Back to model making today and listening to Tilly who would like to go out, her throne not an option on our current mooring due to cat health and safety legislation imposed on Oleanna. Meanies!!!!
Old and new versions
Today Mick had to relinquish the far end of the dinette table. I can confine myself to a small area, but that just means it takes a lot longer to do what I’m needing to do. Arches were remade, slight alterations to dimensions and a translucent layer added to them. For this I needed the model box out of the box and on view to see what worked best. The one scene took me most of the day, but it should now be ready for painting and explain more to those looking at the model how I would like the scenery to be built.
Now in the model box
Mick made himself scarce during the afternoon. A walk into town to look at the cathedral, Leeds Museum and the Art Gallery. The museum didn’t take long, an old fashioned informative place. The Cathedral even less time if any! Then the art gallery which held him for a while.
It could be a lily?
By the end of the day I’d finished off my model notes for panto. Time for a stretch of my legs. I decided to walk downstream along the river, then back through town. However not that far into my walk my calf hit back at me, a slower hobble required to get anywhere. This is now tedious as I want to be striding out as I was doing, but that is simply far too painful. I cut my walk short still managing to see some sights.
A giant multicoloured flower. A donkey. Some very good street art and some lovely old back streets.
Open wide!
Back to Oleanna for some chicken pasta, using things up and to finish off sock 199!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 gallery, 1 museum, 0 catholic cathedral, 3 new arches, 1 rose table,1 bench extension, 2 chandeliers, 1.45 miles walked, 21 minutes briskly, 1 calf needing a rest, 2000+ likes for a cat sat on a throne photo, 1 cat needing some shore leave! I’m sure my 2000+ fans on facebook would agree you should let me out!
A silly timed alarm clock for us onboard today. I was up breakfasted, butty made and on my way into the station at 7am, Mick stayed in bed, Tilly stayed curled up. Today I would be heading to Chipping Norton for the white card model meetng for Panto. Mick would be heading to Scarborough to do things he’d forgotten to do with a pint of milk and a key. Tilly would be snoozing a lot, but looking after the boat, a very important job.
Perfect, a seat for the model
First train took me to Doncaster, I had two seats to myself, so one for me the other for the model box which had only just squeezed into an Ikea bag yesterday for ease of carrying. Next train was from an adjacent platform, this would take me to Birmingham New Street, I had several tickets to cover me for this part of the journey which meant changing reserved seats. Instead I opted to pop the model box on the top of the luggage rack and sit opposite it on an available seat so that I could keep a close eye on it.
A very close eye required now
Next was a change at New Street and a wait, glad not to be rushing to change trains. The train would get me to Banbury, but my split ticketing (to save at least £100) had me moving seats several times. Blimey the train was chocka! Could I be bothered in fighting to reach my first reserved seat and then hope I wouldn’t have to move for someone else? The answer was no, instead an hour of standing protecting the model box as bets I could, moving out of the way for doors opening. I’m so glad I don’t have to do this as often as I used to when I lived in London, and the models then tended to be far bigger.
Hello Chippy! It’s nice to be back
Hello Banbury, no aroma today! The familiarly coloured roof of John’s car/truck came into view, I had a lift rather than catching the bus out to Chippy. Time to catch up on lots of stuff during the drive, who had left the theatre since I was last there and who was new.
All set up in order and ready to show the model
We set ourselves up on the stage, all black tabs (curtains) and lots of speakers about the place. A table, angle poise, note books, laptop, everything to hand apart from a cuppa. The two of us were straight into working our way through the show with the model. A useful time. Should that move there, or here? The next scene change would be harder if we did that. How to transition between this and that, a few bits of writing required, it’s handy the director also being the writer.
All quiet out front now!
A sheet of notes for me to address once home, one scene just nudged about a touch and a bit of model adjusting required for it, but generally all was good. We had eight minutes left before others would join us, time to finally make a cuppa and grab a few bites of chicken sandwich before we started.
Not so neat and tidy after going through it twice
Paul joined us (Technical and Facilities Manager) and a new lady who I think works in develepment and fundraising. Gemma (Production Manager) joined via zoom, sadly she’d not been able to join us in person. We worked through the model in a more practical way as John and I’d already done the arty bits. An hour and a bit later we’d got through the show, no indictation on how we were in regards to the budget though. Some chat about trying to get ahead more this year. Last year this had had to happen as their designer wasn’t hands on like me. So we need to find a balance between the two, enough to keep me occupied and far enough ahead to reduce hours during rehearsals.
Time to head back to Leeds. I had several possible trains I could get with my tickets and luckily Paul and his wife Helen gave me a lift back to Banbury so I managed to avoid the bus again.
Oh!
Unfortunatly there had been a tree fall on the line which had held my train up by half an hour. On the southbound platform it was worse as there was a trespasser on the line further south, so all trains were being held at stations until the line was clear.
Knee location
Time to go into guarding mode again, the train packed with people trying to get somewhere, anywhere. I stood in the vestibule, but thankfully after a couple of stops I spotted a spare seat. Time to sit with the model on my knee. Another change in Birmingham, another busy train, my journey now an hour later than planned, another seat with the model on my knee. Thankfully at Sheffield the train thinned out and I got the seat next to me for the model box, no need to watch everyone going past anymore. Finally I could get my knitting out and do a few rows, toe 199 coming along nicely.
Toe 199!
Arriving back in Leeds just gone 9pm I was glad all I had to do was walk down to the South Entrance and back to the boat, only 2 minutes of brisk walking done today. Mick had been warned of my lateness, so he’d bought in pies and baked some potatoes, all accompanied by a much needed glass of wine.
Mick had traveled to Scarborough by the Coastliner from Leeds, so his bus pass came in handy, swapping buses in York meant he got a comfort break too. He did the few things at the house that were needed and tip toed around avoiding getting anything dirty. Then had caught a train back to Leeds using up a spare ticket he still had.
Hitching a ride
Tilly, what had she done? Well she’d watched the local swans swimming about showing off their cygnets and had a good old snooze for much of the day. It’s a hard life!
0 locks, 0 miles, 6 trains, 2 buses, 2 lifts, 5:50 alarm, 1 full on solid day, 3 bite lunch break, 1 warm welcome back to Chippy, A4 sheet of notes, 0 major, -1 pint milk, 1 shed door locked, 2.23 miles walked, 2 minutes briskly! 3 cygnets.
Woodlesford Lock to Granary Wharf, Leeds Liverpool Canal.
Tilly was given a couple of hours whilst we had breakfast and joined the Geraghty zoom. Subjects today included barns versus gardens, snobby boaters, trapese theatre and Dr Who deceipt.
It was finally time to give Oleanna and ourselves a cruise, something that has been missing for the last few weeks. As we got ready to push off we got chatting with a couple who were looking for a better mooring. Solar important to most boaters nowadays, they were looking for a gap in the trees. We pushed off, giving them a choice of places closer to the lock.
Swapping over at the lock
I walked on ahead with the key of power, reaching Fishpond Lock as a boat was coming down. The gates need to be closed to retrieve your key, Oleanna still a distance away the gates were closed so the lady could get back on her boat, I then reopened them.
Stourton Wharf
We’ve done this stretch a few times over the years. Today we spotted where Off Roader must come to. New ladders and steps over a wall, along with new mooring bollards. The canal isn’t wide enough for the big boat to wind by the mooring, so it must continue up to Knostrop Lock where there is plenty of room.
Thwaite Mill
Sadly Thwaite Mills is now closed. It was a great museum that we visited back in 2019. Reading up about it’s closure, Leeds City Council felt they couldn’t justify the £250,000 rent each year so had pulled out. It looks like the owners CRT have put it up for sale, but no one seems to know for how much or when. There used to be a mooring here that you could pay for a night, but now big signs say NO STOPPING!
4ft Mallard
Rowers were getting themselves sorted at Knostrop, glad we’d not set off any later as there were quite a few boats going out.
Knostrop Weir
Up the lock, time to look at the giant Mallard and the bridge over the weir before climbing back on board and heading up the wide expanse that once used to have a long island down the middle. No need to stop for the services so on to Leeds Lock, quite a shock to be in a short lock again!
Leeds Lock
Now the yellow river taxis appeared, they run between the Royal Armouries and Granary Wharf. I didn’t pop my head over the high wall to check for moorings in the basin, as we hoped to moor closer to the station, we’d return if we had to.
Heading into Leeds
Along the River Aire up to River Lock, Lock 1 of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. Sadly we won’t be ascending further than the first lock this year, the locks only available up to Skipton Friday to Monday due to low water.
River Lock
Windlass in hand and a handcuff key required now, the key of power put away. I tried to get the ground paddles to work, one wouldn’t unlock, the other only turned a couple of times so I’d have to use the gate paddles, carefully. The old rack system is easy to use, it pulls a wooden cover away from an opening to let the water through, there are more of these at Bingley. It took a while, I went back to try the ground paddle to see if the change in water pressure had made a difference, but it hadn’t.
Gate paddle gear
As ever it was windy in the wharf, we found a space, the rings not ideally positioned for us, but the boat ahead would be moving off in a couple of hours once they’d stocked up, food or weed I’m not sure which. Just as we got the covers up it hammered it down with rain, a perfect time to show Tilly how pants the mooring was.
A late lunch, followed by a run through with my model, then it was packed up ready for the morning.
Part of Wharf Mill
A chicken went in the oven, enough time to add some more minutes walking before it would be ready. I walked round the station then tried to find the river bank to follow upstream for a while. I seemed to be following an odd looking chap who was quite interested in people’s bags as he walked along. I took a detour and eventually made it back to the river only to find my route cut off by building work. Instead I had a wander around Tower Wharf, which we’ve seen develop over the years.
Looking towards Granary Wharf from the River Aire
I managed to pull out some yarn and do some knitting for the first time in two weeks, I’ve something to keep me occupied on the train southwards now.
Dali watching over Aire Street
4 locks, 5.4 miles, 1 grey day, 2 boaters boating again, 2 hours shore leave, 1 turned up nose to Leeds, 1 roast chicken, 100th pair cast on, 1 big box permenantly in an IKEA bag!
Another look through my sketches this morning before I sent a link. Time to forget about panto for day or two. Time to think about how we’d be getting back into the marina tomorrow after a night away. Still no-one had returned Micks phone messages, still no-one had replied to an email he’d sent yesterday, still tumbleweed!
Puddles!!! Remember them!
I sent a message to Sarah from NB Honky Tonk, well actually right now they live on Dutch Barge Pheonix. Might they be about tomorrow at around 4pm to be able to let us into the marina? She offered us a spare key and came to meet us at the gate. A quick exchange of greetings and thanks before we were off along the towpath to Woodlesford Station.
A bag of socks to finish off
From here we headed to Leeds, one stop, the dark red widebeam still moored just above Office Lock on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Out through the barriers to pick up something for lunch, M&S didn’t do too well, but I found a nice chicken salad. Then onto a train bound for London, time to catch up on a bit of knitting as the countryside whizzed by.
St Pancras
London was busy! It usually is, flashing lights and being funneled out of the station, was something happening, or was this just to accommodate football fans heading to Wembley? A long wait for the No 30 then we could sit back and enjoy the ride towards Hackney. That was until the bus decided to change its destination! Oh well we’ll get the Overground one stop. Nope that was closed for the weekend! Back on the bus, finally reaching our destination.
Today, Saturday, is Jac’s birthday. Big hugs all round and Josh had made a surprise visit for the weekend. Cuppas and chats, followed by exchanging presents. Jac got a mattress topper and some olives from us, Mick got an oil filter wrench and a head band to wear in bed which has flat speakers, so he can keep up with the test matches abroad without having ear buds in.
Jane, Jac and Kevin
Glad rags on, and face mask off for Jac, the next guests arrived bang on time. Jane and Kevin, who were over from Australia on a celebratory trip for a significant birthday of Janes earlier in the year. We last saw them in 2022, since then they have married, so there was even more to celebrate. Andrew and I grew up with Jane and her sister Emma, so there was lots to catch up on. Their celebratory trip funded by Inspector Morse, Jane was in an episode and her residual payments from one episode tend to be enough for a trip back to the UK and Europe every few years. A friend of Josh’s, Mia, bobbed in on a break from work to wish Jac a happy birthday. The pub where she works was very quiet this evening, so she managed to get the rest of the night off and came back to join us.
Pip, Mick, Josh, Mia, Jac, Jane, Andrew and Kevin
A very lovely evening, with very good company, a huge salmon, apple cake and homemade ice cream and maybe just a little bit too much wine!
Sunday morning there was only really enough time for a cuppa in bed with Ziggy and Finn and a brief chat with Andrew and Jac before we headed to catch our train, it was far too early for us to see Josh! Bus and tube, enough time to buy something to eat for brunch on the train then we were hurtling our way back northwards.
Opens in the autumn!
Tilly had looked after the boat well, but was understandably seriously bored!
Time to return the key to Sarah and Phil on Pheonix. We were invited inside for a cuppa, it’s always a bit of a shock going inside a wider boat, soooo much room! They bought Pheonix just over a year ago, Phil is tall and NB Honky Tonk was just a little bit too low when they decided to live onboard full time. NB Honky Tonk is moored on the Trent and Mersey currently and used to cruise further south when there is time.
A rather good clock on the underground
We’ve followed each other on Instagram for a few years and recently Sarah was added to the Ladies of Finesse group, so it was really nice to finally meet her and Phil. NB Honky Tonk was launched about a year after Oleanna, so we had quite a few things to chat about in common. Their evening meal was just about ready so we did our best not to disturb it too much and headed back to Oleanna to finalise a supermarket delivery and get something to eat ourselves.
A day of work and opening and closing doors and hatches for Tilly to come and go. She wasn’t too bad and with the heat of the day she mostly stayed asleep either on top of the drawing board slot or the bed. I think I should feature in panto this year! What do you think?
First thing was to open as many windows as I could, get some cool air into the boat. I suceeded and ended up having to wear a jumper until lunchtime, but I’m sure it made for a cooler day at the office overall. This mooring isn’t as shaded as the one we tried earlier plus it has the disadvantage of sticky overhanging trees, so it’s a good job I’d not got round to giving Oleanna a good old wash down.
The morning was spent re-reading Act 1 of the script, then looking out for more references. The afternoon was the same for Act 2. All references were put on Pinterest a handy tool, but from past experience if you share your boards with someone you may not end up looking at the same picture as they get jumbled up. So much of the evening was spent thinning them down in number and downloading them into a folder to share with John.
I’ve a few ideas formulating. Last time I did some sketches before our first meeting, then had to redo quite a lot of the work after talking to John, so I’ve held back from that so far, hopefully tomorrows meeting will be a good one and then I can get sketching.
One of the houses in the woods
In house news, the roofers arrived, delivered some materials, then went off to finish another job! Later in the day Mick heard their van had broken down so they’d be back with us on Wednesday morning. Mick believes them.
Six boats have been past all day. The first I knew was coming as Oleanna started to move about a LOT. It could only have been Off Roader. I’m kind of glad we moved moorings as she would have just started to pick up speed where we were before, so the wash would have been much bigger.
Gruffalo
Two boats pulled out from near our mooring. I strongly suspect one of them has a separating toilet and had off loaded their yellow water bottle very close to Oleanna’s side hatch this morning! I’m hoping the smell doesn’t return tomorrow.
Snow drifts
After lunch I went to stretch my legs and walk up the other side of the cut to see what a garden area was all about. Carved Gruffalos, the donkey from Puss in Boots. Further along the path there were houses in amongst the trees. Add to that seed filled snow drifts, it was really quite magical. I managed a few brisk hobbles before I got back to the boat, but nowhere near my usual. My calf just needs to take it easy for a while.
0 locks, 0 miles, 6 boats, 1 big bugger, 327 pins, 300 copied,1 hour of PA conversations, 1 FRIEND, 4 hours shore leave, 1.46 miles, 14 minutes brisk, 1 pile of roofing stuff, 0 roofer, 1 pair of socks hand delivered, 1 cat trying to pose for panto.
The wrong type of rain, moving kitchens, the one perfect rose, 4 clicks and it being a 2 slice Sunday were all subjects discussed this morning. I’d already had two slices of toast with my breakfast, bacon a serious treat this year nestled next to them.
Yum!
The Geraghty zoom had also been a try out to check if online meetings this week would be any good. Well I think we got away with it, but that wasn’t really good enough, especially when the IT department would be over an hour away by train! The other factor for moving was the large hole in the bank close by our stern and an inquisitive cat! We most probably moor close to such things all the time, but just knowing of its existence made us want to move up some.
Mick checked the EE coverage, not too far away it improved, he went for a bike ride, there was space, we’d move up.
I was about to push off when Mick reminded me we needed to deal with the yellow water tank today. Once that was done we waited for an ex-hire boat to come past, we’d be sharing the next lock with them. As we pootled along Oleanna’s engine hours clicked over to 6000!
Blue skies and anglers
The lady hopped off with windlass in hand, she won’t be needing that until they get to Leeds, she came back for a Key of Power. I chatted to the chap, the usual things, where have you come from, where you going?
They’d been in Sheffield for 18 months, been to York and got stuck in the floods (that must have been a few months ago) and were now aiming for Manchester. They weren’t aware of the immanent closure of the Leeds Liverpool Canal, currently planned to close on the 27th May, lock flights padlocked and locks ashed up. He thought if they were already on the canal then CRT would let them off the other end. Well, no, closed, means closed!
6,000 engine hours!
In the lock he was asking Mick how long it would take to get to the bottom of Wigan, 50 hours to my reckoning. So it’s doable if you don’t get stuck on the bottom or have to go to work four days a week as the chap does! We suggested he signs up for CRT stoppage notices.
We topped up the water tank and pootled on a little further before winding and mooring up. Plenty to keep Tilly occupied here so long as there’s not too many woofers and humans wanting to give me a stroke. Sorry to the passers-by who instead of a head nudge got a very aggressive HISS!
Strutting the towpath
Summer clothes were dug out from under the bed, serious winter jumpers and jeans that no longer fit me got tucked away. The drawing board came out from it’s slot, not sure I’ll get to use it in the next few days, but you never know and it’s hard for one person to get out.
Some more reference pictures were put together. Art Nouveau, roses, tents.
Mick headed off mid afternoon to catch the train back to Scarborough, roofing works starting in the morning.
To use up some butter beans left over from a warm chicken salad we had the other day I put together a Yaxni. I’d not heard of it before, a Greek potato stew. My version will definitely be made again and I’ve got enough left over for another day. Click the photo for the recipe.
Pip’s Yaxni
1 lock, 6000 engine hours, 1 boat now on a mission, 1 boat settling down for a while to work, 1 cat, 82 trees, 288 pictures, 1 improved internet, 1 worse TV signal, 1 PA check in, 1 teams meeting to Scarborough, 1000 paces hobbled, 0 brisk minutes, 2 legs having a rest, pair 67 cast on.
Alarms set both in York and Scarborough. When I woke up I wondered if I’d survive the day! My cold now a touch chesty, should I really be beathing in peoples faces at the hospital? I tried ringing for advice, but when I’d only moved one place in the queue I decided I should head for the hospital before ran out of time, if I was turned away so be it.
Bluebell workshop
In Scarborough Mick greeted a chap who’d come to clean the oven, it’s now all sparkling and gleaming for our next lodgers. We’ve decided to get someone in to do this every year rather than Mick spending a whole day doing it. There was also a chap who came to replace the glazing in one of our recently double glazed windows. We’d noticed it was going cloudy when the sun hit it on very cold days. He made himself a workshop in amongst the bluebells of the front garden, I suspect his touch up paint went off quickly. The lean too out the back also needed clearing out, Tilly’s tree and our barbeque were moved and Mick worked his way through washing the towels and bed linen from our last lot of lodgers, an hour on the line and they were dry.
An empty waiting room
At the hospital I wore a mask and awaited my turn in the Ophthalmology Department. Area B, to A, to C, then back to B for a very long wait. In fact I was the last person sat in the waiting room before lunch. The doctor looked deep into my eyes, then added stinging yellow drops. Her comments were that I had no signs of glaucoma and maybe it’s just the way my eyes are that things aren’t totally visible. But my vision is good, very good, even though I know I miss quite a lot on the periphery vision test. I’ve not been discharged, but will have a recall in ten to twelve months, so I’m happy with that.
A Japanese tourist posing in front of the Minster with hat and glasses on she could have been anyone.
In Scarborough today it’s polling day for our new Town Council. Mick went to put crosses in boxes for the both of us. We must remember to reapply for our postal votes next time.
The river was busy with day boats pootling up and down in the sunshine. Tilly was chased by a couple of woofers, one who wanted to follow her onto the boat, so they got short shrift from me.
An hour of engine to charge the batteries up, I suspect if we’d been sat in direct sunlight all day the solar would have done it for us, but I’d rather have a cool boat.
Sunny tree gobos on the New Walk
Thursday. An earlier start for me to beat Frank to the hospital where he had another appointment today, I really didn’t want to miss this one and arrived before most of the staff. My cold was still loitering so it was another morning wearing a mask. There was lots to absorb and questions to ask, then lots to talk about over a cuppa afterwards. We then walked into town where Frank headed off to peruse the vinyl in HMV and I managed to tick off the start to some secret shopping, it’s May and there’s quite a lot of birthdays coming up.
He’s out sailing again
I returned to Oleanna. My PA role for Frank needed to be handed over to the Scarborough PA. Then some knitting in front of a film which kept on being interrupted by the amount of traffic on the river, you could tell it was a Friday of a Bank Holiday weekend, lots of cruisers heading into town.
I think I’ve had enough of this outside now
In Scarborough today our lean to was dismantled (it would have done it itself before too long), and the now exterior walls have all been covered in black plastic to protect them from the elements for a while. It doesn’t half make the back of the house dark! Mick was back a little after 6pm, so tomorrow we can make a move again.
In flotilla news, all the boats are now in London. Those that hadn’t made it through Maida Tunnel are settling themselves in at Little Venice for Cavalcade this weekend. This did mean they had to get the bus round to St Pancras Cruising Club for a Fund Britain’s Waterways do. Two boats had already made it there, the tunnel is still closed, so they may stay there until they head down to Limehouse to muster for the cruise to the Houses of Parliament next week. Other boats will be heading to Brentford to cruise down the Thames, through the barrier then back to Limehouse when the tide suites. Link to petition, please sign it if you haven’t already.
Blue Bridge over the entrance to the River Foss
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 sparkling oven, 1 newly glazed window, 1 clear lean to, 2 appointments, 2 yellow eyes, 10 months, 2 annoying woofers, 37 day boats, 1 M&S sandwich for lunch, 1 dismantled lean to, 6 loads washing dried, 2 PAs, 1 afternoon knitting, 9.31 miles walk over 2 days, 96 minutes briskly over 2 days, 128 pages, 2 boaters ready to move on.
Tilly was given shore leave, she could have most of the day if she wanted it. We settled down and enjoyed poached eggs, tomatoes and mushrooms on toast, oh and some black pudding sneaked in there too, yummy.
Sunny Naburn
Then a phone call made us reconsider our existing plan for the next few days. Mick needed to be at the house, I needed to be at York Hospital for an appointment and now there was another appointment which if I could attend it would be a good thing. We’d planned on staying in Naburn until our booked passage back to Selby. Yesterday I’d taken photos of the bus timetable, only every two hours. If we headed back into York however, we’d both be able to walk to the station and hospital making things much easier. Decision made, we’d be heading back into York.
Next pair finished
We emptied the yellow water into our container and Mick walked it to the elsan hoping to catch the Lock Keeper to check on times for our departure in a few days time. The number of boats that had arrived in the last hour suggested Kenny might be busy penning them all down and sure enough he was.
A second trip to the services proved better timed. Our locking would be at 12:45. Mick also enquired about passage from York to Barmby Lock where you gain access to the River Derwent and the Pocklington Canal. When he’d asked about this in Selby, Nigel had said levels were low, but hopefully by the time we wanted to head that way they would be improved. Kenny however said the Pocklington was now closed until October! Someone had left a paddle up and drained the canal and with little water available to top it up…. well!
Time about to tick away in the breeze
We may need to replan our summer. That is the second waterway we’d hoped to cruise this year closed until October. We need to confer with Graeme and Vicky, if we can get hold of them.
Tilly was encouraged home. It’s good this outside, can we keep it for a while? Sorry!
We untied and pushed off, heading back upstream. We’re getting to know these five or so miles very well! A Kingfisher decided to escort us after we’d passed Bishopthorpe Palace, staying until I’d got a reasonable photo of it.
Hello
Where should we moor? We’d only just pulled away from Museum Gardens and the mooring there has very little shade for the increasing temperatures. Or should we pull in on the rings by Millennium Bridge where the Chilled Medication boat moors during the day, there was lots of spare room there. With the sun out the medication would be flying out of the boat, hardly a good place for Tilly to get shore leave. So a touch further on where there was currently shade, also the rings in the bank were big enough to pass our ropes straight through, so not too much hassle mooring.
I had a slow walk around the block, but my cold meant I fell far short of minutes and steps today. I called into Alligator to see if they had any millet flour, but sadly they didn’t. The lady tried her best to sell me other gf flours or even some bread, but all I wanted was some millet flour to try out some recipes for myself.
Lines in the sky
Mick headed off late afternoon to Scarborough. He caught the train he used to catch when he worked in York 11 years ago, in case any of the regulars were still traveling, but no-one was familiar. Tilly and I had a quiet evening, the boat cooling down after the high temperatures today, I got on with blowing my nose and knitting whilst Tilly got on with her cat naps.
News on the Strawberry Island Cruising Club flotilla to London. All boats have arrived in London, but a fire at Maida Tunnel has split the flotilla in two. Some have remained in Little Venice where Cavalcade is this coming weekend, whilst others are on the Eco Moorings nearer Kings Cross. Here’s hoping the tunnel reopens on Friday so they can all make Cavalcade.
0 locks, 4.9 miles, 1 more river and canal closed this summer, 1 shady mooring, 1 wee tank empty, 2 outsides for Tilly, 1 train, 25 minutes late, 1.98 miles walked, 22 minutes briskly, 1 pair of socks ready for hand delivery, 1 pair of socks finally designed, well 1 more alteration from heel up, 9pm generator stopped, 10pm generator started up but on the move.
Tuesday and the world was that bit quieter. This morning the rowers were from the older end of the spectrum, grey haired and not quite so feisty with their strokes. I was also not so feisty about anything, a sore throat I’d hoped was hay fever was turning into a cold. This meant cancelling our morning coffee meet up with a friend.
Choochoo
Several boats left the moorings, Mick headed off to stock up on Lemsips for me and also pick up a fresh box of tissues. I then set off to pop two pairs of socks in the post. Being just across the river from the main sorting office in York should have made it easy to drop the parcel off, but I stuck to the river bank instead of walking down a path at the back of the building, so ended up walking all the way round under the bar walls, along the road that had been worked on last night to find the post box.
I then headed to have a look at the old station and The Grand Hotel with it’s fab weather vane on top. Round the corner seems to be a small Chinese area, several restaurants and supermarkets. We’d run out of rice paper to make spring rolls so I was keen to replace them. Job done I walked back round the other side of the river to get back to Oleanna.
Leaving Earnest behind
A supermarket delivery arrived at the bottom of Marygate for us, items stowed a bite to eat for lunch. There was no reason to stay put in York for another day so we rolled up the covers, waited for day boats to pass, then pushed off, winding and heading down stream.
As we approached the University Rowing Club moorings we could see that Philli’s smaller boat was end out into the river. Had someone untied it? Well yes, Philli! She was turning it round , so another chance to say hello, have the boat pointed out that we should be able to breast up against when we’re next in York so that we can enjoy a glass or two of wine on Sabrina W.
Millennium Bridge
Another pause to see our house then on past numerous young people who’d been swimming. Archbishops Palace where the flag had returned to the top of it’s flag pole. What a lovely day to be on the river cruising.
Philli pulling round Ryan J
We pulled down the lock cut at Naburn, the floating pontoon by the weir was full. Straight to the water point to fill up and put a load of washing on. We’d survived a full week on one tank of water so really needed a refill.
Fulford Hall with swimmers
Whilst at New Walk, Oleanna had got seriously dripped on by trees, she’d become so sticky. Then with all the silty sand that gets blown about along with bird deposits she needed a wash. Well she didn’t get the full works but a rinse off with river water, twice to get rid of the worst of it, the windows will need a touch more attention when the bank is at a better height.
That’s more like it!
We moved back along the moorings, other boats pulling up for water or to await the lock tomorrow. Time for some quality shore leave for Tilly.
0 locks, 6 miles, 2 winds, 1 pack of papers, 1 bottle soy sauce, 2 pairs socks posted, 1 pair ends woven in, 1 Earnest, 10 lemsips, 1 box tissues, 3.28 miles walked, 34 minutes briskly, 1 owl for company.
Subjects covered on the Geraghty zoom this morning included, 10 year old shopping, 10 pin bowling, the Popes Funeral and rowing. This has been relayed to me as I was out walking to meet a complete stranger somewhere on the river bank.
It was lovely and warm, but I had to keep my red fleece and pink (used to be red) cap on as I looked out for a woman wearing orange trousers. Our route had been confirmed along the east bank of the river and which streets would be walked. A message came through saying that she’d set off from her end, I set off at speed hoping to get back onto the river bank before we met.
Pip and Philli
Once on New Walk I kept my eyes peeled for a pair of orange trousers, had she meant bohemian orange trousers? Or hi-vis orange work wear? Past where we’d been moored last week I could see the occasional flash of bright hi-vis orange, yep that had to be Philli with Pickle her dog.
Pickle!
Philli ownsSabrina W on the York University Rowing Club moorings, we’d been trying to meet up to hand over a pair of socks, but she’s been working nights and could only call in before 8am, not a time that we are usually dressed. Big hugs and a treat for Pickle then lots and lots to talk about. I am the first Facebook ‘Boat Woman’ she’s met and the first time she’s met another Phillipa, well she’s a Philippa. Both born and beard in York with connections to Fulford. Then there were connections to the world of theatre and the learning disabled. Try to stop us talking in the sunshine, poor Pickle was getting a touch bored of all the gabbing. I did however find out about the temporary path on Fulford Ings.
A few years ago when the river had been in flood constantly for what felt like months and the moorers could only get to and from their boats by rowing boat, the amount of sewage that escaped from a pipe that crosses the Ings was appalling. Manhole covers were excrement volcanos! She had obviously made quite a fuss about this and last summer had a visit from Fergal Sharkey, who has been campaigning to stop the water companies from discharging sewage into the rivers. Well soon afterwards work started on replacing the old sewage pipe. Well done Philli.
Philli’s socks
Finally I handed over her socks, her favourite colours and a portrait of Sabrina W. Thank you Philli for the photos of them later on, it was great to meet you and yes we will visit when we’re next in York, I really want to have a look around Sabrina W.
Enjoying the sunshine
Back to Oleanna for a late breakfast and potter before the London Leckenbys came by on their way to the station. A food parcel of pork and salad bits was deposited with us, hugs all round then they were away to Scarborough Bridge and the station, Andrew and Jac back to London and Josh returning to Manchester.
A visit from Diana
Sitting out in the sunshine we awaited our next visitor, Diana an old family friend. It was lovely to see her and show her Oleanna, she now can picture us onboard when I post photos on Facebook. There was lots of news from her family to catch up on and news from Fulford, sadly most of this was about people passing away. None the less we had a very jolly two hours in her company.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 boat women met, 1 pair of socks handed over, 1 very late breakfast, 3 Leckenbys on their way, 3 meals worth of leftover pork, 1 Diana, 1 kg put on, 4.22 miles walked, 51 minutes briskly, 1 more day of indulgence to come.
*If you watch the film about Sabrina W you’ll see how Selby has changed. I can’t imagine pushing round Selby Swing bridge now and polling a dumb barge through it, hefty hefty work!
