat again.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Model making

Shower! 7th June

A Doctors Walk. 5th June

STinky!!!! 3rd, 4th June

It’s Just Some Old S**t. 1st, 2nd June

A Touch Wet Under Paw. 26th to 28th May

The Last Art Shop. 4th April

How Does It All Fit? 20th March

Lipstick!!! 5th March

Empty. 10th July

2023 A Sociable Year