Curtains remained drawn on the port side to keep the sun out. We removed the glass from a couple of windows to try to create a draft through the boat, but during the day there was little breeze we could encourage inside.
Thankfully by late morning the shade from the trees was starting to make it’s way over the roof of Oleanna. I set up an office out on the bank ready for my telephone meeting with the director of panto.
Setting up the office
NB Eleanor Rugby pulled up quite early and moored behind us. Tilly explored, then came inside to be a long cat for a while.
At 1:30 I sat down with the lap top, phone, script and sketch book and spent over an hour on the phone to Abi. We managed to get two thirds of the way through the show in detail, but then the time came for her to switch hats from a Theatre Director to that of a Mum of two young children. So we quickly touched on the remaining scenes. I now need to collect more references and pull up a few more ideas before starting on the story board. Time is ticking away and once the school holidays start, getting people together for meetings and quotes will become harder.
Not much more to report really. The sky clouded over, it stayed hot, we sat out till quite late as it was cooler out than in. Oleanna does act somewhat like a storage heater in this weather. Tilly found friends and snoozed in the shade. We hunted for more shady moorings up stream for the next few days, the gaps between moorings are getting longer.
A few days ago Mick received an email from Sophie Green at C&RT regarding the winter stoppage on the Shropie, it said.
I have now managed to speak with the Delivery Team for Goldstone Culvert.
They have advised that unfortunately there is no scope in this years program to move this stoppage. All of this winters stoppages have been meticulously planned based on their risk and scope of works. Due to having a lot of high risk assets in the program and the length of time needed to carry out the required works, it has meant that we have had to plan in some of stoppages outside of the north/south, east/west divide routes. We always try our best to avoid doing this but sometimes it is not always possible.
This now means our route north after I’ve finished work on panto will have to be by the River Trent as all routes northwards of the west of the country will be closed. There is still another version of the stoppage list to come out, mid August, but by the sounds of things routes north will be hard to find and we’ll have to dodge the stoppages for a lot of the way.
Meeting time
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new neighbour, 6 passing boats, 1 outdoor office, 2 crunchy friends, 1 actor still to cast, 2 rethinks, 30C, set to rise at the weekend, 1 serious route plan for winter needed.
Opening the curtains to enjoy the view this morning whilst having a cuppa in bed brought something quite unexpected. A Unicorn!
Last night it had been attached to a cruiser two to three boats up from us, now it was gently swimming past heading towards Godmancheter. It had escaped. A short while later a chap in a canoe arrived, took photos, who wouldn’t, then attached a rope and paddled it back up stream, someone pointing out which boat the rainbowed one had escaped from. It was soon tied up back where it belonged.
Mushrooms ala Pip for breakfast, out of necessity as the sad gits white mushrooms we’d bought in St Ives really needed eating up. Chestnut mushrooms last a lot longer!
The Geraghty zoom this morning had an extra box with Mick being in Scarborough. Subjects discussed included, MP’s dress choices, Unicorns and the Continent.
Tilly was given 9 hours and doors opened front and back whilst I settled down to finish re-reading my script and taking notes. This was followed with several hours of hunting for images on Pinterest and Getty Images.
Vintage engraving showing a scene from 19th Century London England. Likely to be by Gustave Dore
Plenty of boats moving today. The narrowboat behind us had moved off very early, possibly to get through Hemingford before their regatta started for the day, 160 races! Canoes, paddleboarders, swimmers, big cruisers, little ribs, long narrow boats, short narrowboats. A busy river.
Ideas?!
By late afternoon I’d drawn out Chippy stage ready to start on a story board and moved outside to try and put ideas down on paper. So far I maybe have an idea for the basic setting, architectural detail with a feline influence. Victorian sketches by Gustave Dore have always been a favourite of mine, but maybe they are a touch too dark for a panto. Hopefully I’ll get chance to chat to the director in the next few days and that should send me off in a direction.
During the day Tilly had kept herself busy most of the morning. Mick had mown the grass in Scarborough and I’d selected a couple of folders I wanted him to bring back. Tilly slept for a couple of hours and then vanished back outside.
Plane doing tricks
Boaters who’d visited the pub returned and headed off. Others arrived, paddle boards inflated and a lot of hysterics and soakings went on. No sign of Tilly, maybe she was on the other side of the crowd. When it calmed down I went to have a look, but to no avail.
Mick arrived back, we both had a short walk round trying to encourage Tilly home for Ding Ding. Nothing! The couple on the cruiser behind were most probably thinking how irresponsible we were as their cat was only allowed out on a lead and harness.
Oleanna not quite visible on the other side of the field.
As I got our evening meal together Mick headed of for a more concerted effort. A phone call saying he’d found her, but she was on the other side of an impenetrable fence! Well it obviously was penetrable as she’s got through it. I went off to see if I could assist.
Right at the far side of the field (who says cat’s don’t stray far!), Mick was stood on one side of a double layered chicken mesh and barbed wire fence and Tilly was shouting to him from the other side. ‘You got yourself in there!’ That really doesn’t help! It took us quite a while following her along the fence, every now and again a gap showed itself on our side, ‘Follow my voice Tilly, this way!’
She’d walk past that gap, shouting and shouting, then falling silent! Where was she?
Mick walked back across the field to get a key so that he could access a track which might lead to where she was. This all took plenty of time, me doing my best mad cat woman. Thank goodness I’d not managed to get our dinner in the oven, it would have been burnt by now. Eventually Mick was on the other side of the fence/brambles/nettles/barbed wire and was with Tilly. Well until she walked away from him into the hedge on their side!
If only Mick could grab hold of her, he could then drop her over a low bit of fence/hedge/brambles/nettle/thistles and she’d be on the right side. But no, she stayed in the hedge well out of arms reach. Then she vanished from sight and sound!
You told me to find the way I’d got through!
Was that her bell? There she is! She’d found her own way back through the obstacle course! After she’d wrapped herself around my ankles a few times we started to walk back across the huge field. Who says cat’s don’t stray far!
This way!
This was delayed for a feline comfort break, after which she charged a good hundred yards before getting distracted! This WAY!!!! An hour after I’d left our dinner to assist we were all back on board, our dingding by now cold!
A more rural mooring was required today, hopefully one with a bit of shade as the temperatures are due to rise again. With sunscreen applied we pushed off and were soon heading under Huntingdon Old Bridges and the A1307, not much to see of the town as we passed.
Now we followed the river round another huge meadow. Islands here there and everywhere just to keep the navigator on her toes.
Godmanchester Lock
Godmanchester Lock sat empty and waiting for us. The EA mooring alongside the top side was filled with cruisers, we hoped they had all congregated here and had left the moorings further upstream for us. As Oleanna rose in the lock another cruiser arrived to go down, friends of some of the crowd already around the lock. We chatted about moorings and how Brampton was empty when they came past, phew! Then the subject turned to Bedford River Festival which is in a couple of weeks.
The river carries on doing a huge bend around the meadow, the railway line crossing shortly before the moorings we were after. On Google earth it looked like there might only be space for one or two boats, but clicking on someone’s photos (River View) there seemed to be a long length of mooring available.
Just one heron
As we approached all I could see was a heron, the moorings, as reported by the cruiser were empty! Not much tree cover for shade, but we nosed ourselves up towards a willow tree, the end of the day we might just get some shade.
This looks good
Inside the curtains were drawn on the port side, starboard side open as the sun was just avoiding that side of the boat. The doors were opened and Tilly headed off to explore. The nearest Willow had some attention but was deemed to be not so interesting as the one OVER THERE!
What’s in there?
Late morning we were joined by a couple of cruisers, then a narrowboat pulled up asking if we’d nudge up to make room. I paced out the gap for him, it was at least fifteen foot longer than us so even a 70ft boat would not have to squeeze in. Luckily for Tilly she was spotted by the chap who said he’d keep his dog on a lead.
Bye bye Mick
Mid afternoon and it was time for Mick to head off to catch a train northwards, a visit to Scarborough for an overnight and cut the grass. He strode off across the field, reaching a gate on the other side, only to find he needed an EA Abloy key to open it.
Todays shady office
I set up an office under the big willow to re-read the panto script, making notes and hopefully having ideas as I went. This was all going very well until a cruiser pulled up late afternoon just in front of us. It would have been rude not to chat to the new neighbours especially as they are thinking of buying a narrowboat to explore the canals. The last twenty pages of panto will have to wait for tomorrow, at least I’d found lots of reference photos that may prove useful.
1 lock, 1.96 miles, 1 heron, 0 neighbours to 6, 3 swimmers, 7 hours, 2 woofers, 1 outdoor office, 0 help from the feline assistant, 3 trains, 1 very clean house, 20 pages to go, 211 reference images, 0.5 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
As we got near to rolling up the covers this morning we could hear boats moving. The one furthest away on the moorings winded and headed towards the lock, soon followed by the other two narrowboats who were travelling together. We carried on knowing that we’d have a wait at the locks.
So many boats!
The first two boats breasted up on the lock landing, the next hovered behind them and we sat hovering even further behind. Two cruisers came down the lock, then it was time to fill the lock.
Two in
Houghton Lock is another D shaped lock. The entrance only wide enough for one narrow boat to enter at a time, but after checking in our Imray guide we knew it could hold three narrowboats side by side. The two boats on the lock landing made their way in, the chap from the third boat pulled in and walked up to the lock with a windlass, we then got waved in to make use of the middle of the lock.
Us fitting in the middle
We chatted away as the lock gates were closed behind us and the guillotine gate raised at the other end. The two boats travelling together were from the Macclesfield Canal out for the summer, hoping they’d be able to get back onto the summit pound before winter.
Three abreast
We’ve been three abreast in a lock before at Keadby, Limehouse and possibly Cromwell. Today it felt a touch more cosy than before despite there being plenty of room for us all. The first boat came out the lock and pulled in to help his mate with the lock, which meant we had now leapfrogged all three boats.
Two lock landings
Above the lock we spotted a few places we’d have been able to pull in to visit the mill yesterday, none of them official moorings. But we were glad we’d got to see some of Hemingford Grey and been able to stretch our legs.
A few boat yards. Long gardens to far away houses, a lot of them having work done to them.
All Saints
A riverside church where a couple sat on the bench and waved.
Two games of Boules going on. Measurements being taken to see who’d won.
Who is closer?
Not much further on we pulled in alongside a park, the closest mooring to Sainsburys in Huntingdon. Just after midday, the TV was tuned in and the news left on for the expected speech from Downing Street.
The Mac boys soon arrived and managed to tuck themselves in behind us. The longer boat needing to be next to land as he had animals. His black and white cat soon coming for a nosy as the other boat breasted up. All three boats Tyler Wilson shells, one of a similar age to Oleanna, he’d had the same problem with his gas locker hinges as we’d had.
Lunch and a shopping trip for us to stock up on fresh food for the coming week, by the time we got back to Oleanna the Mac boys had done their shopping and headed off to moor out in the country.
Tilly stamping her approval on panto
Tilly was allowed out, the road hopefully being busy enough to keep her away from it and there was plenty of friendly cover to keep her busy nearer the river. I got on with reading Act 2 of panto. Another scene with a big ship, I loved my ship from last year, how am I going to make this years different?
Queen Rat got her comeuppance and Whittington the cat was made Mayor of London. Tilly wonders how Larry at No 10 feels today with all the press camped outside his front door.
Larry
A much noisier mooring than we’ve gotten used to of late. We had someone tentatively knock on the roof as I was cooking our evening meal, they weren’t expecting anyone to say ‘HELLO!’ from inside. A quiet apology was followed by the lady leaning down to the kitchen window ad wishing us a pleasant evening.
1 lock, 2.53 miles, 4 in a queue, 3 in a lock, 1st boat, 3 boats, 1 dog, 2 cats, 2 boxes wine, 1 bag of peppers, 6 eggs, Act 2, 1 big ship, 1 jungle, 1 tower of London, 1 resignation, 1 Larry for Prime Minister.
Houghton EA Mooring to Hemingford GOBA Mooring to Houghton EA Mooring.
Last night we decided we’d head back towards Hemingford Grey to moor for the day and our visit to Houghton Mill. We knew where the mooring was and that it existed, where as if we’d have gone up the lock we might have been in a situation where no mooring opportunity showed itself.
Winding
After our cuppa in bed we rolled up the covers headed a short way up stream where the river was a touch wider. Mick then made use of the current and wind to help turn the bow round to face down stream. We pootled our way to the meadow and pulled in where there was maybe a touch too much goose poo, but it would do us.
Tilly checking out our mooring
With breakfast out of the way we set off to walk the mile and a half to the mill. On reaching about a quarter of the way Mick said he’d not got the National Trust cards, would they allow us in just with our booking confirmation email? Possibly, but he turned back to the boat. I said I’d walk onwards, we’d left just about the right amount of time to walk, would we make it in time?
I slowed my pace, took in the wild flowers on the verges. All the thatched roofs had straw finials, some quite amusing. Had Mick got back to the boat by now? Should I quicken my pace again, would we reach the Mill in time for the tour?
Across the field that had been cut yesterday
Mick appeared on the Brompton, I should have carried on walking at a normal pace and not slowed so he could catch me up. I had to quicken my pace now, the mill only open for tours on Wednesdays and the weekend, if we missed our slot then that would be it!
Thankfully we managed to arrive in time to stash the bike somewhere and have a quick comfort break, still with a couple of minutes to spare! Phew!!!
Houghton Mill
In 974AD the Manor of Houghton and the Mill were given to Ramsey Abbey, all the local farmers used the mill and a cut was taken off as payment, a mulcher, for the Abbey. The mill was kept very busy and the Abbey became very affluent. New sluice gates were added to the river to increase water headed to the mill, but this caused flooding in the village. After ten years of campaigning the villagers got their way and the river was returned to it’s old course.
After the dissolution of the monasteries, Ramsey Abbey was flattened, the mill was still seen to be very profitable and was taken over by the crown. Ownership passed to the Earls of Manchester who leased out the mill as a commercial concern.
In the 18th Century there was a rapid development in mill technology. The original mill had had one water wheel this was increased to three at it’s peak. Inside ten pairs of stones milled the flour operated by eighteen people. In 1850 the mill was run by the Brown and Goodman families and was producing a ton of premium white flour every hour. This flour supposedly improved if left for five to six weeks, just the right amount of time for it to have headed down stream to Kings Lynn, round the coast to the Thames estuary and in to London where it would reach the best price!
But in the later part of the 19th Century technology took milling away from mill stones and Houghton just couldn’t compete with steam driven mills. The repeal of the Corn Laws brought in cheaper foreign grain which was milled at the ports to help feed the growing work force of the Industrial Revolution. Houghton Mill moved to milling animal feed and the work force reduced down to two.
A corner showing how the YHA had looked
On the retirement of the last miller in 1928 the mill closed and the water wheels were removed. In 1929 the local council bought the mill, it was soon earmarked for redevelopment. In 1934 Houghton Mill Restoration Committee leased the mill and sublet it to the newly formed Youth Hostel Association, providing accommodation for fifty people. In 1938 the committee managed to buy the mill and then handed it over to the National Trust for £1, the same as the original mill had cost to build.
In 1983 the mill was opened to the public, repairs were made and milling could resume with use of the original stones powered by an electric motor. Millennium funding was then sought to reinstate the water wheel.
Quite a sizable mill
Sadly due to the mill having to close during the pandemic the water wheel was left idle for too long. The wood that sat in the water swelled soaking up the water and the wood at the top dried out. Once they got it started again the balance was seriously off! They were recommended to turn the water wheel as often as possible which had been helping, but sadly right now the wheel is in need of some tlc. The tour was very informative and well worth doing, thank you Sue from NB Cleddau for reminding me to check the days it was open.
A look around the village brought so many more chocolate box cottages and finials. Ducks, boxing hares, I couldn’t stop taking photos!
Hollyhocks
Then a round route brought us down Green Lane where both sides of the road were filled with fantastic Hollyhocks. Wow! We got chatting to a lady who is responsible for a third of them, they are wanting to rename the road Hollyhock Lane. She offered us some seeds, but the seed heads weren’t ready yet, maybe if we stop on our way back we might collect a few and leave them places to cheer up people next year.
Back at Oleanna we quickly pushed off again. The meadow as nice as it was really wasn’t suitable or Tilly with the number of woofers around. We winded and headed back upstream pulling in where we’d left five hours earlier, our end space still empty. In fact we had the island to ourselves for a couple of hours before three more narrowboats turned up, Tilly ended up having to share her kingdom with another black and white cat.
First read
Act 1 of panto was read, props and setting notes highlighted with my neon pens left from #unit21. I did have to stop just as Queen Rat was proclaiming that the panto was over and the audience should all go home, she’d crowned herself Queen of England and wasn’t budging. We watched the news and caught up on events in London. I think real life events may run a similar course to those of Queen Rats in Act 2, but without so many belly laughs. Tomorrow will tell!
Boris’s final sunset?
0 locks, 1.42 miles, 2 winds, 2 cards forgotten, 3 minutes spare, 10 stones, 3 waterwheels, 1 wonky wheel after the pandemic, I blog problem possibly solved, 1 Queen about to loose her thrown, 1 silent Whittington singing for the future, 1 country waiting.
The Norris Museum opened in 1933, purpose built to house the collection of Herbert Ellis Norris who left it and money to establish a museum and library in St Ives, a museum for the people of Huntingdonshire. A recreation of his study stands at one end of the museum.
Local finds
The museum traces the history of St Ives from the Romans, through to Medieval times when the great fair was held every Easter, one of four main wool fairs in England, traders flocked from right across the country and others came from abroad. Mick recited the following rhyme to me the other day, although it could just as easily be relating to the other St Ives.
As I was going to St Ives, I met a man with seven wives, Each wife had seven sacks, Each sack had seven cats, Each cat had seven kits: Kits, cats, sacks, and wives, How many were there going to St Ives?
Ammonite, a big one!
By the end of the 13th Century fairs were loosing their popularity in favour of places where goods were traded all year round, Flemish weavers out-competed the areas cloth making industry. Then followed poor harvests and the Black Death which killed half the population.
The Anglo Saxons settled in the area and founded the village of Slepe which became St Ives. Ramsey Abbey was one of the richest in the country and with a wooden bridge across the Great Ouse the town prospered. Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdon and for a time was a tenant farmer in St Ives.
Skates
There were freezes (good for skating), floods, a great fire which burnt down a large proportion of the town. Mechanical methods in farming brought about unemployment of farm labourers, the landowners grew richer whilst the workers rioted.
Lavender
Outside in the courtyard a wonderful wisteria covers the building and lavender bushes line the paths. The museum may be small but it is looked after by very enthusiastic people, we nearly spent as long chatting to one chap as we did looking at the displays.
Push Mick!
Time to move the boat, Mick umphed the stern out and we were soon reversing out of the arm. We winded and then headed over the other side of the river and up another arm alongside the Norris Museum to fill with water. Here were NB Casper and NB Mosi-y-Tunya. Brian and Ann on Casper invited us to breast up so that we could fill with water, the pressure not the best so there was plenty of time to have a chat with them. We seem to have a lot in common with them, Yorkshire and theatre. It was good to actually have chance to talk to you today and our paths will cross again upstream somewhere.
Bye bye Ann
Backwards down the arm as there’s nowhere to wind, we then turned and headed upstream making note of the nice GOBA mooring on the outskirts of town. Up Hemingford Lock, another D shaped lock and past Hemingford Grey. Heather had mentioned the other day about the Manor House. Not quite so easy to just turn up as you need to book to go round the house and this is done either by email or phone. We’ll think about it on our way back.
We aimed for the Houghton EA Moorings. I’d spotted that they were really quite close to Houghton Mill a National Trust property. Last night I had booked us onto a tour round the mill for first thing on Wednesday morning, it’s only open weekends and Wednesdays. With a long stretch of moorings we tucked ourselves at the end and let Tilly out, four hours of shore leave.
During the afternoon we discovered that the blog had reached it’s maximum size! I’d been having difficulty uploading photos, so left it with Mick to see what had happened and see if he could sort things. We really can’t have used 20 GB this year!
Busy making hay
I decided to head off for a walk, see where we needed to go in the morning and have a nosy around some of the islands that make up the area. The one we were moored opposite was being mown and the hay was rapidly being bailed up.
I walked with purpose to the other end of the island where the path petered out. Hang on!
I checked my map.
Another lovely GOBA mooring, so long as you don’t want to get off it!
We were on an island, with no means of getting off it without a boat. We have a boat, but there is nowhere else to moor Oleanna close to the mill. Oh B**er! I walked back and chatted to a lovely couple on a cruiser who knew the area very well. We could maybe go up the lock and pull in where a boat used to moor, they pointed out roughly where they meant as boats went past. Or we could tie up on the lock landing for our visit. Or we could go back and moor at Hemingford Grey Meadow and walk from there in the morning. Hmmm, what to do?
A whole island to explore!
During the afternoon I’d had a much awaited for email. My Panto script has arrived! It is now printed out and awaiting a first read, all very exciting!
1 lock, 2.55 miles, 2 reverses, 2 winds, 3 familiar boats, 1 museum, 1 full water tank, 1 island mooring, 0 way off, 2 tours booked, 1 change of plan required, 1 ecstatic cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 panto script, 1 boater about to change into a designer.
Our mooring had been chosen so as to be as close to Kings Lynn as possible and on Saturday morning Mick was picked up by Enterprise, at last we had been quoted a reasonable price for a hire car by them. He returned in time for us to join in with the end of the Saturday morning Geraghty zoom.
The car was packed. Biscuit bowl filled and the magic food bowl primed. Tilly was left in charge with instructions not to wind Freddie up too much whilst we were away.
Then we were off heading across country, avoiding motorways, crossing bridges over rivers we’ve been under years ago and others we’ve yet to navigate under. The biggest bridge of course being the Humber Bridge. We paused at Willerby Waitrose for a wee break and something for lunch, we also bought ourselves something for the evening.
We then took the scenic route over the Wolds via Wetwang so that we could have a look at the Scarecrow Festival. Our favourites Freddie Mercury outside the chip shop and the Queen with her corgies where we joined the road taking us to Sledmere.
A trip back to the house was for several purposes, one to add to the compost bins, two to check the house over before the next lodger moves in and to go to a party.
Our friends Dawn and Lee (Animated Objects) were having a joint fancy dress 50th Birthday party. The theme for the evening was the Oscars. You were asked to dress as a famous movie star or be dressed for a night at the Oscars.
Well we don’t exactly have a huge wardrobe to rummage through to make up a costume. We just about manage to dress up smart, but we certainly don’t have ballgowns and tuxedos on board, or at the house! Expanding our wardrobe for one evening would be extravagant. Mick had thought of going as a Billy, the telephone engineer from Little Voice, we still have his old work t-shirts. But I came up with a better idea.
My model making skills were put to use. A rigid Alice band bought for me. With Mick having a bigger head he needed a stretchy head band. Then over the last couple of weeks I’ve been cutting out foamcor and card. Wires attached. Carving into it. A layer or two of tissue paper and pva. A couple of layers of filler which was then sanded. Paint, a touch more filler, then more paint. Wires threaded through head bands. Fittings, a layer of thin foam. Hey presto we had our own Academy Award Winners to wear.
Wallace, Gromit and Feathers McGraw from The Wrong Trousers.
All ready for the party
It was a lovely evening meeting up with old friends we’d not see in years and our Scarborough theatre family. There were a few people who couldn’t make it including Duncan and Jaye who sadly had got the lurgy. Hope you are both feeling better very soon.
The costumes were stunning. Dawn as Slimer and Lee as a Ghost Buster. Fleur and Ruth as Dick Tracey and Breathless Mahoney. Dawn did a quick change for the awards ceremony. There were several categories and blow me down we won the Cobbled Together Award!
A statuette, some wine gums and an assortment of LX tape, always handy to have either on a boat or on stage.
Our award
Sunday morning and it was time to make up the last bed in the house, cut the grass, do a bit of weeding and give the big shower a good scrub down. In the process we were spotted by our neighbours who came over to give us the latest news on the street, someone having just moved in a few doors down.
Sadly we didn’t get chance, yet again to give the back garden a good sort out, but green shoots were spotted on the boat Christmas tree. There is hope for it yet, if the weeds don’t choke it before we’re back next! I also found a small pile of post that had been put high on a shelf by someone, not with the rest that had been left on the dining room table. What was in that pile? Our postal votes! Grrr!!! Those lodgers have now lost another half point!
Thankfully the traffic leaving Scarborough wasn’t too bad, it can be horrendous most Bank Holidays, which was just as well as when we stopped to pick up something for our dinner Mick remembered that he hadn’t locked the front door! Back into town again.
We had a pit stop over looking the Humber Bridge in Hessle where Mick’s Mum’s ashes were scattered, it’s nice to say hello to her every now and again.
Hello Ruth
The drive back wasn’t too pleasant with rain for most of the way.
Tilly had held the fort well although she could have turned the heating on before we got back! The stove was soon lit and a pizza each popped in the oven. Freddie came to say hello too, much to Tilly’s disgust!
Go away smelly sniffy woofer!!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 2 buckets of compost, 2 head bands, 2 boaters ironed smartly, 50th birthdays, 1 Oscar, 1 Scarborough family, 2 many faces from way back when, 2 many chums missing, 1 lovely evening, 1 cut cable, 2 postal votes, 1 house all ready, 1 locked door, 2 sets of keys, 1 wave to Ruth, 1 wet journey, 1 happy cat, 1 sniffing imbecile!
This morning we had a visit from a friend of Heathers, Sallyann. We got to meet Monty her newly acquired dog. Unfortunately we didn’t have much time to chat as we had trains to catch, hopefully our paths will cross again in the next few weeks.
There’s Oleanna
The magic food bowl came out from storage, the ice block popped in along with a portion of beef gravy cat food, we were likely to be eating beef tonight so it only seemed fair. Tilly was then left in charge of Oleanna as we walked to the station.
In St Stephens
Mick had worked hard a few weeks ago in securing cheap train tickets for us, then I’d hunted out a cheap hotel room for a nights stay in the centre of Hull. We’d been invited to the Guest Night ofTeechers Leavers 22 at Hull Truck. John Godber has updated the show which he originally wrote 35 years ago and it was to be part of Hull Trucks 50th anniversary productions. I’ve designed the show twice for the company some years ago.
Our journey north worked out fine, retracing our route across the Middle Level and passing through Goole where we’d been 2 months ago.
It took sometime to find a member of staff to check us in at the hotel, but I think the lady upgraded us, putting us in a room at the top of the hotel which was vast! An old hotel that has had a make over with some fairly awful furniture, but all we were after was a bed or the night, so it was fine.
Burgers from Grilla
We spruced ourselves up and crossed over to HOH which used to be Hammonds department store. Here we were to meet up with Bridget and Storm, we went in to see what the deal was with food and drink. As we ordered ourselves burgers and drinks we started spotting some very familiar faces, actors who’d worked at Hull Truck through the years.
Bridget outside the building we both used to work in
Over at Hull Truck we arrived to join the masses for guest night. Several comments were heard that they’d not seen the place so full for the last ten years, which is when John stepped away from the company. On the guest list were many Truckers from John Godber’s time as Artistic Director. A speech welcoming us was made by Mark Babych the current Artistic Director. As our attention was drawn over to the entrance towards the studio space we all spotted a change of signage. The Studio space had been renamed the Godber Studio a wonderful tribute to the man who managed to rescue the theatre company from the brink of bankruptcy by writing plays that the Hull audiences loved, the first one being Up ‘n Under.
Mark Babych
More and more faces joined the crowded front of house, so many people to say hello to and share the evening with. Our normal careful mask wearing and keeping distances thrown out of the window this evening. Here’s hoping we didn’t pick anything up to take away with us!
The show had been updated with references to the pandemic, tiktok, party gate etc. Plenty of the old show also remained, it’s quite remarkable how much of the script comes back to me, although I’m sure several people in the audience knew it way better than me.
Nikki, TP, Sarah, Sian, Mick and me, just a few members of my Hull Truck family
There was plenty of time to chat to old friends, my Hull Truck family, after the show when eventually the bar was reopened. Another drink would have been nice, but sadly everyone’s hotel bars had closed at 11, we retired back to our cheapo upgraded room. I had had a couple of people making comments about our hotel during the evening and how you could get a room by the hour! I have to say it seemed to be okay and the only mirrors on the ceiling were in reception!
Mirrors on the ceiling, in reception
We slept relatively well, although the curtains could have done with being a touch bigger to keep the light out and traffic below on Anlaby Road did start up quite early. The hunt for breakfast that I could eat without taking out a bank loan eventually found us in Subway which did the job before we climbed on trains to make our way back southwards.
Our giant room!
As our train slowed approaching Ely station we could see that Oleanna was still moored where we’d left her, Tilly had done a good job. Our 48 hours on the Ely moorings was up, it was time to move on.
The Ely giraffe
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains there, 3 trains back, £45 hotel room, 1 acre on the third floor, 1 bath with bubbles, 4 burgers, 1 wonderful evening catching up, 2 many people to talk to, 35 years brought up to date, 1 newly named studio, 1 olive branch, 11pm closing time, 0 hotel wine, 50th anniversary celebrated.
Easter Sunday, time for a trip to Scarborough. Our lodger from the last six weeks was moving out and new lodgers arriving on Monday, so we needed to do a turn around of the house and cut the grass etc. Before the dates for Thorne Lock changed we’d have still been in Yorkshire, so a much easier turnaround.
History on the side of a building
Tilly was left in charge of Oleanna with her magic food bowl and we filled the car boot up with a couple of buckets from our composting toilet to add to that which is already composting back at the house. Mick had managed to find the nearest car parking space to Oleanna so we’d only one lock to walk down with our stuff.
We retraced our route into Birmingham this time by road, it’s funny seeing things from higher up and knowing what lies beneath the concrete. A comfort break at Doncaster services, this is where we realised that we were missing out on Easter, we’d forgotten our Easter eggs, good job there was an M&S so we could get a treat each.
I can highly recommend the Salted Caramel Millionaire
Our route took us over the Aire and Calder Navigation, was that WB Lullabelle moored up before breach bend? Then over the Wolds the masses of daffodils just past their best but still a sight we were glad to have caught.
Zoe had left a couple of hours before we arrived, one lot of bedclothes whizzing around in the washing machine, soon to be followed by several other loads as she’d had family members to stay. Soon we had a knock on the door and were joined by Mick’s nephew Richard. He’d been up to see the show last night as he is an old friend of Zoes, a small world. We had chance for a catch up with a cuppa and hot paw bun before he needed to head for a train back south.
The rest of the day was taken over with chores. Washing, priming some woodwork I should have primed last year, dusting, ironing, cutting the grass, all things that needed doing. Very sadly our boat Christmas tree hasn’t done too well. Maybe we should have asked Zoe to water it, or maybe being a fulltime outdoor tree was too much for it. We’re thinking we might try and grown some Blackthorn in it’s place, we’ll see.
Fish and chips was the obvious choice for food, mostly as it wouldn’t require cooking or too much washing up. All washed down with a bottle of wine.
Yummy!
Monday we continued with the chores, more ironing, cleaning the showers, putting things back where we prefer them and giving the house a good hoover. Three beds were made up with fresh linen, keys exchanged with Andy next door ready for the next lodgers to collect later in the afternoon.
All ready
Sadly we discovered a problem with one of the boilers had returned that we’d had in the winter meaning there was plenty of hot water but not that much heat! Not so good when the whole house would be occupied soon. It being Easter weekend we wouldn’t be able to get a plumber out to fix it, so a journey back will be needed, hopefully timed when our lodgers are out at work.
By 1pm the car was loaded again, the iron and hoover put back in their cupboards. Only one job I’d have liked to have got done was not achieved, a coat of undercoat on the primer. That will have to be next time.
We called in at Morrisons for some food in their café. Jacket potatoes were available but no hot drinks!
The canal spanning factory
Then we were on our way back to Birmingham spotting the canals as we went. The factory over the canal near Salford Junction now empty and a touch derelict.
Easter at last
Tilly was happy to see us as we were her. We were also pleased to see our Easter Eggs which had been tucked away in a cupboard several weeks ago when we were in Thorne.
0 locks, 0 miles, 24 hours exactly in the house, 1 family out, 3 actors in, 1 pouch surprise, 1 troublesome boiler, 4 beds made up, 2 of each, 1 clean and tidy house, 1 cuddly Tilly, 2 eggs, 1 quieter pub tonight.
We pulled back to the water point to fill the tank. The tap here is much much faster than the one back round the corner at the services, but that means the bins are further to walk to. Mick did the honours.
Beef and Beetroot curry
A day with no locks meant I felt happy using the stove to cook our evening meal, no chance of the pot being jolted from the stove top. The dish I had in mind would normally take three hours on Gas 1, so the perfect thing to sit on the stove all day.
Mick stood in the rain at the helm with wafts of cooking coming from below as I browned off some beef, steamed beetroot, zuzzed spices together added stock and left it all to very gently cook for many hours.
Streethay Wharf
The rain did stop, round about the time I’d finished cooking strangely enough! We’d reached Streethay Wharf and started to move away from the busy noisy A38.
Three Phase Pigeons
A group of pigeons sat on the electricity wires preening themselves. Fields recently tilled . The blackthorn blossom just starting to turn pink having just passed it’s best.
Mind those wires!
Works on HS2 can be seen across the fields. Cranes and earth movers. We hoped some of them were aware of the electricity lines!
At Whittington we crossed the border from the Coventry Canal (detached section) onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, marked by a stone on the towpath and the bridges no longer being numbered but now being named.
Pretty uninspiring
I hoped for a good photo of Whittington Bridge to be able to use as a first night card for panto this year, Dick Whittington, but everywhere was really rather uninspiring with grey cloud hanging around.
The poly tunnels are set back from the canal now, is it asparagus that is grown here? The weather vane still looks good even without sunshine.
Freespirit
We pootled on, the West Coast Main Line coming and going. Round the next bend was that familiar boat again, NB Freespirit. We slowed and said hello as we passed the windows, glancing back I could see the front door being opened. Mick popped Oleanna into reverse and then we hovered, managing quite a chat and catch up with Ian, Irene and Toffee their son’s dog. Lovely to see them again, they must have passed us at the crack of dawn.
Hello!
Just a bit further on for us, through the woods where the armed forces practice shooting each other, then we pulled up as soon as we could.
Trees ahead!
Trees! Lots of trees! Not that Tilly went climbing, she was far too busy checking out the friendly cover.
As the afternoon went by the aroma from the pot on the stove increased, it just needed to be finished of in the oven. I cooked some rice and made some gluten free nan breads to accompany the beef and beetroot curry. It is a recipe I discovered when we were getting regular veg boxes in the house and it is very tasty. Today I didn’t have a red chilli to add into the paste so it wasn’t hot, just the occasional kick from the ginger. It is still very tasty and there’s one portion left which has been frozen for another time. Would anybody like the recipe?
Curry and Nan (gf) Click on photo for recipe
Food was all done and dusted with in time for an on line talk by Alarum about the Birmingham Canals before they all got cleaned up.
Two thirds the audience this evening
Despite some IT glitches the talk was very interesting with reminiscences from women who’d helped with the clean up of the canals and what they’d been like before hand. The biggest surprise was how enclosed they all were. A gate into Gas Street basin and one entrance out of the Farmers Bridge flight, it was a locked away world. All those metal bridges you see are new. Plus the bridge at Worcester Bar, yes the one we all take photos of, back in the 70’s it was just a plank across the cut!
0 locks, 7.69 miles, 140ft reversed, 1 full water tank, 1 curry, 7 hours, 2 many boats on the move, 1 blogger, 278 trees, 1 cat happy, 1 canal talk.
