Category Archives: Oxford Canal

Tissue Audit. 30th November

Old Newbold Loop to Ansty Waste Bridge 12 (removed)

Last Sunday as my cold started to wane, Mick was starting to show signs that I had passed it on to him. By this morning a tissue audit was required, we’d be needing more! Before he had breakfast the bike was pulled out from it’s slot and Mick cycled back to Newbold to the Co-op to stock up. By the end of the day tissue usage was in full flow as was his nose!

As we had breakfast a number checker came past. Mick wondered when we’d last been spotted? Was it in Rugby, Coventry? Would the records show Oleanna had moved far enough in the last few weeks, or would the records just show her around Rugby? This years sightings would be interesting to see as we’ve spent so much time off C&RT waters.

Last week we had a reminder regarding our gold licence. These are only available from January to the end of December, but there was suggestion that we could trade our gold licence in for any unused months. We weren’t aware that you could do that. Mick filled out the forms for a months refund, mention of a £30 admin fee he thought wouldn’t affect us, but we should get a refund of around £20 once a standard licence for December had been processed, that would pay for our Christmas Ham. Next year we’ll be returning to a Canal and River Licence, we’re not sure where we’ll be cruising yet, but we’re unlikely to be on EA waters for long enough to warrant a Gold licence for a year or two.

Time to move onwards, northwards. Quite often when we are on this stretch I am below making use of the flatness to do work, so the landscape isn’t too familiar to me. Cuttings, wide bends, the railway close by, bridges over the old course of the canal, trees and muddy towpaths. Having been in Chippy for so long I’ve missed the towpath transition from bone dry to muddy.

The autumn colours are falling, blasts of reverse required every now and again to clear the prop. We rounded the big bend passing the farm we often moor opposite where the towpath is very narrow.

There was space at All Oaks Wood, but we wanted to get further today even if it was a good place for Tilly.

Approaching Stretton Stop Mick slowed Oleanna right down as we passed under the railway bridge so that I could step off and walk up to open the bridge for us. I wanted to see how light weight the new bridge was. Amongst the few boats moored before the bridge was one familiar one. NB Chuffed.

Chuffed was sold a year or so ago, Debby, Dave and Meg now owners of NB Bonjour. No-one was on board. This is either where she moors now or she is sitting waiting her turn for a re-paint. Unless she keeps her two tone grey and red livery she’ll become less recognisable. I said hello as I walked past heading towards the bridge that was crossed by a couple of chaps who turned round and gave it a big shove to open it for us. They were happy for me to leave it open, their wobbly bendy pole at hand to pull the bridge back across. I still don’t know from first hand how easily the bridge now moves.

I hobbled back onto Oleanna, our slow pace having to reduce even more as a boat that had been on the water point decided to pull out right in front of us! Not even a full boats length in front, they couldn’t say they hadn’t seen us!

We followed behind them past the moored craft on both sides, their speed meaning that they pulled away, our speed meaning we got complimented for it by a moorer.

The new route of the Oxford Canal now avoids all the big loops that it once used to follow coming in towards Ansty. The leaking bridge (14) wasn’t leaking today. Up on the road there were cones, flashing lights, was the problem being sorted? We hope so.

Onwards now just that bit further, would the next mooring be available? Under the M69 round a bend, there was the length of armco we’d been hoping for. We were rather chilly by now, Tilly being the only one being able to enjoy the heat from the stove, it was time for us to swap over.

Two and a half hours, would I be able to use all the time? Blimey YES!! It went by so quickly despite the number of woofers that came past. She called for me at 4pm, I came running. Sadly the penny dropped that my time was up just as She put her hand around my middle to assist me in through the hatch. No matter how much I protested for the next few hours I would not be allowed to finish off what I’d started, here’s hoping it can wait for the morning.

0 locks, WE 8.18 miles, Pip’s Nebo 8.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 7.2 miles (started late), MM 8.07 miles, 1 swing bridge swung, 1 box tissues, 1 wave to Chuffed, 1 aching leg, 1 chilly day, 1 extra layer not enough, 4 small spud in the stove, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/kZf6Rb8DjA1uoGZx5

Another review of Panto https://pippa13.blogspot.com/2022/11/oh-yes-it-was.html

Calf Pinchers. 29th November

Newbold Visitor Mooring to Old Newbold Loop

Zooming before breakfast this morning, a catch up meeting with Amy from Dark Horse. The props list for the show has shrunk in some places but expanded elsewhere including in the size of giant props. This would not normally be a problem, construction in a workshop or even in our house would be fine so long as things fit out through a door or window. Here on the boat is a bit of a different matter! Moving a 2ft diameter mug about daily will become a pain in the proverbial! This will need a bit of thinking about and maybe the making of such things will need to be delayed until nearer the time that I can deliver them to Huddersfield. As most of the props will be made from foam we could always tow them along behind us!

Once breakfast was over and done with we should have been pushing off, but first I needed to do something. Last night walking all of the 200yards to the pub my calf muscle had suddenly reminded me that I had a problem. I’d hoped that resting it for ten days (okay walking round Birmingham shouldn’t have happened) would have helped, but it sent me a stabbing reminder. It was time to have a professional opinion. Lizzie had suggested a visit to the walk in centre at St Cross Hospital, such places are now called Urgent Care Centres. A phone call was made and unlike the centre in Birmingham they still accept walk ins, at Boots in B’ham you have to be referred by calling 111.

Fortunately the bus that passes through Newbold ends up at the hospital, so I caught the 85 and within half an hour arrived at the Centre. Waiting times looked reasonable, 27 minutes for Triage then 47 minutes to see an ENP (Emergency Nurse Practitioner), four people sat in the waiting room, hopefully this wouldn’t become one of those tales of a thirteen hour wait to be seen.

The triage nurse got me to kneel on a chair, she pinched both my calf muscles, her conclusion was that my Achilles tendon was still in tact, it was likely to be a strain, I’d be examined anyway. Time to sit back in the waiting room.

Blimey Cliff Richard looks old now, I learnt how to make a Christmas wreath and can announce to those who weren’t watching, that Neighbours will be returning to television screen via Amazon soon. All things I wouldn’t normally see on TV. I had taken a book in case of a long wait but Philip Schofield was upstaging any written word.

After an hour I was called through to see Carl. He also pinched my calf muscles, then got me to put my foot on the ground and do various things. My Achilles tendon was fine, phew. He asked me what I did for a living and I said that recently it consisted of 70 hour weeks up and down ladders and contorting myself around scenery. Carl apparently has worked in the theatre so was aware of the kind of work I’ve been doing and I should avoid doing any more for a while. Living on a boat was mentioned and I have been told to avoid working locks for a few weeks. My calf muscle has a bad strain and rest is required.

Thankfully I’d arrived before the waiting room had filled up and then managed to leave at a suitable time to catch the next hourly bus, saving a very chilly wait.

Mick had been busy whilst I was away, ringing around marinas to see who might be able to take us in for a few days. Also enquiries had been made further north or a longer period in a marina when we will need to return to the house to do winter maintenance. I had lunch, Tilly came in, maybe we should make a move.

We pushed off and made it to the water point by the pub, topped up the tank and then pootled onwards.

Through Newbold Tunnel, autumnal colours brightening up the very grey day. It was quite late so the next mooring was made use of opposite Armada Boats. Tilly thought here would be a good outside, but with it being 3:30 we thought she could wait for tomorrows outside instead, this meant us having to put up with her complaints for a couple of hours before she settled down.

**Back into what light of the day was left**

0 locks, WExp 0.67 miles, Nebo 0.8 miles, MMap 0.713, 1 tunnel, 2 buses, 90 minutes wait, 2 calf pinchers, 1 strain, 1 leg to be rested and raised, 0 lock wheeling for a while, 1 overall on order, 1 snotty Mick, £10 not £18! 1 mardy cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/6UFnYjM8dx9dhctj9

Neontastic 28th November

Newbold visitor moorings

Contact with my friend Graham was needed today. Graham built the set for #unit21 and it was built with the hope that we could upgrade it should the show get funding to go on tour. Replacing green neon gaffa tape with LED neon or rope light was always the goal, hopefully we now have sufficient budget to do this.

I finally got round to stowing away items brought back from Chippy. I seem to have gained a few glue sticks, a longer tape measure than the one that broke. The best item was a large panto potato. This will be reused, being chopped up into chips for #unit21, a suitable use. Items from the model were edited down to a minimum, barrels and a favourite piece will be saved the rest went in the bin.

Daytime TV watching has moved on from episodes of Inspector Morse to the original series of Star Trek, Mick treated us to the gangster 1920s episode whilst I worked on making a large scale model of a door from panto. This will be sent to the director to fit into a sample of a cloth I was sent that’s about four times bigger than my 1:25 model. As her son gave us lots of inspiration for the cloth it seemed like the natural place for it go, it just needs a door to finish it off.

Early evening we walked up to The Barley Mow, just 200yards away to meet up with our friend Lizzie. We always try to get to see her when in the area and we’d arranged a meet up after panto.

Very good to have a catch up. She’s had another very tough year, it’s about time things improved for her. We were impressed with the food in the pub. Two black and blue burgers and a rump steak. One improvement would have been warm plates, my steak nicely cooked just a touch cool when I got it.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 day back at work, 2 bags unpacked, 1 still to be stowed, 1 under dinette cupboard full, 1 big door, 2 boater reviews of panto, 2 burgers, 1 steak, 1 good friend.

Advent Roast. 27th November

Newbold visitors mooring

A lie in and then tea with the newspapers and handing over of Advent calenders. Mick has a Science Museum one and I have one with Reese’s peanut butter cups. The Geraghty zoom covered parkin, leaf mould and the World Cup.

Then even though it was Sunday I needed to do some work. Time to read the latest version of #unit21 the show I designed for Dark Horse in Huddersfield. They have been successful in being awarded funding to tour the full show next year in February. For the showing last February we produced Act 1, Act 2 was to follow.

Script read, notes taken. Then a spread sheet for the budget. I spent much of the day hunting round the Internet for materials to make giant mugs, finding extra small overalls and working out how the budget should be spent. Mick and Tilly pottered away the day, keeping quiet when needed.

**Reminiscent of the array of velcro at Nottingham hospital seven years ago**

Advent Sunday dinner was popped in the oven then it was time to catch up with my brother who’d had an overnight stay in hospital a few days ago. Thankfully he seems to be on the mend after an operation. There was lots to catch up on and festive plans to be made.

Our joint of roast lamb was very tasty indeed. Not a patch on the Advent Sunday meals my Mum used to make. These would have huge joints of beef and big proper Yorkshire Puddings as starters. But the most important part of the day was spending it with my God Mother Betty. Today I made sure I sent her an email, hope she was having something nice to eat too.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 calendars, 2 acts read, 1 page of notes, 1 joint lamb, 1 BP email, 1 brother in one piece.

Tracking Comparisons. 26th November

Avon Aqueduct to Newbold Visitor Moorings

A chores day. Time to top up with water, dispose of rubbish and stock up the cupboards, time to move the boat!

Before we set off I set Water Explorer (on our trip computer) and Nebo (on my phone) going. Mick also tracked our journey using Waterway Routes on Memory Map on an old phone we have out the back for navigational purposes, this also acts as a back up should someone forget to turn the power on to the trip computer! Yes that would be me!

We pootled back up to Brownsover where the water point and the moorings either side of it were empty and pulled in to fill the water tank. Tilly’s pooh box got a good clean out, and was soon christened by her. Once we’d filled and emptied we pushed over to the other side of the canal and moored up on the last ring, the nearest mooring to Tescos. Nebo and Water Explorer were both stopped at this point.

With bags in hand we walked down the hill to do a reasonable sized shop. The entrance from the path into the car park was an absolute disgrace, two skips over flowed with rubbish strewn across the parking bays. Why are humans so disrespectful of each other and themselves?

Back at Oleanna things went in the fridge, but everything else could wait. Trip computer and phones were clicked on again to track our next journey. We had to wait for quite a while as a boat passed extreamly slowly, most probably something around their prop as they didn’t speed up that much once they’d passed us.

On we pootled remembering our first time along the high embankment on NB Lillyanne when you could moor along the next stretch which now over looks the not so new Elliott’s Field retail park. Back then mooring was awkward, a big hop down off the bow of Lillian and the angled banks not helping.

Getting close to where the old canal used to cross the new straightened canal, a young lady advised us that there was a magnet stuck on the canal bed and we’d need to pass it on the off side. Mick offered to see if he could lend a hand in pulling it up.

The long line of red headed right across the canal. With the engine out of gear Mick caught the line with our boat hook and tried pulling upwards hoping that a different angle might work. It stayed stuck to whatever it was hooked up on, as we carried on drifting past the hook stayed around the line and pulled out of Micks grip. Our favourite, gifted from the Southern Waterways hook was now slowly sinking into the canal.

**The youngsters attaching their second line to the bridge, which of course won’t stop it from getting stuck at the bottom of the canal.**

Another magnet was readied to try to pull our boat hook out, but it being aluminium this wouldn’t help. Thankfully the hand grip floats so a foot of it was still visible above the water. We reversed. Out of gear. The handle swung round away from us. In the end with use of our stern line the handle was brought round to meet a hand and was pulled back out of the water.

A second go at pulling upwards didn’t work. We said sorry for not being able to help and carried on our way, leaving them wondering how to retrieve it.

The moorings at Newbold were just about empty, we pulled in at the far end, still where there would be enough distance away from the road for Tilly to explore safely. A late lunch followed by preparing tonight’s meal, beef and beetroot curry. With everything brought to a bubble on the cooker the pot was transferred to the top of our stove and left to do it’s thing for a couple of hours, slowly bubbling away tenderising the beef.

**Serious yummy smells** **Click photo for recipe**

Time to look at our first results from our tracking experiment.

Water Explorer. 2 journeys recorded. 0 locks. 1.67 miles.

**Trip 1, no way points so it didn’t follow the canal, distance inaccurate**

**Trip 2, way points so a more accurate distance**

Nebo. 2 journeys recorded, although the second one includes the first. 0 locks (these are never recorded). 2.6 miles although each voyage added together was only 1.9 miles (this may have included walking around at the water point and in my back pocket, even going to Tescos).

**Map covering both journeys. Max speed obviously not correct!**

Memory Map put onto Google Maps. 1 journey recorded from the phone on the stern of the boat. 0 locks, not possible to display locks on Google. Distance, on Google 1.8 miles, phone recorded distance as 1.79 miles in Memory Map.

**Google only shows start and end times, on way points**

Of course we could download the Memory Map data onto another map where we could access more details. We’ll work on this. However, we’d like to be able to reuse our trip computer and GPS that sits in a window of Oleanna, out of any harm from weather. The little laptop is really quite old so it’s hard drive would need wiping as it currently runs on Windows XP, and make it into a Chrome Book. This would mean we could record either Nebo or Memory Map trips on it.

This experiment has of course highlighted that Water Explorer with it’s recording of way points does not always give an accurate distance travelled, we’ve known this but put up with it.

0 locks, 1.67miles/1.9miles/1.8miles/1.79miles, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish left on board, 1 clean pooh box, 4 bags shopping, 1 Saturday newspaper just remembered, 1 magnet stuck, 1 more muddy outside! 1 experiment still on going, 1 very tasty curry, 2 not so good bought naan breads, my homemade gf ones are much better

https://goo.gl/maps/dzzdzNat1f6GFhUPA

Two Chocolates Short. 25th November

Avon Aqueduct

A negative result this morning meant I’d be seeing how my calf muscle was faring after a week of not walking anywhere other than around the boat. Our mooring here is about a mile away from Rugby Station, half of the walk through a park the other half along quite a busy road. My calf muscle seemed to be improved, the original problem having been rested away, however I’m still aware that I did something to it a week ago, avoiding going down steps and walking too far sensible precautions.

Today I headed into Birmingham, catching a tram up to Brindley Place from where I had a bit of time to kill before my appointment with the dentist. If it hadn’t have been for HS2 closing the Curdworth flight we’d have come by boat, today there was plenty of room for us to moor.

Three people were stranded on the island at Old Turn. A Christmas tree had been erected and wreaths were being added to pots for some sparkle. I hope someone returned for them as it’ll have been a touch chilly out there in the shade.

My dentist did a one stop shop for me. A check up, followed by hygienist, then a half hour wait for a little bit of patching up where I’d lost part of a filling. All done and dusted in under two hours and I could be on my way again with a much lighter wallet.

The next tram wouldn’t be for a while so I took my time walking back into town to have a nosy at the Christmas market. This meant I got to see the glowing statue of engineers Boulton, Watt and Murdock. I didn’t recall ever seeing it before, but that’s because it was only put in it’s current position in April this year.

The big wheel, ice skating ring were back. A chap sat on a crate playing his squeeze box I did it my way a song from Dick Whittington I couldn’t help but sing the changed lyrics in my head. The sky was blue, as it quite often is when in Birmingham, and the Franfkurt Christmas market seemed to be busy.

Food and drink outlets in the wooden huts with reindeer and fairy lights, I was hungry but nothing attracted me to fork out the prices that were being charged. All very festive though. I hobbled down to the station where I could buy myself a slightly cheaper sandwich.

A group huddled round someone, many taking photos. What was so interesting? Keir Starmer at a White Ribbon day event. An aid was gesturing to him to move on, I took my photo and headed for my platform only to find the lift ‘Out of Service’. By the time I’d reached the platform another huddle of people stood around Keir on the platform alongside my train. How had he beaten me? They’d certainly not come past me on the stairs. Ahh, that would be why the lift was out of service!

Mick met me again at the station, my leg a little bit sore now, maybe he’d have been willing to give me a piggy back back to the boat! Our reasons for being in Rugby were all ticked off, we could now move on. But instead we decided to stay one more night, today had been a busy day and the sofa was calling.

I made up a beetroot risotto and decided to have a go at cooking it on the stove top, imagining it might take a couple of hours. Everything was heated up in my cast iron pot and the lid put on, I normally do this recipe in the oven for half an hour. The stove proved to be good, saving gas. I lifted the lid after an hour to give what I thought would be still crunchy rice a stir. Well the rice was already cooked, over cooked in fact. A very early evening meal.

Afterwards I wanted something sweet, we still had a box of chocolates from when the London Leckenbys had visited. Mick said he’d thought of giving me them as an advent calendar, but the box is only 22 chocolates, 2 chocolates short for advent. Here’s hoping there is something suitable for him to buy in Tescos tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 tram, 2 hours in the dentists green world, 3 stuck on an island, 1 market, 1 Keir, 1 lift out of service, 45 minutes not 2 hours, 1 cold much improved, 6 monthly wormer, 1 harumphy cat.

Pie Approved. 24th November

Avon Aqueduct

Time for a proper lie in, my cold felt like it was sitting on my chest now. The day went slowly on Oleanna. Tilly came and went and I ended up watching TV for much of the day with little impetus to do anything else.

Up in Scarborough Mick got a lift from our next door neighbours to the dentist, the buses out of town have changed to only running every two hours, not so helpful. So a big thank you to Andy and Lisa.

Back at the house Mick did a paw count of the local felines, everyone was present. Then it was time for him to head back to Rugby. The train via Hull had been cancelled, so instead he took the route via York. The Ouse very high and understandably no boats were moored at Museum Gardens.

Back at Oleanna I prepared a chicken, tarragon, leek and feta pie. Tilly leaving her stamp of approval on the crust. Jacket potatoes baked in the stove accompanied my pie. Very tasty even with a cold.

With Water Explorer closing down at the end of the year we’ve been looking into different ways we can track our movements. One idea is via our Victron Venus GX which can log our journeys automatically, we’d then have to down load it and do something with it. Another is via the Nebo app. Last year when we escaped Goole with SeaMaiden and Lullabelle, we all downloaded the app. This helped us see where on the river each of us were when not in view. It was designed more for off shore use, but more and more boats seem to be using it on the inland waterways.

Recently Nebo has had an update and some of the trips I logged with it earlier this year have arrivals and departures from locks, on other trips there are no way points, others it seems to make note of a lock every minute that you are there, ending up with numerous entries for one location! We’ll trial it for the next few weeks alongside Water Explorer. We’ve already adjusted our What3words app to give us a grid reference alongside the three words when we moor up. Both of these are noted down each time we move just in case we should need any assistance from the emergency services.

We’ll see what we think.

Thank you Dave Scouts for you advice on the font colour. Mick has done as you suggested, the colour is black as I write a post now, or so it seems. But then in preview mode it goes back to a dark grey! Boo.

0 locks, 0 miles, 6 trains, 1 lift, 3 lemsips, 1 lazy day, 4 paws, 1 yummy pie.

Inpection Hatch. 23rd November

Avon Aquaduct

A hair dryer was requested by the plumber this morning in Scarborough, with the hope that a bit of heat would get the fan moving on the boiler. Sadly this didn’t work, a new part needs to be ordered, but at least the boiler hasn’t as yet been condemed! However an inspection hatch would be needed in the ceiling of the utility room so that the flue could be, as suggested, inspected. We’d need to get one fitted.

First port of call would be Frank, see if he’d be willing to help. Thankfully he was and arrived with his own tea and sugar as supples at the house are minimal. He was quite happy to sit and chat in the rather chilly kitchen with his coat on. Next job was to try to find out where the supports for the ceiling were.

When we had lots of work done to the house we took quite a lot of photos, so that we’d know where pipes etc were in future. This was a very good idea, just a shame the photos take an age to find. This job was passed on to me, a welcome distraction when I was about to start on my accounts!

This however led to more distractions as I worked my way through folders of photographs from twelve years ago. One was handy as my cousin has been asking about a painting that had hung in my Dad’s house, I wasn’t sure which one she was asking about as there were four hung on that wall.

Most photos were near water, early boating holidays, later boating holidays, Houdini sitting on top of the boiler when it was newly installed.

Weddings, family walks, photo shoots for shows, sets.

Eventually I found the photos and was able to give guestimates as to where the joists were, but at least Mick and Frank knew which way they ran. Soon the hatch was installed. We just need the plumbers to get back in touch with a date when they can return to replace the part and use the newly installed inspection hatch.

Back on board Oleanna, Tilly and I whiled away the day. Mushrooms on toast for breakfast, another episode of Lewis, no accounts and then some cabbage and halloumi hash with a poached egg. Somehow we’ve ended up with three lots of halloumi in the fridge and we’re very unlikely to be having a barbeque soon, so the recipe was a good find.

During the day I could feel that my cold was moving down into my chest. More lemsips required and a phone call to the dentists for some advice. As long as I wasn’t positive for covid they would see me. A test was done in the afternoon, still negative. This must be my first cold in over three years, have to say I haven’t missed them!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 coal skuttle refilled, 1 fan not working, 1 chilly kitchen, 1 inspection hatch installed, Thank you Frank, 1 Mr Hughes, 1 Duncan (he gets everywhere!), 1 old school friend, 6 passing boats.

Four stars in this review

https://www.oxmag.co.uk/articles/review-dick-whittington-the-theatre-chipping-norton/

Poor Robbie. 22nd November

Avon Aqueduct

Mick was into the engine bay early this morning as last night I’d been able to hear a slight squealing noise, Mick had only been able to hear it with the engine board lifted. This morning he gave the alternator belt a tighten and that seemed to do the trick. He does however have a slight thought that the bearings may be going!

Tilly still isn’t enamoured with our mooring, but she’ll have to put up with it for a few days as access to Rugby Station is required.

The coal skuttle was filled up, yellow water emptied then Mick had an early lunch whilst I had a lemsip. I think these post Christmas show colds are sent by your body to enforce you into having time off, which is good for me right now as resting my calf muscle is the most important thing.

A little before midday Mick set off for the station, a visit to Scarborough needed to meet a plumber. A convoluted route north took him via Sheffield and Hull meaning a saving of at least £20, but he did get to see the Humber Bridge and wave to his Mum.

Back on board Tilly and I had a quiet day. It was time to sort out my expenses from Panto and invoice for the weeks painting I did before rehearsals started. The big stack of receipts were sorted through and then logged on the computer. Scanning followed and all was done. I’ll soon need to update my accounts for last year and file my tax return, maybe in the next few days.

Later part of the afternoon was spent in front of a Lewis episode, the one where poor Robbie gets to meet the chap who killed his wife. This was followed by more lemsip and some courgette, pea and feta fritters. The recipe gets better each time I do it, but before I share it with you I’ll need to make a batch of them when I haven’t got a cold.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 steps of the boat, 2 short explores by Tilly, 3 trains, 1 cold house, 1 invoice, £300+ expenses, 1 Lewis, 1 stove piled high, 6 fritters, 2 left for lunch tomorrow.

Still 444, 21st November

Avon Aqueduct, to Avon Aqueduct

Another day with a cuppa in bed, just a shame this morning it was accompanied by a touch of a sore throat. Could this be the cold that nearly always followed the hard work of opening a Christmas show? Could this be a cold passed on from one of the panto actors? Could it be a reaction to having had both the flu and covid boosters? Or could it be I’ve managed to get covid again? I took a test later in the day and it was negative, however previous experience suggests you don’t necessarily test positive as soon as you feel poorly. The sore throat however feels less like P60 sandpaper, so I’m hoping it’s just a cold.

With the day due to be full of rain we decided to get up and get moving before breakfast. Just as the bed was slotted away an engine could be heard, I peeked out to see a garden bench passing by, NB Harnser. We just managed to get the side hatch open in time to be able to say Good Morning as Brian and Diana passed by and have a short conversation.

**My panto first night flowers are surviving without feline intervention.**

We couldn’t remember if we were on the mooring closest to Rugby Station or not, but this soon became obvious as we pushed of and pootled onwards towards Clifton Cruisers hire base. No more armco showed itself, just the angled stone side of the canal, which makes pulling in to moor awkward.

Just before the hire fleet sprawl across the canal there is a small arm which used to be part of the Oxford Canal before it was straightened. Now filled with permanent moorings we were able to wind.

Our destination would be a familiar one as it would be exactly the same space we’d just pulled away from, just as well as the rain was half an hour earlier than forecast.

Tilly was very reluctant to go out, understandably, but managed a few times bringing mud back into Oleanna! When will she learn to wipe her paws!!! Seems like she was using my clean dungarees to soak up the mud. No, I was just sitting on them so that you couldn’t wear them again!

After lunch we adjusted our position as the boat behind had fired up their generator and the fumes were making their way through our back door. Mick pulled us along about 50ft so the fumes could dissipate before entering Oleanna.

An afternoon of rain and not much more. Mick caught up with Chris from NB Elektra. For a while we’ve been trying to change the default colour of the font used on the blog to just black making it easier for people to read. At the moment when I write a post each paragraph has it’s font colour changed from Dark Grey to Black, not a huge difference, but important to many readers. This is time consuming.

**My tech support getting tech support**

Of course we could find a ‘Theme’ that has black as it’s default, but we like the theme we already have. Chris and Mick spent quite sometime trying to find where the default setting for the font colour was and how to change it. Mick was left with some ideas to follow up and try, but sadly as I type this the font is still in Dark Grey! Thank you Chris for your time.

0 locks, 0.46 miles there and 0.46 miles back, 1 wind, 1 blogger, 1 sore throat, 1 box of tissues on standby, 4 muddy paws, 1 cosy boat, 1 wet day, 1 intermittent noise from the engine bay, 444 not 000000!

Another review for Panto

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/review-brilliant-and-beautiful-dick-whittington-at-chipping-norton-theatre-sets-the-standard-yet-again-3925334

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna