Category Archives: Theatre Design

I Wonder Who Lives Down There? 10th May

Castleford to above Lemonroyd Lock

Two outsides again for Tilly today. This end of the moorings seems to be preferential, maybe there’s not quite so much fence to get through. She wasn’t seen for quite sometime as we had breakfast and then made a big fuss when the door stayed closed after she’d come in.

I walked round over the lock and then towards the flood lock, my calf still playing up a little, my morning stretches a little hard to do right now.

On the roof of one of the long term moorers sits a car. At closer quarters I don’t think it’s a very useful car as it has four flat tyres and if you sneezed close to it it would disintegrate into a pile of rust dust.

The flood lock was open both ends so no need for me to press buttons, I just needed a lift. Castleford flood lock used to have a bridge over it, there’s still the remains of it, but pedestrians can’t cross it and with both sets of gates open to boat traffic it’s quite a long way round to the road bridge as two cyclists found out.

We turned right onto the river. Early last year we’d been stuck at Castelford due to flooding and waited for the lock light to return to amber from flashing red, we made a dash this way towards Leeds as soon as we could to escape the night time generators. Today the river was tranquil, three herons stood fishing at the waters edge, only flying off as we approached. The willow drifting in the air like snow and lying on the waters surface.

We passed several boats coming towards us, would the big lock at Lemonroyd still be empty when we reached it? Or would it have had time to refill? It came into sight, it had started to refill, by the time I’d got to the pedestal it was level with the next pound. I waited for Mick to secure the bow line to the lock landing then set the paddles going. So much water! It takes ages to empty, I was surprised that the gongoozlers stayed to watch us so long.

A top up of water was required. Plenty of boats moored by the water point. Thankfully Sarah from NB Honky Tonk, a Finesse boat, had warned us that the water point was out of action. Not good! But there was another tap at the service block if we moored close to it then our hoses might just stretch to reach it. If not the next place would be to moor close to the marina entrance and they’d try to pass a hose out to us. We managed the former solution and filled the tank up, lending it to the cruiser moored in front to top them up as well. I had a shower as we filled up to keep the tank at full for as long as possible.

**A new rowing centre since we were last here**

Onwards to the mooring we prefer. Under the bridge, past the arm and alongside some trees which would hopefully give shade in the afternoon. Shops quite close, water point nearish and Woodlesford Station along with plenty of things to keep Tilly occupied. She was given four hours shore leave and told not to use this outside all up today, ‘It’s got to last you a while Tilly!’

With most things ticked off the list of mooring requirements, over lunch the internet was tried out. It was okay, not as quick as I’d have liked, but okay.

A walk up to the Co-op for some bread and a few bits. I set off, sadly half way there my calf complained, so brisk walking had quite a hobble to it. The Co-op maybe hadn’t been the best choice as many of their shelves were empty after their IT problems of late, but I managed to get enough provisions to last a while.

Two boats had pulled up, who could blame them it’s a nice mooring, but they had three woofers! Then I spotted quite a sizable hole about ten foot away from our stern. Too deep to just be woofers digging, was it a fox or badgers home? Maybe here wasn’t such a good place to be after all!

Then the internet slowed right down too, hard for websites to load, not so good for online meetings. We may be moving in the morning!

2 locks, 1 being an open flood lock, 4.5 miles, 1 right, 3.54 miles walked, 51 minutes briskly, 2 hose filling,1 shower, 10 gongoozlers, 1 tea boat, 1 quiet mooring, 2 more boats, maybe another 2, 3 woofers, 1 big hole, 1 painful calf, 1 not so perfect mooring.

https://what3words.com/comic.action.sleeps

Freda’s Garden. 9th May

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Stubbs Bridge to Castleford Moorings

I opted to walk ahead again today, covering the same route up to Bank Dole Junction that I’d walked a few days ago. Then onwards crossing over Trundles Lane Bridge turning left to walk along the towpath towards Ferrybridge. A lady walked her three dogs, all pretty strong. Other dogs made a beeline for them, smaller dogs barking and straining on their leads for blood! Just what was it about these woofers to cause such a fuss?

Freda’s garden is an immaculate length of the towpath. Roses, Lilies, shrubs all very pretty and cared for by the community in Freda’s memory Freda used to live in a cottage by the canal and she treated the stretch of towpath between Cow Lane Bridge and Shepherds Bridge as if it were her own garden, it is now tended by volunteers in her memory.

As I approached the flour mill Oleanna was catching me up, Mick knocked back the revs to accompany my pace. Boats were moored by the amphitheatre, rope added to old mooring ring fixings to make this possible.

The path then moves to on top of the bank, a narrow strip of land separating the canal from the River Aire with it’s weir. The flood lock would be open today, so I’d arranged to be picked up just before it, my brisk minutes done for the day.

Out onto the River Aire, under Ferry Bridge designed by John Carr in 1797. This reach of the river used to be interesting, but since the cooling towers of Ferrybridge Power Station were demolished it’s just another river with willow trees exploding their seeds everywhere, the air thick with them.

Someone has tried to add a bit of interest by building a wooden structure, possibly for a tree house or just a good place to launch oneself into the river. Under the A1M, the railway bridge. Then Bulholme Railway Bridge came into view, the lock off the river just beyond it.

Key of Power in hand I emptied the lock, a cruiser was getting ready to come down, so the lady pressed the buttons at the top end for us. Now to find a mooring.

We didn’t want to be too far along and be near the permanent moorings as the boats there tend to run their gennies late, very late at night. So we were pleased to see plenty of space nearer the lock to tie up to. Tilly got to have an explore, her second outside of the day, before we headed out to do a bit of shopping in Cas (Castleford).

The nearby Premier shop didn’t have anything for my lunches, todays special had been a foot long hot dog, so we had to carry on into town to the supermarkets. Morrisons did it’s best for us and a red onion was purchased off a green grocer. We made sure we crossed the river on the curvy bridge so we’d get some respite from the cars.

On our way back to the boat we called in at what we’ve always thought was a garden centre. They had a Thyme plant, my old one bought from a boat had finally died last year. There was also a big bag of kindling which Mick picked up. They also sell a LOT of booze, kegs of beer and bottles of all sorts of flavoured spirits.

This afternoon I went through CV’s of potential props makers and put the top six in order of preference. Then I started to collect reference pictures for Panto. Set in 1890’s France I had a lot to look through on Pinterest and set up a board to look at later.

2 locks, 1 open, 8.2 miles, 1 left, 0 cooling towers, 1 lovely garden, 2 outsides, 1 pooped cat, 1 sunny day again, 1 thyme plant, £6 bag of kindling, 1 heat wave now guaranteed to continue, 1 PA catch up, 6 possibles, 6.43 miles walked, 53 minutes briskly, 1 warm chicken salad.

https://what3words.com/paints.double.pile

Minutes Not Hours! 8th May

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Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal to Stubbs Bridge, Aire and Calder Navigation

Shore leave was granted this morning for 90 minutes. 90 BRILLIANT!!! As we finished breakfast Tilly got a call from the hatch, this was shortly followed by me putting on my shoes to do the mad cat woman up and down the towpath. Yesterday we’d been joined by NB Ampere so I even had witnesses to my calling into the friendly cover.

**We’re seeing lots of big broods this year**

After five minutes or so I thought I heard Tilly’s bell. It gradually worked towards me and she popped out from between the nettles. You said 90! It’s no where near 90 hours yet!! She reluctantly headed towards Oleanna, her moves suggesting that if I didn’t grab hold of her soon then we’d be waiting for quite sometime whilst she decided whether to use shore based facilities or not! Thankfully I managed to pick her up quickly without too much of a Rugby tackle, the onboard facilities used quite promptly and would have ended up being her choice anyway.

**Lots of egg shells and skeletal remains on the towpath**

I clicked the Nebo link to on and then headed off to walk ahead with the key of power in my pocket. Along the New Junction to the bridge over the Went Aqueduct then along the towpath towards Pollington Lock. Back in December 2020 or January 2021 Mick and I walked the last stretch of this trying to get to see the slipped banking that happened after the big breach on the Aire and Calder. A pleasant walk with only a couple of slight bends, no sign of Oleanna following me though until I’d got quite close to the lock.

Two boats were just coming into the lock, three people wearing life jackets walked from one end of the lock to the other, there were volunteers on duty. The area around the lock always looks smart so I suspect they spend most of their time cutting the grass etc, but today they were being kept busy with boats.

The bywash pushed the exiting boats towards the towpath, not enough umph applied, where as Mick knew what was coming so upped the revs and zoomed through into the lock.

I’d achieved my brisk walking for the day, but was short on steps, however over the last couple of days my right calf has been complaining, I think after trying to open Beal Lock, so I decided that that would be it for today, leaving some stretches of the Aire and Calder yet to be walked.

**Different surfaces and textures around lock gates**

No volunteers at Whitley Lock, Mick hovered in the lock so the paddle held him to the side, it’s a side filler and if you stay on the left hand side going up it’s easy. On past Eggborough moorings, the same boat still moored here. We are getting to recognise the local boats that nudge up and down the Aire and Calder and wonder if we’ll be considered to be one of them in the coming weeks.

We pulled in a little earlier than we had done the other day, managing to find rods in the chunky armco to use chains to moor up. Tilly was given 4 HOURS shore leave. The roof here was a very good vantage point, but before I could make the most of it I had to make sure everything on the roof was still mine. Strange noises of cat scratching came from the roof as Tilly made sure that pesky grey cat’s scent was eradicated from everything.

Work wise I worked through my annotated script adding my notes to a list, from this I now know where each scene is set, what it requires set pieces wise and whether it is a front cloth scene or full stage scene. Some of the scenes may reuse the setting from an earlier scene, but they also may require different bits and bobs of dressing.

**Yesterday outside the Houses of Parliament**

The campaign cruise left West India Dock this morning and most probably split three ways, some back in at Limehouse, others Brentford and the rest up to Teddington to head up stream on the Thames. Petition if you still haven’t signed it.

2 locks, 8.2 miles, 2.98 miles walked, 48 minutes briskly, 2 outsides, 1 cat who only works in hours, 1 mad cat woman, 5 pages notes, 2 scenic breakdown, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/newly.springing.gladiators

The Big Ship Sails. 7th May

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Spicers Auctioneers to Sykehouse Junction, New Junction Canal

**Was it a cat last night or the ghost of one?**

With the washing drawer now empty and socks and pants fully dried in the tumble drier we could move on. First to the water point to fill with clean water, empty the yellow and put our first food waste into the new bins. A bag of coal was also purchased from the marina.

As I sat waiting for the tank to fill I watched social media following the campaign boats now out on the River Thames. So many boats had moored at Limehouse Basin last night there were quite a few lockings required. Once outside the Houses of Parliament the boats winded and stemmed the tide waiting for 11am when all 27 boats sounded their horns. King Charles went past them on an Uber Boat, he was there to look at the new super sewer really. They then all headed back down stream to West India Dock where they all fitted into the one lock to get off the tidal waters.

**Boats all gathered in Limehouse Basin ready for the off**

We winded again and headed down to Viking Marina service mooring. Here we pulled alongside NB Felix that was having some work done by Alastair to it’s gear box. The diesel tank was topped up, not quite to the top, when it reached 100 litres the pump stopped automatically, 89p a litre. We were actually a day early tomorrow the price will go down to 82p with the next delivery. A bottle of gas was manhandled along the gunnels to the bow, we were all topped up and ready to go again.

Ahead in the docks were a couple of new boats. One looked a touch strange and a bit too tall! Amadeus Saffir is a modern boat, built last year, with a wind-assist system, basically it has sails to help reduce it’s fuel consumption further than it’s diesel-electric propulsion can. An interesting boat.

Time to head off. I hitched a ride to Rawcliffe where I jumped off behind Syntan to walk the remainder of the way to Sykehouse Junction and the New Junction Canal. Mick headed off at usual cruising speed along these deep wide waterways, far quicker than I could walk, so he soon vanished into the distance after passing Off Roader that was on it’s return trip from Leeds. As it approached the anglers all shouted to each other to grab their keep nets, otherwise their catch would be dragged away from them as the big boat passed.

The area where the bank has been mended seriously needs a good water to help the grass grow. A nice aspect for a mooring, just a shame the M18 was audible and the cooling towers of Drax were just out of view.

As I approached the houses by Beaver Bridge a security system sprung into action. A loud BEEP then the camera with two flashing white lights followed my every move along the towpath. I wonder whether it caught me pausing for a quite a while at the bridge.

Here a pair of (I think) juvenile Peacocks were just as interested in me as I was them. Where had they come from? We’ve passed a barge with a peacock on it’s roof before at Rawcliffe and there is a peacock farm in Holme on Spalding Moor, but surely that’s too far away for them to have escaped from. All the same they kept me captivated for quite a while.

A big fishing match was taking place at the reservoir, anglers crammed in next to each other. As I turned onto the New Junction Mick messaged me saying Tilly was coming to find me. Well I was obviously too scary and she ran away back to Oleanna despite me calling for her. Hey ho! She did go back out and enjoyed much of her four hours, in fact she needed quite a bit of encouragement to come home!

I’d planned to go through the panto script again today making lists, but emails came through from John (writer/director) with various notes about the show and then a long list of people who have applied to be props maker this year. Sadly the wonderful Jo can’t give enough time to the show anymore, I knew this was likely as we’d chatted last year, so I wasn’t surprised. So now I need to go through CVs to see who should be considered. There is one name I know in the pile, but would they be the best person for the job?

This evening I’ve tried out a new gluten free pasta recipe, I made up a lasagne which we haven’t had for ages. A third each instead of half proved to be ample portions, one third left over for a working girl when she’s on her own.

0 locks, 6.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 25kg coal, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 100 litres diesel, 1 gas bottle, 0 Alfie, 4.28 miles walked, 71 minutes briskly, 2 sails, 6 prop makers, 3 emails, 0 notes, 4 hours shore leave, no you can’t give this mooring yet another stamp of approval Tilly!

https://what3words.com/piano.hoping.efficient

Cat Burglar. 6th May

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Spicers Auctioneers, Goole

At around 2am I was woken by a noise. The sort of noise that Tilly occasionally creates when she pears out of the bathroom porthole and moves the glass a little and it clinks against the frame. There was no Tilly curled up on the bed with me, maybe she was peeking out of the porthole. I went to see what was happening asking her to keep the noise down.

She was curled up on the sofa, nowhere near the porthole.

The lights at the auctioneers are really quite bright, I’d considered putting a bung in the bathroom porthole but hadn’t got round to it. I could see the shadow of a figure sat outside. I peeked round the glass just how Tilly does.

Sat staring straight at me was a smoky grey cat. I said hello, it didn’t reply. It leant forward and tried to open the window again, no luck. It peered over it’s shoulder then back at me. I closed the window expecting it to run away, but no it just sat there.

“Sorry Tilly’s not coming out to play tonight, she doesn’t like cats“, I said. It still didn’t reply. I closed the porthole and put the bung in, that should stop it from trying to break in again.

A walk after breakfast for some supplies. Down to Ocean Lock, across the top gates then into town. A stop off at Boyes to see if they had a caddy for our food waste, they did. Then on to Morrisons for the rest of of the shopping and some suitable liners for the caddy. Goole has the first food waste bin we’ve seen, (CRT is introducing better recycling across the network) so we need to start doing our bit, not that we didn’t before. Just need to find somewhere in the small galley to keep the caddy!

An email came from John Terry at Chippy regarding a scene in panto with a link to show what was meant. When reading the script yesterday I’d got a little confused at a scene in Act 2, things seemed to jump, then jump back. A previous version of the scene had somehow got mixed into the pdf I’d been sent. By lunchtime I had a tidied up version of the script 10 pages shorter. John had been in a rush to get a script to me before last weekend. Time to sit down and re-read the script this time highlighting bits as I went on the computer, I’ll print it out later.

Mick arrived back from Scarborough, the next stage of works completed at the house and an annual check up at the doctors all done. He was told he needed to be quiet as I still had more to read, this time it making a lot more sense, well as much as a Panto ever does!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 train, 1 new caddy, 1 rucksack not zipped up properly, 0 shopping lost, phew! 1 cat burglar, 1 sleeping guard cat, version 1.2 of panto read and noted, 2 ships, 4.12 miles walked, 65 minutes briskly.

To Goole And To Work. 5th May

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Stubbs Bridge to Spicers Auctioneers, Goole.

Tilly was allowed some more shore leave as we had breakfast, She could have taken the full 90 minutes, but chose to come in a while before it elapsed, the doors did not reopen. Overnight the laptop had finished doing what it had been doing for over 24 hours and thankfully all the folders and photos had synced too!

Yesterday the temperature had dropped, today it came accompanied by quite a head wind as we moved off. Blimey oh riley it was perishing out there! Extra layers had been donned but really weren’t enough, I looked forward to getting back inside to be by the stove.

At Whitley Lock we’d just been beaten by the crew from a small cruiser, he’d not seen us approaching and had just started to drop the full lock for his boat. Oh well. I asked how far they were going today, he said ‘we’re aiming to get to Manchester’. He did know that would be impossible to achieve today! He wasn’t sure which route they’d be taking, although the Leeds Liverpool is the only route across the Pennines that is currently open.

By the time I’d penned them up another boat was arriving below so I could hop onboard and let the next crew operate the lock for us. It seemed to be getting colder as the morning continued, a little jig was required to keep from getting frost bite or so it seemed. Along the next three miles or so, anglers lined the banks, a chilly pass time for this Bank Holiday Monday.

**Off Roader the new working barge on the Aire and Calder**

At Pollington Lock a lady beat me to the top lock panel, she opened the full lock for us. Below there were two boats waiting to come up, a narrowboat just appearing in the distance and the huge Off Roader Commercial Barge moored up on the lower lock landing. I opted to get back onboard and travel down with Oleanna, resting my key of power.

**A lovely little boat waiting to go up**

A cruiser was clinging onto the side of Off Roader just where the strong bywash wanted to send us. Mick had to seriously up the revs to avoid any possibility of contact.

The rifle range was very busy, we could hear them from miles away. Zooming in, there seemed to be crowds lining up to shoot guns, not an obvious choice for a Bank Holiday Monday for us. At Sykehouse Reservoir windsurfers zoomed across the lake with the force of the wind.

Straight on for us today, round the corner to face Drax Power Station. This is normally a sight we see at the end of our boating year, but it’s far from that now.

Heading towards Rawcliffe we could see quite a big boat approaching us. Was this Syntan, one of the Beverley Barges? I’d spotted on their Facebook group that they have moved their boats to Rawcliffe as the River Hull is currently closed due to collapsing banks. They must have sneaked past the banks to have got to the Aire and Calder. They are running boat trips for members from Goole throughout May. To become a member is only £10 which includes a ride on Syntan, we may consider joining.

**Hard to recognise under all the layers**

As we passed we waved and had our photo taken. Hang on, did we know the chap at the helm? Jeremy used to be the Production Manager at Watford Palace Theatre when I worked there many moons ago. He’s lived in Beverley for some years now and I knew he was connected to the barges. We last saw him at Lizzie’s 50th last year. I waved even more, but then Mick pointed out that he’d have no chance of seeing who we were due to all our layers!

**They came into Goole to wind later, I wasn’t quick enough to say hello.**

On into Goole. Where to moor? We ended up opting for a paid for mooring outside what used to be the Waterways Museum, now Spicers Auctioneers. The office was closed but word was to pay in the pub at the marina, £15 a night including electric. The stove could be allowed to go out and the Alde boiler could take over the heating whilst plugged in, the washing machine could also go on too.

Mick packed a bag, another trip to Scarborough tonight. We walked into town, Mick to the station and me to Tescos for something to eat this evening.

Back on board it was time to do some work. Whilst this lot prints itself out I’m going to take you back to the beginning of February when I received a two sentence email.

How was life without a panto?! Would you be interested in discussing this coming winter’s show, or was life better without?

When this arrived we were on our way back from visiting boat painters in Cheshire. Mick immediately and rightly reeled off the cons for doing panto again. The way it takes over both our lives for months and me being away for four to five weeks during rehearsals were the main ones. On my next walk I thought about it. I realised I’d been hoping such an email would land, but did I want to do panto again?

If it was possible to get the show designed earlier in the year, that would free up more time for boating in the summer. The first few years of working on Panto we were living onboard full time so Oleanna was on the South Oxford Canal, meaning I could return home at weekends. Maybe this would make sense to do again and then work our way back north around stoppages to reach the boat painters at New Year (rivers dependant). This would mean Oleanna could be lifted out, saving us some money on our CRT licence until she’s been painted. Also being there a few months before our slot means we might be able to be painted earlier if someone gets stuck because of flooding.

We don’t like leaving the house unoccupied during the winter, but if we can get some actors from the Christmas show in Scarborough that would be perfectly timed. In the last month we’ve already got one of our favourite actresses booked in! Just need another to bring the plan fully together.

With building work happening at the house over the next couple of months, we’ll have quite a few days where we won’t be cruising. So instead I can spend days working, spread out in the boat, whilst Mick is at the house overseeing things.

So, I have obviously said yes to Chippy Panto.

So today I started work. Time to read the script for Beauty and The Beast. Tilly wasn’t too enthralled so decided to empty the washing drawer instead! Thanks Tilly! It took me until 10pm to read through the first draft of the script.

On work days I’m wanting to concentrate on working, so we get to enjoy full days boating when we can. I’m hoping to still post everyday, but they may well be short posts, we’ll see. I’m aware that some of our readers now attend Chippy Panto on an annual basis, who knows more may go this year too, so I’ll do my best not to post too many spoilers.

2 locks, 14.7 miles, 1 straight on, 24567 anglers, 1 bitter day, 2 many layers, 4 sails, £15 a night, 0.75 of water, 1 load washing, 1 train, 3.29 miles walked, 43 brisk minutes, 1st reading of 128 pages, 1 panto out of the bag, 1 model box still in the cupboard, 1 Indian meal for 1, 1 bored cat, 1 woofer in Panto, 0 cats in Panto, She should have turned it down!

https://what3words.com/skippers.blossom.bagels

Packing Up. 18th March

Scarborough

We are now into the run down for returning to Oleanna. We’re down to one ears wait!

**Our last Sunday walk on the Esplanade**

I had managed to find other things to do to help avoid cleaning things like the oven, but that avoidance didn’t go quite to plan. A day keeping a good friend company at a hospital appointment went too well and rather than being there most of the day it only took a few hours before positive results came flooding through. I had thought I’d be able to attend my last mosaic session which would have aided my avoidance, but the lady who runs the sessions had come down with a lurgy so an afternoon of sticking tiles to brown paper was called off. Only one thing for it, carry on with the packing and cleaning.

There are various items that go too and fro to the boat each time we move. Sometimes they are needed, other times they just stay in the boat cupboard waiting to return, then they get tucked away under the dinette.

A big light weight box was delivered, packing removed from inside and the space being taken up by a lot of air was used to pack light things including a bunch of bayleaf twigs, thank you Frank! The box will be reduced in size as soon as I have time and some space on the boat. Documents read and amended. An enquiry from an actor regarding digs later in the summer was replied to.

Gradually the dining room filled up with items to head to Oleanna. Tilly stayed calm, she was asleep for most of the time! The occasional sniff round things just to check we were packing in a sensible way. Overflow fridge moved inside as the lean to will be dismantled in a few weeks time and only one of us needs to be around for that. Beds made up, fresh bathroom linen put out, our next set of lodgers will see four actors take over the house for a few weeks.

**It’ll have to wait until next year to be finished**

Despite hoping to get my next big painting completed, I soon realised that this wasn’t ever going to happen, my paints needed to be packed up and the canvas put safely away from the bleaching rays of sun light that come through my work room window, the painting is now unlikely to be finished until next year.

Three paintings however have been put in frames and left in what is known as the fishtank until I can think of where they can be hung, another job for next year.

Monday night we had a very tasty chicken tray bake using up various items from the freezer, I’ll be making that version again. Tuesday involved packing up the kitchen and cleaning things down.

**Daffodils in The Valley starting to come out, it will be a sea of yellow in a weeks time**

I managed to get my last full walk in round Scarborough in the sunshine. Down the Valley, the daffodils just starting to come out. Across the sands in front of the Spa, the tide out. Up through the gardens on the cliff to the Esplanade. I paused to pull up my big girls pants and register with a new dentist. We’re not likely to cruise through Birmingham this year and as Colin my dentist there has moved down to Cornwall, now seemed a good time to change to a more sensible location.

More cleaning and packing, including sparkling up the big shower after the last shower had been taken. Just time to put some reasonable clothes on and walk up into town to meet with Mick’s old friend Mark. A drink at The Stumble Inn, we’ve not been in there before, followed by what seems to be becoming a last night tradition in Scarborough a meal at The Taj, well it saves on the washing up back at the house.

**The boys tucking into their starters**

Tomorrow we move.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 full dining room, 3 wees, 1 oversized box, 1 signature, 1 enquiry, 1 resigned cat, 2 papadums each, 2 much food, 1 set of scales tucked away, 1 stone less until today, 1 empty kitchen, 2 troughs of strawberries repotted, 1 urn of strawberries for lodgers, 2 boaters and 1 boat cat ready for the water again.

Lipstick!!! 5th March

Scarborough / Goole

**Painting finished and waiting to be hung**

Whilst being in Scarborough we’ve managed to catch up with most people, some more than once, some many times. However one person has eluded us, I knew there’d be trouble if he didn’t get a mention here on the blog, so there was only one thing for it, best invite Duncan and Jaye round for some food. It also gave me a good excuse to make the Squash Winter Herb Crust Butter Bean Pie I’d made last winter. It was just as delicious as last time, the company wasn’t too bad either!

**Lovely to have an evening with you both**

More walks have been had.

The other Saturday I took advantage of all the sunshine and managed to walk through the old cemetery, down Peasholm Glen to the park (sadly no Naval Battle taking place), round by The Corner onto the North Bay, said hello to Freddie and held his hand, then walked round Marine Drive spotting the fin of a dolphin in the waves, round the south bay which was a bustle with day trippers and back home up the valley (the daffodils still waiting to come into flower). A good 5 mile walk.

More of the roof space has been emptied, we just hope the floor of upstairs upstairs can take the extra weight for a few months! Family history treasures have been seen for the first time in eleven years, theatre models have been reduced in number and scrap books of when the SJT first opened perused.

I think I’ll have quite a project next winter sorting through my Dad’s kitbag with letters, sketch books and negatives from the late 1940’s.

With the weather being that bit better Mick hopped on a train to head to see Oleanna with the aim of getting the horns and tunnel light attached and wired up ready for cruising soon.

Earlier this week we’d seen photos of a ship bound for the Trent that had managed to get itself on a sand bank on the Humber. This was achieved on one of the biggest spring tides of late. Tugs, the Coast Guard came out from Goole and Hull to try to free it at the next two high tides. They had no luck, so with the tides now getting lower the ship will be stuck for another couple of weeks with the hope that when the next spring tides come it will be able to be re-floated. On Mick’s return train journey he managed to catch a glimpse of it, here’s hoping we manage to stay the right side of the buoys when we come to cruise the Muddy Humber in the summer!

Mick checked over the electrics on Oleanna. The engine was turned over for a while. He popped into the office to catch up with Hannah and pick up the new BSSC. When we come to leave we may need some extra pairs of hands as we are breasted up to the boat next to us. People to flick and hold ropes as we extricate ourselves would be handy.

Then it was time to fix the horns and tunnel light back on the cratch. The cratch cover needs removing to do this at the top, then it slides back over the top of the bracket. Mick had purchased a waterproof box so all the cables could be connected and stay dry. However, as thought, it was too bulky to slot in somewhere on the bracket.

Cables were joined, self amalgamating tape used then covered in heat shrink. This hopefully will keep everything dry until he has a smaller box for the connections.

Before he’d left Scarborough this morning we’d discussed Oleanna’s smile. Now with 24volt horns the cable connecting them isn’t actually needed as it was before when they were 12 volt, it will purely exist to give her her smile back. What colour should it be? I was given the choice of black, grey, red or cream. Red would fade and her smile had been black, so black in preference.

The horns were connected up to power and tested. The same tone plus one a touch higher. He hunted round for a suitable piece of wire for the smile and connected it.

I got a message that he’d not manage to catch the next train but would be on the following one. This was followed by several photos that I’d nagged him to take. The light in situ. The horns in situ. Then her smile.

Hang on hadn’t I said not to use red wire this morning?! Either he had no suitable wire other than red, or he’d not been listening to me!

I showed Tilly to see what she thought.

Why has Oleanna got LIPSTICK on?!?!!

When questioned later Mick said he had been listening, but had no choice as there was only enough red cable available for the job. Having some black cable would be a good thing in his tool kit, so once some has been purchased the red will be swapped out.

So even though Oleanna looks a little bit strange with her statement smile, she at least has it back along with her voice. History of lipstick.

**Red lipstick showed strength and power in WW2**

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 ship aground, 2 horns, 1 light, 170 Rimmel Alarm Red, 1 Duncan, 1 Jaye, 1st tidal lock booked, but more about that in the next post.

Passing. 25th February

Goole / Scarborough

Life continues onwards in Scarborough. Jobs in the house continue. The roof space needs clearing for when we get a new roof done in a few months time, so it’s time to go through things again. All the things that have been kept for posterity have been gone through several times and are gradually being worked through in case any can go on to have new lives elsewhere. There are also all my accounts since the turn of the century! Boxes and folders to go through, only the last few years needed which now all fit into one slim folder.

Old shows, technical drawings, reference, costume designs, sketch books, programmes, scripts. A lot of these have been hitting the recycling bin, two big boxes of venue plans, but there is still a lot I can’t throw away. I haven’t started on model boxes yet, but I did do a huge cull of those eleven years ago.

Then there are the more personal things, tins from my Mum’s sewing cupboard, round robins from 1999, Christmas cards and first night cards, newspapers etc. All these will be kept as I find them interesting and many are close to my heart. Mick has yet to look through the box of telephones, I know we’ll be keeping them.

Walks round Scarborough continue, tomorrow I’ll cross the line of walking 100 miles in February. Just thinking back to last summer when I struggled to walk from one lock to the next, what a difference.

Mick has started to do research for the main part of our cruise this year. We’d originally planned on making use of the longer days in June, but our friends who will be joining us, won’t be able to until later in the summer. So we may have to cruise some bits earlier on our own before we meet up as we want to be heading southwards come September.

I’ve been helping on a community mosaic project that will adorn the back wall of a community centre. I’ve never done mosaic before, it’s quite therapeutic unless you get mosaic dyslexia trimming down tiles to fit in with the andamento, this week I did a bit of crazy paving known as Opus Paladanium in the earth section. It’s a way to get to know new people in Scarborough, although sadly I won’t be able to attend many more sessions as the commute from Oleanna will be too much soon. Instead I’ll be doing mosaic knitting on a few pairs of socks, think I’m getting addicted to this method of colour changing.

Tuesday the 25th February arrived. Mick was on an early train down to Goole. Today was the day when Hannah would be giving Oleanna her Boat Safety Test which needs to be done every four years. The stove was lit, a touch more warmth to help dry things out and be a more pleasant place to work in.

Hannah pointed out that we should have a sign to indicate where the diesel cut off is. Handily she happened to have one in her bag, so that was a very quick fix.

She looked in the gas locker, noting that it gets wet in there. When Oleanna is out of the water for repainting next year, Hannah suggested we get the vent holes in the gas locker extended upwards. This is so that even when the water tank is full and we’ve got full bottles of gas on board any leaking gas would be able to escape through the vents as they would be guaranteed to be above water. Oleanna passed and is good to go for the next four years.

Hooray!!!

We now have medical appointments to attend, finish jobs at the house, finalise arrangements for workmen in the future, finish emptying the roof space, do some more painting and mosaicing, wait for a big box to arrive and then pack our lives away to move back on board.

**Nine years with this little thug in our lives**

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 111.7 miles walked in February, 2 many boxes, 2 many plans, 6m diameter mosaic, 1 pile appearing in the dining room, 1 lazy cat, 1 boat safety passed, 1 boat ready for this year, 1 mattress still required, 9 years of Tillyness.

Socking Along

Well my fundraising for Dementia UK has reached £1360 which is absolutely brilliant. THANK YOU!! And there is still some sponsorship money to come in for the 53 pairs of socks in my original challenge. Yes a year has 52 full weeks and knitting a pair of socks a week throughout 2024 would mean that I could stop when I reached 52 pairs. But that would leave a couple of days overhanging and as the 53rd pair will be for someone who’s birthday happens to be right at the end of the year I obviously had to include them.

However in the last few weeks I’ve had quite a bit of interest from a Boat Women group on Facebook, people wanting to be added to a waiting list. Then whilst at a friends house the other evening I had requests for 3 more pairs. So currently I have an extra 22 pairs to knit, not all this year I hasten to add! I might allow myself the first week in January off.

I’ve decided to keep my list open until the end of November for anyone else wanting to sponsor a pair. I don’t want anyone to miss out and it would be great to be able to use up more of the wonderful yarn that was donated by indie dyers.

If you thought you’d missed out and would like a pair, speak up NOW! Or forever have chilly toes.

I’ll need your shoe size and a word to base your socks on. This could be anything, a season, mood, era, colour, just so long as it’s not blue as I’ve just about run out! You could even request socks to match your boats livery. I’m happy to add your name to my list, then get in touch shortly before I’m about to cast on the first stitch for you to make a donation to my Just Giving page. Mental reminder to self, must extend the closing date of my page.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1704636205453?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fpip-leckenby-1704636205453&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share

Pair 49 are currently on my needles so as it’s week 47 (I think) I’m a couple of pairs ahead of myself. So there are nine days left to put in your request to be added to my list. More photos of finished socks have been added to the Sockathon page

Anyhow, boat news. On Tuesday our webcam showed us that the world of Goole had gone white with snow. We’d been expecting some here in Scarborough too, however it missed us. Mick can tell how cold the engine bay is whilst sitting in front of our fire, the temperature had dropped to 2C.

On Wednesday morning we woke to a little dusting of the white stuff. Whilst we lay in bed with our morning cuppas Mick had an alarm from Oleanna saying the power was off. It came back on briefly, but went off again, all before the marina was open. Was it just Oleanna or a more wide spread power outage?

I checked all the Goole facebook pages I’d joined when there was the breach on the Aire and Calder, no mention there. Should Mick jump on the next train to Goole to check things out? The next train was cancelled.

Just gone 10am he gave the Marina a call. It wasn’t just Oleanna, Mick got to talk to Laird and he was having difficulty getting into his office due to the lack of electricity. Mick quickly left him to get on with things, no point in getting a train, our inverter would inform us when the power came back on, this was 3:15pm.

The heavens opened in Scarborough and the world became a very white one, over a proper inch, maybe even two fell during the morning. Very glad we didn’t need to go anywhere. Once it had stopped Mick swept the paths in front of the house. Tilly headed out to assist, but soon changed her mind. I couldn’t see my paws and She’d suggested I should get them painted a different colour, maybe a dark red! I wasn’t up for that. Maybe she should knit me some bright socks to wear out in the snow. I don’t fancy trying to put them on you though Tilly!

The image for our Christmas card has been chosen and worked on, a little bit different from past years. Veg box ordered, Duck ordered, Christmas booze arrived. I’m going to run out of things to do in preparation for Christmas before November is out! Well that’s what comes of not doing panto and not being able to get on with a decorating a dining room due to having a lodger.

Another visit to the SJT last week to see the touring production of John Godber’s Perfect Pitch. The play was commissioned back in 1998 by the SJT and premiered as part of the 10 x 10 Season. It was also my first design for The Round. It played in rep through the summer with Comic Potential (Alan Ayckbourn) and Love Songs For Shop Keepers (Tim Firth). A couple going caravanning for the first time to a site just south of Scarborough, having their idyllic weekend broken by a couple who pull up close by. The play has been updated and sections rewritten meaning the caravan can now be just off stage, saving on set build and touring costs. Back in 1998 we also had real grass that required watering and grow lamps on through the night to keep it alive. I’ve now seen several productions and still no-one has beaten John Branwell in the part of Grant.

More quotes have come in for both boat and house. One boat yard’s excuse for not having got back to me in two weeks was ‘That boat doesn’t need repainting!‘ Well that’s because the photos I sent were when she was a matter of weeks old, she’s done at least 7000 miles and most probably over 5000 locks since then. Still to hear back with a price from them, think he’s already lost the job.

Anyhow, keep warm everyone, well until the weekend when we’ll be leaving doors open and admiring the blue bells coming up!

0 locks, 0 miles, 53 to 75, 5 house quotes, 6 boat quotes, 2 more to come in, 1 appointment, 3 Morse episodes, 1 extreamly bored cat, 1 focaccia, 2 veg boxes, Tilly Too keeping the snow outside, 2 boaters nearly ready for Christmas.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Category Archives: Theatre Design

I Wonder Who Lives Down There? 10th May

Freda’s Garden. 9th May

Minutes Not Hours! 8th May

The Big Ship Sails. 7th May

Cat Burglar. 6th May

To Goole And To Work. 5th May

Packing Up. 18th March

Lipstick!!! 5th March

Passing. 25th February

Socking Along