Petering Out At Watford, 12th December

‘Avecoat Marina

Mick headed off before breakfast to Bethnal Green to see if he could get his parcel, it wasn’t there. Because he’d requested it to be forwarded to a different post office he then made his way over to Homerton. It wasn’t there either. It must have been on it’s way, a suggestion that it might arrive by midday was made, he came back to the house for some breakfast and to discus what to do.

One of us needed to head back to the boat today no matter what. Rail strikes tomorrow. There are only two compartments in the magic food bowl, so Tilly would be getting hungry. The other reason was that neither of us had turned off the stop cock from the water tank. The boat was being kept warm by the electric central heating (we hoped), so no worry about frozen pipes. However as a matter of routine in cold weather, we’d put the shower head into the shower tray and left all the taps open, with the water pump off. This is good practice should anything freeze. However, the shower head was now lower than the level of water in the tank, therefore a syphon effect would be happening, gradually emptying the water tank with the aid of gravity! If both of us loitered for another couple of hours would it make much difference? We decided to risk it.

A tracking notice came through, Mick’s parcel had arrived. Time to say farewell to the Leckenbys and a big thank you for hosting the get together yesterday. Andrew gave us a lift to the post office and then on to a bus stop.

At Euston several trains were cancelled, ours thankfully was just late, but everyone seemed to be waiting for it! We got a seat and enjoyed the ride back northwards through the snowy landscape, every canal we saw frozen. It seemed like the north south divide at Watford was being adhered to by the weather, as soon as we’d passed the junction the snow covering petered out. By Milton Keynes only small patches of frost were visible.

Tamworth station was easy today as we arrived at the platform by the entrance. Another Acorn Taxi back to the marina. Here the haw frost we’d seen when we left had shrunk. There were reports of some snow, but it hadn’t hung around for us. Tilly greeted us shouting at the front door.

About bloomin time! I was starting to look for the next flipping lid to open! And I was getting wet toes when going for a drink!

First job, check the shower. About an inch of water sat in the tray, it maybe could have lasted another day before it spilled over onto the bathroom floor. All taps were turned off, shower head put back up where it belongs and the water pump turned back on.

**To the top of the tray, but not as high as the enclosure**

Next the central heating was given a boost, the stove fire was laid and lit. Soon Oleanna was warming back up.

The water pump was making a bit of a funny noise, had been for a couple of days. Mick opened up the front step to see water. Maybe the pump had got cold and when warmed up it decided to leak, or maybe it had been leaking for a while. The nappy it sat on was soaked and couldn’t hold anymore.

**I had to wash my feet to get a drink!**

Mick pulled out the other water pumps we have, ones bought cheaply last year, known to possibly have a fault. The one with the tick on the side was plumbed in. Noisy but it pumped water, a good outcome. Even so a new water pump will be required, a job for tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 visits to post offices, 0 presents arrived for the Leckenbys, 1 big bag to take home, 1 bus, 1 train, 1 taxi, 1 not as frosty Tamworth, 1 shouty cat, 1inch away from the top, 1 stove, 1 pan of emergency tuna pasta, 1 shopping order checked over.

Video Link From Scotland. 11th December

‘Avecoat Marina

Mick set off this morning to see if he could catch up with a parcel that had been diverted to Bethnal Green sorting office. With card in hand he arrived and joined the queue where news reached his part of the line that the sorting office was closed due to strike action. His trip out though did mean he bought some stand in presents for his sisters as the parcel containing those also hadn’t arrived despite several attempts at delivery.

Meanwhile back at the house preparations were underway for the first Leckenby Geraghty family get together since the pandemic. Whilst Andrew and Josh worked on work things Jac and I made salads, prepared a fish pie laid the table and tidied up, all under the watchful supervision of quality controller Finn, he’s very particular about his fish pie!

Kath was first to arrive out of the cold, soon followed by Christine and Paul. John and Marion had changed their plans and driven up from the south coast, sadly they wouldn’t be staying as Marion was full of cold. An exchange of presents was done accompanied by some festive fizz before they headed off back home with a welfare package of fish pie. Anne, Mick’s fourth sister joined us briefly via video link from Scotland, which was lovely to have everyone together for a short while.

What a lovely afternoon and early evening, drinking, eating and chatting away. The fish pie was very tasty along with the salad. Then pudding came out decorated with some of the candied orange slices I’d made the other day. Sitting in the tuperware they had got very sticky again. One orange seemed to have candied better than the other. The cheesecake was very rich, which went down well.

It really was great to get people back together for an early Christmas, just a shame not everyone could stay or be there. There were a couple of plans talked about for next year, where we hope to be able to get the next generation and the one below that together too.

Around 6pm Josh came down and said it had started to snow. By 7:30 this was more obvious looking out of the window as it was starting to build up. A taxi was called to get people home and as we waved goodbye there must have been at least an inch and a half of snow.

Poor Marion and John had left us most probably around 3pm and had got stuck on route home by snow. A pause in a pub for a few hours before they altered their route back to the south coast, arriving home as we were all heading to bed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 canal not frozen (Hertford Union) yet, 3 sisters, 1 videoed in, 11 bottles, 1 welfare package, 0 left overs of fish pie, 0.25 left of cheese cake, 1st get together since 2019, 4 stand in presents, 1 still to be caught up with, 1 happy Finn, 10C on Oleanna! And don’t I know it!!!

If people would like me to post how I candied the oranges I’ll add it to the recipes, let me know.

Supermodels. 10th December

‘Avecoat Marina

With Tilly left staring into the corner of the boat, ‘in charge’, we headed off with overnight bags to meet a taxi which took us to Tamworth Station. Today we’d not be heading northwards but south to London. For this we needed the platform opposite the entrance. Getting there you really need to read the signs, as just getting the lift up to the higher platform doesn’t actually work! You need to take the second lift, hidden round the corner under the viaduct to be on the right side of the higher tracks to then be able to take another lift down to the correct platform. Tamworth Station may be handy for access to different parts of the country, it however is quite confusing.

We were lucky to get seats as the train very quickly filled right up. An hour and a half later we arrived into Euston. A 30 bus took us the short distance to Kings Cross where we alighted and walked round the corner onto York Way. We were looking for a recessed courtyard at Jahn Court and the Supermodel exhibition.

Architects Piercy & Company have put together an exhibition of architectural models based on buildings they have designed, some built, some not. All the models have a life given to them, some with sound, all with light and several with moving elements.

They were made over a period of five years between projects. Jahn Court building is part of Endurance Land’s ten-year plan to revitalise the Regent Quarter to the east of Kings Cross. The building is currently in a stripped out state awaiting redevelopment and gives an interesting background to the exhibition.

Each model had either a motion sensor or a button to press which would set things in motion. Projected people moving about staircases and landings. How passing daylight affects a building, revealing different things as the day progresses including a giant balloon dog.

A camera on a track through and around a model, the footage projected onto a screen close by. A choir singing as light directs your eye around a modern church.

By far the best was Two Villas. Two Georgian villas open up like a cantilevered metal tool box to display the rooms inside.

This was closely followed by Steel House. This was the first model of the collection, it is modeled on a steel framed house that had to be craned onto its site. The buildings slide or rise upwards, a bird flies over the roof, a puff of smoke comes from the chimney. Apparently there was an aroma of cinnamon, but we didn’t notice it.

**Footage of the models being made and the rather nice benches** **to sit on.**

A very good way to spend an hour, thank you Heather Bleasdale for sending me the link to the Ian Visits article about it.

Back on the 30 bus and out to Hackney and the London Leckenby’s where a warm welcome awaited us. Plenty to catch up on as we tucked into a wonderful beef stew. Josh headed out to meet some friends to watch the England game whilst Mick, Jac and Andrew settled in the living room to also watch.

Meanwhile I busied myself in the kitchen, blitzing digestive biscuits, beating cream cheese and sugar together, melting chocolate and grating the zest off oranges. I managed to occupy myself for just about all of the match aided by my assistant Finn. By the time we’d had another glass or two of wine, pudding for tomorrow was baked and cooling on a rack.

**Finn who comments all the time as you cook**

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very frosty Tamworth, 1 taxi, 3 lifts, 1 train, 30 bus twice, 8 models, 1 beef stew, 1 chocolate orange baked cheesecake, many glasses of wine.

‘In Charge’ 10th December

‘Avacoat Marina

They were busy busy busy again this morning, even though they pretended not to be! Tom did the yellow water and She put things in bags. Tom topped up the water and chatted to Next Boat Tom. Apparently because Oleanna is plugged into the water post that is why it is keeping on flowing, Next Boat Tom is pleased about this, Oleanna is keeping the water post from freezing.

I was relieved when the magic food bowl came out, that meant I wouldn’t have to go anywhere fast. But it did mean that they were leaving me ‘in charge‘. Now the ‘in charge’ bit is okay, I don’t mind that, I’m always ‘in charge‘. It’s the being on my own and being ‘in charge‘ that I’m not too keen on. No-one to hear me shouting at the back doors, no-one to sit on in front of the stove, no-one to cuddle up to in bed at night and most importantly no-one to play fishing rod with at bedtime!

It was time to sulk!

Two pouches of food in the magic food bowl!!!! Double sulk time!!

NO choice of toys today, She said I still had the good ones out from last time they went away. Triple sulk time!!! Then She put all the cables away, so no surfing the internet! Quadruple sulk time!!!! One for each paw!!!!!

Tom put so much black stuff on the stove, that should keep it warm for ages and ages. But then it was closed right down. ‘Right for night.’ It might last ages and ages and ages but it wouldn’t be Full Body Stretch Out Cat Warm! Tom said that when the black stuff ran out then the central heating would come on. But that wouldn’t come on until it was Round Cat Chilly! Think I might need to make use of the extra duvet on the bed.

Then there were head nudges, I turned round for those. She said it would only be for a couple of big sleeps. Well that would be no time at all as that is all I’m doing here in ‘Avecoat Marina, sleeping! They stepped outside, leaving me inside. Closed the door, made the rattly noise. Then stepped off Oleanna leaving her to get surrounded by more and more ice!

Time to shut myself down for a while and hope they are back before I run out of dingding.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 pouches of food, 2 compartments closed, 1 black stuffed stove, 2 big sleeps, or 58 big sleeps? 1 cat home alone, 1 cat in charge.

Anything But. 9th December

Alvecote Marina

Have to say my cuppa in bed in the morning is taking longer and longer each day. I put the kettle on, stoke the fire whilst it boils, give Tilly some biscuits for morning dingding, remind her where her food bowls are out of the cold, then climb back into bed. Tilly joins me and warms back up my toes. It’s nice under the duvet.

The ice in the marina crept across towards Oleanna overnight, but I think my glancing at it every now and again is stopping it in it’s tracks. Here’s hoping so as it is very weird living on a boat that doesn’t float because its frozen in solid and one day soon we’ll be wanting to leave!

I set the oranges on top of the stove this morning to help them dry out a touch as they were still very sticky. Sitting on a cooling rack above a baking tray which was placed on a trivet meant I didn’t fill the boat full of the smell of burning sugar. After quite a few hours they seemed to be less sticky so they were boxed up in between greaseproof paper for use at the weekend.

The Christmas food shop needed amending. A while ago we’d arranged a food delivery for the 20th, the nearest we could get to the big day. Our festive bird is on order to be collected a couple of days before Christmas, but will we get to where we had planned to be able to pick it up? We’ll sort the bird but having to make two trips would be silly. The order would be too early to include our Christmas veg anyway, so I’ve cancelled it. A new order has been done to arrive at the marina before we hopefully leave, ice dependant.

**Orange syrup on my porridge this morning was rather tasty**

The order includes everything but bread, diary and veg for Christmas. A weeks normal shop. Then a stock up of the freezer and various tinned things should we end up being stuck somewhere waiting for ice to melt. I’ve maybe overdone it, but we’ll see. Quite an expensive shop and I’ve just remembered I’ve not included anything to bake my birthday cake with! The order will need amending, again!

Another job that needed doing was addressing envelopes for Christmas cards. I just need to do the round robin, print off more cards and they can head off in the post to arrive sometime in the next few weeks.

Tilly’s pooh box got a clean out to stop her whinging at the back door. A small amount of litter was added, as I could tell she was desperate. She was straight in there, but seemed to be disappointed at the lack of litter to scratch through. This was cleaned out before I gave her the usual quantity. All nice and fresh for tomorrow now.

The shower trap also got cleaned out, maybe I should consider getting my hair cut short!

Well another day of successfully not getting round to doing my accounts. Soon I will have run out of excuses!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 accounts, 1 clean pooh box, 15 sticky slices, 3XL just in case overall, 70cm just in case zip, 45 envelopes, 10 Paddington stares, 1 Mick coming back on the train, 1 boiler mended, sort of!

A Quick Defrost. 8th December

Alvecote Marina

John our neighbour was about this morning, stocking up on heat logs. We chatted through Oleanna’s side hatch regarding coal and how thick the ice tends to get within the marina. I also asked if the taps freeze up, knowing the answer before I’d even asked the question.

Yes this morning as expected there was ice on the water. Only cat ice, but it’s a start. The water in front of Oleanna must get sunshine in the morning as that hadn’t, as yet, turned solid. I stoked the fire and made myself a good bowl of blueberry porridge with a big spoon of golden syrup, yum.

The stove is keeping us warm on the boat, but the floor does tend to stay chilly, sheepskin slippers help keep the chill out. Yesterday Tilly didn’t seem to eat very much, I remembered her doing this in the house and we worked out her food bowl was sat in a very chilly place. So today to encourage her to eat something I’ve moved her food bowls and laid them on a Towpath Talk so she can keep up on all things canal orientated.

First job to tick off the list was to finish painting the big model door. It just needed a bit more paint and then all the black lines to be added before I glued on the butterfly net and snow shoes. I also made a Christmas wreath, held on with some white tack, so that it was a touch more festive when opened by Abi. Time to wrap it up. I had to butcher a useful shoebox for some card and used the only two padded envelopes we had, I think it should now arrive without getting too dinted. Just need to get to a post office to post it now.

**That’s the third time I’ve painted this door all different sizes**

Today I’d ear marked as a day to do accounts. I excelled in finding other things that needed doing. Getting our Christmas cards ready for printing and printing out as many our current stock of photo paper would allow. I saved the folding, writing and envelope addressing for another time when I’d like to avoid doing something.

**It’ll soon be time to make one for the cratch of Oleanna**

Mid afternoon I set the dishwasher going with a full load, John had used the water tap in the morning so I hoped it would still work for me to top up the tank. I wound out the hose pipe attached it to the tap. The tap worked but no water came through to the other end! I’d obviously not managed to empty all the water from the pipe the day before. Time to bring it in for a cosy while in front of the stove to defrost.

Tilly brought my attention to the small pool of water on the floor under the sofa after a while. Time to try the hose again. I didn’t bother unravelling it this time, I just pointed it towards the bow of Oleanna, still no water. More time in front of the stove was required.

Third time lucky, I could hear water rushing around the coiled up hose, then it stopped. After a minute or so a splurt and splutter, I had flowing water. A trickle to start with but that soon increased. By now the dishwasher had finished so the tank got filled up to the top. As soon as it overflowed the tap was turned off, hoping to avoid a puddle of ice just where we and John want to step off our boats onto the pontoon.

I wound the hose back up, emptying out as much water as possible then brought it inside to live in the shower where it can stay until the temperatures rise again. Serious water saving may be required should the tap freeze.

Mick did various jobs around the house including putting up the Christmas decorations. This will make it more welcoming. Today it had snowed a touch in Scarborough, not enough to make a snowman, just a dusting.

Far too late now to start my accounts, so I popped a couple of potatoes into the stove wrapped in foil. Then got on with candying some orange slices. Thinly sliced they were lowered into a pan of sugar and water syrup and left to simmer for a good 40 minutes. Then they were lifted out and left to dry off on an oiled wire rack. By now my potatoes were cooked so I enjoyed them with the last chicken from our Sunday roast and some corn. Very tasty.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 big door finished, 1 parcel ready to go, 0 accounting done, 3rd time lucky with the hose, 1 little puddle, 1 top hat arrived almost before it was ordered, 2 oranges candied, 2 jacket spuds, 6 stars on display, 1 very very bored Tilly.

Hey Ho Ho ! 7th December

Alvecote Marina

Christmas deliveries this year are a touch of a worry. Will the strikes affect present giving? Will anyone be in to receive parcels in advance? Changed delivery dates getting cancelled by the courier and moved by a week, which would be too late for collection by us! Here’s hoping things arrive. Then there are the orders that for some reason payment gets declined, so you have to order it again, delaying dispatch by a couple of days. Hey Ho Ho!

This morning thankfully a very important parcel did arrive on the date specified. Other things can be a touch late, it’ll just end up being someone else wrapping them and not me for the big day.

-1C when I woke this morning. It will take another day I reckon before we start to see ice on the canal and marina. The sheets on working boat Victoria glistened at me this morning, the white frost accentuating the creases.

Time to do some work. I’ve now been given a float for #unit21, so it was time to spend it. Giant spoon, top hat, pingpong bat, all easy small things.

Then hunting round for trainers for everyone. Trying to get the same shoe in sizes 8 down to 13 kids took much of the afternoon. In the end I settled for one style of trainer for everyone bar one person, but I found something a bit similar for them. Next we’ll see if they fit. None learning disabled actors are pretty quick to let you know if shoes don’t fit right. Learning disabled actors tend to say ‘Thank you Pip, they are lovely’, ‘Really comfortable’, ‘They don’t rub’, ‘Thank you’. Then a week or so later you hear word has come through from their Mum or PA saying that the shoes are really uncomfortable and are crippling them. It’s lovely working with the Dark Horse actors but sometimes I wish they weren’t so polite, especially when it come to shoes. But here’s hoping we have enough time to get everyone comfortable before the show goes out on tour. By the end of the day I’d spent over £700!

With colder temperatures due it’s time to keep the water tank topped up. We may be right beside a tap, but the tap or pipes leading to it are likely to freeze. I’d put the emersion heater on for an hour early on in the day, hoping to take a shower and then top up with water before the temperature started to drop. However the water had only reached tepid, so another hour was required.

I topped up the tank, made sure I drained the hose pipe before stowing it again, any excess water left away from where people walk so as not to create an ice rink. I left the shower until later.

Coal skuttle was filled up during daylight hours so as not to disturb our next door neighbour. Ash pan popped at the end of the pontoon outside the hatch for ease of use and hopefully out of the way.

Up in Scarborough Mick had done some shopping, visited his favourite pizza shop and chatted to neighbours. A couple of handyman jobs needing doing by someone with a long ladder. Hopefully he’s found someone to do them. I think he also did a bit of Christmas shopping too!

TV reception is totally pants here in the marina. So long as there is just an inkling of reception I can access online TV. I’ve watched Jamie Oliver cooking up a clementine and ginger roast duck with noodles. Our Christmas duck will be traditionally roasted, but I’ll keep this recipe in mind for another time as it looks very tasty. I then decided to see what Ghosts was like as we’ve never got round to watching it. Two episodes later, I now need Mick to catch up with me!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 trains, 1 full tank of water, -1C, 12 pairs trainers, 5 cycling shorts, 1 neon top, 2 many neon covered boobs, 1 top hat, 2 wands, 2 braces, 70cm of wooden spoon, 2 duvets on the bed on the boat, 1 twinkly night.

Surveyed. 6th December

Alvecote Marina

The 25tog duvet kept us warm last night, maybe even a little bit too warm! Time for some porridge, except we didn’t have any golden syrup. That was soon rectified.

Just gone 9am there was a knock on the front door, on the Arctic side of the house. One of several reasons for this trip to the house. A surveyor had come to give us a free EPC inspection and recommend what we might be able to do to improve our insulation, windows and if solar panels might be possible. This would then be reported to someone else who would decided what assistance we may get as our income is very low.

The chap was a very jolly soul from West Yorkshire, he’d surveyed numerous houses like ours and it would take him a couple of hours. That was until I showed him into the kitchen and then through into the other side of the house! Yep it would take him longer, he’d be late to the next house in Whitby.

He measured windows, asked questions, checked roof spaces, looked outside, took photos. After three hours he was done and had a list of recommendations. One of which is to add insulation on the insides of the external walls. This will take 4 inches out of the rooms but may be worth while as we don’t have cavity walls. Two of the rooms in question I’d planned on redecorating this winter, I may hold off doing that until we know what assistance we may get. Well worth both of us being about for.

**Goodbye Mick. The station having lots of work done, including the new stained glass windows**

Sadly something had disagreed with my system. The most likely candidate, last nights fish and chips, even though they were meant to be gluten free! Or can it take a couple of days for it to have an effect and have been caused by the Chinese takeaway? This did mean my return journey back to Tamworth looked a little bit iffy.

We both walked up to the station. Decision made, I’d sit near to the toilet and hope for the best. Tilly needed feeding and I’ve some work to do. So I waved goodbye to Mick, he’s staying to see the plumber, I retraced the journey from yesterday. The sun shone over the Wolds, I got to see the sea, big boats were two deep in Goole and by the time we reached Doncaster the light was fading fast, the moorings still chocka.

Todays trains worked very well, only a few minutes to wait for one to arrive, then a cab back to the marina.

Tilly was waiting for me, the magic food bowl totally empty, the day before’s dingding also finished off, some biscuits left over just in case. After a big hug the heating was turned up, then the fire laid and lit. We had another big hug for good measure. Soon we were pushing back the chill inside Oleanna and getting cosy in front of the fire.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 3 hour free survey, 2 weeks to hear,1 broken downpipe, 1 cuddly Tilly, 1 stove, 1 bowl of roast chicken pasta, 1 cosy boat.

Two Of Each. 5th December

Alvecote Marina

The yellow water tank was emptied and two bags of coal put in the well deck. Then the bed was pulled out access to the vacuum bags below required for my big down coat, time it came out in case the temperature drops as forecast next week. Opening up the storage under the bed always brightens up Tilly’s day, it’s very exciting!

Bags were packed, all watched on by an increasingly concerned Tilly. Next the most important job, the magic food bowl was brought out from under the bathroom sink, turned on, ticking noise was present. A cool block was popped in the bottom, a sachet of food added to one of the compartments and primed for opening. It was then positioned on the floor below the dinette table where it can flip open unimpeded.

**Brighton and Nuneaton on their home mooring**

Now is was time for a reassuring head nudge. Tilly was being left in charge for the night. Stove stocked up and turned onto night mode, central heating set to 10C, so it might get chilly, but not overly and she can always cuddle up under the duvet or blankets. A full sweep of the boat was done to remove any chewable cables, the top removed from the toy box for Tilly to select a few good ones to keep her occupied.

A taxi pulled in to pick us up taking us to Tamworth station. The station here is handy as two lines cross over each other, one heading north south, the other west east. Today we took the high line and a train to Sheffield which was very very full. We were lucky to get seats!

At Sheffield we looked up to check the platform for Scarborough, the slow £20 cheaper route via Hull. Our train was cancelled due to lack of staff! We weren’t allowed to change route so had to wait an extra hour for the next service which thankfully was running. We took refuge in a cafe for some cake, a cuppa and warmth.

Two strangers at the next table chatted away, at some point an old fella appeared between them. His chair right in the corner between the lady and man. How had he got there? Had he pole vaulted his way over the top of the chilled medication freezer? Crawled across on the floor under the table? Was he Mr Ben? Or were we actually extras in an Alan Ayckbourn play, the couple and man inhabiting two different time lines and somehow, we were able to observe both. The old chap did seem to be oblivious to the conversation going on in front of his nose and the couple didn’t acknowledge him at all!

Out of Sheffield we passed familiar sights, it was still light going through Doncaster where all the visitor moorings were chocka, only one boat was moored above Thorne Lock, we didn’t get chance to see if we knew any boats moored on the visitor moorings in Goole.

Arriving in Scarborough it was chilly but thankfully not raining for the walk to the house. Blimey it was cold inside! One side of the house is warmable, the other the boiler an object waiting to be fixed. At least we’re saving money on fuel consumption and thank goodness we haven’t got lodgers. Today though we took a booking from an actress I know well from my Hull Truck days, good job we’ve the plumber coming to visit just in time!

With heating on and doors closed to keep the Arctic air from spoiling the growing warmth in a few rooms. Mick headed off to buy essentials as I ordered us some fish and chips. Our preferred Chippy Capplemans was soon going to close so we tried elsewhere, Claires Plaice and they would deliver. Not bad haddock and chips, but Capplemans tend to be better.

Mick tinkered with the pvr. Last time he did this at the house he came across an episode of Look North presented from the new Hull Truck theatre on it’s opening night. Today he found a segment about the final show at Spring Street, the old Hull Truck theatre. Of course it was Bouncers, there on stage were friends and old Truckers Jim, Jack, Matt and Mark. Lovely to see them and great to see the old blue tin shed that we all used to call home.

**Maureen, Plain Elaine at the back, Rosie and Sexy Susie**

Duvets were moved about for extra insulation, here’s hoping we don’t freeze overnight.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 magic food bowl, 1 concerned cat, 1 stove stacked up, 2 trains, 1 stinky loo, 90 minutes wait, 1 Freezing house, 1 down coat needed, 2 of each, 1 mushy peas, 15 tog plus 10 tog should keep us warm?!

Should We Stay Or Should We Go Now? 4th December

Alvecote Marina

As we laid in bed having our morning cuppa we had a quandary. With the weather set to take a turn to the colder end should we head onwards and stock up with coal and diesel? Our natural boaters instinct was to stock up and be prepared. Micks cold and my calf muscle made us want to stay put, after all we are plugged in and have a water tap close to hand in the marina.

We plan on being in the marina for a few days, trips away needed and the boat being plugged in handy as the Alde boiler can work on electric to keep any major chill at bay. The marina office is closed on Sundays so we couldn’t check in today, hence our arrival yesterday. Maybe we should have checked in, been pointed to our mooring, but then continued onwards to Glascote and Fazeley to be able to stock up at Fazeley Marina where the diesel ten days ago was around 22p cheaper than here at Alvecote! Diesel prices depend on who had the cheapest delivery recently.

What to do? One minute we were gearing ourselves up to move Oleanna, the next a quiet day with cooked breakfast appealed more. The breakfast won. Here’s hoping we don’t regret our decision when the temperature plummets.

The Geraghty zoom subjects consisted of Eastern European sofas, pigeon scarers and pass the parcel etiquette. This was followed by breakfast.

Time for me to do some work and order in some materials to make some props. Being in one place for a few days means I can get things delivered to a nearby shop for collection. The actual building of the props will wait til after Christmas so that we can actually live in the boat for the next few weeks. Calculations were done, working out how many yoga mats would be needed, a lot of πD maths to get the most out of them.

Christmas shopping was also started on-line. Somehow the day had vanished, not that we’d seen much of it being slotted into our mooring, a boat 18inches away on both sides.

The day ended with a roast chicken and arrangements being made with the London Leckenbys for the start of the family festivities.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 siblings, 4 bags of coal, 5 yoga mats, 2 sheets corex, 70cm long spoon, 1 watch list chocka, 1 float waited for, 1.714kg chicken, 1 cosy bored cat.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna

Petering Out At Watford, 12th December

Video Link From Scotland. 11th December

Supermodels. 10th December

‘In Charge’ 10th December

Anything But. 9th December

A Quick Defrost. 8th December

Hey Ho Ho ! 7th December

Surveyed. 6th December

Two Of Each. 5th December

Should We Stay Or Should We Go Now? 4th December