Tag Archives: Wednesday

White Tops And Red Tails. 25th March

Road Trip Day 6

Time for us to turn around, after all there wasn’t much further west we’d be able to go. Maybe northwards would have been nice. We’ve a friend on the Isle of Skye, but that would have taken us at least another four days there and back and we’d already been away from Tilly longer than ever and with the boat paint possibly due to start soon we didn’t want to be too far away to make a trip to Redhill should we need to.

However, the weather was a touch inclement overnight, even more Scottish than yesterday. We’re accustomed to wind and rain on the boat, occasionally sideways rain at the house can be noisy, but last night there must have been some squalls come over Tayvallich. This morning Morag reported that there was snow on the fells when she’d been out with Fig first thing.

We left Morag in her idyll retreat, waving goodbye with plans to meet up later this year and maybe early next year too, there are big birthdays to celebrate after all.

Would we find a window of weather long enough to explore Crinan?

Back along the passing place road. A sign saying there were red squirrels. No chance we’d see any by the road, they’d be too timid. A bend to the left and there scurrying along tree branches was not one but two of our tuffty eared friends. We paused the car, I aimed the camera backwards rather than reversing to the blind bend. Would I have caught them? Two photos out of ten, not bad but not brilliant. Wish we could have stayed longer, but we were at risk of causing a crash!

Back at a bigger road we took the steep turn to the west, going round a marina on the canal, sailing boats, no narrowboats. Then a few wiggles, then down quite a steep hill back to sea level and Crinan.

Here a marina/chandlers sits on the side of the water, round the bend a 1930’s hotel and then the sea lock from the Crinan Canal, we pulled in, the sun almost showing it’s face, we had hope.

Blimey it was windy though and COLD!

Crinan used to be called Port Righ (Kings Port). In 1793 two canal routes had been considered, one surveyed by James Watt the other by John Rennie. Rennie’s route won and an act of parliament gave permission for the canal. In 1801 the canal opened, two years late. Herring boats arrived, there was a trade in eggs, fish, timber and grain all of which would bring in revenue. It took until 1809 for the reservoirs to be complete so the canal had a reliable source of water.

By 1839 the canal was busy. Boats travelled from the Isle of Skye along the 9 mile long canal from Crinan to Ardrishaig to the Firth of Clyde, cutting out the need to go round the Mull of Kintyre. 1847 saw Queen Victoria pay a visit, tourists from Glasgow soon followed. By 1896 proposals for a wider, deeper canal were put forward, a ship canal, locks operated by hydroelectric power, but this never came about. Taken on by the Ministry of Transport the canal was given new locks and had a new reservoir in the 1930s, only for World War 2 to come along, lights along the canal had to be put out for fear they would lead bombers in towards Glasgow.

**Works on going, just look how deep it is!**

Across the sea lock and up to the first lock on the canal proper. Here the pound was drained, Scottish Canals were busy rebuilding the banks before the next lock. A track down into the pound had diggers and dumper trucks, lots going on, the canal closed until the end of April. Here we could see how deep the pound was, not much detritus in the bottom. The canal has 15 locks and 7 moveable bridges. On the Scottish Canals the locks tend to be worked for you, I did wonder if our key of power would work on the control box, but now wasn’t the time to give it a go!

A walk round to look at the sea/loch it’s a bit hard to know which around here! I didn’t venture too close to the edge as the wind was so strong.

Morag had mentioned there were toilets here, we found them a little up the hill. By the time we came out any sign of sunshine had vanished and sleet was horizontal! Time to run to the car and get a move on.

We paused close to the summit of the canal, hoping for a walk, but the sleet still came down. If we’d had a flask of coffee we could have sat, steaming up the windows looking out towards what was once the Linnet Shed for the passenger boat The Linnet.

Another pause in Lochgilpead to stock up on lunch bits for Mick then back around the lochs, high up on the fells an obvious snowline was visible. Lunch was had in the layby we’d used on the way west, as we pulled in the fell tops shone in the sunshine, but by the time we’d got settled and the camera out dark clouds had descended again, most probably adding to the layer of snow.

I’d not noticed Inveraray Castle on the way out, but going over the bridge in front of it, it stood out. Grey blue as if it was in a Disney film, sadly the next layby wasn’t useful for photos, the best place being on top of the bridge, not a safe place.

We opted to drive down the side of Loch Long to reach our next destination. This took us through Coulport another Navy Base where Trident Missiles are stored. Down onto Shore Road through Cove where very large houses stand back from the waters edge. Round the southern edge of the peninsula with views across to Gourock from Kilcreggan.

Christine and Mick moved to Kilcreggan about four years ago, I used to work with Christine at the SJT in Scarborough, she left a few months before I did and moved south. We’ve managed to meet up a couple of times when we’ve been near to Worcester. Now we got chance to see their new (to them) house. Just walking into the dinning room with the hatch open gave us a glimpse of their view across the water. Wow! By far the best view of our holiday and a view that kept them captured when they came to view the house for the first time.

A tour of the house, Mick has been busy, the latest project working on their winter living room which has a secret door which opens up onto the annex, which they hope will provide accommodation for friends when they come to stay.

A cuppa with a slice of extremely nice (if you knew Christine and her baking skills this would be no surprise) Banana cake, a WI recipe that Christine had improved!

A walk from Peaton Hill Conservation Reserve took us up onto the tops for a view over the lochs below, thankfully the sleet and hail held off.

**Action shot of fish and chips with Christine and Mick**

Lots to chat about and a visit to the Creggans Bar for fish and chips, I happily gave up my mushy peas to Christine, there’s nowt so queer as folk! Pudding was back at the house away from woofing woofers in the pub, another Christine bake, clementine cake with a glass of wine.

Another lovely day in Scotland.

Toilet Roll And Tinned Spinach. 8th October

Castle Marina and Scarborough

A request from the set builders came in this morning that hadn’t been passed onto me a while ago, could I edit the drawings so they only had the pieces they were building? Yes, but I only had limited time, I did as best I could and emailed them back. Bags were packed and Tilly’s biscuit bowl filled to the top along with tonight’s ding ding being put out before 11am! Brilliant! Don’t eat it all at once, it’s got to last you!

We were headed for the station and a train to Sheffield then a following one onto Scarborough. A four hour journey, the same amount of time it takes one of our lodgers to do door to door Scarborough to Brentford and we were only travelling from Nottingham.

As we passed the Humber Bridge sand banks could be seen, the tide was out. Hull Paragon Station is a dead end, so the train here heads out the way it came in requiring a change of seats to get the best view of the North Sea near Bridlington.

We walked to our house, lodgers busy doing a matinee of the latest Alan Ayckbourn play Earth Angel. I checked in with Frank, we opened mail, pulled out various bits from upstairs upstairs, then headed to the SJT to Eatme for a meal before watching the show.

Mick opted to have a steak and ale pie with roast potatoes whilst I had one of their burgers. This now seams to be what we do when we attend a show at the SJT, not a bad tradition, just so long as we don’t do it too often!

Before the show there was enough time for me to walk back to the house to collect Mick’s pills that he’d left, timings of one of his new drugs had been impressed on him by Derby Hospital. I was back in good time for the show.

Earth Angel may not sound like a barrel of laughs when you read the blurb about it. Gerald’s wife has recently passed away, at her wake neighbours fuss over him, but who is this stranger in their midst? He seems nice enough, but what are his motives? Should Gerald’s family be involved. What ensues is amusing observation, division, trust, mistrust, grief, social media, speculation becoming reality. It made for a very good evening’s entertainment. If you are around Newcastle-under-Lyme or Bowness where it is heading, it’s worth a visit to the theatre to catch it on tour.

Post show we caught up with our lodgers, Liza and Stuart along with Liz and Sue, sadly the bar wasn’t open so it was a chat in the foyer before we all headed off home. It had been a long day for them all, tomorrow will be even longer with two shows plus a talk back after the second show. Another good visit to the SJT.

**It’s a long time since I’ve seen SO much Andrex!**

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 taxi, 85 brisk minutes, 4 walks between house and theatre, 1 caravan, 2 lodgers, 1 SM, 1 production manager back, 1 more missing message, 1 props assistant, 2 pedalling videos, 1 pie, 1 burger, 2 beers, 91st Ayckbourn, 1 Tilly left in charge.

Ten Going On Fifty Six. 1st October

Stoke Lock

My favourite, Webbox for breakfast!!! It’s rare She gives me Webbox, but today She gave me some whilst She and Tom were still in bed! Result! Apparently it’s because today I am ten. I’ve been warned not to expect Webbox every morning just because I’m ten now. Did I mention that I’m ten, She thinks it’s important, I think I am still a cat.

Have to say the bag She had smelt very good, it smelt very very good indeed, in fact it smelt so good I tried to get into it the wrong way. Inside was a furry, feathery, yummy smelling thing that just had to be licked to death. She said she now regretted getting me something that would be covered in lickingness. But I’m ten today so that doesn’t matter.

After some biscuits I headed out to check on the outside. Yes it was all still there, plenty to climb and scratch around in. She says my nails are filthy, but I don’t care, that’s because I’m ten today.

An email to the Production Manager for panto was needed for a catch up, things were feeling a little bit too quiet in panto world. She didn’t reply but within an hour Jamie, the set builder, got in touch saying they were about to start. He has concerns about one piece of the build and would I consider some adjustments to it. He made a suggestion, hmm. Not ideal. I thought some, asked a question with a suggestion back. This then morphed into a hybrid solution which would require some redrawing.

**1st of the month, time to annoy the spiders**

After lunch with Tilly back on board I’m ten today! it was time to head to the water point. This morning RCR had called saying an engineer would be with us tomorrow morning. If we end up without a working engine at the end of tomorrow we want to be prepared, batteries topped up and a full water tank. However this would mean having to move with part of the engine soon to fail, add into the mix that we are on a river and fairly close to a weir!

I insisted that the anchor was laid out ready for deployment, not on it’s prongs, but there on the locker lid ready should it be needed. Things were moved out of the way. We discussed the plan of action. We untied. Mick pulled us backwards away from the trees at the bow, then gently nudged us away from the mooring, winding to head down stream. All went well and we were soon alongside the high wall of the lock cut. The stern needed aligning with a ladder, which Mick climbed, bow and centre line were tied. Hose passed up, a small adapter required for the tap, then we could fill the water tank. The pressure wasn’t too great so we were there for a while.

Next was the slightly more risky manoeuvre of returning to the mooring. The lock cut wasn’t wide enough for us to wind in, so we needed to reverse out of it. The grinding noise was worse in reverse, but Mick took it gently, then with help from the bow thruster we turned to head up stream and pushed on back to the mooring. No need for the anchor thankfully. Just as well as all day we’d only seen a couple of boats come past who’d have been able to give us a tow back to land.

Sock pair 104 were packed up and then walked to the post box I’d spotted the other day in the village. I’d considered walking further today, but I needed to try to get the adjustment to panto sorted.

The other day I invested in the program I’d used to clean up the print for panto. A one off payment rather than a monthly subscription. I scanned in my drawing and was able quite quickly to adjust the width of the gate curly bits. This printed out at the correct size so I could amend my drawing quickly. Brilliant. I’ll still need the drawing board out to finish things off, but far quicker than doing it all by hand. I just need to keep finding reasons to use the package and learn new uses for it.

Kedgeree this evening, well we had to have something fishy to celebrate Tilly’s 10th birthday, she’s nearly caught me up now as in cat years she’s most probably about 56. Tilly had salmon in gravy! I had requested, frogs legs, clams, tuna steak with a bit of cod’s roe on the side and a fricassee of shrew. She said that with our current engine problems they’d not been able to get to specialist fishy froggy shops and maybe I was better off self catering.

0 locks, 0.1 miles, 0.05 there, 0.05 back, 2 winds, 1 full water tank, 10th Birthday, 56! 1 catnip kicker, 3 shrews, 1 mouse, 1 attempt at a squirrel, 1 boat back on it’s mooring, 1 engineer in the morning, 1 more thing to okay for printers, 200mm lost from gates, 2nd day of waiting.

Lock Landed! 24th September

Beeston Cut to Trent Junction

***When is this outside going to be moved?!***

Yesterday I’d tried calling the company who will be doing the printing for panto and the lady I wanted to talk to was always elsewhere, I’d started to think she didn’t want to talk to me, it was suggested I sent an email. So first thing this morning I sat down and went through the proofs I’d been sent, checked dimensions, tried to write everything out as clearly as I could, did a few sketches to explain things and pinged it back to Katie. She later called me back to check over a few things, hopefully, eventually, they would now be ready to press the big PRINT button! I also took some time in going through the photos I’d taken over the last couple of days. Editing a few out and ear marking ones that may be useful for my illustrations.

After lunch we decided to move on, well back actually, just to keep Tilly happy, she really needed some quality shore leave as by now the toilet rolls days were numbered! And if she tried digging at the shelves in the corner one more time then her days would be numbered too!

As we were about to push off we spotted a breasted up pair heading towards us from Nottingham. We had a pretty long time to wait for them to pass us, their progress incredibly slow. We winded at the next winding hole just through the next bridge and made our way back to Beeston Lock. It was hard to make out what the breasted up pair were doing. Were they winding? Pulling in for water? Crew jumped off, centre rope, bit of reverse. Eventually it looked like they were stopping at the services, we pulled in at the lock landing for me to get off to set the lock.

**Stood at the bottom of the ramp, 15ft of pontoon left**

A lady with two big Rhodesian Ridgebacks was already at the lock, her husband had headed off to get their boat, so we’d be able to share the lock. Coming out onto the river all the same boats that had been moored on the lock landing pontoon were still there along with the one by the weir. They had been joined by a narrowboat which meant that now there was one cleat left on the pontoon for anyone to pull into. Mick pulled up alongside the narrowboat and I walked across it’s stern. If you were a single hander heading for Nottingham it really wouldn’t have been easy, nowhere to tie up and the bow of a narrowboat or sides of cruisers to clamber over to get to dry land. I took a photo and reported the situation to CRT, should the river go into flood this could be really rather dangerous.

Back up stream. We spotted the boat we’d thought had gone aground a few days ago, now on the other side of the river. Had it been washed off the bottom when the levels rose? Was it now stuck on the submerged wall? We then spotted that there was a rope tied to a tree, so at least someone must be about. The going was far slower than it had been coming down stream on Sunday, yet we pulled quite a distance away from our locking partners.

No crowds of drinkers at Cranfleet today, I went up to set the lock and hope our partners would appear before too long. Still no sign of them as Oleanna came into the lock, maybe they’d stopped on a mooring at Beeston? I closed the gate and then lifted a paddle. Keeping a close eye on Oleanna and the jet of water she was just starting to rise when I could see the other boat pulling in at the far end of the lock landing. I closed the paddle and went down to the other end of the lock, it didn’t take very long at all to empty what water I’d added and be able to open the gate for them.

Up we rose, two boats is far far easier in this lock. It was taking forever to equalise again. the bottom end now letting as much water out as was coming in. So the two of us teamed up to get one gate open a chink to equalise things. We pootled up to the far end of Cranfleet Cut. Pulled in behind a few boats, we really wanted to be close to the water point, I went to look. Plenty of room one boat away from the tap, I also noted that the boat we were closest to had a cat on board, we moved up.

All day I’d been feeling the effects of the chicken I’d had in Huddersfield, no brisk walking for me today. I actually felt quite rotten, I should have checked what I was ordering, all my own fault! A quiet afternoon for Mick and me whilst Tilly rampaged in the field behind the hedge.

2 locks, 5.9 miles, 1 wind, 1 more email, 1 more photo, please let the print be right soon, 2 locks shared, 2 VERY slow boats, 1 boat not adrift, 1 far happier cat, 4 brisk minutes walking, 1 pan of paprika peppery pork.

That’s Not Castle Howard! 17th September

Massey’s Bridge 12 to The Wharf, Shardlow

Wet overnight and still wet this morning. We opted to wait a few hours before making a move, it’s always hard getting going when there is wet stuff in the air.

Mick got a text from the GP’s. An appointment would be made for him locally to see an Ophthalmologist to check his eye sight before there can be a decision regarding his driving licence, and another appointment to see a stroke person. Come the 28th September it will be a month since he was admitted to hospital and this is when his month of not being allowed to drive started, a standard thing after a stroke.

Just three minutes later he received an NHS message inviting him to an Ophthalmologist appointment in Derby! Ah, what had local meant? Had this appointment come about from the GP? Or was this on the cards anyway and been organised by Derby Hospital? Was this Micks original appointment to the Ophthalmologists at Derby that he’d waited a weekend for? Thank goodness they’d not kept him in until this appointment as it’s not until the end of October! If it’s not from the GP, will he be offered another one locally in York or Scarborough? We’ll wait and see, at least there’s an appointment in the diary.

By about 11 we were making ready to push off, waterproofs donned as we didn’t trust the weather. I walked ahead to Weston Lock as Mick brought Oleanna behind. A touch damp, but also quite warm, so striding out meant I was getting hot legs. The water tank needed a refill so we pulled in at the tap above the lock. Chance to catch up with Frank, last night he’d been to press night at the SJT to see our lodgers in the latest Ayckbourn play, he’d really enjoyed it.

What ever you do don’t open the off side bottom gate! The lock was full, we descended. I opened the near side gate. Yes I’d be walking to the next lock, but could Mick loiter to see if I was going to be able to close the gate? I tried and tried, but the big chunky oak gate leans back into it’s recess and the beam is just a touch too short to comfortably use the bridge wall to push off with. It was obvious I wouldn’t manage it, so Mick pulled in below and came to assist.

**Swapping with a rather smoky boat at Aston Lock**

Should we pause for lunch above Aston Lock or carry on to Shardlow. If we delayed would we loose a possible mooring where a delivery was booked to arrive. We opted to carry on. A boat was coming up Aston Lock, we swapped and headed down. The same happened at Shardlow Lock, although as they left Oleanna wasn’t to be seen as she’s slowed to pass a line of permanent moorings including one that had come adrift and was being tied back up.

The extension to the lock cottage is still being worked on, they will have a good view of the top gates through their window.

Now what to do? There was space outside the Clockhouse, but would there be space at The Wharf where our delivery was booked? I walked ahead to check things out. Thank goodness, there was space for two 58ft boats. Once moored up we broke the news to Tilly that there’d be no shore leave this afternoon due to the proximity of cars, one being parked right outside our side hatch.

Emails had been flooding in this morning from CRT. Rain must have been falling on the west side of the Pennines as the Leeds Liverpool locks from Wigan to Greenberfield are set to reopen, but those down to Leeds will for the time being remain closed whilst levels improve. West side of the Huddersfield Narrow opened with immediate effect, Fradley locks are operational. The Ashton Canal is to open. Flood locks and gates are in operation on the Aire and Calder. All looking good. I’m just hoping canal beds and gates haven’t dried out too much, causing more problems once the water returns.

The weather forecast suggests that parts of the country have already had twice the average amount of rain for September. We’re going to have to keep an eye on River levels!

**Think I prefer my plain wooden benches at the house**

Finishing touches were put to our supermarket delivery, a restock required.

Chicken Curry Old Style tonight.

3 locks, 4.8 miles, 3 minutes, 1 GP in Scarborough, 1 appointment in Derby, 1 letter to London, 1 NHS likely to get more confused, 1 PA phone call, 1 District Nurse, 1 full water tank, 2 needed, 1 perfect mooring, who said it was perfect! 0 props list, 1 enquiry, 1 river rising.

https://what3words.com/milkman.montage.screaming

Put Your Paws Up. 10th September

Lowes Bridge 15

Limp Limp Limp. I’m fine, really, I’m fine. You have to let me out. No we don’t!

It was suggested to Tilly that she should take the weight off her paws today and put them up. Gentle feeling of both her front legs didn’t reveal anything, nor with her paws, hopefully it’s just a strain that is causing her limp, we’ll keep an eye on it. She headed back to bed after a bit of a grimace at me and stayed there for much of the morning.

I got in touch with Chippy to see if they could sort my access to the shared file for panto, this was passed onto their IT support, fingers crossed it’s sorted soon.

I got the paint colour charts out, time to see what colour to base the floor in. It being a sunny morning helped as I could compare my model pieces with the Dulux wadge of colours. Two came close, one a touch too green, the other not green enough. I opted for the one not green enough as once it has a coat of glaze on it it will go darker and slightly yellow making it hopefully nearer the right tint of green. This was followed by working through all the bits of scenery and deciding what colours I would need. I’ll see what there is at the theatre before compiling my final list to order.

No news regarding budgets or the props list today so I moved onto touching up the final piece of scenery for the printers. I only have a few days left of the free trial of Paintshop. Each time I log on I’m being offered a new reduced price to buy the programme, I’m still thinking about it.

This morning had been very chilly, Mick lit the stove, it did the job, but then had us sweltering inside, although under the pram cover warmed up even more as the back had been closed most of the day.

Mick had a chat with Chris, The Pink Hat Man. A week or so ago Chris finished his challenge to walk from Lands End to John O’Groats and back again. I’d been meaning to post about it when he finished but other things got in the way somewhat. So, huge congratulations to him for walking so far and raising funds for Hope and Homes for Children. He’s now back onboard NB Elektra, his bow webcam back in operation, and planning where to head next, there’s the Ribble Link to cross first, but then where?

We spruced ourselves up late afternoon and walked down to the bus stop by the Crewe and Harpur pub, the No 2 taking us all the way into Derby Bus Station. I’d spotted somewhere new to eat round the back of the bus station, but it was that new it hasn’t opened yet! Instead we headed to Nandos, a cheap meal for two with a glass of wine each before heading for the theatre to see Susie’s show.

**Derby Court**, **not such happy memories of this building**.

I’ve not been into Derby Theatre for eleven years. Back then we were busy moving NB Lillyanne up the country towards Hebden Bridge for the Tour de France. I’d head to Derby for rehearsals of April In Paris whilst Mick single handed heading northwards, we leap frogged car and boat quite efficiently. Then the day after the show opened I was up early to drive to Hebden Bridge and catch a train into Manchester to work our way up the locks on the Rochdale Canal to the Rose of Lancaster. That was a long exhausting day after a production week. It was nice to be back.

Murder at Midnight is a comedy thriller by Torben Betts, his writing a little bizarre at times. Set on New Years Eve, waiting for the bongs to arrive. There is Jonny, the notorious gangster, his glamorous girlfriend, his trigger-happy sidekick, his mum who’s seeing things, her very jittery carer, plus a vicar who’s hiding something and a nervous burglar dressed as a clown. A past murder to solve, but will they all survive until midnight?

**Nice theatre, shame it’s in a shopping centre**

Mick and I are spoilt with our theatre going, the majority of shows we see are in the round. Sitting in a proscenium theatre now makes us feel quite some distance away from the story. Tonight was only their fourth show, tonight according to Susie they’d finally got their lines in the right place. It will soon tighten up and become the near farce that it is, after all there are moments of people running around without their trousers! New Year certainly goes off with a big bang… or several! The show is touring until March next year, although they do get Christmas and New Year off.

We joined Susie and a couple of her friends for a drink in her dressing room after the show and before the building locked up. Thank you Susie for the tickets and the wine. We look forward to seeing you again somewhere soon.

There was a wait for the last bus back to Swarkstone. But it soon zipped it’s way back out of Derby and we found ourselves walking in the dark to find the way down onto the towpath. Away from cars we could now see really well, the moon casting shadows of us as we walked past moored boats back to Oleanna and Tilly who promised she’d had her paws up all evening in front of the stove.

0 locks, 0 miles, 7.5 or 10 Litres base colour, 1 long list of colours, 1 tidy tent, 0 shore leave, 1 paw resting, 2 buses, 1/4 chicken each, 1 great bonkers Susie, 2 glasses, 1 midnight towpath stroll, 33 brisk minutes.

All’s Well. 3rd September

Shobnall Fields to Clay Mills Aqueduct

Tilly was allowed some shore leave this morning whilst we had a slow start. All of a sudden our phones were ringing, an old friend checking on us and a change of time for Micks MRI tomorrow. We spent some time working out where would be best to moor for ease of bus access, plus filling with water a job that needed doing today. A plan was made, how would we fair?

With Mick at the helm we pootled up to Shobnall Marina to wind. I busied myself below giving Tilly a fresh pooh box, we’ve both been doing our bit to conserve water, but she really couldn’t hang on any longer! Then I bobbed back up on deck to make sure all was as it should be just as Mick was winding. I hopped off, was handed a windlass and walked on ahead to Dallow Lock to set it for us. Someone had lost a ball, well it was more like a head. Those with kids, grandchildren are likely to know this characters name, but not me.

We reversed back onto the service mooring at Horninglow Basin. It took a while for the hose pipe to actually register that it was attached to a tap! With the tank filling a load of washing was put on, then the yellow water could be dealt with. I’d considered having a shower whilst at the water point, but a boat arrived and the Paddington stares we were getting from them even though we’d said the tap was slow made me stay smelly for a while longer. We actually gave up when the tank was three quarters full. Oh blimey, the sliding hatch at the stern was open! Thank goodness Tilly was having an afternoon kip.

I walked ahead, but kept Oleanna in view as much as I could. Mick seems fine, but I just want to keep an eye on him for a while. My Dad had a similar stroke a couple of years before he passed away which only affected his vision. There were a couple of other things that he had problems with, for quite a while he couldn’t remember what the toaster was called, the kettle was fine, it was just the toaster. Stroke symptoms are individual and there are times when Mick doesn’t notice anything wrong with his vision. But sometimes moving through the outside he has a sort of fogginess, well not quite, hard to describe, his blank spots seem to be happening less. Are there other things that we just haven’t come across yet? Maybe the stern hatch being left open was one of them? Maybe he’d have done that anyway! Thankfully he does still know what a kettle is and can make tea!

**I’ve seen a few slices of this tree on boat roofs**

We moved on up to Bridge 28, it was starting to rain. Rumbles of thunder had been rolling around us for a while, would we get moored before the skies opened, it was certainly getting darker and darker. I walked on checking that there’d be space for us just after Clay Mills Aqueduct, there was. We pulled in away from over hanging trees and just about got away with mooring up before the rain came down.

***Go away, I’m trying to make it stop!***

If it wasn’t for the A38 this would be a really pleasant mooring, a good view to the south of the canal, good internet and very close to a bus stop for an express service in the morning. At first Tilly wasn’t sure about it. This outside is rumblingly wet! But I sat and stared at it for quite sometime until it obeyed. Off she went, heading off into the friendly cover, not returning for ages despite it raining again. It was gone 6pm when I had to put my shoes back on and walk the towpath calling for her, the noise from the road meaning I couldn’t hear Tilly replying to my calls nor her bell. But in the end I spotted her and she came running.

Mick had an afternoon kip, he may now be caught up on missing sleep from his stay in hospital, but this also may become a regular thing. I made use of the time touching up more of panto. It’s a shame my mind had been elsewhere and I’m now revisiting work, but I know I’d not have been happy with it once enlarged.

Broccoli and mushrooms were added to the very last of the roast chicken and leek sauce and enjoyed with some brown rice.

1 lock, 3.5 miles, 1 wind, 1 reverse, 1 Mick back at the helm, 2 outsides, 1 slow day, 2 bags of used cat litter on the roof, 1 cloud burst avoided, 1 afternoon nap, 37 cows, A38! 50 minutes brisk walking, 1 soggy cat, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 0 packets of salt and pepper required.

https://what3words.com/mend.yacht.womb

To Grow A Peach Like You. 27th August

Burton on Trent / Derby

I was delivered a cuppa in bed this morning, Mick was having breakfast, he then set off to hopefully catch the A&E department at Queens Hospital Burton early. It’s about a fifteen minute walk to the hospital and across the busy A38. He was triaged quickly at about 8:30, the screen saying that the waiting time to see a clinician was currently 17 minutes!

Twenty minutes later he moved to the Urgent Treatment Centre waiting area. I got up and started to do some work on panto. Today with Mick out of the way for a while I was going to sort out stretching the artwork for the front cloth. With Tilly out I had the peace and quiet to find a solution and start work on it.

By 9:30 Mick was waiting for a CT scan to make sure he’d not had a stroke, they didn’t think he had.

Opposite the moorings started to empty out. I considered moving over but the wind was building and I didn’t fancy fighting to tie Oleanna up. Plus there was a group of youths chasing each other around the fields holding large firework rockets in their hands, the rockets aimed at each other.

11:30 Mick joined the queue for a scan. Fifteen minutes later the fire alarm went off and he was put in a wheelchair to move him to somewhere safe, this is when Mick seemed to become attached to wheels. Just after midday he’d had his scan, just had to wait for the results. The waiting room emptied out until he was the sole person there, had everyone gone for lunch?

Then at 2pm he was given the results, he’d had a small stroke. They were deciding what to do with him, where to refer him to. I headed over to be his back up memory, my second client as a Medical PA, I’d already caught up with Frank this morning. Mick’s messages suggested he didn’t think he’d be there long, he didn’t want me to take lunch, I took a banana and not much else. Have to say the result wasn’t that much of a surprise to me as my Dad had a stroke that affected his vision, he couldn’t see Judith Stamper one of the Look North presenters on TV one night. Mick’s problem had been similar, but his blank spots had come and gone.

Finding the A&E department was quite complicated, just as I got close he said he was being sent to Derby Hospital to the stroke unit there, they were arranging transport. Then I was given the number of the ambulance he was about to be put in, we met just as he was being pushed up the ramp into it. Neither of us had expected him to going somewhere overnight.

Our second ambulance ride and third hospital in two weeks. It didn’t take that long to reach The Royal Derby Hospital where he was popped on a trolley in the middle of the A&E Majors. Pretty soon a nurse from the Acute Stroke Unit arrived, she chatted things through. Did various visual tests and others for stroke victims. She’d seen his CT scan and they wanted him to stay for tests to try to find out why it had happened, maybe it was connected to our previous trip to hospital ten days ago, or it might just be a coincidence.

Finally someone asked him to move to a room with reclining chairs, he was allowed to actually walk there. He was given some food, pasta carbonara … possibly! We waited, there had been mention that there was a bed for him up on the ward and it would only be an hour before he could move. We waited, a few people came and went, we waited. Nothing else was going to happen today so I opted to leave and head back to feed Tilly, we made a list of things he’d be needing. A very handy express bus back to Burton, a bit of shopping and I was back on board within an hour. I had a nice homemade chicken curry old style for my dinner.

By the time I headed for bed, Mick was still sat in his recliner, a man was asking everyone who arrived what they were there for, he was obviously an expert in everything and seriously annoying! His chat up line for the nurses, ‘They grow pears in America, they grow apples there too. But it takes a place like (insert where the nurse comes from) Swadlincote to grow a peach like you.’

0 locks, 0 miles, 0.3 of a front cloth sorted, 2 hours shore leave, 1 CT scan, 1 blood test, 2 A&E’s, 1 ambulance, 1 wheel chair, 2 trolleys, 1 recliner chair, 1 bus, 1 bemused cat, 241 messages, 1 stroke.

Arry. 20th August

Henry Knibb Bridge 3A to Massey’s Bridge 12

Tilly was given an hours shore leave whilst we had breakfast and required reminding of the time. Thankfully it seemed that I’d found a suitable moment in between her being busy to give her a call as she came running pretty quickly. I’d just like to say that Arry’s disappearance has nothing to do with me!

The boat infront of us was making ready to set off, Mick had walked down to say hello having spotted that there was Made in Sheffield on their cabin side. This was a Finesse boat owned by Tim, NB Life Positively Quieter, who had a couple of friends crewing for him for a few days as he made his way up the Trent and Mersey, hoping to catch NB Barbarella up on their way towards Stone.

They set off before us, but I soon caught them up walking the towpath, Oleanna wasn’t that far behind them when we reached the first lock of the day, Aston Lock. Here a CRT work boat was sharing the lock. It’s funny how some people on boats right now have to tell you about how the canals are closing, as if every other boater on the system doesn’t know about the drought and low water levels, You’d have to be totally unaware of everything, but then rumours are rife and the conspiracy theorists are having a field day!

We shared Aston Lock. Tim and his friends offered me a lift as I was walking ahead, they do have a very big cruiser stern but I’d rather walk.

Weston Lock was next with it’s big heavy heavy gates. Unfortunately I was too busy wondering if the new gates (since our last visit) would be any lighter to remember not to open the off side bottom gate. As Mick brought Oleanna into the lock he said he would have scooted her around the gate to save opening it! I tried my best to close it, normally it would be hard, but having lost quite a bit of ballast now it was impossible. Luckily I was soon joined by the other crew and the two of us managed to get it moving.

Boats arrived above, saving having to close the top gates. We planned on stopping before Swarkstone Lock today, having a slightly shorter day of it so as to have a better mooring for Tilly than above the lock. So we said our goodbyes to Tim and friends and headed to where we’d planned to moor. They must have stopped for lunch and either decided to stop for the day or had sneaked past us silently as they are electric.

A quiet afternoon for us, a busy one for me! Mick hasn’t been sleeping so well since the weekend so I suggested he went to bed rather than just kipping on the sofa. This he did and had a good couple of hours well and truly asleep, whilst I tidied up a bit more of panto ready to go to the printers. I’ve now the front cloth to sort which will take a bit of time. Because it’s a curtain and I want it to have 20% fullness to it, the piece I made for the model is flat, I need to either stretch the original artwork or add to it. This will take some working out how to do it as stretching the design doesn’t look so good and I really don’t want to have to redo the artwork if I can help it. So some research on how Paintshop can help me is required on a quiet none moving day.

On the off side goods trains occasionally came past and somewhere nearby woofers woofed! We’d had this last night too, they seem to be following us!

2 locks, 4 miles, 2 Finesse together, 1 fat heavy beam, 1 missing parrot, 1 shorter day, 3 woofers at least, 1 snoozy afternoon, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/52%C2%B051’01.3%22N+1%C2%B025’41.2%22W/@52.8503738,-1.4287437,125m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m13!1m8!3m7!1s0x4879fa7d52ce1389:0x61fa22b89ba3c71b!2sSwarkestone,+Derby!3b1!8m2!3d52.854711!4d-1.4536359!16zL20vMDlnX3Ax!3m3!8m2!3d52.850373!4d-1.4281?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDgxOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://what3words.com/proofs.gentlemen.puddles

The Sun Goes Down One Last Time. 13th August

Rural Mooring to Basin Bridge 85

Cuppa in bed, then we decided to get moving before breakfast as it would be hot today. We had our eyes on a mooring that might just give us some shade for part of the day. As we’d just pushed off a boat came into view heading up the canal, we wondered if they’d be stopping, but no they carried onwards.

I walked as Mick brought Oleanna. Back along the fairy footpath. The signs of a new marina more evident from this direction, it looks like it could be quite big if it ever gets completed. Maybe the couple of the bench have been waiting to get a mooring there for sometime!

Dog walkers were busy making the most of the cool, one lady said she’d seen more people this morning than she’d ever seen all put together. We pulled in after 2 miles to where we’d stayed back in April, a bit bendy, but some armco and trees, sadly not on a good angle to create useful shade, at least there’d be some shade to sit out in. An old fella walked past saying how seeing boats on the canal made his heart sing as there’d been so few after the pandemic.

Inside the curtains were drawn, shore leave rules recited to Tilly who was given a couple of hours before we were likely to want her in and out of the sunshine, even if she was headed for the friendly cover!

Medical PA duties took up a bit of this morning along with checking on my own app for results. Why do they say Patient informed when I haven’t been? Yes I can look at the app, I understand no further action, but when something isn’t at normal levels I’d like to know what it might mean please.

The day got hotter, the inside of Oleanna got hotter, we were glad not to be out in it. Mick tried sitting in the shade for a while, when he came in he said it was cooler indoors. I got on with touching up the scans for panto. These will be enlarged onto fabric 25 times bigger than my model and somehow I seem to manage to get hairs all over them. What seems to be a very small hair could end up looming out at the audience, so it’s best to try to get rid of them.

Two years ago I used Photoshop for this. Today I tried Paint.net, but didn’t really get on with it so looked around for a free trial of something else. Paintshop Pro had a pretty good tool I could use so I down loaded that and started with one of the portals. I’m so hoping I’ve scanned them to a high enough standard to get a good image. I managed to touch one up and was quite pleased with the outcome.

During the afternoon a hire boat came and moored behind us, a couple more boats passed, quite busy for a very hot day. Mick had another sit outside and when it started to feel cooler outside we opted to move onwards. Tomorrow morning we’ll be away with the tide so we’d rather be closer to West Stockwith lock than an hour and a half away. I walked on ahead, key of power and windlass in hand seeing the same dog walkers as I’d seen this morning.

**Sunsetting on our visit to the Chesterfield Canal.**

Both the Misterton Locks needed filling. Three canoeists arrived and thought about going round the lock via the bywash, but nets have been put up, presumably to help keep swan families apart. Their boats were lifted out and carried round. As Mick brought Oleanna towards the lock the sun was starting to make its way towards the horizon, our last sunset on the Chesterfield Canal, it made for a nice picture.

**The last lock before West Stockwith tomorrow**

A dog walker congratulated us for keeping the swans from entering the locks, careful opening and closing of the bottom gate ensured none of them could sneak past us. They weren’t bothered about the lower lock, so I think they are quite happy in the pound between.

Walking on ahead I went to the basin to see if the visitor mooring there was free, but two short boats were already sharing it. Other spaces along the way were just about full, bar the one we’d used when we got soaked on our arrival on to the Chesterfield Canal. Mick pulled in there and we settled down for the evening, a cold couscous salad for our evening meal.

2 locks, 3.3 miles, 2 cruises, 33C inside the boat, 65 brisk minutes, 2 hot to be outside, 1 neighbour, 1 portal touched up, 2 walks, 1 family kept in the right place, 100grams couscous, 2 hot boaters, 1 hot cat, 1 last space taken, 1 hire boat after dark.

https://what3words.com/faded.path.collides

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna