Category Archives: Pantomime

Just A Box Of Pills Away. 1st September

Salted Butter. 30th August

Burton on Trent / Derby

I woke at 6 feeling a little odd, was it something I’d eaten or stress related? I haven’t had a funny turn like this is in years. Mick had a slightly quieter night in the hospital. Porridge for breakfast, not really hot, but not cold as he normally has it on the boat. When I woke I opted to collect the Saturday newspaper before having breakfast. My pace nowhere near brisk today, I felt quite rotten really, good job we’d decided I’d not head to the hospital. If I had a bug I didn’t want to take it in with me. The paper was placed on Micks side of the bed, it’s purchase not quite so much of a treat this weekend.

**Hopefully these would sort my insides out**

Poached eggs on toast would hopefully make things better. Then it was time to do some work. I tried rescanning things. I compared scans. The ones the print company were saying were better, were in my mind really quite bad!

Was there a different way of scanning them? Would they need to be sent to the printers to be scanned? Not having my IT department handy wasn’t helping. I decided to do some chores instead for a while. On Oleanna, as I’m sure happens in most homes, we each have jobs we do, you could call them pink or blue jobs, but I’m really not partial to pink! It’s time we got to know each others jobs. Today the yellow water needed emptying. Which cap to take off? There are two next to each other, one connected to a gulper pump, the other for a manual pump should the gulper stop working. ‘Which ever is finger tight’ ah yes easy! Container outside the bathroom porthole and you can reach everything . Job done.

Now could I sort the bathroom cupboard? The mirrored door goes into a spring loaded push to open catch, which should release when you push the door. With aid of a screw driver pulling the door out whilst I also pushed it in it came free very easily. It might be that the door hinges need tightening. Or more likely the catch needs replacing as the spring isn’t springing anymore. For the time being the door can remain slightly open, Tilly hopefully won’t be so bored that she tries to empty the cupboard, the toilet roll will get murdered long before she discovers the cupboard.

A bit of a tuna theme with hospital meals today, a jacket potato with cheese and tuna, this came with 3 pats of butter, most probably salted. For dinner Mick opted for a tuna salad, far healthier than the chicken goujons and chips.

I battened everything down on the roof as the wind was picking up. Did my best to popper the extra poppers on the covers. This is quite difficult on 8 year old covers with my reduced grip, as the covers have shrunk and are really REALLY tight.

Time to get back to panto. Chatgpt suggested using a setting I’d tried on the scanner, it should allow me to scan at 1200 dpi if I dug deep enough. Just how to turn off the thumbnail viewer though?. There were suggestions, but the right things didn’t appear on menus, a bit like veg in hospital meals! The scanner wanted to update itself, I let it. Then hey presto the thumbnail viewer had vanished! The first scan took forever, a good sign. The file size bigger in pixels as well as DPI and half a GB. Before I lost whatever settings I’d set I made sure I scanned everything I could find.

A try out to see if Mick would be able to join the Geraghty zoom tomorrow from his hospital room. At Christmas he was given a headband which has built in speakers. This is so you can lie in bed without having headphones in your ears, much more comfortable. The headband has proved useful in hospital as it also can be worn over your eyes. Mick wanted to try it out with his phone to see if he could talk on zoom without his room in the hospital being able to hear everything. Well I was audible across the ward, Mick was only occasionally audible here in Burton and he was nowhere to be seen on screen. So sadly he won’t be able to chat to his sisters in the morning.

The chilly wind outside spurred me on to light the stove. So as the gales and downpours hit, Tilly and I sat all cosy inside Oleanna. I spent the rest of the evening tidying up the cyc for Panto, if the printers say it’s better I need to find the time to rework all the other things they’ll be printing.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0.5 water tank, 1 Saturday newspaper, 1 wobbly Pip, 1 bored Mick, 1 sausage day for Tilly, 13 minutes brisk walking, 18.6grams Butter, 1 cosy warm stove, 1200dpi, 1 scanner fooled into working beyond itself.

Not Quite Hattie Jacques, But! 29th August

To Grow A Peach Like You. 27th August

4 Replies

Burton on Trent / Derby

I was delivered a cuppa in bed this morning, Mick was having breakfast, he then set off to hopefully catch the A&E department at Queens Hospital Burton early. It’s about a fifteen minute walk to the hospital and across the busy A38. He was triaged quickly at about 8:30, the screen saying that the waiting time to see a clinician was currently 17 minutes!

Twenty minutes later he moved to the Urgent Treatment Centre waiting area. I got up and started to do some work on panto. Today with Mick out of the way for a while I was going to sort out stretching the artwork for the front cloth. With Tilly out I had the peace and quiet to find a solution and start work on it.

By 9:30 Mick was waiting for a CT scan to make sure he’d not had a stroke, they didn’t think he had.

Opposite the moorings started to empty out. I considered moving over but the wind was building and I didn’t fancy fighting to tie Oleanna up. Plus there was a group of youths chasing each other around the fields holding large firework rockets in their hands, the rockets aimed at each other.

11:30 Mick joined the queue for a scan. Fifteen minutes later the fire alarm went off and he was put in a wheelchair to move him to somewhere safe, this is when Mick seemed to become attached to wheels. Just after midday he’d had his scan, just had to wait for the results. The waiting room emptied out until he was the sole person there, had everyone gone for lunch?

Then at 2pm he was given the results, he’d had a small stroke. They were deciding what to do with him, where to refer him to. I headed over to be his back up memory, my second client as a Medical PA, I’d already caught up with Frank this morning. Mick’s messages suggested he didn’t think he’d be there long, he didn’t want me to take lunch, I took a banana and not much else. Have to say the result wasn’t that much of a surprise to me as my Dad had a stroke that affected his vision, he couldn’t see Judith Stamper one of the Look North presenters on TV one night. Mick’s problem had been similar, but his blank spots had come and gone.

Finding the A&E department was quite complicated, just as I got close he said he was being sent to Derby Hospital to the stroke unit there, they were arranging transport. Then I was given the number of the ambulance he was about to be put in, we met just as he was being pushed up the ramp into it. Neither of us had expected him to going somewhere overnight.

Our second ambulance ride and third hospital in two weeks. It didn’t take that long to reach The Royal Derby Hospital where he was popped on a trolley in the middle of the A&E Majors. Pretty soon a nurse from the Acute Stroke Unit arrived, she chatted things through. Did various visual tests and others for stroke victims. She’d seen his CT scan and they wanted him to stay for tests to try to find out why it had happened, maybe it was connected to our previous trip to hospital ten days ago, or it might just be a coincidence.

Finally someone asked him to move to a room with reclining chairs, he was allowed to actually walk there. He was given some food, pasta carbonara … possibly! We waited, there had been mention that there was a bed for him up on the ward and it would only be an hour before he could move. We waited, a few people came and went, we waited. Nothing else was going to happen today so I opted to leave and head back to feed Tilly, we made a list of things he’d be needing. A very handy express bus back to Burton, a bit of shopping and I was back on board within an hour. I had a nice homemade chicken curry old style for my dinner.

By the time I headed for bed, Mick was still sat in his recliner, a man was asking everyone who arrived what they were there for, he was obviously an expert in everything and seriously annoying! His chat up line for the nurses, ‘They grow pears in America, they grow apples there too. But it takes a place like (insert where the nurse comes from) Swadlincote to grow a peach like you.’

0 locks, 0 miles, 0.3 of a front cloth sorted, 2 hours shore leave, 1 CT scan, 1 blood test, 2 A&E’s, 1 ambulance, 1 wheel chair, 2 trolleys, 1 recliner chair, 1 bus, 1 bemused cat, 241 messages, 1 stroke.

150 Minutes In Dawlish. 22nd August

1 Reply

Shobnall Fields

Alarm set for 6am, cheese and pastrami butties made, laptop packed along with two pieces of panto model. Then I was off to the station to catch the direct train down to Exeter St Davids. Thankfully the train from Burton wasn’t that busy to start with and I didn’t feel the need to play seat hopscotch. I opted for my first reserved seat, then moved into my third one across the way a stop before hand.

I tried writing a blog post, but lack of space made that a touch hard, then I got on with some knitting. Gemma, the Production Manager for panto, joined the train at Bristol Parkway, her seat behind mine.

When I’d left Burton this morning it had been 10C, now the sun was out and I was heading for the south coast which would be the warmest place in England according to last nights forecast. I made sure to keep an eye out as we headed southwards from Bristol, did I spot Paul Balmer dancing around in his garden waving at trains?

At Exeter St David’s we changed trains, a very seaside feel to those getting on and off the train. The train skirts along the River Ex, the tide seemed to be out and many boats sat on the bottom. Then the train turns along the coast of the English Channel, the sea bright blue today reflecting the sky.

Just a couple of minutes to enjoy being close to Dawlish beach before Jamie arrived to pick us up and whisk us along to his workshop. A quiet time in between festivals for Back Drop Design, a few TV things coming up and Chippy panto would fit nicely in between.

Gemma had brought the model pieces for us to discuss. I have to say I was a little bit surprised that the finished model drawings hadn’t been forwarded to Jamie, nor the colour model storyboard. So various things had changed from the information he’d had, but at least there was time to go through everything and for him to make notes.

A cuppa as we chatted. How was the budget? Well I’d been told a month ago we were fine, it looked like there’d be no need for any amendments then. But Gemma asked if Jamie could bring the build in for a couple of thousand less than he’d priced it up and a few extra bits had been added today. I wasn’t surprised at his reaction, ‘that’s my profit’. It’s a shame this conversation couldn’t have happened a month ago, but people are busy, maybe a bit too busy! Another hour sat with up to date drawings would have helped us find some savings, but Gemma and I were booked on specific trains back.

Back along the coast, up the estuary, changing trains again. The train back north was two units, one would be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads the other one carrying on. Announcements were too quick, platform staff guided us to the front carriages, thankfully these weren’t as packed so tightly as those behind. We found seats a miracle, the previous train had been cancelled and there was suggestions from the passengers that tomorrow there is a strike. One lady said they had only just added four more carriages, so she’d quickly moved so she could breath. Then there was the announcement that meant we were actually in the wrong part of the train, but half an hour later another guard had been found so all eight carriages could continue onwards to Edinburgh, phew!

Because of overcrowding the train was delayed a bit. Gemma alighted in Bristol. Then there was a points failure, necessitating going into Gloucester to get round it. Then because of the train before having been cancelled they added an extra stop at Tamworth. All in all I ended up being over an hour late back into Burton, at least I’ll get some money back.

Mick had planned to spend the day in the engine bay fitting a new bit of Victron kit. But another bad nights sleep had had to be made up for so he’d had a good afternoon kip. Tilly had had an inquisitive black Labrador come to visit her, but she’d spent quite a lot of the day on her throne under the pram cover. Three loads of washing were hanging about the place, so Mick had been busy for some of the day.

I got back to Oleanna around twelve hours after I’d left, I’d managed 2.5 hours in Dawlish. Now I’m waiting to see what adjustments are required!

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 1 production manager, 5 week out of date drawings, 2 attempts to write the blog, 1 sock completed, 5 reserved seats, 4 sardine carriages, 2 giant figures, 3 loads washing, 1 black lab, 1 hello, 10 C to 25C, 12 meatballs and spaghetti, 1 spring weather forecast!

Arry. 20th August

Covered Cruising. 15th August

Cromwell Lock to Hazelford Lock

Up early, we were in need of filing with diesel and to cruise around three hours today. Currently we have a destination in mind for my meeting on the south coast which needs us to keep moving, not too much, but a constant direction to move in. Once I’ve visited the set builders for panto the original plan was to start heading southwards to be around Banbury or Oxford by late October for me to go to work on panto whilst being able to return to the boat at weekends. Unless there is significant rainfall in the next month we really don’t see the waterways that will be closing on the 26th August or that are already closed due to low water levels reopening in time. So we need another plan.

Current thinking is to stay in the Trent/Soar area so that we don’t miss our repaint slot at Redhill. Originally we’d planned to be out until the New Year with at least one lodger already booked in for the Christmas show. But if we can’t get onto the Oxford we may see if we can come out of the water earlier than planned and very sadly curtail our years cruising, returning to Scarborough when our current lodgers leave. Well that is our current plan and almost certainly going to change for one reason or another, but we are almost certain we’ll be back in the house before Christmas.

Back to today. It was going to be hot, really quite HOT with little cloud cover, so we set off quite early for us , the first to leave the moorings. Paul from Waterway Routes had asked us to check if something wasn’t there, a photo was forwarded to him from the location to confirm that there was only blue sky.

A couple of boats had wild moored on the banks, the second one turned out to be a miserable chap on a cruiser who’d been plonked right in the middle of the high wall at Cromwell when we arrived yesterday fishing from his boat. He’d got miffed off with boats mooring around him. As we passed him today, his fishing line was out and he shouted over to us that he was waiting to be rescued as he’d got his rope around his prop. Somehow he’d managed to tie to the bank using his hook up cable. It sounded like someone was on their way to rescue him so we passed slowly and left him to continue to be miserable.

On the off chance, Mick radioed ahead to Nether Lock, a reply surprised us both from the Cromwell Lock Keeper who was at Nether, he’d already set it for us, the light would be green so we could go straight in. We’d been spotted by the Lockie on duty at Cromwell. As ever at the Trent Locks we were asked if we’d be continuing on to the next lock or not, this is so they can let the next lock keeper know there’s a boat on the way. Apparently all the locks are manned at the moment, 9 to 4. Handy to know as there are a couple of locks with sandbanks below them which makes it hard to drop crew off to operate them.

Mick rang ahead to King’s Marina, they’d just opened for the day, their diesel was £1.10 domestic. We’d considered on topping up enough to reach Shobnall where the price will be much lower, but for peace of mind we decided to top the tank up. Mick did a perfect manoeuvre onto their service pontoon, but nobody noticed! Paula the Harbour Master came down to serve us, 103 litres, yes we were welcome to top up with water and use their bins. She’s a very friendly lady and happy to help. The marina toilets and showers were being upgraded along with the installation of a dog shower, I think most Aquavista Marinas are getting these. There is also a pergola going up as a social space for the moorers.

**Newark Castle quieter here today than in April**

Back on the river Kiln Pontoon was just about full, several boats were moored on the low wall opposite. Town Lock opened up for us and a volunteer took our ropes and saw us up. Everywhere we go at the moment people say what a wonderful day it is, good boating weather. We have to disagree, we’d far rather it was chucking it down!

Now along the meandering river heading for Hazelford Lock moorings. The Newark Crusader pulled out from Newark Marina and followed us. Mick radioed them to see if they wanted to pass, they’d see once we’d got out of town. Sure enough soon after the houses stopped they radioed back asking to pass on our starboard side. Starboard side, our starboard side? We did as requested, looked over our shoulders to see that they were adjusting course to pass to our port, which is the correct side to pass on. They had to adjust course again.

With the sun beating down on us we opted to raise the pram hood to give ourselves some shade. With the front window rolled up and sides off it wasn’t too bad, but we’d still rather not cruise with it up as it impedes visibility, plus if you catch it on a bridge, it’s a costly repair. Today we really didn’t want to get burnt and knew there’d be no low bridges.

Boats came towards us, almost a constant stream of them. We’d best get used to this as we’re on a busy river again, today it felt like we were on the Thames it was that busy. Some boats just out for the weekend, some for the day. Quite a few after the CRT notices yesterday doing their best to get back to their home moorings, some cruises having taken people three weeks to reach here and now they have 12 days to get back!

All the way the visitor moorings were just about empty, but would they be at Hazelford? We had our fingers and paws crossed for some shore leave for Tilly on the lock island. As we rounded the last bend we could see one wide beam on the moorings and our preferred space was free. We pulled in deployed the big fat fenders, opened the side hatch followed by the stern doors for Tilly. Two hours to start with, then another three would follow if she didn’t get too hot. We’d managed to moor up at lunchtime, perfect.

I did a bit more touching up of cloths for panto, then headed across the bridge below the weir to walk to Fiskerton. A nice riverbank walk. Plenty of fishermen set up for the weekend with their tents. Cows grazing the brittle yellow grass. Thankfully the sun had lost it’s heat so I had a pleasant walk, returning through the Blackthorn archway that in April had been so white, today most of the sloes have been picked.

Time to barbeque and make the most of the setting sun whilst sitting out on the big steps at the moorings. Burgers and veg kebabs with a glass or two of wine. We like this mooring, we all like it a lot.

2 locks, 13.6 miles, 103 litres, 1 slip up, 57 brisk minutes, 1 pram hood up, 4 hours shore leave, 1 pot of blackberries, 2 burgers, 4 veg kebabs, 1 sunset, 1 lovely evening.

https://what3words.com/correctly.benched.blackbird

The Sun Goes Down One Last Time. 13th August

Rural Mooring to Basin Bridge 85

Cuppa in bed, then we decided to get moving before breakfast as it would be hot today. We had our eyes on a mooring that might just give us some shade for part of the day. As we’d just pushed off a boat came into view heading up the canal, we wondered if they’d be stopping, but no they carried onwards.

I walked as Mick brought Oleanna. Back along the fairy footpath. The signs of a new marina more evident from this direction, it looks like it could be quite big if it ever gets completed. Maybe the couple of the bench have been waiting to get a mooring there for sometime!

Dog walkers were busy making the most of the cool, one lady said she’d seen more people this morning than she’d ever seen all put together. We pulled in after 2 miles to where we’d stayed back in April, a bit bendy, but some armco and trees, sadly not on a good angle to create useful shade, at least there’d be some shade to sit out in. An old fella walked past saying how seeing boats on the canal made his heart sing as there’d been so few after the pandemic.

Inside the curtains were drawn, shore leave rules recited to Tilly who was given a couple of hours before we were likely to want her in and out of the sunshine, even if she was headed for the friendly cover!

Medical PA duties took up a bit of this morning along with checking on my own app for results. Why do they say Patient informed when I haven’t been? Yes I can look at the app, I understand no further action, but when something isn’t at normal levels I’d like to know what it might mean please.

The day got hotter, the inside of Oleanna got hotter, we were glad not to be out in it. Mick tried sitting in the shade for a while, when he came in he said it was cooler indoors. I got on with touching up the scans for panto. These will be enlarged onto fabric 25 times bigger than my model and somehow I seem to manage to get hairs all over them. What seems to be a very small hair could end up looming out at the audience, so it’s best to try to get rid of them.

Two years ago I used Photoshop for this. Today I tried Paint.net, but didn’t really get on with it so looked around for a free trial of something else. Paintshop Pro had a pretty good tool I could use so I down loaded that and started with one of the portals. I’m so hoping I’ve scanned them to a high enough standard to get a good image. I managed to touch one up and was quite pleased with the outcome.

During the afternoon a hire boat came and moored behind us, a couple more boats passed, quite busy for a very hot day. Mick had another sit outside and when it started to feel cooler outside we opted to move onwards. Tomorrow morning we’ll be away with the tide so we’d rather be closer to West Stockwith lock than an hour and a half away. I walked on ahead, key of power and windlass in hand seeing the same dog walkers as I’d seen this morning.

**Sunsetting on our visit to the Chesterfield Canal.**

Both the Misterton Locks needed filling. Three canoeists arrived and thought about going round the lock via the bywash, but nets have been put up, presumably to help keep swan families apart. Their boats were lifted out and carried round. As Mick brought Oleanna towards the lock the sun was starting to make its way towards the horizon, our last sunset on the Chesterfield Canal, it made for a nice picture.

**The last lock before West Stockwith tomorrow**

A dog walker congratulated us for keeping the swans from entering the locks, careful opening and closing of the bottom gate ensured none of them could sneak past us. They weren’t bothered about the lower lock, so I think they are quite happy in the pound between.

Walking on ahead I went to the basin to see if the visitor mooring there was free, but two short boats were already sharing it. Other spaces along the way were just about full, bar the one we’d used when we got soaked on our arrival on to the Chesterfield Canal. Mick pulled in there and we settled down for the evening, a cold couscous salad for our evening meal.

2 locks, 3.3 miles, 2 cruises, 33C inside the boat, 65 brisk minutes, 2 hot to be outside, 1 neighbour, 1 portal touched up, 2 walks, 1 family kept in the right place, 100grams couscous, 2 hot boaters, 1 hot cat, 1 last space taken, 1 hire boat after dark.

https://what3words.com/faded.path.collides

I’ll Race You! 22nd July

Basin Bridge to Rural Log 2 day Mooring, CHesterfield Canal.

A dry morning even if it was quite grey. Tilly had some shore leave, by the time she came we’d had our breakfast and started to get ready for the off. Our supplies required a stock up so we pootled up along the canal to find the bollards we both remembered where no overnight mooring is allowed, but the mooring is handily positioned for the shops.

The first bollards were not the one’s we were thinking of, they were a lock landing. Yes we could pull back a touch, but maybe where we were thinking of was above the two locks. The key of power and a windlass was requested and I went ahead to set the bottom lock.

Signs on the lock gates ask to not let swans into the lock. Above were a Mum and Dad with three cygnets, were these the ones being referred to? They had to be. Not much room for them between the two locks, but they seemed content enough.

As Oleanna got to a point where Mick could get off I signalled that I was going to walk ahead to set the next lock. A nod from Mick to agree, I walked ahead. The next chamber was just about empty just a small amount of water needed adjusting to level it with the pound below. I then opened the gate and waited for Mick to bring Oleanna out of the lock below and close up behind.

Mum and the kids were heading my way, slowly but surely. I closed the gate and would only open it when Oleanna got close, we know how sneaky swans can be getting into locks and then being obstinate about getting out again. The plan worked well and we rose with no swans. Above another swan family came along to meet us. This is why the signs were on the lock gates, two families living close together, best to keep them apart for all concerned.

An M on our map, we pulled in, still not the location of bollards we’d remembered. We headed for the shops. Now to visit the butchers or not? If we did we’d have to buy some lamb steaks for Misterton Lamb, but that requires the oven to be on for an hour, not really the right thing to do on a warm summers evening. We’ll hope for a cooler day on the way back.

Our cruising plans a little bit up in the air, a possible rendez vous and a meeting with panto set builders on the cards. How far should we carry on up the Chesterfield? Do we need to do a sprint to better rail connections. As we shopped an email arrived assisting with decisions. The rendez vous sadly won’t be happening due to water levels and family commitments, maybe if water levels improve in a month or two we’ll be able to meet up. The set building meeting, the builders not able to do the first available date, so we’ve another two weeks to get to better transport links. Maybe we should see how far we can get up the Chesterfield, take Oleanna onto new waters?

After lunch we planned our mooring for the day. We untied and then ‘I’ll race you!’. Me on foot and Mick and Tilly bringing Oleanna. I gave them a couple of feet head start, but knew who’d win. Apart from our little trip up the Chesterfield in April we’ve been on rivers or big wide deep canals. Oleanna able to swim along far faster then I could walk. Here the canal is narrow, despite it’s wide locks (at the moment), the depth is shallow. Trying to use extra revs just slows you down, so a steady speed is required, my steady brisk speed is much quicker.

We soon came across the bollards we’d been thinking of. Only two, closely spaced, serious innies to moor there.

Back in April I walked ahead looking for a mooring for us before the next winding hole. Back then I could see over the reeds, today there was no sign of any of the places we’d tried to moor, the undergrowth now over my head in most places.

At the winding hole I carried on walking, after the next bridge I started to recall places along the canal, a bit hazy now as it was nine years ago on NB Lillyanne.

On the offside an industrial area, piles of stuff, a couple of old chimneys, wagons, decaying portacabins. Under a tree sat two figures, they’ve been there a long time, their clothing decaying around their bones.

Huge sheets of piling stood up from the earth, part painted rusty white, a marina under construction, it’s been like that for quite a while!

Fields golden, if a bit soggy were soon followed by straw rolos. The plants at the waterside interesting. Somehow, now away from the waterways with the big skies there are more minute things to look at, slowing my progress slightly.

Up ahead I could see where we wanted to moor, two boats already in residence. I paced out the gap, plenty of room for us. A glance at the Nebo app and I could see where Oleanna was. I stood for a good ten minutes waiting her arrival. Something kept us from getting into the side, but we coped and tied off, the back doors flung open for Tilly.

This was a good mooring when we stopped here before. Tilly ended up staying out late! That was in the days before stamps of approval were awarded at moorings, today one was certain to be pawed out.

Time was spent being a theatrical landlady, sorting out the next arrivals and departures in Scarborough. A mooring for Oleanna was sought and achieved. Theatrical digs needed extra confirmation for myself for panto, landladies and admin staff getting their wires crossed. No time left for much else in the day.

2 locks, 3.3 miles, 59 minutes brisk walking, 1 box wine, 1 red pepper, 6 bananas, 3 lodgers sorted, 1 mooring obtained, 1 small double room just fine, 2 extra weeks to cruise, 1 rendez vous postponed, 2 salmon fillets, 1 big fat Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/rooting.bookmark.kebab

A Different Side To Thorne. 16th July

Thorne Visitor Moorings

Should we visit the Trolley Bus Museum? Should we visit the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum? Both would be a couple of bus rides to get there. Instead we pottered the day away, it’s odd not working every day.

Mick headed out to do some shopping. He’s discovered that our new connector for the yellow water tank isn’t magnetic, neither is the jubilee clip on it. So armed with a magnet he walked up to Bargain Land to see what he could purchase that was magnetic that could be wrapped round the connector. We’ve only once dropped the old one in the canal, but without it we’d need to hand pump our tank empty and then get a new one made, so it’s best we can retrieve it should the need arise.

Jubilee clips and wire were bought along with some big hooks (useful for hanging things on) and adaptors for the bicycle pump so that the inflated fenders can be pumped up.

I packed up the amended bits of model to send off to Gemma the Production Manager, but then realised that I was more than likely to be with her when she delivers them to the set builders, so it doesn’t seem worth the risk of the postal service. I knitted and then headed out for a walk.

A different side of Thorne today. Up beyond the shops towards Peel Hill. St Nicholas church drew me in, but the gates were very firmly locked by the front door. But as I leaned through them to take a photo of the door a chap behind me said, ‘There’s someone else wanting to go in’. This turned out to be a parishioner and the vicar who I later found out was called Tim, he was about to open up and yes I could have a look inside.

The church sits on a sandy ridge which in Saxon times was an island surrounded by water and marshland. The original church was only a chapel of ease, funerals had to take place in Hatfield. In the 1320’s a funeral was crossing the mere to Hatfield when a storm blew up, the boats were wrecked and dozens of mourners were drowned. This led to some rebuilding of the church and it was made into a Parish church.

The oldest part of the church is the chancel dating back to the 6th Century. The rood screen is striking with its figures on the top, made of cast iron by a local miner.

My eye was immediately caught by one of the windows, it had to be by a Pre-Raphaelite artist, but which one? As I stood and studied it, Tim handed me a couple of pamphlets about the church, sadly I didn’t spot there was another regarding the stained glass windows at the time. But researching when back on the boat I discovered it was designed by Sir Henry Holiday a Victorian Painter who was greatly influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. In 1861 he accepted the position of stained glass window designer for Powell’s Glass Works taking over from Burne- Jones, during his time there he fulfilled over 300 commissions most of which are in the USA. After 30 years he left to set up his own business in Hampstead.

I now walked across the road to look at Peel Hill. Only the Motte still stands with the usual worn tracks from the top where people have run up and down it. At first I couldn’t find a way in, entrances at the far ends of the area. In the 12th Century the castle was used as a hunting lodge and the tower was still standing in the 16th Century. By the 1820’s the foundations of the motte top were partly destroyed by its then owner. More information can be found here LINK

Next a windmill pulled me off my planned route. No sails and some boarded up windows, quite an unloved sight really, but quite atmospheric. I now wound my way through a housing estate, all the houses semi-detached, the fronts boasting red brick but 18 inches to the back cheaper bricks have been used. The houses stretched on for ages.

Across towards the railway line. Quite a few houses were surrounded by railings, some totally filled in, keeping the view or viewers out. I’d spotted a path parallel to the railway that I wanted to take, but it seemed to be below the track I was on and to keep going with purpose felt like a sensible move.

I crossed the railway line, straight and clear in both directions, then joined a fast moving road alongside the M18. I had gone from the ancient part of Thorne, through possibly the dodgy part of town, managing not to score from the blacked out windowed car, to the motorway and now distribution centre for BMW and Mini!

Back at Oleanna I finished putting together a quinoa crust quiche with turkey steak, green beans, a naughty bit of bacon and feta cheese. Very yummy and smaller portions today means we’ll be enjoying it for another couple of meals.

Sadly todays rendezvous with Della was called off late afternoon, so it looks like we won’t get to meet this time, hopefully next time we pass through Thorne things will align better.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0hh please move the outside! 1 sock finished, just need to redo the first one to match, 1 friendly vicar, 1 inaccessible motte, 1 unloved windmill, 0 skunk, 1 walk with purpose, 1 very tasty quiche.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna