Mick was on an earlyish train returning to Scarborough. The usual photo from York arrived showing cruisers and a narrowboat moored on the River Ouse by the Museum Gardens. He was returning to the house to finish off hoovering and making it ready for our next lodger.
I got on with finding more reference photos for panto. Some of the buildings in Colombia are just soo colourful they almost certainly have to be used.
I walked into the city with the aim of trying to find a new plastic jug for our cat litter cover. We use moistened wooden cat litter as cover in our separating/compost toilet, the old jug has developed a crack on the bottom, so leaks when you add water, not so good for the shelf it sits on.
Down a back street near the station
Sadly Wilkos didn’t have anything thin enough. Maybe Yorkshire Trading or Boyes will come up trumps when we get to Skipton.
I can look after everything from in here!
Tilly was left in charge with an early ding ding, she was told not to expect this from now on! A train took me to Sheffield, no boats on the River Aire through Wakefield today.
Then it was the 218 bus out through Sheffield to the Peak District. As soon as we hit the countryside the driver kicked up the speed, whizzing the scenery past. Great views.
Chatsworth House
What felt like a detour had us turn onto parkland with sheep and their lambs roaming freely. The immaculate grass stretched on for miles the branches on the trees all neatly starting at the same level. Below the view across to Chatsworth House. It appeared I was on a bus trip around the grounds. A group of visitors crowded round the bus, two thirds wanting to head to Sheffield!
‘HONK YOUR HORNS!’
Onwards to Bakewell where the last official day of school was being celebrated by students stood on the roundabout encouraging drivers to beep their horns. A very noisy place!
I swapped buses and a short ride onwards I hoped off in Rowsley. The Level Centre tucked down below the road, I’d be heading tomorrow. The Grouse and Claret my home for the night provided me with a meal and a glass of wine before I headed out to explore the village.
Hunters Chicken and a glass of house white
This didn’t take long. I spotted the disused railway viaduct, visited the big graveyard around the small church. Then a walk around Caudwells Mill. Sadly not much to see on an evening, but a pleasant walk none the less.
Then I cast on my next sock. Well my cousin had requested a pair and I asked if she’d be willing to wait a little while if I didn’t get chance to knit them in April. I’ve nearly got all the sock shots back so I’ll start to add them to my Sockathon page in the menu above when I get chance. I’ll be knitting more socks for Dementia UK as and when I have time to use up the donated yarn, I just have to figure out how is best to do it as the Justgiving page will close at some point.
0 locks, 3 trains, 2 buses, 1 Tilly in charge, 1 stately home, 1 pub, 1 small village, 1 house clean and tidy, 3 beds made up, 1 designer ready for a days observing.
A cooked breakfast as we chatted on the Geraghty Zoom this morning. Sorry no photo Ade, too many things happening all at once. Subjects covered, post Coronation tumbleweed and Rowan trees.
Moored outside Leeds Armouries
There were a few hours to kill before we’d be able to move on up into Granary Wharf so whilst Mick did a load of washing and topped up the water tank I headed off across the river to Fred Aldous the art shop. Time to stock up on materials for designing panto. I think I have sufficient card for model making and will replace what I use. Tracing paper seems to be okay and can be picked up at most stationers. What I really needed was some good quality watercolour paper. I’d tried ordering a pad in Scarborough a month ago, but their stockists were out of stock.
Reams of paper and card
At Fred’s I had a choice and selected a pad from the lower price range, then had a good look round in case something else jumped out at me. Job done and a punnet of mushrooms picked up at Sainsburys near the deep sea diver.
Diver in a microwave, what else?!
River Lock up into Granary Wharf is opened between 1 and 3pm to help conserve the level. Would there be a queue? Would there be space for us in the Wharf? We’d have to find out.
About to leave Leeds Dock
Covers rolled back, electric hook up unplugged leaving 20p. £1 used over a couple of days with the washing machine and dishwasher going, plus two tanks of hot water. We untied and winded just as one of the water taxis was setting off. Mick held us back and waved them onwards.
The queue with two already going up
Back out onto the river where we met the other taxi at Crown Point Road Bridge. Upstream for the mile to reach Lock 1 of the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Ahead of us a narrowboat that had just come up Leeds Lock and a wide beam breasted up at the small lock landing. The pick up and drop off point for the water taxis has been moved to just round the bend. Along this stretch is where C&RT suggest mooring to wait for the lock to open. Not very inviting, all overgrown.
The new taxi rank
Two hire boats were already going up with the assistance of a C&RT chap. Next was the widebeam. Once we could pull up next to the narrowboat I headed up to help. Hang on, that widebeam looked familiar! WB Four Seasons. As I walked up the chap at the helm said ‘Hello, you’re from Oleanna!’ Four Seasons was one of the boats in the Bedford River Festival last year, they’d decorated their boat incredibly well to be Black Pearl with cannons in their portholes. His wife had spotted us in Leeds Dock yesterday.
Coming up off the river
Yesterday they had missed getting up the lock so had moored below it. Today they hoped to get a few more locks under their belt, hopefully they made it in time before some of the locks got locked to help stop vandalism. They have come over The Wash and plan to explore where they can in the north before heading back to The Great Ouse. I suspect we’ll be travelling quicker than them, so our paths will cross again.
Next our turn. Myself and the C&RT chap, a carpenter one of only two C&RT employees on duty today covering all the way over to Lancashire, emptied the lock, then gradually filled it bringing up the two boats, another boat appearing below on the river.
The old restaurant boat is no longer here making more space, but many of the moorings were already taken. Mick headed for the finger pontoons where we’d grounded overnight in 2020. Just about all the spaces were taken. We pulled in on the wall a better view than being next to a cruiser where there were few places to tie to.
Time to make travel plans. Mick a day trip back to Scarborough to finish the jobs we’d started before the next lodger moves in and me a trip into the Peak District for work. Then my attention turned to our Sunday roast.
Jules on The Hippie Boat a few weeks ago shared a recipe for nut roast. I’ve never made one before so wanted to give a go as the drawers were full of bags of nuts and seeds I haven’t got round to finishing off. There was also a bag of brown lentils that really needed to be made use of.
Lots of chopping and sauteing followed. Our new rosemary plant coming in handy, must repot it soon! I really wasn’t convinced that my bread tin would be big enough for all the ingredients, but it turned out to be just right. The end result was very tasty, just as well as there’s certainly enough for another couple of meals for us.
A morning doing some research for panto, general Columbian scenes, rainforest. There’s a lot of colour about which is a good thing. I now need to concentrate on interiors and where some of the scenes could be set, John (writer and director) has left some locations blank so I have free reign!
It’s been a while since we last did one of these!
Mick did a touch of shopping, Saturday newspaper mainly, then we had some lunch before leaving Tilly grumpily in charge for the rest of the day.
A walk across the River Aire then round to the bus station. Today with the trains on strike we had no choice but to catch the bus, but what a pleasant ride it was.
River Aire
The 36 goes between Leeds bus station and Harrogate, occasionally on to Ripon. It worked it’s way through areas of Leeds like Chapeltown and then out into the countryside. The bluebells within the perimeter wall of Harwood House were stunning, we sped past too quickly to get a photo.
A bus with skylights
All the time the recorded announcements told us which stop was next and where we could visit should we alight at certain stops. I suddenly realised who the voice was, now a voice from his grave, Harry Gratian, he used to present BBC Look North and became quite a celebrity in North Yorkshire through the decades, even appearing in York Theatre Royals Panto! At times we almost felt as though we should take him up on his suggestions of alighting at certain stops.
The Royal Hall
The road surface turned for the worse as we came into Harrogate a very bumpy ride, we’d reached our destination. A walk through the centre of the town, past the theatre heading downhill all the time. Then past the Crown Hotel where Alan Bennet sat in 1988 making observations about the people around him and reflecting on his own upbringing (Dinner at Noon).
A modern staircase attached to the back of a typical Harrogate building, we pressed the button of the flat required and a chirpy voice invited us inside. Here lives my Godmother Betty. She has never looked after my religious needs as I don’t really have any, but she has always been there in the back ground, sending me cards and more recently emails whilst we’ve been on the boat.
The wonderful Betty
Betty was one of my Mum’s best friend at Leeds School of Architecture. Mum six foot, Betty around five foot. Her 92 years of age have naturally decreased her height, but most certainly not her personality. Today we’d timed a visit with what was to be one of her Grandsons 21st birthdays, but sadly Alfred had tested positive for Covid two days ago, so the London contingency had postponed their visit for a few weeks. However there was still quite a crowd. Matthew, Jules and Rose, along with Louise their cousin.
Betty and Pip 1968
Way back when I was the youngest of the kids on holidays to France where all three families shared gites. They were fantastic times sat on beaches building sandcastles and paddling canoes.
Cups of tea and slices of cake to mark Alfred’s birthday were consumed as we caught up on everyone’s lives. People looking that bit older from the last time we’d all been together about ten years ago. Back then I was concerned about Houdini moving to live on a boat, taking advice from Rose a veterinarian nurse. Back then Betty’s comment on our boating plans were ‘Now my dear, why on earth do you want to do that ?!’ Now she is quite happy with our chosen life and looks forward to the occasional postcards I send of places we’ve visited and food we’ve eaten.
A glass of wine was enjoyed before we headed off to catch the next bus back to Oleanna. What a lovely afternoon, so glad we’d arranged it, just a shame not to have seen Anna and her tribe, maybe next time.
The bus back was busy, the bus station busier.
Time to order ourselves pizzas. We both opted for the same topping, one gluten free. When Mick went to pick them up (cheaper to drink our own wine on board) our pizzas had been rejected as being over cooked, so he had to wait for them to be done again.
I think mine didn’t have quite as much topping as Mick’s, he certainly had more cheese and chicken! But they were very tasty. We sat up to watch the final score come in at Eurovision in Liverpool, having not seen or heard any of the songs.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 hours research, 1 newspaper, 2 buses, 92 years soon to be 93, 1 Godmother as bright as a button, 1 son, 1 daughter, 1 niece, 1 daughter in law, 2 bus passes, 1 lovely afternoon, 2 pizzas, 2 boaters snoozing through Eurovision.
Castleford Visitor Moorings to Clarence Dock/Potato Wharf/Leeds Dock what ever you want to call it!
Grey but not wet thank goodness, just chilly! Brrrrr!!!
Our plan to fill and empty at the services was thwarted as three boats were moored in the way, maybe they’d just finished filling and emptying, one chap stuck his head out to ask if we needed water, he’d move back if we did. We’d already decided to carry on and do the necessaries further on. The flood lock was closed and a boat had just come through, NB Tumbleweed who used to write a blog. Hellos were exchanged.
Passing boats
The downstream panel took forever for the Lock Ready light to illuminate. Maybe because the lock is just vast it took it’s time. It took so long that I even removed my key and started again to see if that would help. Eventually the light illuminated, I lifted the sluices, Water Level light came on, gates open, Hooray!
Another boat was waiting to come through from the other end, so it made sense for the chap to use his key. The level board at this end of the lock looked to be on the cusp of amber, would yesterdays rain raise the level anymore and would we have problems with closed flood gates?
Steps to accommodate all size of boats
The right navigation was chosen rather than the left and we headed on towards Leeds, I wish I’d brought my gloves out the back it was that chilly. Lemonroyd Lock soon appeared with it’s downstream lock landing built for all sizes of boats. Full as expected, I waited to get the thumbs up from Mick that he’d tied Oleanna up before I lifted the sluices to empty it.
Huge!
Lemonroyd Lock replaced two locks and is just so vast, Oleanna always look so mini. A gongoozling family arrived, they live on the Ashby and have helped many a boat through locks before (can’t have been on the Ashby). The chap wondered why I wasn’t using a windlass, I showed him the panel of buttons, can you imagine the pressure on normal gate paddles! I enlisted their help in opening the gates, pressing another button. Mick pulled onto the water point for a delayed top up of fresh water and an empty of yellow water, making use of the elsan.
Tilly thought it looked quite nice here, but we still had further to go, even though we were both cold already and both of us were quietly wishing we could stop.
A gravel barge sat moored up a short distance on, is this where they come to empty their holds? Piles of fresh aggregate suggest so, but there wasn’t any sign of any means of offloading it.
At Woodlesford Lock a lady recognised us as being in the Jonathan Wilson facebook group. As soon as she mentioned her boat name NB Freedom I recognised them, we’ve seen them around here before and down on the Thames. NB Ecky Thump also familiar from Blue Water Marina last year.
Thwaite Mill well worth a visit
At Fishpond Lock we had a tern diving for fish as I emptied the lock, it remained hungry. Thwaite Mill visitor mooring was available, slightly overgrown.
So very sad
Knostrop Lock next. By the top gates there were bunches of flowers marking a memorial to a 14 year old lad, who on the Easter weekend had jumped into the lock to swim, shortly after a gravel barge had been through. He disappeared from view, thought to have been caught in a current created by the barge. All very sad.
Signs at the lock reminded boaters of the limited opening hours at River Lock up onto the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The levels drop at Granary Wharf leaving boats sat on the bottom, so for the time being the lock is only opened for two hours a day between 1 and 3pm. The signs suggested there is space for three boats below the lock, we’ll have to look at these when we go through, we were hoping to stop sooner.
Wibbly wobbly
The service and mooring pontoon have a build up of silt below them making the deck rippled. We’d not be mooring there unless we really had to.
Two hire boats came towards us, a new company to us The Boat Co North. Mick was later to meet a single hander from the USA, he helped him through his first push button lock. Hope he managed to get to Woodlesford today.
At Leeds Lock I opened and closed gates, lifted paddles as Mick tried to hold Oleanna still in the now short lock. If you are coming down this lock, keep away from the top gates as you may get caught on some wood jutting out. As Oleanna finished her ascent I walked up to peer over the wall into Clarence Dock to see if there’d be room for us. Bingo there was!
Time to breath in in locks
In the last few days we’ve heard that the visitor moorings here had long since gone, others have stayed but not known what the time limit was. Time to check for ourselves. The old signs are just visible, then a new bright blue sign declared the pontoon to be Visitor Mooring 2 days. Brilliant and an Oleanna sized gap waiting for us. Add to that an electric post still with a small amount of credit left.
On previous visits here we’d been able to buy electric cards I think to the value of £5 from the C&RT office across the river. Sensible size for two days and available to purchase when the office was open. These cards are unique to Leeds Dock/Clarence Dock what ever you call it. However now you have to order them £10 credit and get them posted out to you at an extra £2.95! For a bit of card the size of a credit card! Not very user friendly, the sooner C&RT install meters that you can log onto and pay for what you use anywhere on the network the better. But that won’t be for sometime as it would cost money and that is short at the moment. So we remain grateful to a previous boater who left some credit on a post.
The remainder of panto was read, notes taken. Tilly was slightly stroppy as there’d be no shore leave here. We remained very cold until Mick had lit the stove and the interior of the boat started to warm up. It was only two days ago we were sitting without jumpers in the evening, today we’d really needed thermals and just adding another jumper this evening really wasn’t going to cut the mustard!
Click photo for recipe
Crispy Lemon Chicken tonight. A new favourite.
5 locks, 1 flood lock, 10.1 miles, 3 hire boats, 1 ex-blogger, 1 JW boat, 1 hungry Tern, 1 bored cat, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, £1.20 credit, 1 stove lit, 0 knights having a wee.
Dressed appropriately for the forecast we pushed off around 9:30am leaving the baritone sheep with their lambs. I walked up to Pollington Lock with the key of power, a narrowboat had just come into view. Would they be heading for the lock or water point? The lock was full so whilst it emptied we worked out that the following boat was planning on a day filling up their water tank from the extremely slow tap.
Pollington Lock, smartly kept
Button pushing was easy compared to having to press and hold the buttons last summer on the Nene and Great Ouse. We were very quickly and on our way again.
Great Heck
The train app came out as we approached Great Heck, would the train get there before us? Well three came past, each one vying or the photo opportunity from the canal.
Plenty of C&RT blue boats were in at the maintenance wharf, a cheery wave came from inside a wheelhouse. As we came towards Whitley Lock we could see someone in blue with a life jacket, a banner/flag wafting in the breeze, there was a volunteer on duty, no need to drop me off. The chap was knowledgeable about his lock and by the portside ladder would be nice and calm for our ascent as the lock fills sideways further back.
Not a photo of Eggborough, well it isn’t there anymore !
The first gap in the sky. If you’d not lived round these parts or travelled on the motorways here you’d not notice what is no longer here. Eggborough Power Station no longer towers above the village of it’s name. It used to generate enough power for 2 million homes between 1967 and 2018 when it closed. In 2020 demolition works were started. Initially it was going to be replaced by a gas power plant, but with the rising costs of gas this did not happen.
Solar instead of coal
Now the long flat towards Knottingley. The site of Kellingley Colliery is now mostly filled with a solar farm. Areas still have mounds of slag and rubble, new buildings are rising on the far side. Sadly the sign I’ve taken photos of over the years has now gone, soon there will only be the concrete wharfs let to suggest there was mining on the site.
By now the brolly was in use, we were getting quite damp. A mooring for an early lunch would do us. Several boats were moored around the junction with Bank Dole Cut, but it looked like we’d need to dig out our mooring spikes and get wetter still. We carried on, passing the flour mill, the towpath garden.
Then another gap in the sky! Not one cooling tower left at Ferrybridge Power Station! I thought they were going to keep three of them, but not one in sight. Available bollards pulled us over to moor, ropes tied off to them rather than the boat as they were soo far away. The drone from a canalside factory stopped bang on 12:30 giving us a half hour of peace and quiet. Tilly surveyed the area from the dinette windows, This will do nicely please! Except we’d not gone far enough today.
Ferrybridge flood lock was in operation, would there be much of a difference in height. Not really. Mick gradually moved Oleanna along the long lock as I walked from one end to the other, lifted the sluices the level light illuminated and I could open the gates. Thank goodness you don’t have to wait for these locks to go through all it’s motions (which at times do nothing on the Trent Locks). Just a long ladder to climb down to get back onboard.
The long river stretch, which once made me soo excited to be soo close to Ferrybridge Power Station. I really had thought that three of the towers were going to be left. I shouted out my disgust to those who blew the great dumpy towers up. Now set back from the river stand grey buildings with spindly tall overcast chimneys that produce the power.
On 28 July 2019, the first of Ferrybridge’s cooling towers was demolished, followed by a further four on 13 October. The main boiler house, bunker bay and two chimney stacks were demolished in August 2021. The original plan of generating power with gas was no longer, so the final three cooling towers came down on 17 March 2022. The skyline of my childhood blown up forever. Now they produce energy from waste in their boring grey square buildings!
Rain came back, so did the brolly as we cruised up the river.
Bulholme Lock was full, all the key powered locks automatically fill themselves when no one is looking. As I pressed the buttons for it to fill I did wonder where the water comes from. Standing above a lock you normally get a flow of water heading for the sluices, but here the water remained calm. It must come from the far end of the extended lock, under the side.
Towpath Tilly
Plenty of places to choose to moor. We pulled in where the bank is low and the bollards in useable distance. The boat moored in front, a chap we’ve come across a few times, NB Borderlines which has the coat of arms of York on the side. Tilly was given three hours shore leave, she took two and a half before we decided the doors should close for the day. Our dripping coats were hung up in front of the stove which Mick lit. We then had to open most windows and the hatch before we over heated, maybe next time it’s a touch chilly we’ll just dig out an extra jumper.
I spent a couple of hours on a second read of my panto script taking notes as I went. Still a few more pages to go, then research and logistics will start. Just how to materialise a coach on Chipping Nortons little stage and what should it look like?!
The chicken stock brought from Scarborough was still quite icy in the middle! But I persevered and made us a mushroom and chicken risotto.
NB Ivy
When we left Goole we’d heard that our friend Lisa is selling her boat, NB Ivy, that was moored across from where we were. A heart breaking sale for Lisa. If you are interested here are the details. I hope she finds a caring new owner for NB Ivy soon.
3 locks, 1 flood lock, 14.4 miles, 1 volunteer, 1 soggy day, 2 wet boaters, 2 good looking moorings, 1 person after my job! 1 stove lit, 2 mafting boaters, 1 content cat.
Both of us were awake around 6am, after trying to pretend we were still asleep for a little while we gave up and got up. A cuppa each then it was time for Mick to take the van back to Scarborough. I originally was to get a lift to Tescos for a few bits but when we got to the gate and noticed the lake on the approach road had grown overnight and I’d have to wade back through it, it was decided that Mick would pick things up on his return as he’d have a Brompton with him.
Across the marina
What a lovely morning. Blue blue skies as I tidied away more things in the boat.
By 9am there was much activity going on in the marina. The boat crane was being moved about. I headed out for a nosy and to keep an eye open for our Sainsburys delivery. The boat crane was heading for a cruiser out on the hard, a lorry sat waiting to transport it to the Broads for adventures new. All this would take time, but would it coincide with my delivery arriving?
Heading to waters new
The nice delivery lady pulled up as close as we dared and was happy to move should the lorry want to leave the marina. We were speedy with popping everything into bags and thankfully had plenty of time before the lorry wanted to leave.
Time to repack items headed for the freezer, a chicken to joint. Mick phoned, his mission to take things to the tip in Scarborough from the house before returning the van had failed, the tip being closed on Wednesdays! Then trains had been cancelled between Scarborough and Hull due to a goods train becoming separated from it’s engine. Thankfully Mick was allowed to change his route and return via York, normally a more costly route.
A bite to eat was needed then we went to check out of the marina, handing in our gate fob. Three months and two days Oleanna had been in residence. In that time we’d only managed to use 18 units of electric, far different than when we stayed a couple of years ago and the electric bill exceeded £300! We are wiser now than then.
Once the ropes and fenders we’d left tied to the pontoon were recovered, the cratch and pram hoods rolled and folded away, life jackets on we were ready. We reversed away from the pontoon, winded and headed out of the marina, turning left towards Goole docks.
Big ships in the docks
Time to fill our diesel tank. Mick had paced out the gap between the big gravel barges and the floating drydock, we might just fit. He reversed Oleanna into the diesel point the bow came round with a few inches to spare, made to measure. 50 litres, the domestic price now lower than £1. We paid our dues and then said our farewells. Thank you Laird.
Such a happy boat
The wind was starting to pick up, just as we were wanting to wind. It helped to a certain point then hindered the last part of the manoeuvre, but we got round in the end. Time to head along the very familiar straights, a cruiser just beating us to the way ahead.
Fishermen lined the banks a match in full flow meaning not many responded to our Hellos. We did see a few fish being reeled in. On we pootled, darkening skies threatening to soak us.
Drax, the only power station left in the area
Past the breach site. The cooling towers of Drax gradually getting further away, bye bye to the NORF.
Ducks, Herons, Swans, Grebes and the occasional Lapwing kazooing overhead. Oh it’s so nice to be back out in nature again.
Straight on please
At the end of the New Junction Canal we continued heading westwards, waving to our friend David who moors at the far end. The last few years we’ve taken the fast route southwards on the River Trent, but this year we’ve opted to cross the Pennines before making our way southwards.
How much further? The skies were really starting to turn dark. Patches of blue sky and low lying rainbows brightened our view. It was a touch later than we’d hoped and Tilly deserved some shore leave, so we pulled in on the visitor moorings below Pollington Lock.
Pollington ahead!
Once our location was noted from What3Words, Nebo stopped and cruising report on it’s way, I recited the rules to Tilly.
You have one hour. No Friends home dead or alive, or putting them on the roof for later. No jumping in, no bullying, no going on other peoples boats. She ran to the stern doors, once opened she shot out, towpath time!
Tail held high
I accompanied her for a little walk to the far bench, her tail held high as she followed me, then this was followed with thank you head nudges. There wasn’t really enough time for her to explore further as she required her quota of ‘Thank you for coming home!’ Dreamies.
She and me back where we belong
A touch more unpacking before we tucked into Toad in the Hole with some rather nice mushroom and onion gravy. That’s the sausages used up from the freezer in the house, the chicken stock was still solid so will be used tomorrow.
A Pollington sky
0 locks, 8.6 miles, 2 winds, 1 left, 1 van returned, 3 cancelled trains, 3 diversion trains, 2 boxes cereal, 6 bags, 4 boxes, 2 moving cruisers, 1 chicken jointed, 18 units, 50 litres, 1 mass fishing match, 1 hour, 1 walk, 6 sausages, 14782 compressed photos, 1 blogger trying to remember what to put at the end of the days list!
Change around laundry and ironing completed. The Shed reclaimed as a bedroom with organised storage. Upstairs upstairs tidied. Windows washed. A sister-out-law to visit. Food eaten. Outfits remarked on. Who stole the youngest Prince? Beds made up. Clothes and food all packed. One on loan sewing machine returned and the last pair of socks delivered.
It was time to load a van and return to Oleanna.
Bye bye Scarborough
Tilly’s pooh box and scratch post were the last items to be added to the van. I knew what had been happening, they normally keep me locked inside when they load up everything, but today I was allowed to supervise. I may have been distracted by the elaborate bird feeder though. Maybe I’d be allowed to supervise in the big white box, but no chance of that as I was bundled up into the cat caravan! I know I wouldn’t get under Toms feet, but She says that Tom isn’t so sure. Hopefully the scratches on my chest from the tussle with Tilly will fade without leaving scars. This morning we’d decided not to add any extra stress to her day by trying to give her a travel sickness pill. If only she’d lie down the motion wouldn’t be half as bad!
I’d refrained from saying how well Tilly was doing as we passed our usual stopping place on Staxton Hill, she then showed signs that we’d soon need to stop to refresh the puppy pad in the caravan. Thankfully there were only two stops today then she calmed down, sat with her back to the door of the caravan where I could sort of stroke her.
On our route we somehow got talking about cows. Tilly tried joining in, but her mooing fell short!
On arrival at Viking Marina, Tilly was the first thing off the van and inside. There was time to appreciate the nice clean floor before it was filled with bags and boxes that all needed emptying and places found to stow it all. Tilly checked everywhere over, peeked out the back and then settled down, It’s good to be back home.
Alastair chatted with Mick. Two new engine mounts had been fitted. The stern nav light attached. Leak on the skin tank had required a 46mm spanner to tighten the pipe and all was good.
With everything for the galley, saloon loaded onto Oleanna it was time to make a move. Well just reverse back, wind and come in for the bow to be nearest the bank. This would make filling the water tank easier. The bags of clothes would come straight into the bedroom, plants could go on the bow straight away and Mick would be able to reach to replace a steel cable tie on the bow fender that had broken in Bramwith Lock three months ago.
Whilst knitting socks my back has improved, but sadly moving things around, stoopid stooping has encouraged it to ache again. A few hours sitting down helps. Today though to be able to sit down lots of things needed to be stowed, moved here and there. Yes Mick could have done it all, but it was just easier to get on with it, someone needs to remember where things have been stashed after all! Tilly didn’t help with any of this, she was far more interested in the secret passage and refusing to come back out when I wanted to put the sofa back into sofa mode!
But I like it down here!
Once we’d remembered we’d put the duvet and pillows in vacuum bags Mick made the bed up whilst I adjusted the Sainsburys delivery for the morning. Diner was some left over gammon we’d shared with Kath (Mick’s sister) and Bill one of our lodgers, with some carrot and parsnip hash. Thank you Mick for being on cooking duty.
Ohh Tilly!!!
0 locks, 180ft, 1 wind, 27 cheese scones, 1 painted wall, 1 van full, 2 puppy pads, 1 proud She, 1 last pair of socks delivered, 1 determined Duncan, 1 more painting hung, 1 slot filling booking, 1 chocka boat, 1 empty water tank, 1 full water tank, 2 new engine mounts, 1 stern light, 1 secret passageway, 1 cat on the shelf, 2 happy boaters, 1 happy cat.
On Monday Mick climbed aboard the 9am train heading for Goole, a new mop from Boyes in his sights. The purchase if possible was to have a telescopic handle for ease of storage under the gunnel. In the past we’ve bought mops and brooms with this attribute which is handy as none of our cupboards on board are tall enough for full length handles, well the one that Oleanna was designed with had other contents in mind.
Mick succeeded with his purchase along with a new bucket, colour coordinated with the bathroom! The bucket is a little bit bigger than the previous one so will also have to sit in the bathroom instead of being stowed away in a stern locker. This means two things, there will be less room to stow bags of cat litter, but with the bucket and mop more accessible maybe the boat floor will be washed more frequently! Maybe!
Coming out
It being a Bank Holiday Mick wasn’t expecting to see much work going on in the marina, however a boat was being lifted out onto the hard for some work.
Here’ hoping our new engine mount arrives soon and can be fitted along with the other boat jobs that are on the list.
Packed up ready to post
Back in Scarborough I spent much of the day packing up socks. My Sockathon is now over. Fifteen pairs of socks which have helped me raise just under £722 for Dementia UK, over a hundred pounds more than my original target which is brilliant.
All socks, other than those to be hand delivered, were sent out on the 3rd May by second class post. I’ve set up a page on the blog to show them all off, but their owners/sponsors need to see them first before you do. Thank you to those who sponsored me and I hope that those I knitted for people fit and keep your toes cosy and warm until the spring arrives!
No caption required
Plenty of yarn left, so I may do it again. Think I’ll have a go at a pattern with a different stitch, rather than just stripy (this helps count rows quickly when knitting at speed).
This week has seen me attempt to be a plasterer. Hopefully the wall will be dry and flat enough for me to paint before we leave. Windows are to be cleaned, floor hoovered, duvet covers and sheets to be ironed and beds made up for the next set of lodgers.
Upstairs upstairs has had a tidy ready for more things, hopefully soon the room known as The Shed will be empty enough for one of us to sleep in when we come to do turn arounds between lodgers, therefore saving having to make up a bed for ourselves.
My panto script has also arrived for Cinderella and an initial zoom meeting arranged, so I’ve got some work to be getting on with once house jobs are done and dusted, literally.
Thankfully Robbie’s cruise in the dark on the Trent wasn’t shown!
Hopefully next time you hear from us we’ll be back on board and sailing off into the sunset! Taking you with us of course.
0 locks, 0 miles, 15 pairs, 1 panto script, 1 target passed, 7 windows to wash, ! shower still leaking! 1 visitor, 1 clean floor, 1 new mop and bucket, 3 rendez vous to be kept, 2 boaters and 1 boat cat yearning to be back afloat, 1 countdown started.
Today Mick has headed down to Goole to give Oleanna a check over and a touch of TLC. When last we visited I was ashamed of how dirty the floor was! So a visit to do a touch of spring cleaning was needed before we move back on board.
Here’s hoping the trains behave better than on his last solo visit.
Goole Station today
He has instructions to purchase a new mop, the one we have has a very solid foam head and takes several days for water to penetrate it to be able to wash the floor. So he’ll pop into trusty Boyes on his arrival and if there is the correct oil in stock he’ll purchase enough for the next engine service. *No mop was purchased today, 10 litres of oil and a new kettle instead.
A visit will also mean being able to give Alastair a gentle nudge to prompt him into doing the jobs before we move back on board, we’ll be wanting to be off pretty smartish. *The requirement of a new Engine mount means the jobs are being delayed until the mount arrives and can be fitted. Spring cleaning consisted of a very good hoover top and bottom, but no mopping.
Evidence of Alastair on Oleanna’s stern
Back in Scarborough we’ve had a change over of lodgers which means the house is really quite busy. The jobs list is slowly having things ticked off it as there is only really Mick working his way through it at the moment. But as of Monday I’ll be joining in again as my Sockathon will have finished.
Only three more days to go, including today. So far I have kept up the sock a day routine which means that I am heading for 15 pairs in April! My reserve pairs of socks will be knitted after all.
A post last week on a women’s Facebook group suggests I could have knitted at least another 7 pairs to raise money. There will be quite a bit of yarn left from the donations I had so I’m considering knitting more but as and when I have the time. Boating, seeing old friends and soon Panto designing will be taking over. But if I can raise a few more pounds for Dementia UK that would be fantastic.
Talking of funds. Last night after an update post on Facebook I had a couple more donations which has taken me just over my target. Thank you sooo so much to everyone who has sponsored me. There is however still time to make a donation to help me keep knitting for just a few more days. An episode of Downton Abbey has been watched a day. Watching them so close together shows just how horrible most of the characters are and what trials they all endure. Yet there is caring too. We’ll not finish them all by the time we’re back onboard, so they will have to fill rainy afternoons. Here’s hoping there aren’t too many of those as we’ve the River Aire to navigate first and we don’t want to be held up by flood water!
We’re all counting down the days now to being back afloat. The freezer is gradually being emptied, I may have to make some pea soup to finish off the frozen peas and chicken stock. I also made a boo boo when making cheese scones the other day, so there is a batch and a half of basic scone mix frozen, just requiring yoghurt egg and cheese to be added for any emergency cheese scone moments in the next few days.
0 locks, 0 miles, 27 socks so far, 1 toe too, 8 pairs to weave ends in on, £626.97 *£641.97 raised, so far, 1 dementia nurses training, 1 boat with filthy floors, 1 wall prepared, 1 new boiler, 2 sides of flashing sorting, 15 windows, 1 decorator, 0 scaffolding yet, 1 tube of Captain Tolleys for the shower, 2 more lodgers, 16 fingers, 20 toes, 4 paws crossed that we get away smoothly, 1 van about to be booked, 1 boat floor still requiring mopping, 1 new engine mount required.
Mick picked up a hire car this morning, the original plan had been to use it for trips to the tip and charity shops as the room known as the Shed is being paid some attention. Boxes of old electrical things, my broken sewing machine headed to the recycling centre and boxes of redundant pans amongst other things, headed to St Catherine’s Hospice shop.
The little boot once the recycling and charity things had been removed
Having the car for a whole day and not to use it more would have been a waste, so I suggested a trip to see Oleanna, returning a car load of our possessions to help stagger our return to life afloat. Mostly my work things were packed deep in the back of a Fiat 500. These items won’t be needed until we’re back afloat so shouldn’t be missed.
The best display of daffodils on the Wolds, in our opinion
Once our jobs around Scarborough were done we set off across the Wolds, Bainton roundabout daffodils looking fantastic today despite the grey heavy clouds.
I’d taken along a sock to carry on knitting. I’d cast on the toe last night so hoped I’d not have to look down too much as I knitted, I can get a touch of motion sickness in a car. Thankfully my plan worked and I’d almost got to the heel gusset when we arrived in Goole.
Knitting round and round in the car
Oleanna sat being buffeted about in the wind. Caution required stepping on and off the stern as she was being pushed away from her pontoon.
Only boat moving was a gravel barge today
We unloaded the car and I set too stowing the office cupboard again. The dinette cushions were removed and model making kit and paints were tucked away in the corner. Then the stern steps had to be lifted and turned out of the way to gain access to where I store my scenic brushes.
Damp traps emptied and refilled
Mick checked things over with the inverter. Last time he’d visited he’d done a firmware upgrade and there have been a few things he’s not been able to check on remotely since, mostly historic data. The router was rebooted which settled things. The remote camera needed an upgrade and a reboot too before it’s images could be viewed again.
A hatch pack up lunch
A pack up with a cuppa each was enjoyed with the view from the side hatch. Just a shame that the wind blowing Oleanna about was making such a horrendous din on the fenders. Mick spent sometime trying to improve things, hoping to stop the creaking for the sanity of our poor next door neighbour!
Re-battening down the hatches
Then it was time for us to get back in the car and return to Scarborough, driving towards very big fat black clouds and through hail showers. Kind of glad we weren’t wanting to go anywhere by boat today!
Knitting with a view
Sockathon news is such that I’m managing to keep up with a sock a day despite my fingers starting to dry up and my dodgy right hand tending to be quite stiff in the mornings. So I’ve decided to release a few more pairs to knit for people. Last year I managed 9 pairs during March. April has 30 days, 1 sock a day means 15 pairs! However, I’m going to be cautious. We’ve another day trip coming up soon which will wipe out half a day or so of knitting, not sure I can manage knitting on a bus! So as it’s the 13th April, I’m going to aim for 13 pairs, which may increase to 14 or 15 during the month. So if you fancy a pair get in quickly, first come first knitted!
UPDATE. Within 24hrs all the extra pairs of socks have been claimed. I have 14 pairs to knit in April, plus a couple in reserve should I manage more! Donations now stand at 84% of my target.
Lil, my Mum, on holiday in 1971
Twenty one years ago today my wonderful Mum, Lil passed away. Last year I wrote a blog post all about her Link here. She’s the reason I’m raising funds for Dementia UK with my Sockathon.
If you’d like to make a donation to help me reach my target then please donate to the following link. I’m hoping to raise enough to help train a specialist nurse to offer support to families who care for someone with dementia.
Thank you to all those who have sponsored me already. Socks will be posted out at the beginning of next month, unless I can hand them over in person.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 happy milkman, 1 half diddy car full to the boat, 2 boxes 1 sewing machine for recycling, 1 big box for charity, 6.3 pairs socks knitted, 70% towards target, 3 more pairs up for grabs, so be quick, be very very quick!
