Kind of handy to have a day without moving before heading off for a white card model meeting for panto. I got the drawing board out again to do a ground plan and section of the set. The section is useful to check sight lines, making sure things you don’t want to be seen until a certain point can be kept well out of view. This is a touch hard at Chippy because they don’t really have a fly tower, so things either have to concertina up on themselves or only be a certain height to start off with. A section is also useful for the lighting designer.
I also had time to run through the model doing all the changes, a kind of dress rehearsal for tomorrow when I do it in front of the creative team. Then I did a few sketches of some big props and puppets, these were only basic but enough to convey the basic idea of them.
Puppets
All day boats have been heading downstream, quite a few hire boats. I wonder how many don’t know about Banbury Lock being shut. Yes there is a notice on a lock beam, yes there is a notice on line that you can sign up to. But not everybody looks or knows to look. I’m hoping to get to Banbury early tomorrow so that I can check out the mooring situation and see what’s happening at the lock before catching a bus out to Chippy.
Puppet storage
On board Oleanna the two working batteries seem to be doing okay, they have charged up on the shore line. So the loose connection on the alternator will have been to blame for their sorry state. The temporary fix to bypass the failed battery needs to be made more permanent until we decide how to proceed. One new battery or three?
We are now down to two thirds of our normal amp hours. This was the original capacity Oleanna was specked with, we then changed our minds and wanted a third battery. This has served us well, but we’d been thinking we might upgrade to twice the capacity now that lithium batteries are more advanced, cheaper and easier to get hold of than they were seven years ago.
Bubbling away
However for the time being we need to live within our electrical means. We’ll see how we go, but the first thing that will get switched off will be the freezer as when it’s hot it is working continuously. I’ve not restocked it and meals are currently planned around eating it empty. A big Sainsburys order arrived this morning, the wine cellar is restocked with boxes so that will make up for the freezer being off. Chicken curry new style tonight, lots of spices, but not too hot, yum.
Recipe to follow another day Karen
This evening Mick turned the shore power off to see how the two batteries cope overnight on their own. Fingers crossed they survive the night.
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 loads washing, 2 tumble dries, 1 grounded cat, 1 Cr*predy! 1 model ready, 12 sheets of drawings, 2 batteries charging, 6 boxes under the back steps, 1 bag of peas to use up.
Another early start, pushing of at 6:30 with cuppas in hand. The lovely cool breeze was nice and refreshing as we wound our way along the summit pound of the Oxford Canal. Sun cream had been applied as few clouds showed themselves.
This morning our batteries hadn’t been complaining. At the moment we can’t check their state of charge properly, so all we can do is help them to keep topped up. Good job we want to keep on the move at the moment.
Green!
Wiggles and winds soon brought us to the contrasting landscape. One minute beautiful green fields, sheep grazing, bird song. Then round the next bend the huge mounds of earth from HS2 sat grey against the horizon. No activity today just earthwork scars across the gentle valley. I’d been at work last year when Mick passed this way so the new temporary bridge was new to me.
A short distance onwards the normally very popular moorings had only two boats on them! Blimey, maybe the HS2 works has put people off, or is it just the lack of view at this time of year with so much greenery about.
Late yesterday afternoon we had a Clifton Cruiser hire boat come past asking where the next winding hole was. Mick checked our map, Fenny Compton another two hours ahead. Their boat needed to be back in Rugby for Monday morning and today the temperature was due to hit 29C! Thankfully we passed them as we approached Fenny, already winded and heading back to base, a long hot day ahead of them.
Fenny Compton Tunnel
Next Fenny Compton Tunnel where the roof was removed quite sometime ago. I looked for the towpath, but there was no sign of it amongst the cow parsley and nettles. As we passed through the narrowest part Oleanna had to push past the vegetation on both sides,
No need to stop at the old railway bridge today, no requirement for a festive wreath of ivy for the cratch. Then the first Oxford Canal lift bridge, sitting open to boat traffic.
Love these bridges
The first mooring above the Claydon flight looked very nice and shady, sadly a boat was sat there. Strange conversations came from within as we passed, followed by a rendition of ‘Always Look on the bright side of life’. They had some sort of bird onboard, a parrot, a very vocal one.
Spaces were available on the rings before the bridge, we pulled in leaving an Oleanna sized gap between us and the next boat. Tilly was given an hour, knowing full well she’d take far more. The kettle was put on and we could sit down to join the Geraghty zoom only five minutes late and our cruising for the day done.
Topics today, what to do with ripe tomatoes, the deepest loch in Scotland and cheating on school sports days. I wonder how much ketchup Christine’s one tomato would make?
A late breakfast as the sun started to come across and hit the roof and both sides of the boat. Hopefully late afternoon would see us into shade.
The Town Square sneaky peek
Cricket was listened to, Tilly came and went, often opting to lie on the bathroom floor as she was too hot again. I worked my way through my Cinderella model, making sure I’d got everything and taking photos as I went so as to be able to do a new version of the storyboard.
During the afternoon a Carefree Cruising boat pulled up behind us, another foot would be good. Both Mick and a chap from the boat behind went out to see if we could adjust our ropes to accommodate them, this was soon sorted. Their dog took a fancy to Tilly at one point. Her popping out from the sideways trees, she got chased back in through the hatch. I showed her the front door entrance which she used for much of the remainder of the day.
She and Tom gave me an extra way on and off the boat too. Part of the see through sides was removed, just the hammocks left in place. She had to hold them closed at one point as the woofer walked past and all I wanted to do was stick my tongue out at it. She said because the glass wasn’t there I wouldn’t be safe, so not to be so cocky! I tried shouting at me later, but I just moved further down the towpath to get away from the noise.
My model is now complete, just a few bits to do before my meeting. Hoorah! Despite good solar for much of the day Mick felt it necessary to run the engine again at around 7 for half an hour to help charge our batteries, Boo!
Sadly the wind was too strong to sit out and cook our dinner on the barbeque, the defrosted pork was chopped up and made into paprika peppery pork, very tasty.
We ended the day by watching Elton John at Glastonbury. All the lyrics imprinted on our brains. Very evocative of my sixth form days and parties that ended up on the flat roof of my parents house watching the sunrise. Those parties were great parties. Elton still blasting out the tunes in tune unlike one onlooker in the crowd!
0 locks, 9.3 miles, 1 lift bridge lufted, 1 topless tunnel, 5 fields of broad beans, 3.5 hours cruise before breakfast, 1 hot day, 1 model complete, 2 batteries struggling, 1 near miss, 1 more entrance, 0 bbq, 1 pair of braces needed for a gold suit.
Napton visitor moorings to Prior Hardwick Bridge 123
Our lithium batteries had turned themselves off overnight, not a good sign. Good job we planned on setting off early. A cuppa was made and we pushed off at 6:30 and as quietly as we could we made it round the bend to the water point. As the tank filled we had breakfast then we pushed over to the other side to empty the yellow water tank and dispose of rubbish.
A lovely morning to head up Napton
Time to enjoy the narrow locks. The bottom one was empty, as we rose up a hire boat came towards us from the moorings in the first pound. The ladies chatted away, it had been their first narrowboat holiday and maybe they’d be doing it again. Because we’d been chatting I’d got out of my usual routine closing paddles and the of side was still up as the gate was opened. I reminded them that it was up, the ladies took note.
I only had two beers last night! Why am I seeing double?
I walked up to set the next lock, the first few were obligingly empty for us, the pounds a touch low though. Thankfully the lowest pound could be topped up with a lock full of water from above.
Bubbling below an empty lock as the lock above was emptied
The first down hill boat, a couple exploring the whole network, they’d been at it for 2 years and have no end date as yet. They had come through Banbury and had serious difficulty at the now closed lock. It had taken several people to open the top gate, some having to sit on it, as far as it would open. Then as their boat came out of the lock it rose up over something possibly on the gate.
Nice views, water buffalo not visible from here though
At the last lock in the flight we met our third downhill boat. I walked over to the lady, she jumped in (not into the water!) asking me to cross over to the other side where I’d be able to open a bottom paddle for them. I replied that I was happy to do that but thought I’d come and say Good Morning first. She was obviously in locking mode, they were hoping to grab a space below the flight left by a hire boat returning to base, hopefully one of at least three spaces would still be free for them. She also warned me to mind where I put my feet at Marston Doles bottom lock.
I opted to walk to the next lock, about a mile. The towpath narrowed as it does on the Oxford Canal. Some sections narrowed even more due to bank erosion. Then I was soon walking through the overgrown towpath. A manchette at times would have been handy. I managed and got to enjoy being surround by butterflies and damselflies galore. Plenty of wild flowers to keep the insects happy. There are plenty of people complaining on the lack of mowing on the towpaths at the moment, this stretch did feel like it had not seen a strimmer this year.
At Marston Doles Bottom Lock I kept my eyes peeled. Then there it was, a 2ft long grass snake on the lock landing, very dead. I wonder how it met it’s demise?
The pound in between the two locks was really quite low and when I reached the top lock a C&RT worker was letting water down. The top lock has had new gates which are successful in holding back the water. The bottom lock however leeks like a sieve, so every morning the pound requires topping up.
Once up we swapped with another downhill boat and carried on our way. When did we last head southwards on the Oxford Canal? We seem to cruise the Oxford most years, because of Panto. We spent a while thinking about it, a check on the blog just now and it turns out it was 2018 when we last headed south. That’s ages ago!
Originally we’d planned on doing a few more miles and getting close to the HS2 crossing, but Mick was after stopping sooner so as to spend some time with our troubled batteries. A length of armco showed itself with a slightly wider area where we’d be able to sit out for a barbecue this evening. We pulled in just gone 10am and soon adjusted our fenders as few boats seemed to be slowing down to pass us.
Mick waited for the engine to cool off, lifting the engine board to assist. Tilly headed off into the friendly cover, but fairly soon returned complaining that This outside is far too hot! Too hot for cats!!!
Mick spent some time down in the engine bay, trying to alter the bus bars that connect our three lithium batteries so as to cut out the one that is failing. He’d found a suitable sized bolt, but not a nut to fit it. We looked in all the obvious places for a nut, boxes of bits and bobs. Nothing. The hunt extended to boxes of things under the dinette. Eventually I looked at a brand new attachment of doom (a handy grinding disc useful for rust removal). In the bag was a bolt, a nut and a washer, would the nut fit?
Well it was the right size but the thread wasn’t the same. How’s about using the bolt from the attachment of doom instead? This worked so long as you remembered that the thread went in the opposite direction to normal. Finally the failing battery was isolated, leaving us with two batteries and 100 amp hours at 24 volts.
The afternoon was spent adding elements to my white card model. These are details that I’d normally add when upgrading the model to a coloured model, but I felt it important to do them now as they’d affect quotes from set builders. So the Town Square went from being 2D to 2.5D.
An early evening engine run was required. Would the two batteries we’re left with work as they should do, or have they been brought down by the faulty one?
A squash experiment
Burgers and sausages were popped on the bbq along with a foil package of butternut squash. The squash ended up being cooked for a little bit too long, one side a touch black, but roasted with some oil and thyme it was still nice. Our mooring was ideal for the evening.
Just about zero footfall, what a good spot for a bbq
Once the temperature had started to drop Tilly headed out again, maybe a little bit late in the day. All the time we were sat out we could tell that she wasn’t far away, her bell giving away her location. Then as we moved inside I called and called. The dingding bell was dinged. No sign of Tilly.
I tried several more times to call her inside, each time I’d hear just enough from the sideways trees to know she was close. So there was nothing for it but to just leave her to finish being busy and come back in her own good time. 10pm, 10PM!!!! Well you are the one’s that tied up the hot outside!
9 locks, 3.5 miles, 4 passed, 2ft of snake, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 1 top up, 10 improvements, 2 batteries better than 3 (we hope!), 1 nut short, 1 attachment of doom to the rescue, 2 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval.
Almost Napton water point to Napton Visitor Moorings
An engine at 6:30am! Who , what , where ? One of the boats on the permanent moorings ran it’s engine for half an hour, then thankfully peace returned, well for twenty minutes, then he started his engine up again! We were awake now, so had a cuppa.
Can I????
Soon the two boats that had been filling the moorings with gaps came past, ah ha! We got dressed, untied and set about reversing back to the now wonderfully large gap they’d left, big enough for three maybe even four boats. Oleanna decided that she’d rather stick close to the moored boats as she went backwards, thankfully there were signs of awakeness in most boats. We pulled in and tied up as close to the boat in front as we could, don’t want to be accused of leaving git gaps! Of course over the next couple of hours other boats moved away and we were left sat in the middle of a very big space, enough for two in front and two behind at least. By late morning all spaces were filled up. Then for the remainder of the day boats came past some forwards others backwards hoping for a mooring, by the evening there were three boats moored at various jaunty angles around the bend where we’d been last night. Napton is a popular place!
I’ve been waiting for one of these
Having a morning not really going anywhere we decided to use Mick’s culinary skills for the first time in an age. A very nice breakfast it was too, the sausages, Jolly Hogg tasted very much like sausages used to.
A day at work for me, the drawing board came out and Mick struggled to find somewhere to be as I worked my way to the bottom of the box of model bits. By late afternoon one box was empty the other full. I’ve still ground plans to draw up and a few minor alterations to do on the model if there is time before my meeting next week.
Mick has been monitoring our battery charging current, well he’s been doing this just about all the time we’ve been on Oleanna, but he’s recently noticed that on starting the engine in the morning the initial charging current is about 40 amps. Up until last week it always started off around 65 to 70 amps. Time to investigate.
He disconnected all the batteries and tested the voltage of each in turn. Two of them measured exactly 26.01v but the other one measured between 15 and 20 volts and didn’t remain steady at all. His deduction is that that battery is broken. I’m feeling that BOAT (Bring Out Another Thousand) is rearing it’s head!
This doesn’t look good
An email has been sent to Ricky at Finesse for advice. Does he think the battery will still be under warranty and could be replaced by RELiON? If they did happen to replace it would it be ok to have one new battery in the same bank with two 6 year old batteries? Or does he have any ideas on how to reset the battery and get it working again?
Mick found information on line regarding the warranty, because our battery is between 6 and 10 years old , if it can’t be mended than we would receive a 10% discount off a new one. However Mick would choose different batteries now should we need to replace them, things have moved on in the last six years.
Yesterday a C&RT stoppage notice came through for Banbury Lock. Navigation closed until further notice due to concerns for structural condition of top gate of lock 29.
Today an update, Navigation remains closed until further notice.Following the engineers condition assessment of the gate assisted passage is not a viable option.We are working to deliver the repair of this damaged lock in the shortest possible timeframe.Further updates to follow Wednesday 28/06/2023.
Hmm, our next port of call is Banbury or further south for me to get to Chippy for a meeting, then our destination is further south still. Should we stick to our chosen route and hope that the lock won’t take too long to mend, or should we wind and go down the Grand Union? The latter option isn’t that appealing and would make getting to panto meetings awkward. So we’ll stick to our plan and keep our fingers crossed.
The lady
This evening we headed to The Folly, well it would have been rude not to as we are moored at the bottom of their garden! Time to catch up with our friend Lizzie from Crick. Have to say the menu was a touch disappointing for me, only two things marked as gluten free. I chose the gammon horseshoe steak, which should be gluten free, maybe the accompanying chips get fried in the same fryer as their battered fish. However they’d sold out of gammon so I opted for some ham instead, this also wasn’t marked as gf, it must be the chips! Mick and Lizzie opted for burgers which looked great compared to my slices of ham. We were all quite naughty and had a pudding too, only one option for me Chocolate Brownie, which was very tasty.
It was lovely to spend the evening with Lizzie, catching up on news. Sadly she’s not had enough time to do much boating on NB Panda, but she’s hoping for a few days away soon. So a walk down the towpath to say hello to Oleanna and Tilly gave her a bit of a canal fix.
Mick, Pip and Lizzie
0 locks, 0.1mile in reverse, 1 day at the drawing board, 11.5 sheets of drawings, 1 cat occupied or asleep, 1 out of 3 batteries not well, 1 load washing, 1 lovely evening, 2 options, 2 beers, 2 glasses wine, 2 burgers, 3 slices ham, 2 eggs.
Bascote Bridge 27 and Former Railway Bridge 26A to Napton Water Point, almost, Oxford Canal
A nice cuppa in bed this morning, we seem to be snoozing in a little bit later each day. However when Mick got up to walk through the cabin things were not quite as they’d been an hour earlier. Somehow the boat had developed quite a list! Water was rushing past the windows down towards Bascote Staircase.
In the past when we’ve moored in this pound it’s been further towards Long Itchington on the aqueduct. There the level can fluctuate over night, but we’ve never been sat on the bottom like here. We’ve also not noticed water rushing by! Was someone just filling up a pound below or was there something far more serious going on? We both put our shoes on, Mick got the Brompton out to cycle down the towpath to see what was happening.
Terry from NB Barley Twist behind us was also out watching the water zoom past. As we compared notes on our boats listing the flow of water slowed, then it stopped, then it came back. The paddles at the staircase must have been up and now were closed. We stood down, now we just needed the level to rise again to get us off the bottom.
A short while later a chap walked by with a windlass in his hand. Mick asked what had been going on as we were on the bottom? The chap said a low pound and the pump wasn’t working. He carried on walking.
A little while later another six or so people walked past all with windlasses in their hands. Then a few more. They were all wearing dark blue t-shirts, it must be a fund raiser. A while later the first boat came past a sign stuck to the side of a Willow Wren hire boat. Walk for Matt. As we had our breakfast more windlass carrying walkers passed us by followed by another three narrowboats all from Willow Wren.
Terry and Chris were going to explore the village but returned saying that the towpath was flooded ahead, so they’d move down by boat. A while later we were on our way too, the level had come up enough for us to get moving.
Ah ha that’s why there’s so many walkers
As I was just lifting the paddle at Itchington Bottom Lock two people came bouncing along with windlasses in hand, more Walkers for Matt, they were from the last two boats, six in all. I got chance to chat to one of them. Matt was an England under 21 Rugby player who broke his back during a training session, he is now paralysed from the neck down and breaths with the aid of a ventilator. He was determined to concentrate of the things he could do and get busy living. At first fundraising went towards helping Matt with his rehabilitation, now funds go towards running The Get Busy Living Centre where people can have support and rehabilitation to live their lives with their disability. The walkers today were raising money by walking the Warwickshire ring from Rugby in a week, some people were walking for a day, others the whole week, some were recipients of help from the foundation.
By the time we reached the bottom of the Stockton flight we’d not seen NB Barley Twist anywhere, they must be ahead of us, climbing the flight. A volunteer stood behind some fencing, I said hello and was asked if I was with the charity boats, no but they were hot on our heals.
Nb Barley Twist heading up to empty the next lock
He ummed and ahhed as I asked him if Barley Twist was up ahead. I could then see that they were about to exit the second lock up. The volunteer seemed a bit grumpy to be honest, I didn’t know if he was going to stay behind his fence. ‘Well it would be good if you could share with the boat in front’. Well yes it would! I walked up to see if Terry and Chris would wait for us. They’d obviously had some grumping from the volunteer too, well we all have off days.
Looking back down the flight
Mick and I worked our way up to meet NB Barley Twist and then carried on up the flight. The charity boats soon appearing behind us, mob handed. Thankfully the volunteer now came out from behind his fence and worked up the flight ahead of us, emptying locks and opening a gate. Our opinions of him soon changed.
Chris on the sunny side
It was warm in the sunshine. Chris and I changed sides every now and again so we took it in turns to wind the stiffer paddle on the off side. Very cheery people to share the flight with.
At the top we all thanked the volunteer for his help. Grumpy must just be his general demeaner!
NB Barley Twist pulled in opposite what used to be Willow Wren Training Centre, which is now Podtastic. We waved our locking partners goodbye as they tucked into some shade, we wanted to get that bit further today.
Podtastic!
A boat ahead got to the bottom of the Calcutt three and started to ascend. I walked up to help close gates etc, the chap from the boat mumbled something about what they were doing, which certainly wasn’t waiting for us at the next lock. A boat came down then it was our turn, we checked behind us, one boat just in view, almost certainly the charity boat with it’s partner close behind, we went up.
Last of the broad locks for a bit
A rather warm volunteer appeared, he set the next lock for us and on hearing that the charity boats would soon arrive he headed down to empty the locks behind us. At the top a boat sat on the water point, it’s hose attached to the tap but not the boat. We asked if they’d finished, they obviously had so we pulled in infront of them disturbing their lunch.
The lady with the ruck sack is on day 6 of the walk
As our tank filled the charity boats came up the top lock. A lady who’d been walking this morning, apparently doing the whole 7 day walk had had a pit stop at the cafe. The crew on the boat checked in with her before she carried on walking towards Braunston tonights resting place. I just hope they managed to find space for six boats near a pub so she didn’t have to walk any further than necessary. This weekend it’s Braunston Historic Boat Rally!
I popped to the bow to check for oncoming traffic at Napton Junction. One boat coming out from the marina, then the coast was clear. Past the hire base, plenty of boats at home today. Then we were quickly reminded that we were back on a more popular canal.
Three in a row
Mick brought us to a halt as three boats were headed towards us at the next bridge, moored boats slowing everyone’s progress. We held our position to let them all through.
Every mooring from here on was full. A hire boat had moored with pins, possibly with bow, stern and centre line, the only one that wasn’t hanging in the water was the centre, this was being held onto by one of the crew.
Would we find a space? We slowly made our way, hungry and hot really wanting to stop sometime soon, please! All the spaces full before the bottom of Napton. Then a gap, would it be big enough? Certainly the two boats either side of it had space where they could move up. We tried but required another 8ft, no-one stirred inside their boats, we carried on.
At the end of the visitor moorings we just managed to pull in, just about on the bend. Not ideal, but the only choice according to a lady who’d walked down the flight hoping to find herself a mooring. Tilly was given three hours and a serious reminder of the rules!
Some work for me and boat jobs for Mick. Our shower mixer has become not so mixable, not a problem in the winter but a touch too hot when you want a cool shower on a hot day. A new one was bought in Birmingham and this afternoon it was fitted along with a new shower head. We both enjoyed a nice cool shower.
13 locks, 6.8 miles, 1 right, 6 charity boats, 1 lonely Red Indian, 1 pound down, 20 walking windlasses, 1 full tank water, 3 coming through, 3 big git gaps, 0 boats moving up, 1 bendy mooring, 1 more in front of us, 3 hours, 0 friends today, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 mixer mixing, 1 closed lock ahead!
Time for the annual round, a long post so sit back, put your feet up and enjoy.
The New Year kicked off with winter maintenance in the house. Having two hallways proved time consuming refreshing the woodwork and patching up the worst of the wallpaper. But this was broken up with weekly walks to see the sea. I resumed work on the development showing of #unit21 for Dark Horse and a Christmas present of a cheese making kit proved very tasty in creating my first ever Yorkshire Curd Cheese Cake from scratch. I plan on having a second go at this soon!
In February work progressed in Huddersfield towards opening night, the floor painted, final costume fittings and then the set and lighting added. All while Mick serviced our life jackets and Tilly grew more and more bored of life in the house.
Once the show was opened we had a trip down to London to catch up with the London Leckenbys for a belated Christmas, on our way back we visited Oleanna. When ever we could we visited Blue Water Marina to do jobs and have a pack up lunch. The stove was reblacked, walls washed down and cupboards sorted through.
Then at the end of February, Mick and I left Tilly in charge of the house, we packed enough clothes and food for a couple of days boating and headed to Thorne to move Oleanna through Thorne Lock before a winter stoppage began. Blimey it was chilly out there, but wonderful to be back afloat and moving Oleanna to Goole. Now we were all set to move back onboard and have a few weeks of pootling about in Yorkshire.
Back at the house we made it ready for the first of this years lodgers. Our boat Christmas tree was retired into the back garden where we hoped it would thrive, this of course was before we knew a drought was on it’s way! Tilly said goodbye to the dragon that lives up the chimney, left Seville and Valencia to look after the house before having to endure the car trip back to boat life.
After a few days sorting ourselves, including having one of Joan’s gluten free Chinese takeaways, we unplugged Oleanna and backed out from our mooring at Goole Marina (Boat House). We spent the next three weeks bobbing about between Pollington Lock, Doncaster and Goole. Maintenance jobs were ticked off the list.
Alistair did engine and weedhatch jobs, Frank joined us a couple of times to do carpentry jobs, our galley drawers no longer have a life of their own, the covers had a good scrub and a spray of Wet and Forget to help them keep clean.
In March I’d set myself a charity challenge, to knit as many pairs of socks in the month as I could. Nine pairs knitted for people in return for sponsorship, I also got a very generous donation of yarn from Lisa on NB Summer Wind.
Our plans had had to change as Thorne Lock still hadn’t closed, but was about to! Plans to visit York and West Yorkshire were abandoned, we’d bought ourselves a Gold Licence for the year so wanted to make the most of it. So on March 24th with all the jobs done we turned our backs on Goole and set off into the sunset to see where 2022 would take us, all three of us grinning from ear to ear.
We made our way to Keadby ready for our booked passage on the tidal River Trent, the fast route south. A phone call from a boating friend in need of support meant we’d be doing our best to make use of the spring tide to reach Cromwell in one go despite the weather forecast. We spent a couple of days doing what we could to help in Newark before we needed to be on the move again.
On upstream to The Trent and Mersey keeping up our cruising hours and Tilly hoping we’d stop with enough time for her to explore each day before cat curfew.
Up to Fradley then onto the Coventry Canal, we played leapfrog with NB Free Spirit for a couple of days.
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, up the Curdworth Flight then a turn left onto a section of the Grand Union we’d not been on before at Star City. Up Garrison Locks, Typhoo Basin and then the Ashted Locks where we now have the measure of that Tunnel! A mooring space at the top of Farmers Bridge had our name on it. This was handy for a road trip to swap lodgers and for visits to the dentist. It also meant we were in shot when a group came to jump the top lock!
Fast forward to 6:15
Our route out of Buminghamsaw us through Edgbaston Tunnel, down Lapworth followed by Hatton. A pause was needed for Tilly’s annual visit to a new vet, the one here the closest to the canal we’ve visited so far, also handy for The Cape of Good Hope!
At Napton we joined the Oxford Canal and headed for Braunston, pausing to stock up on goodies from the butcher. On the Grand Union we made our way up over the hill and started our descent down The Long Buckby flight back towards tidal waters.
On the 1st of May we turned left at Gayton Junction onto the Northampton Arm dropping down the flight to the River Nene. We’d only been this way once before and that was when we’d just bought Lillian (NB Lillyanne) back in 2014. We bought ourselves a second Abloy key, showed our Gold Licence to the chap at Northampton Marina and started our journey down stream, time to explore.
A decision was made to head down to Peterborough taking note of places we’d want to visit on our return journey. We worked our way through the guillotine locks, many button operated and others with the wheel of cardiovascular overload.
Tilly loved many of the moorings apart from those in Peterborough where crowds surrounded the boat and meant returning from shore leave was impossible for several hours.
In two weeks we reached the end of the river at the Dog in a Doublet Lock. Here the river becomes tidal, we’d save that trip for another time and turned back upstream to head for the Middle Level.
Here we wanted to explore all the drainage channels, but decided we’d do that on our return too. So we took the direct route and crossed the low lying waters in three days arriving at Salters Lode on Mick’s birthday. The levels out on the tidal stretch of the Great Ouse needing to be just right to get through the lock, turn and head upstream to Denver Sluice.
A lovely GOBA mooring was found on the River Wissey and eventually the sun came out for a birthday barbeque, we’d made it to the Great Ouse.
The remainder of May was spent exploring the River Wissey, Ely and The Little Ouse. Brandon Lock sits at the most easterly point on the connected navigable network for boats Oleanna’s size. Sadly a build up of silt stopped us from getting her bow into the lock, but we did get her as far east as was possible, ticking off the fourth point of the compass.
There was a trip to Hull Truck to meet old friends at a gala evening followed by a meet up with Micks family back in the Fens. At the end of the month we got to know Neil the seal at Ten Mile Bank moorings as he basked in the sun and took sunset dips in the river.
The Jubilee was seen in at Denver, we lit our guiding lights as a Lancaster Bomber flew overhead heading to see the Queen. The Relief Channel gave us a good mooring to be able to have a trip away to celebrate Dawn and Lee’s 50th Birthdays in Scarborough, we went as Wallace and Gromit and won an Oscar!
Another visit to Ely to see the Cathedral, Farmers market and meet up with Heather from NB Bleasdale, the first of many this summer. The River Lark was explored, the end of navigation reached with a handy mooring outside a pub.
We headed for the Cam, our paths crossing for the first time with Ken and Sue from NB Cleddau. Then onwards in to Cambridge where we visited colleges, ate chilled medication and had a day trip to Duxford so that Mick could sit in the pilots seat of a Trident 2, a seat his Dad had sat in on many a flight.
Oleanna squeezed along each of the three Lodes, Wicken, Burwell and Reach. Wicken Lode a magical place and a day visit to Anglesey Abbey with it’s wonderful gardens.
Then we headed onto the Old West a river with a very different feel than the Ely Ouse. A pause was needed when we reached Earith for us to have a tour of Heathers new to her boat GT. Once off the tidal water we were on a different Great Ouse again. Here St Ives, St Neots and Hemingford gave us sunsets, D shaped locks, huge meadows and wonderful towns and villages to explore.
As the temperatures started to rise I needed to do some work. Cruising happened in the mornings, my Panto script and sketches were done in the shade of what trees we could find. White sheets were bought and we hoped for a mooring with shade for the really hot days that were to come. Tilly took to lying on the floor and we took to wearing wet t-shirts to help us to keep cool. Thankfully the hot blast only lasted a couple of days then the temperature dropped and we could continue to head upstream.
July 21st we reached the navigable limit of the River Great Ouse, having to reverse some distance to be able to turn round and return to Bedford for the River Festival.
Here we met up with Ken and Sue, Jennie and Chris from NB Tentatrice and Heather again. Plenty of things to see, do and hear. The boat parades, raft races, vintage cars, all sorts kept us busy for the two days.
Now at the end of July we alternated the days between cruising and my work. More beautiful days cruising and more wonderful sunsets, one day off to visit Cambridge for some more chilled medication and to see the Hockney exhibition.
August saw more hot days. Trips to London to celebrate birthdays, panto meetings, catch up with best friends and travellers over from Australia.
On the 15th August we crossed back from Denver Sluice to the Middle Level having really enjoyed our three months on the Great Ouse. Now water levels were a worry along with having enough time to reach Oxford for me to go to work in October. We made the decision to come back and explore the Middle Level another year, maybe we’ll cross The Wash to get there!
By the end of August our progress up stream on the River Nene slowed to a halt. First one lock broke then another two ahead of us. We’d recently been accepted to join the Reflections Flotilla on the Thames to mark the Queens Jubilee in a few weeks time, now that time was ticking away.
When we did get moving again we had to make up our cruising hours. With the news of the passing of the Queen we didn’t know if the flotilla would still be going ahead, we carried on at pace waiting for news. Back up the River Nene, turning onto the Grand Union, working our way southwards. The news came through that the flotilla would go ahead, but now in remembrance of the Queen.
With a couple of days to spare we squeezed into the Eco-Moorings by Islington Tunnel. Two days of catching up with family and more friends over from Australia before we joined boats heading along the Regents Canal towards Limehouse Basin. An afternoon of activity saw numerous narrowboats festooned with white lights.
On the 24th of September the Thames barrier was closed and we all headed out of Limehouse Lock up stream to Chelsea where we clung onto buoys until the early evening when the flotilla started to muster.
Getting on for 150 boats all displaying white lights got into formation and headed down stream. Crowds stood on the illuminated bridges and Tower Bridge opened up in a royal salute as we passed underneath. What a truly amazing day.
Now we had to head towards Banbury, back round the Regents Canal as a leak in the engine bay needed testing on the calm waters of the canal rather than the tideway. By the time we reached Brentford we were confident with Oleanna’s engine again. On the Thames Tilly got a birthday present of a night on a Cliveden Island. Sadly we got an unexpected present on our arrival in Oxford, a second red line on a covid test! Panto painting couldn’t be put off so we made our way gradually up the Oxford Canal keeping our distance from people at locks and taking maximum doses of paracetamol.
A week of painting in Banbury before I moved to Chipping Norton to stack up the hours over the next four weeks getting the 50th anniversary panto ready. Rendez Vousing with Oleanna at weekends in Banbury and Coventry kept me sane. Mick had to single hand across the summit of the Oxford Canal to avoid the first of the winter stoppages.
All three of us were back onboard by mid November, covid free and vaccinated. We took things slowly now, time to rest up, meet friends, gather family and pootle towards Christmas. Our 20th Anniversary was celebrated with a Chinese takeaway at Alvecote Marina, a planned stop which ended up being extended due to plummeting temperatures. The canal froze, there’d be no moving the outside for Tilly!
Temperatures lifted dramatically and the ice just about vanished in a couple of days, we could now be on our way to Christmas. Alrewas was a good place to spend the festive days, a very good butchers and a village with lots of character and humour.
Bookings in the New Year had been made for passage on the tidal River Trent for us to reach Yorkshire, but this would not be. The Trent had risen before Christmas, Cranfleet Flood Gates were shut ahead of us, so no New Year at Hazelford Lock. Instead our alternator played up and we sought out a mooring to hook up to and see in 2023.
This year we’d been wanting to explore again. This year we cruised miles of new water, made new friends, got too hot, got iced in, got stuck, got to be in the first illuminated flotilla on the Thames for 300 years. What a great year it has been.
So our vital statistics for 2022 according to Canalplan are
Total distance is 1249 miles, 6½ furlong and 555 locks . There were 88 moveable bridges of which 29 are usually left open; 156 small aqueducts or underbridges and 18 tunnels, a total of 7 miles 2 ¼ furlongs underground and 8 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 227 miles, 1 1/2furlongs of narrow canals; 363 miles, 2 furlongs of broad canals; 85 miles, 5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 269 miles, 1 furlong of small rivers; 234 miles, 7 1/4 furlongs of large rivers; 69 miles, 6 furlongs of tidal rivers; 176 narrow locks; 232 broad locks; 54 large locks; 2 locks on major waterways.
731.7 engine hours
1156.1 litres diesel, 5 (although we’ve got 1 empty now) gas bottles (used for central heating as well as cooking), 28.5 litres oil, 3 oil filters, 1 fuel filter, 2 air filters, 1 water pump, 2 new belts, 690kg coal, 1 overnight guest twice, 6 packs Dreamies (not enough!), 56 friends, a record breaking 41 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval (4 in one day!), 15 pairs socks, 2 shows designed, 9 lodgers, 2 lots gluten free puff pastry, 9 supermarket deliveries, 30 boxes of wine delivered, 2 lost unicorns.
Thank you all for joining us on our journey. Wonder where we’ll get to in 2023?
Ansty Waste Bridge 12 to Springwood Haven, Coventry Canal
Was Tilly disgruntled not to be having shore leave this morning or was it the smell of Deep Heat that had her sit bolt upright and give me a Paddington stare. I promised that the outside we’d tie up today would be far better, she settled down and patiently waited.
You know you want to let me out!
Extra layers required today, thermals under the padded trousers and I seem to have found the shortest thermal vest I posses, annoying as it ruckles up under jumpers. But the layers helped to keep the chill out for much of the morning.
How many vans?
We pootled our way along to Hawkesbury Junction and Sutton Stop Lock, passing the campervan graveyard. The water point before the lock was free so we pulled in to top up the tank. At this time of year we like to keep the tank as full as possible and having just done a load of washing it needed a top up. Mick walked the rubbish over the bridge to the bins and we were soon ready to move on.
Sutton Stop
I don’t often take the helm, my choice, I prefer working the locks. The most often asked question from Gongoozlers is about why the men are usually at the helm whilst the women work the hard heavy locks. Well everyone has their reasons, mine is that I love working locks, I get exercise, I get to chat, I get to take photos, I get a walk, I find driving a touch boring to be honest. But right now most of the reasons I enjoy working locks are not good for my calf muscle, so no choice.
Mind the cill!
When I lost my little finger I helmed Lillian through many locks. When Oleanna was brand new I took her through her first locks down from Sheffield as I was recovering from a broken ankle, that was far more daunting than taking her through Sutton Stop Lock today, all of 10 inches deep. Mick went ahead to open the lock, I nudged the bow out and headed for the narrow entrance.
Mick waiting for the lock to equalise
With no-one sat outside the Greyhound I decided to have a go at turning Oleanna onto the Coventry Canal 180 degree turn under the bridge to head northwards. Mick sat down to give me a better view. Gently I turned her under the bridge, I knew I wouldn’t manage the turn in one go, not many do. More like a three point turn and the bow came round, neither end of Oleanna having touched the sides.
Not bad for the stand in photographer
This did mean passing the job of photographer to Mick, requesting a photo looking under the bridge towards the Greyhound, a photo I don’t think I’ve taken for a very long time as I’m usually on the bank, keeping an eye out for on coming boats, setting or closing the lock.
At least they still get a view of the canal from the top floor
Now in Frank country, our friend grew up in these parts. The big house, once a pub by Bulkington Bridge now has a high wooden fence cutting off the view of the canal. Past Avril’s old school, one of the first Comprehensive schools in the 1950’s.
Charity Wharf
Charity Wharf. Every time we come past I wait to see what the display might be this time. In our early days of boating there was always something new to see, a new group of mannequins dressed up suitably for the season, Halloween especially good. However the last few times we’ve been past there seem to be fewer figures on display. Stig has been stood in the same position for years. There is still plenty to see, but not the display it used to be, maybe the person who used to do it all has moved elsewhere.
The Morris Minor still sits on top of the mound of stuff by the dry dock, entrance blocked off by boats as usual. A little further on we noticed the ribs of a wooden boat sticking up from the water like fish bones left by a cartoon cat.
We’d considered heading up the Ashby for a few days, a visitor mooring being £18 a night without electric put us off somewhat, so we continued on past.
Diesel was next on our minds, keeping the tank as full as possible in cold weather a good thing. We pulled over at Star Line Boats. No-one came out to help us, Mick had chance to see their prices £1.60 domestic, maybe not thank you. We’d not even tied up before he pushed the bow back out.
Maybe the person from Charity Wharf has moved here?
Yesterday we’d had compliments at our passing speed, today a grumpy man shouted from within his cruiser for us to slow down. We had. A quick look at his ropes suggested that maybe it wasn’t our fault he was moving about so much, no wonder he was grumpy, he’d be shouting at every boat that went past!
Eagle or Sheep eyed?
A boat came towards us, quite a breaking wash behind them. Their engine making such a noise as we passed, then the throttle was cranked up, more noise, more wash, I found myself shouting, I couldn’t help it. Maybe there was an emergency somewhere! They’d certainly give the grumpy man something to shout about!
A mural with a bendy tree. The first flag we’ve seen held by a giant teddy. Then the obligatory telephone pole.
Obligatory
Soon Springwood Haven came into view, the basin a third full of hire boats, it’s now an ABC marina. We pulled in opposite, 14:30 not much day light left for our four legged crew. The doors were opened an hour and a half shore leave granted and off she went. She was right this was a far better outside!One of my favourites
.
Hire boats
A big batch of chilli was got going on the hob then moved to the stove to carry on cooking during the afternoon. Then a batch of sweet gluten free pastry was made up and left to rest in the fridge, I’m going to have a go at making some mince pies tomorrow.
Thank you for the good outside today
Tilly arrived home with fifteen minutes left of shore leave. ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies were dispensed. As here is one of her favourites and I felt generous I allowed her out again. At 4pm, cat curfew, I called for Tilly and was ignored. At 4:30pm I called again and waggled the big torch about and was ignored. At 4:45pm I thought I heard her running along the towpath, but it turned out to be some percussion on the programme Mick was watching about Fleetwood Mac!
A coat of paint on the door
At 5:10pm when I’d run out of things to keep me busy, I popped on my coat and shoes, time to be the mad cat woman. Big torch in hand I called for Tilly once again. Before I even stepped off the boat I could hear her bell. Was she on the towpath or over the bank. After a few minutes Tilly arrived along the towpath, trotting along in the dark, very ready for her evening dingding followed by a snooze in front of the stove. Only 70 minutes late. If you knew what I’d been up to out there you’d have come and joined me!
1 lock, WE 9.99miles, Pip’s Nebo 9.4 miles (missing off the start of our voyage!), Mick’s Nebo 10.1 miles, 180 degrees without touching, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 batch pastry (not for steak pie making!), 1 vat of chilli, 1st coat of dark on door, 1 very happy stop out cat.
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!
She’s happy to be moving again
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.
Pushing away
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.
Diesel £1.44 today at Armada
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.
Oxford Bridges
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.
Hello 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.
We must be invisible!
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.
Puzzling
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.
Our nearest neighbours
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.
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.
Hospital
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.
Daytime TV
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.
Newbold Water Point
We pushed off and made it to the water point by the pub, topped up the tank and then pootled onwards.
Autumn
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.
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.
Atmospheric and chilly out tonight
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.
Mick, Lizzie and me
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.
