Category Archives: Narrowboat Life

Closing Both Gates. 5th June

Lockdown Pickup Mooring

The alarm went off, straight out of bed, breakfasted, chicken sandwiches made and Tilly was left in charge for the day. Our trip back across the Pennines to Scarborough had more traffic than a few weeks ago, but still no hold ups along the way. Commuter traffic certainly is far less than it used to be.

We headed straight to see Val and everyone at Tower Estates to pick up keys to the house. Over the last few weeks the house has been cleared, apart from our furniture and belongings, and has had a thorough clean through. Our oven now sparkles almost like new.

After six years of renting the house out it is in need of some TLC. So today we were going to make it possible for us to be able to sleep there once the lockdown eases enough to be able to stay overnight in second homes.

Once we’d had a look around and checked things over the top floor was unlocked. First job was to get our bed down the windy staircase from upstairs upstairs. A 5ft wide mattress had somehow made it’s way up there, but how were we going to get it down? After our first attempt we decided it had to go back up to be folded in half to have a vague hope in it coming down the steep staircase that doubles back on itself within 5ft square. Thankfully it worked.

Which bedroom to move into? Our old bedroom didn’t feel right, there is still quite a strong aroma of cannabis and it needs redecorating, so the front room the other side will do for now. The bed frame followed down the stairs much easier than the mattress.

Next I hunted round for the boxes containing cutlery and crockery. All this was quite easy to find and after six years all needed a good wash, so the dishwasher was filled and had a test run. Thankfully it still works.

Sadly the cutlery drawer insert got thrown away

The kettle and toaster were next on the list, although I’d forgotten to bring any tea bags with us! Instead we drank from our water bottle and ate our chicken sandwiches in the front garden enjoying the seaside sun. Our neighbour has kindly cut the grass for us since we were last here, but the rest of the garden desperately needs some attention.

There used to be a very thick layer of bluebells around the patch of lawn, but these are depleted now. The biggest shame though is the lack of blue geraniums. The tenant before last liked gardening and had thought they were weeds, so had put a membrane down followed by a thick layer of stones. Some work will be needed to lift all this and hope the geraniums fight back into the sun. The other front garden needs a lot of weeding, but the giant foxglove by the front door will be staying. We are not proud gardeners, but like a more , shall we say, natural look. Our next trip will be to sort the garden out.

The garden shed has been removed, apparently it only took a few minutes to take apart as it was about to fall over anyway. Once a big laylandii tree has gone from next doors garden the back of the houses at our end of the street will have so much more light. The newly cleared patch seems to catch the sun quite well and Alan, next doors cat, was enjoying recharging his solar. I also got to meet Betty his feline house mate, she is quite shy and kept an eye on me from a distance. I made sure I introduced myself for next time.

Alan having claimed where the shed used to be

I measured up for curtains to replace those that we’ve ended up with. Made a list of jobs that need doing, we’ll be in touch with Frank for a few of them. Hunted round for gardening gloves and some white spirit. A large kitchen knife was found ontop of a kitchen cupboard, hopefully Mick hasn’t added his finger prints to some vital bit of evidence! Some light bulbs were changed and one from the downstairs toilet removed so we could get a replacement.

Five hours after we arrived we knew we’d now be able to stay the night, cook a meal, eat it and relax on a sofa. Our needs are far more basic than they used to be. With a key dropped off with one neighbour and the other one offering to help with anything we headed off, closing both gates behind us.

We called into B&Q as we left town. A pair of gardening gloves which will only be worn whilst working locks (more eco-friendly than disposable gloves) a large bottle of white spirit and a new light bulb for the toilet were purchased. Then we were on our way back. Friday rush hour on the M62 around Leeds used to be a nightmare, but today the traffic flowed freely. We made it back to Oleanna in under 3 hours to feed Tilly at a reasonable time.

At around 9ish Mick went out to check things over, unfortunately he’d not quite closed the stern doors properly. Our four legged second mate took advantage of the moment and gave herself some shore leave which hadn’t been sanctioned by either Mick or myself!

So for the next three quarters of an hour I followed her around hoping to be able to rugby tackle her. There is no point in trying to run after her, just following at a steady pace as she keeps her distance and trots along away from you, in this case along the road!

She was just about to spring back out from some sideways trees when a van came round a bend. I put my hand up to stop it as Tilly emerged then freaked and headed back into the friendly cover, the van could continue. We walked that way, then a bit further. Into the wooded area by the layby, she climbed a tree then carried on along the road some more! Into the moorers car park where a chap sat in his van watching me and Tilly. I thought I’d got her onto the towpath at one point, but I thought the gate was locked so would have to walk all the way round loosing sight of Tilly. She had that bolshy look, came back into the car park and carried on being at least six foot away from me!

But then on a third attempt to encourage her to walk with me she finally started to follow instead of leading. Back onto the towpath and up near the boat. Still no closer than six foot! Mick passed me a stool to sit on, which brought her closer, then eventually she wrapped herself around my ankles at which point she was picked up and handed in through the side hatch. A good end to a busy day.

0 locks, 0 miles, M6, M62, A64, 2 Pennine crossings, 1 very clean house, 1 bed, 6 mugs, how many kitchen knives when 2 do us on the boat? 2.7m by 3m, 1 murder weapon, 0 gravitationally challenged shed, 1 hanging garden, 1 damp wall, 1 long ladder needed, 1 broken door, 1 mistaken choice on locks, 2 introductions, 0 teabags, 2 litres, 1 pair, 1 big bulb, 1 escapee thankfully not flattened!

The 10% Is In The Air. 4th June

Lockdown Mooring almost 4A to Lockdown Pickup Mooring

Awake earlier than normal I listened out for rain, it sounded hopeful. After a cuppa in bed it looked like I might just be able to get a coat on the starboard side gunnel before we needed to move off. But as I ate my cereal it started to rain. Mick checked a couple of weather apps and there was only meant to be a 10% chance of rain, well that 10% was in the air and falling on the gunnel I wanted to paint! I decided to put off the painting for a few days as we’ve a busy few days ahead.

Our 48 hours would soon be up at ‘Home’, so we rolled back the covers and headed under the bridge to wind. We slowed and beeped the horn as we approached the flag bubble. The lead boat is now an interloper and has no flag, they could at least have made an effort!

Barry and Sandra bobbed out into their cratch. On Saturday they will ascend the flight up onto the Llangollen so this was the last time, for the moment, that our bows would cross. It’s been nice getting to know them over the last few months.

We’re hoping we’ll be able to meet up in the future and actually sit down together for a drink, maybe a reunion on our ‘Home ‘ patch of the Shropie in a couple of years, who knows. But for now both boats have to head off and become the ‘strange’ boats in new places.

We weren’t heading far, just to the pickup mooring, well a little bit away from the road this time. Pulling in we deployed our tyre fenders which we think have grown. Oleanna seems to be sitting just that bit further out than normal, just that bit too far for me to get comfortably on and off at the stern.

Mick then headed off on the Brompton to Crewe to pick up a hire car whilst I did a touch of research for panto and said ‘No’ a lot to Tilly, the road is too close here for shore leave. An email dropped into my inbox from Vanessa who runs Separate Doors. With some emergency funding from the Arts Council she is wanting to produce a leaflet regarding the Learning Disabled, the arts and the pandemic and would like me to do an illustration for the cover so that it matches her three previous reports. My answer of course was yes.

A click and collect order had been placed with Sainsburys to coincide with having a car, a big stock up before we head off away from Nantwich. Back at the boat we sorted it into quarantine and disinfect. We’d been told that the blueberrys had a short date on them by email this morning, but not about the other items. Two pies, 1 large chicken, houmous and onions all use by the 6th. The chicken was meant for Sunday then it would last through much of the week. I filled out a form on line requesting a refund, sadly nowhere to leave a comment. Normally we like Sainsburys but this order is very disappointing. Menus rearranged and we’ll risk having the pies on Saturday. If they are true to their word we should get £16 back in vouchers.

Mick made use of the car to take some old engine oil to the tip, fortunate that the registration number of the car ended in an odd number as no even numbered cars would be allowed entry today. Just as Mick was about to pull away, two familiar figures walked past on the road. They then made their way up onto the towpath. We know which way the Wheelie Shoppers were heading, but not their final destination, hopefully we’ll find out before we have to push off out of the area.

This morning before we moved off the PPe bird sang it’s heart out again for us. We’ve not heard it for a while and didn’t manage to record it again. It followed us down the way to the pickup mooring and as it rained this evening we think we got a match on Mick’s app. The bird in question sings a variety of song, PPe we believe is only part of it’s vast repertoire. Several other excerpts of song were analysed and came up with the same conclusion. A Song Thrush. This could be wrong as the actual PPe call hasn’t been successfully run through the app and there may be a Song Thrush sitting alongside it. We’ll have a listen to recordings and see if we can confirm our suspicions.

Dark clouds came and went for the remainder of the day, another 10% then 20% of rain filled the air. By the time the chicken was roasted there was 70% rain. That gunnel better not have to wait months to get painted!

0 locks, 1 wind, 0.75 miles, 2 final farewells, 1 red car, £16 plus, 1 Thursday night roast, 10 litres to the dump, 0 wheelie shopper, 2 wheelie shoppers, 1 possible identification, 2 very fat tyres, 1 wetter day than expected, 27 keys at the ready, 1 miffed off Tilly.

Rain Stops Play. 3rd June

Lockdown Mooring 4A, just

We may not have talked to some of our neighbours much, but we’ve got to know their boating habits quite well. One such boat is the Pooh Boat, they never stay anywhere for very long, preferring to move on every couple of days. Yesterday after we’d turned up and tied to the end ring, they nudged back towards the C&RT work boat to leave enough space for another boat between us, nobody made use of the space though. So this morning when we heard their Beagle woofing we knew they were getting ready to push off, despite the rain. Their beagle announces their arrival and departure as he feels he has to give a running commentary.

Once the barking had faded into the distance we donned our waterproofs ready to wind Oleanna so that the starboard side would be ready for painting should their be a window in the rain long enough. Multiforte dries quickly, you can apply a second coat after a couple of hours.

Mick reversed us to the the junction, where we winded and then reversed back, taking up half of our usual mooring here, the other half being filled with work boat. The rings just that bit too far apart for our 58ft 6″ even with a chain added to our ropes, so a spike was needed. All ready for a break in the rain.

Yesterdays outside had been a touch too sunny. The other side of it today was wet and cold. What a rubbish outside! I even tried the trick of going out the front in case it was different at that end of the boat, but it wasn’t, it rarely is. Tom left the doors open for me, but all that did was make the inside chilly. In the end I decided not to use shore based facilities and reverted to my pooh box. I made a lot of hints during the day which fell on deaf Tom ears, but by mid afternoon he decided that he’d light the stove. Good idea!! About time!!! He wouldn’t feed me early though!

A damp morning required a good breakfast. The last two rashers of bacon (those in the fridge, there’s another 32 still in the freezer!) needed eating and I’d defrosted some oxford sausages. The last few old potatoes were grated up with a bit of onion for hash browns, the last tomato sliced in half and the last two mushrooms from the veg box sliced and cooked. A breakfast suitable for the day.

Tilly gave up checking on the weather for a while so we decided it was dry enough for the egg walk. The leak at the bottom of the locks looked drier, if you can tell such things when it’s been raining all morning. But on closer inspection the gate recess still has a garden of it’s own in need of re-pointing. The level of water in the lock was down by a couple of feet, so not high enough to leek through to the towpath.

All the way up the flight the towpath is looking neat and tidy, top soil added to the edges and the gravel path now compacted. New concrete slabs sit alongside the path, one with a bench. At the top of the locks the compound from the works was being cleared. The wooden supports that sat under a temporary flooring being lifted and piled up ready to be removed from site. I reckon by the end of the week all will be gone.

A boat was topping up with water as we walked past, the crew eager to get down the locks. In the back of the van at the egg farm there were still no duck eggs, but we filled our well walked egg box with half a dozen of his finest hens eggs. The farmer walked up to check if we’d got enough, he was just about to do the third collection of the day.

The long line of boats that has sat beyond the bridges above the locks has depleted somewhat, still a few which I suspect will move by Saturday. The top gate was open ready and waiting for the boat to go down, so we walked round to the bottom gate to cross the bridge and walk round the reservoir.

Blimey it was chilly up there. The view not as good as it’s been. Along the footpath there are now splodges of blue spray paint marking the positions of bolts. More metal stakes have been added to the bank of the reservoir. Soon you’ll be able to let a ball go down the hill and watch which route it takes, bouncing off the stakes.

As we walked down the flight I felt the urge to work some locks again. Everyone has their own way of working locks, but I find it hard to watch when people make their lives so much harder. Here one lock was being worked at a time, no thought to fill the next chamber in the flight with the water from above. Yes the water does top up the locks as you go down, but so much also flows round the bywashes avoiding being reused. Of course on the Llangollen this isn’t such a problem as there is a constant flow down the canal, but else where wasting so much water during dry periods such as this….. The lady walked round the lock rather than cross the bottom gates to lift the paddles, then back round another couple of times to open and close the gates whilst the boat sat waiting for the next chamber to be opened up ahead, the wind in the mean time pinning the boat against the bank.

When we reached the bottom lock we swung the top gate open to save more energy being expended then was needed. Next week we’ll start to move again, slowly away from our comfort zone around Nantwich. Have to say I’m looking forward to doing the Trent and Mersey hurdles again, the Cheshire Locks will be a treat.

National Theatre at Home This House poster with treated photo of members of the company

This evening we watched the latest offering from the National Theatre, This House by James Graham. Set in 1974 in the world of the Whips of the House of Commons. It charts the farcical lengths they took in trying to keep a majority whilst the government hung by a thread. Labour all northern apart from one Cockney and the Torys all sporting immaculately tied ties. We enjoyed it but felt it was a touch over long.

0 locks, 750ft all in reverse, 1 wind, 1 grey wet day, 1 disillusioned cat, 1 breakfast, 4 muddy paws, 0 gunnel painting, 6 eggs, 1 circumference, 4 times round a lock, 0 impetus to do much, 1 stove, 1 play, 1 cat curled up on a knee.

The Lesser Spotted Number Checker. 2nd June

Lockdown Mooring 3 to not quite Lockdown ‘Home’ Mooring

With so many boats being about we didn’t want to take our time this morning. The water tank needed filling and we’d rather not have to wait, along with hoping we could get back onto our ‘home’ mooring where the towpath has a hard edge and is a good height to do the gunnels. So as soon as breakfast was done the covers were rolled back and we were on our way.

The water point was empty so we filled up the tank and disposed of rubbish. One big bin was still full to the brim with soil and rubble as it was a month or so ago and the bottle bins had long since overflowed!

A C&RT blue t-shirted chap walked past, tablet in hand. A lesser spotted number checker! The first we’ve seen in months, well there has been no call for them whilst the 14 day rule was suspended. But by Saturday every boat out on the cut will need to have moved as 14 days will be up. That is unless you have health reasons and have informed C&RT. Mick chatted with the chap as he walked past, it was his second day back after being furloughed, time to walk the towpaths again.

Another two C&RT chaps turned up in their vans, sheers and kebs put in a wheel barrow and off they went along the towpath. They were heading to trim the overhanging sideways trees and brambles along the towpath, presumably Fountains don’t go above ground level.

The sun was out and so were plenty of boats. We pootled our way back to Barbridge, where we kept a straight course on to Hurleston. The usual boats were still on their ‘Home’ moorings on the side of the reservoir. Would our ‘Home’ mooring be free?

Through Bridge 97 there was a boat hanging off the end of the visitor moorings, The Wine Boat. Behind them was a C&RT skip boat and tug! Excuse me!!! That’s our spot!!!! Further along was the Pooh Boat (Winnie sits on top of their bow fender), but there was enough room for us at the end. We pulled in and tied to the last ring, tyre fenders deployed.

Before lunch there was time to give the primer on the port side a quick rub down and a rinse off. This dried over lunchtime and the delay encouraged the sun to pass overhead and leave the gunnel in shade to cool down. Tilly sought out what shade she could find, first alongside Mick and then right next to me, except we both kept moving! Very inconsiderate!!!

Boats came past, one slowed to say hello. NB Sonoma was the next boat to be built after Oleanna by Finesse and we’d bumped into (at a distance) Gordon and Dawn two days before lockdown was imposed, right here at Hurleston Junction. Today they were out for the first time since things have been relaxed, a day trip for a picnic. Just as we’d finished lunch Gordon came to check on where we get touch up paint from. I had a rootle through the bow locker finding red and cream tins of paint, the blue hiding somewhere behind bags of coal. Apparently their blue is the same as ours, information was passed on as to where we’d bought ours from. Still haven’t dug deep enough to find the tin of blue Gordon, if it is a different number I’ll give you a shout.

Dungarees back on and the containers with the black Multiforte were dug out. Back in September when I was last doing the gunnels, the paint tin lid wasn’t going to have an air tight seal anymore. This was due to a touch of rust and the way the tin was made, a very tight seal which sealed itself incredibly well and had to be prised open so much that we almost needed a tin opener! So we’d decanted the paint into tuperware containers hoping for the best. A small one container I’d intended using for the starboard side a week or so later, but rain and work meant it never happened.

I opened up the small container first, a thick skin had formed. I could carefully prise this away from the sides of the container. I then realised that a skin had formed all the way around the paint. One giant black paint blister. With gloves on I held the blister above the container, squeezed the paint to the bottom and then punctured it. Still quite a bit of usable paint thank goodness. There had been enough in this container to do one side, but now just enough to get half way.

The other container had done a better job, just a skin on the top, the paint also flowed better onto the gunnel.

By the time I’d finished it was getting on for 5pm and insects were making a bee line straight for the fresh sticky surface. Should I move onto the starboard side or not today?

By the time we’d have winded, hoping our space would still be free (I think I’d have guarded it with boat hooks), sanded the primer, rinsed it off and waited for it to dry before painting, the insect population would have been chomping at the bit to stick to it. So the starboard side will have to wait for a suitable window in the weather, hopefully in the next couple of days.

0 locks, 3.42 miles, 2 straights, 1 full water tank, 1st number checker, 2nd Finesse boat, 2 doberman standoffs, 1 cat seeking shade, 5004, 1 rub down, 1 rinse, 1 giant black blister, 1 side looking smart again, 71 deceased insects with different ideas, 2 paw prints! TILLY!!!

Metropolis. 1st June

Lockdown Mooring 3, to the shade and back again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blue And Red Jobs. 31st May

Lockdown Mooring 3 and a bit that way, then winding, then there and back a bit too

Tilly had an hour of shore leave whilst we had breakfast. As we waited for her to return I gave the gunnel a wash down to remove the fertan, hoping it hadn’t been too hot yesterday for it to do it’s job. Well there were a few places where there was still a touch of orange where I hadn’t quite managed to sand it well enough along with the fertan having dried a bit too quickly. Maybe I should have given those bits a second coat, but that would delay the repainting by a day. They will do for now, we’re considering taking Oleanna out of the water later in the year to check her blacking, so a better less knee killing job can be done then.

With the gunnel steaming away nicely and Tilly back on board we sought the shade again. Time to give the primer a good stir before applying a coat to any bare metal. This didn’t take long. I was now ready for the starboard side, so we pootled down the cut to Bunbury winding hole.

For the first time a boat was pulled up alongside the towpath whirligig and just about all the hire boats had vanished. They had been two abreast right up to the locks before, but now only a couple were visible. On our last trip to Chester they had all been moored below the locks and had taken a bit to squeeze past. Maybe they have all been moved back there to make them ready for when hire boats can go back out.

We pootled back to the shady mooring, tied up all ready for me to start again! My poor knees!!

At least this side had been sanded back towards the end of last year, so there was less general sanding required, but a few new rust patches and the rubbing strakes needed loose paint scraping away and a good sanding down. Then a rinse off followed by more fertan.

I wasn’t the only one being kept busy. Mick inside had decided to give the oven (or both of them) a good clean, a blue job. The glass fronts were cleaned as best he could with Bar Keepers Mate and Pink Stuff. They didn’t end up looking like new, but far better than they have for a while. The hob also got a clean just ready for me to spill cheese sauce on this evening.

It’s the same as this morning, just on the other side of the inside!

The crew have lost it again! They think they can fool me, but I’ve got their number. They thought I’d be pleased with three outsides in a day again, but two of them were the same as yesterday just on the other side! She thought I’d be confused and run off the wrong side of the boat, but I am far too intelligent to do that. I’d already taken note of which side the outside was on!

0 locks, 0.38 miles maybe (didn’t have the trip computer on), 1 wind, 3 outsides, 1 side primed, 2nd side fertanned, 2 knees owing, 1 tasty friend consumed, 1 oven bright and twinkling, 2 wings, 1 cauliflower cheese with bacon, 3 glasses of wine well it is Sunday!

Three For One. 30th May

Lockdown Mooring 3, then that way a bit, then there, then the other way a bit.

There had been two birthdays this week in the Geraghty family and there was much talk of basket weaving as Marion has a visit this coming week from an Occupational Therapist. We’re waiting to see what creations she comes up with.

Then it was time to take down the dinette table and pull out the boat painty box that lives below the seating. It’s really a shame that the cupboards didn’t get sliding doors on them, as they hinge downwards and the desmo legs of the table stop them from opening fully, hense having to take the table down to get big things in and out! We have the table up all the time, which the builders most probably didn’t consider at the time. One day we’ll get round to altering them. It’s not too much of a hardship removing the table as what is stored there isn’t needed often.

With Tilly back on board we headed backwards, just off the 48hr mooring to a patch of handy shade. The bank was an okay height for working on the gunnels and I gave the nettles and long bits of grass a quick trim with our shears before starting.

My painty dungarees came out, knee pads added and a kneeling mat for the floor, this would fend off soar knees for a while. Having worked in a theatre in the round painting floors for years, my knees do not like me. I know I’ll be hobbling around for a while, but Oleanna will have nice looking gunnels again.

A few weeks ago Mick had got me some new rolls of sandpaper and I expected them to fit the electric sander. But sadly they are too big, They’d need trimming down and with all the faffing with extension leads out of windows, I couldn’t be bothered so got the sanding block out and did it by hand instead.

The port side first. This side got a coat of paint before I headed off to do a weeks painting on panto last Autumn, so shouldn’t have been too bad. But a few bubbles of rust have shown themselves after knocks and scrapes.

I had to stop a couple of times to remove some doggie downloads, but the job was soonish done. The dust was rinsed off with canal water and left to dry whilst we had some lunch and awaited the return of our second mate. She was far too busy to return home on her own, so I had to be interesting. The fertan (rust convertor) came out and so did Tilly.

Job done, everyone back on board, we could now reverse to the water point under the bridge. A cruiser was just pulling out so we waited for them to pass, he thanked us for being patient whilst he ‘pratted about’. Once they were out of the way I headed up to the bridge to see if the cut was clear and gave Mick a thumbs up. He backed Oleanna up past the moorings and we filled the tank.

The canal has been a lot busier today, most boats passing us twice which suggests they are leisure boaters out for the day. After the announcement regarding more relaxation of lockdown on Thursday C&RT had updated their guidance to boaters. From Monday much of the network will be open again and Continuous Cruisers will be able to move further, however for Leisure boaters there is still no news on being able to stay overnight on their boats.

News came through yesterday that C&RT are aiming to reopen the Macclesfield and Leeds Liverpool during July and August, the peek of the boating season. Our original plan for this year was to cruise both canals to head back towards Yorkshire. We’d still like to cross the Pennines on the L&L, maybe seeing friends at a distance on our journey. We just don’t want to get stuck part way across the top if lack of water closes locks again. Fingers crossed.

Once the water tank was full we headed back under the bridge choosing to moor on the other side of the 48hr moorings in the sun. The shady patch had been full of flies who had wanted to take up residence inside Oleanna! Tilly got to see her third outside of the day (all within 200 meters of each other) and soon returned with a friend. The next boat along didn’t seem too fazed as they ate their barbecue as she munched her way through the poor rodents head just a few meters away.

0 locks, 0.25 miles, 3 moorings, 1 side prepped, 2 wide sandpaper, 2 aching knees, 2 piles of pooh, 1 friend at least, 1 forgotten tiller, 1 prat, 1 possible change of plan.

Just Like The Old Days. 27th May

Lockdown Mooring 5 to Lockdown Pickup Mooring

When to move today? We had a Sainsburys delivery booked at Henhull Bridge, but not until 9pm at the earliest. This morning the ideal position by the bridge would be full as NB AreandAre would be there picking up their veg box. Should Tilly be allowed shore leave or not? I decided that it would be mean to keep her in all day so she was given a couple of hours shore leave as Emails were checked and breakfast consumed. She returned bang on time and the doors were closed.

A beautiful morning for a cruise. We winded and headed back towards Nantwich. Flag Iris dip their toes in the water, Michaelmas Daisies are taking advantage of cracks in the concrete edging and Dog Roses cling to the trees.

Boats had moved about. Some from the 48hr moorings were now just outside town where restrictions end giving them 14 days. Other boats still sat where they have been for months, well past 48 days now. We wondered whether the emails from C&RT had been clear about visitor moorings also reverting to their times when the 14 day rule was brought back in, I had checked in the FAQ section. But we don’t know what everyone’s situation is, they may be shielding and have asked to stay for longer. Just how many though are interpreting the guidance to their benefit?!

NB Islonian and NB Myrtle were on the embankment hoping for more trade whilst the second mate considered a dip to catch the passing fish.

Two boats were on the water point, we’d still got a pretty full tank and didn’t feel the need to loiter to top up so we carried on past.

Just coming under Acton Bridge was NB AreandAre having just picked up their veg box. If we’d known our paths were going to cross we could have shared a delivery slot, but it wasn’t guaranteed so we’d both gone solo this week. One advantage was that the pickup mooring was almost certainly going to be empty for us to pull into, which it was, our spikes dropping straight into the well established holes.

This afternoon I continued with The Garden portraits and finished them off, I also added a touch more to the fireworks. I’ll look at them again tomorrow, but I think they are now finished. They’ve taken longer than I was expecting, some I’m quite pleased with, just hope Amy is too! The chap top right, is currently playing Josh (the best man) in The A word on TV.

After we’d eaten this evening we didn’t feel we could settle down to watch TV as there was still our delivery to arrive. We had one glass of wine with our meal and waited. At 9.30pm an orange coloured van pulled up into the layby, Sainsburys!!! Just like old times.

The chap was very friendly and informed us that the rules with regards to substitutions had changed. This morning we’d received an email from them informing us of only one item having to be substituted, some bread flour for some spelt flour, everything else was as ordered! I was happy with the flour as I can still make bread for Mick with it. But if I hadn’t wanted it we could mention this to the driver before anything came off the van and he would return it for us. It just has to stay on the van. Handy to know, shame we couldn’t return the pudding rice.

Mick asked him about the delivery slots that were now coming through. Sainsburys had stopped offering slots to anyone who wasn’t shielding and at risk. But Mick has been checking every so often, click and collect started and now delivery slots. The chap thought it was down to two things, an increase in drivers therefore slots and things now settling down so fewer being needed for those shielding. We can still only book one slot at a time and only a week in advance, but that is just fine.

Once everything was sorted, quarantined items were put in the bow and everything else disinfected we could settle down for what was left of the evening, oh and a second glass of wine!

0 locks, 3.88 miles, 1 wind, 2 hours, 0 friends consumed, 1 panto email, 2 many at the water point, 2 waves to AreandAre, 2 pirates, 16 illustrations finished, maybe, 1 noisy road, 1 jaunty mooring, 1 orange van, 2 boxes wine, 1 more handwash, 2nd glass of wine and relax.

Loaf Of Bread. 26th May

Lockdown Mooring 5

That maple syrup and spoon of other flour had done the trick to my starter, this morning it had doubled in size and hadn’t sunk back down the jar. It was ready to bake with. I wasn’t prepared. I’d thought it might take until this evening for it to be ready to start a loaf and if I started a loaf now then I would end up baking it tonight at bed time!

I scanned through my recipes and found one that suggested it would rise and be ready to bake between 5 and 7pm. The recipe did have a touch of yeast added to it, but I thought it was well worth it as I didn’t want to waste the progress my starter had made. So a loaf of Chestnut and oat bread it was. My starter was so airy, the airiest it’s ever been. I ran out of white rice flour, so had to add some brown rice flour. Once mixed the sponge was left on the proving shelf for four hours to see what it did. It rose up and showed great promise.

Domed and cracked top even without the yeast

Time to get on with the portraits of the actors who would have been in the production of The Garden. I’ve been putting this painting off for a while, but it proved to be quite pleasurable to work on.

They look a touch like they need a good wash

Skin tone shadows were painted in for everyone and highlights washed back. Then I started to work up one face at a time.

Whilst painting we listened to Anno Domino the new Alan Ayckbourn play. Alan and Heather play all the characters and it is well worth a listen. Back in the 60’s Alan had a stint of being a Radio Drama Producer for the BBC. This showed as we both laughed out loud at images that simply wouldn’t have been as funny on stage. The sound effects (an Ayckbourn hobby) and atmosphere along with the multi track recording worked very well. It must have been great fun for them to make as it is great fun to listen to. Available until the 25th June.

Final ingredients (including some yeast) were mixed into the sponge. Then it was poured into a lined tin and left of the proving shelf for an hour and a half to rise. It gained about a third in height, time to bake it. Mick was requested not to step on and off the boat for a few minutes whilst I transferred the tin into the hot oven. Any knock right now would end with a very flat loaf. Transfer completed Mick could continue to mend one of our tyre fenders that has developed a puncture.

I’d spent all day sat at the dinette table working, so after dinner I headed up the towpath for a walk. I’d spotted a footpath on the offside of the canal which would bring me alongside Oleanna as the sun started to set.

Quite a beautiful evening.

I walked up to Hack Green Locks. The field beside them had the now rotund lambs/teenagers we’d seen back in March. They still played and demanded milk from their Mum’s teets. One old lady just stood and stared at me until I moved away.

I crossed over the bridge between the locks and started to walk back towards Oleanna. This side of Nantwich the fields are all pasture where as to the north they are more arable. Blimey the long grass was hard to walk through and there was no obvious footpath.

A murder of Crows circled the nearby wood, cawing to each other. I found my way into the second field and walked round it’s perimeter trying to find the way ahead. Nettles and brambles stopped my progress. By now I felt like I’d walked through miles of deep snow, my calf and thigh muscles complaining.

I found a narrow bridge across a ditch into another field with more long grass but decided to turn back and head to the bottom lock where a pathway had been worn to the bottom gates. The bywash here was just narrow enough to hop over and I was back on shorter grass.

Tonights sunset was beautiful. A good Shropie sunset is hard to beat. Not having Hurleston Reservoir in the way helped to get the full effect.

0 locks, 2 walked to, 0 miles, 1 frothy starter, 1 loaf, 84th play, 4 portraits finished, 1 Sainsburys order completed, 9 hours, 2 friends consumed at least, 1 tyre mended, 1 stunning sunset.

It works today!

https://goo.gl/maps/9MSEzxGEjpwHCevp7

Leaving Home. 25th May

Lockdown Mooring 4A to Lockdown Mooring 5, Hack Green Winding Hole

Blimey I’m going to have to remember how to do maps now!

Our 48hrs were up this morning as the 14 day mooring rule was brought back in on Saturday, I know that doesn’t quite make sense unless you understand the mooring rules on C&RT waters . I could look back and count the actual amount of days we’ve been at Lockdown Mooring 4 and 4A, but I’ll save that for another day.

We’ve enjoyed our time at this mooring. I’d been aiming to get the gunnels repainted as it’s a perfect spot for the job, but general life, lack of motivation and the matter of 16 illustrations have all been keeping me busy and stopping me from sanding and painting. I’m hoping we may return ‘home’ for a couple of days before we leave for the east. There is also the matter of the Wheelie Shoppers!

Pushing off just before 11am, boats had already started coming past, with the sun out we could tell today was going to be a busy one on the cut. The flag bubble have had a move around, NB Plum has headed off to fit some solar panels and the bubble has been joined by another boat that’s been up and down the pound for a while now. We waved to Sandra, Kim and Barry, we’ll be back in a few days time.

The potato field is doing well, wonder how long before they are worth digging up?

Then round the next bend the local swan family came swimming towards us. Dad at the front, Mum bringing up the rear. But hang on! Quick, slow down!!!

Dad was giving one lucky cygnet a lift on his back. Such a wonderful sight, we’d thought the cygnets were too old for this, but obviously not. Sometimes there is space for a couple to catch a ride, but this cygnet wouldn’t leave much space for a second one.

One of those special moments in life.

We chatted with Heidi from the pirate boat as we passed, saying where we were aiming for. She and Jacki had tried the other side of the aqueduct but it was far too busy for their liking, so they’d returned to Henhull. We’d still go and see what we thought, we could always come back this way instead.

A boat was just pulling of the services as we approached so we hung back leaving them space to get through the bridge and past the moored boats on the 24hr moorings. A washing load had been done this morning, so our tank was quite depleted. Tilly got a fresh clean pooh box, I think only her third of lockdown, she has after all been using shorebased facilities as requested.

Plenty of boats came past, some stopping to do the necessary and others waiting for water. Then once filled we pushed off leaving the tap for another boat that had just pulled in.

NB Myrtle’s second mate sat under the A frame

Nb Islonian was selling coffees and across the other side of the aqueduct was NB Plum and NB Myrtle, the later with big flags out trying to drum up trade. As we passed I spotted their second mate taking shelter underneath their A frame. They sell jams, chutneys, dog treats, but nothing for our feline friends! Tilly was not impressed, I suspect neither is their second mate!

Boats came towards us, not many we recognised. Were they boats that have been pootling about at this end of the canal, just like us at the other end of this pound? Were they boats from marinas out for a jaunt for the day enjoying the bank holiday sunshine? Who knew, there were just plenty of them.

At Marsh Lane, Mick kept a very good hold of the tiller, despite Oleanna wanting to wind to return to our ‘home’ water, we wanted to go further, we wanted to go straight on. We were now back on water we’ve not been on since the 19th March, pre-lockdown. The last time we cruised this stretch in this direction was just shortly after the Beast from the East back in 2018 when the water was icy in stretches, today no ice to navigate through, just sunshine and fishing rods.

Onwards we forged with a slight sense of freedom.

Someone else was enjoying some freedom too. A Jersey cow was trotting along the towpath towards us, an occasional kick high into the air. She carried on past us thank goodness as we were wanting to moor up and didn’t really want a nosy cow peering in through the hatch or nibbling at our ropes.

Two chaps asked if we’d seen a cow, we pointed them down to where her friends had come across the field on the off side to say hello to her.

I need to take back my recent criticism of the crew on board Oleanna. Today they finally have managed to break the circle the they seem to have been stuck in for months. Today they finally managed to tie up a whole new, different, exciting outside! One with extra cow for good measure. She wouldn’t let me out until the cow had gone past. But then I was free to explore and find myself some tasty friends. Would I know where to come back to? Don’t be stupid of course I knew.

My sour dough starter was still looking a touch flat. I’d pepped it up with a touch of maple syrup this morning and later on I added a touch of bog standard gluten free flour in with the brown rice flour, this worked the last time, fingers crossed it does the trick by morning.

Plenty more boats came past us, few familiar. We soon noticed that the majority were actually just coming to wind and return back towards Nantwich. A few came from the locks and a few continued on up them, but I think the majority of boats out today were out for a day trip to check things over before returning to their home mooring. Currently Leisure boaters can visit their boats and go for a short a cruise, but as yet no overnight stays are allowed.

By the end of the afternoon I had just about finished my illustrations, painting in blossom and fireworks. Sideways trees now with more detail, although when I looked back at them they were starting to upstage my actors, so a bit of water and some kitchen towel tamed them down a touch, fading them into the background.

0 locks, 4.49 miles, 1.78 miles of fresh water, 1 home mooring left behind, 1 piggy back, 2 pirates, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish left on board, 1 clean pooh box, 1 straight on for a change, 1 sky filled mooring, 1 jolly Jersey, 1 happy cat, 1 friend from the friendly cover, 15 illustrations complete? 1 eye test required, 1 punctured tyre fender, 1 shelf again.

So much for a map! Google won’t let me drop a pin!

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna