Friday 29 June 2018

Give me strength

There is a cat from a neighbouring boat walking up and down the gunwales meowing plaintively.
CHS ordered a new tunnel light for the boat, he ordered a magnetic one but it needs to attach to a wooden structure!
We have had a new shower fitted in the house, and had the slow draining bath sorted, £480 but the tenant would like a new suite fitted!

From the earbashing I'm receiving all these things seem to be my fault.

Wednesday 27 June 2018

Catch up

We moored at Midgham lock for a week after we'd had the boat blacked. One day whilst we were there two hire boats came through the lock together, having a race. Despite us having a chain tethering the back of the boat to the Armco an 3 pins tethering the middle and front of the boat, their speed and stupidity pulled all three pins out and the brand new blacking was badly scratched. I phoned the hire boat company to complain but they were totally disinterested. I really think it is irresponsible to hire boats out to lads on a stag weekend.
We moved on after a week and are now on a rather overgrown mooring at the moment but it is nice and peaceful here and we have to move on again in a week.

DD2 is back from her business trip to Hong Kong and the China mainland, she's jetlagged but ok and had a wonderful time. I wasn't needed for childcare as her husband took time off work. I am however babysitting on Saturday night, 6 until midnight.

DD1 is going to a wedding soon, she's not looking forward to it, its on the inlaws side of the family. They are very shallow and look down on DD as they don't see any worth in her being a foster carer. They only appreciate people who wear designer gear and work in the fashion/tv industry. DD has trouble biting her tongue sometimes.

Wednesday 20 June 2018

Arrested

I swear that one day I shall be arrested for committing an indecent act in a public place, but I'm innocent I tell you, innocent.

Let me explain, the weather is very changeable at the moment so I tend to wear layers, sometimes I'm a bit chilly, sometimes too warm but I cope.

CHS on the other hand cannot cope unless he is the correct temperature at all times.

When he is steering the boat it's jacket on/jacket off every couple of minutes. This is fine.

The problem starts when he wants his jacket zipped up, he tends to crash into the bank if he takes his hands off the tiller to do the zip up so it's safest if I do the zip up for him.

So there I am, on my knees, so he can see over me and keep steering straight, my face is level with his groin and my hands are in a similar place whilst I struggle with his jacket zip.

We have received a few stunned looks from other boaters and from people on the towpath, one day someone will make a formal complaint and I could be arrested!



Shiny new blacking





Tuesday 19 June 2018

Meeting

As we went through Ham lock yesterday someone came to help me with the lock gate.
Her name was Caroline, she reads my blog, she recognised my boat. I was so nice to meet someone who reads my blog!

Anniversary

Yesterday was our wedding anniversary, we didn't do anything to mark the day. 

We were too busy moving the boat back from the dry dock at Greenham lock.

We had the boat blacked, £780, ouch, on top of that we stayed in an ensuite room at the Swan at Thatcham, it was easier than trying to stay on the boat. We ate at the Swan on Friday night, fish and chips, and very nice they were too. 

We went to a BBQ on Saturday and Sunday I made sandwiches in the room. We had a huge breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning that was included in the price of the room and I took tea bags and long life milk with us.

We walked every day along the towpath, watched tv and read lots. It was a restful weekend and nice to have unlimited hot water and WiFi for a few days.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

What a day

What a day. I left home at 7 this morning, taking CHS to work, then I dropped one of the grandchildren at school. From there I went to the Drs to collect a prescription, it hadn't been issued despite me ordering it a week ago. I now have to go back tomorrow for it.
Next I parked my car and caught the first of 2 buse to get to Royal Berks hospital to get a hearing aid repaired.  That's when the problems really started.  There was a suspect package found in the Oracle.  The Oracle was evacuated and roads around it closed.  It took me four hours to get to the hospital and back.
I then had to collect CHA from work. We then had to move the boat as we were on a 48 hour mooring. Only we couldn't find anywhere to moor in any of our usual places  .
Eventually we found a space and moored up. I'm now waiting for a train that will take me to collect my car. There is an hour and a half wait. Hopefully I'll get back to the boat before 10pm.
Tomorrow I get to do it all over again but without the hospital visit.
Oh and I haven't eaten since 6. 30 this morning

Stressed

No, not me I'm thinking about other boaters. They seem to fall into two camps, those who are laid back and relaxed and those who bought a boat thinking it would make them laid back and relaxed.

There is a couple on the K&A who seem to fall out with everyone. They post long Facebook rants on the canal boat pages, about every boat that passes them for either going too fast or slow, the crew wearing the wrong sort of hat, or being a hire boat. They complain bitterly almost every day about someone or something.

There are a few charity boats on the K&A some take disadvantaged children some take people in wheelchairs, these boats are particularly hated by the grumpy couple.  

They also hate dog owners, cyclists, anyone whose boat is bigger or shinier than theirs, the list is endless. I'm really not sure why they live on a boat. Though the wife did tell me once that she considers herself to be a cut above most people as she works on the till in a local supermarket! 


Sunday 10 June 2018

Cormorant

This morning there was a cormorant fishing in the marina basin, I watched it for about 20 minutes, then it perched on the end of jetty 2 with its wings outstretched.

Wednesday 6 June 2018

I think not!

The tenant is having problems or being one, which ever is your point of view.

The ensuite shower isn't working, the bath is draining too slowly and the kids have put their feet through the decking.

I've had a very tongue in cheek report from the managing agent.

The tenant knows for a fact, as they have spoken to Dennis, that the only cure for the slow draining bath would be to fit an entire new bathroom suite!

I don't know who Dennis is, but I don't think so sunshine! The tenant has even started to look at bathroom options!!

There were yet again 2 dogs at the property, they have permission for one dog! They claim the dog is only there 2 days a week but cannot remember which days!

I will get the plumber out to look at the shower, and also look under the bath as the agent says some of the pipes run uphill instead of down.

As for the decking, they would like it all replaced, they can go whistle, they were told twice to move the plastic sheeting that it was covered with.

I'm happy to replace the decking at their expense but not at mine. 

I've also checked the lease, it states all problems must be reported immediately or at least within 24 hours, they took 2 weeks to contact the agent with their problems


Tuesday 5 June 2018

Get a grip.

When he was 14 years old my son in law briefly  dated a girl in his class at school. Very briefly as the relationship lasted just under 6 weeks.

To this day she calls him a cunt whenever she sees him. As this is usually in the school play ground it's a bit inconvenient.

They are both 40 now, she is married with a child, you'd think she'd be over it by now wouldn't you.

I did wonder if she had bestowed her virginity on him but as he freely admits he didn't lose his until he was 16 this isn't the case.

My son in law is a great dad, a loving husband and has a brilliant sense of humour,  Brad Pitt he ain't.

Sunday 3 June 2018

Omelette anyone?

So my beloved was somewhat bladdered after his beer and a burger meeting with his friend. 
He phoned me when he was on the Jet Black bus, it travels straight from town to the big supermarket, from there it takes a circuitous route towards our mooring, so I met CHS at the supermarket.
There was still some shopping left in the car from my trip earlier, CHS insisted on carrying even the bags even though he was really in no fit state.
Well, he must have paddled in every wet cow pat from the car to the boat but once we got to the boat that's when the problems really started.
CHS had gone out in his tidy shoes rather than boating shoes, so he had no grip.
He had a shopping bag in each hand that he refused to relinquish.
He eyed up the gangplank, no mean feat as he can't see well anyway, then he sort of lunged, missed the gangplank entirely and fell on the bank.
I was no help, all I could do was laugh.
Fortunately he was not hurt and once he'd released his grip on the shopping bags he was able to get up and have another go at the gangplank.
This time he managed it without further mishap.
The omelette?
Amongst the shopping he insisted on carrying there was a dozen eggs!

Saturday 2 June 2018

A post of odds and sods.

It's very warm and sunny here, I'd like to sit outside but my hay fever is in full swing. Also one of next doors dogs thinks he owns the field and gets upset if there are too many people around.

Yesterday I did a litter pick as I crossed the field to my car, it's not my litter but I don't like seeing in so I picked it up.  The problem was what to do with it once I'd collected it. I put it in the bin outside the nearest supermarket.

CHS has gone to meet his 13 year old friend for a beer and a burger, his friend is actually 60, same age as CHS but he's never got past the stroppy teen stage.

There have been a few boats passing, a couple of canoes and some swimmers. There have been walkers and cyclists along the towpath and some small planes flying overhead.

Feeling stressed.

I'm worried about Beano, his nose is warm and dry and he hasn't wanted to go out for his usual walks today. My face is sore it feels...