Gotta laugh

I'm desperately sad and worried about the situation in the Ukraine but there is nothing I can do apart light a candle and pray. Following the stories in the media makes me feel worse so I don't.

Steve has done a couple of  things this week that made me laugh, when I was unpacking the shopping I found he'd purchased a bottle of super special hypoallergenic washing up liquid. When I asked him why he showed me his hands, his skin is in a dreadful state. He though the washing up liquid would be better for his skin. He's washed up twice in the last three months, he rarely does the washing up. He does however pontificate about husband's who don't wash up so he obviously thinks he washes up, mind you, he thinks he walks the dog more than I do, I walk him 4 or 5 times a day, Steve joins me on one of the walks.

The other thing that made me laugh was when Steve asked if I had any money. I replied that I had and I was going to pay the boat insurance this month. He's worried as he doesn't seem to have enough money. I've been waiting for him to say something. 

Since we've lived on the boat he's always paid the mooring fees and I paid for the food. A while ago Steve decided he was going to buy the food, possibly because he wanted more crap in the shopping. I tried to explain that he needed to use my debit card to pay for the shopping but he refused to accept this. Now he's struggling to pay for everything. 

The fact that is that although we have two bank accounts, mind and his, mine is actually a joint account he just can't find the card for it!

Friday

Steve's back is still painful and my foot is still swollen, we're a decrepit laid of old buggers aren't we.

Steve is hoping to leave the marina next week but I'm hoping to stay until more trees are cleared otherwise I can see us being stuck somewhere where there are no facilities.

The local fuel boat is stuck,  first behind a fallen tree then when that was cleared a swing bridge was broken, he got  through when CRT repaired it only to discover the next lock was chained shut.

Wednesday

The marina staff took pity on us and moved the boat for us and we were able to get a pump out, also as we were so close to the elsan we were able to carry the porta potty and empty it.

Still windy.

Still very blustery here, so still no chance of a pump out, the porta potty is now full and Steve has put his back out and can't carry it. I'm now reduced to a bucket and some carrier bags.

We went for a 6k walk in an effort to aid Steve's back, it didn't work.

We spotted some one we know in the lock,  he's single handed so we did the lock for him. It makes me chuckle when I'm hauling on a gate and a chap comes to offer help. I always accept, they lean nonchalantly on the gate, assuming that as I'm short and old the gate must be easy to move. The look on their faces when they realise that they need to use both arms and a lot of strength to move the gate.

We helped the same boater pull his boat past a fallen tree, there was barely room so it was safer to pull it than use the engine.

I'm getting more and more typos in my blog, I need to be more careful as my sight deteriorates.

Gladys

Franklin is quietening down and now we are being threatened with Gladys, I really hope she doesn't amount to anything. I'm really fed up at not having proper toilet facilities.

Obviously we aren't affected by rise in gas and electric prices as we use mainly solar and the marina haven't put their electric  prices up yet. Smokeless fuel is £13 a bag and a bag lasts 3 days. Calor gas is going up so I'm trying to cook as much as possible on stove as that is lit anyway to keep us warm.

We won't be affected by increased council tax costs but mooring fees are going up. They vary £10 to £30 a night round here but I'm not sure about other places.

I took a photo of the latest crop of molehills.

Franklin

Storm Franklin has arrived and we've lost power on the marina. This means there is no water and no toilet facilities.

We have power on the boat as we are using. Our own batteries and we can use our engine if we need to.

We'd already eaten and washed up so the immersion heater had been turned off.

We can read this evening and see what is happening in the morning once it's daylight.

Eunice

 It's been noisy and rocky on the boat but as we have a widebeam it's not as rocky as a narrow boat.

We took sensible precautions, making sure we were moored safely, removing things from the roof and ensuring the doors and hatches are secure.

There was very little rain yesterday morning but the wind was incredible. I walked Beano on my own about 8ish but Steve came with me for the second walk as I had problems keeping my feet. As it wasn't raining Beano was keen to have a long walk but we had to dissuade him as there was so much debris flying about.

There were trees falling in the marina and out on the cut, one nearby boat had all four of its solar panels smashed to pieces. There were three trees down on the nearby stock fences,  fortunately a boater with a chainsaw was able to move the trees and stop the stock escaping. A lot of boaters have a chainsaw.

The marina didn't lose power despite having overhead power lines but our batteries were full anyway so we would have been ok.

The weather was calm and dry this morning so Beano had an hours walk but it has rained all afternoon.

The only thing we forgot was to bring forward our pump out. It's not due until next week but because we had visitors, Steve's brother and his GF, our black tank was filled up early. Then it was too windy to get across to get a pump out. We will use the porta potty until we can get across, it's still too windy to move today but hopefully the wind should die down soon.

Butter wouldn't melt.

 Ravylesley, I'll have a look at that wool.

Thanks Lyssa, Beano loves scritches.

It was mild and sunny today so Beano wanted to spend as much time as possible outside. It's on days like this I wish we had a garden.

I took him out for a couple of hours the morning and again this afternoon. During the afternoon walk Beano caught a rabbit, he often chases them but has not caught or before. 

The other little Jack Russell, Loulou once caught a rat, she was an expert. Grabbed it by the back on the neck, threw it up and broke its back. Instant death.

Beano was totally confused, he held the rabbit in his mouth for a few moments and then put it down. The rabbit moved and Beano picked it up again, and put it down again. I made a grab for the rabbit, it was uninjured. I put it down and Beano watched it hop away. He has a very soft mouth.

 Frugal IE I am definitely Pee'd off, which is why I've not blogged, there is only so many times I can post that I walked the dog and cooked a meal. I even bore myself with my posts! I did try using thicker yarn but still couldn't see.

Lindsey I'm glad your audiology depts are good. We used to have drop in centres but they closed during covid and we've been notified that they are not reopening, everything is appointment only.

Thanks Lyssa, I have bought The Kings Silver but haven't started it yet.

Thanks Chris, I certainly hope so.

PatsyAnne that is very kind of you but my craft cupboards are only empty because I'm giving everything away that I can no longer see to use. I am in the process of organising a library log on via my daughter's account and I will then be able to listen to free books once the cerushields arrive but thank you for your kind offer.

Before Gill left the marina she kindly gave me the contents of her fridge as she didn't want to waste it. There were mushrooms, tomatoes, lentils, new potatoes, three chicken breasts and two cartons of beetroot juice.

We didn't have any damage on the marina from last night's storm but today's is supposed to be stronger, we will wait and see.

Silence

 Apologies for the silence.

I'm very bored and boring currently.

I'm missing my knitting and crochet, most of my craft cupboards are empty.

I need more cerushields for my hearing aids, something that should be perfectly simple to obtain but seems to involve numerous phone calls and complicated bus journeys.

I seem to have developed another eyesight problem which is making reading difficult.

My neighbour Gill has left the marina, her boat is up for sale.

So unfortunately I have very little to write about.

All ok here.

Everything is ok here PatsyAnne, I've been a bit tied up with things. I will post soon.

Kirsty Allsop

 I'm afraid the crisps did go in the bin, just two opened packets. The unopened ones were donated to someone who would eat those flavours.

Many people are up in arms because Kirsty Allsopp has suggested people could get on the housing ladder earlier if they made different choices.

All four of my children bought their own home when they were in their early 20's. I realise not everyone can achieve this but it is manageable.

No my children didn't have financial help.

No they didn't live at home.

No they didn't have fantastically well paid jobs.

One of them bought a house that had a closure order on it.

One started off with part buy, part rent.

Sweeping the chimney

The chimney needs sweeping, it should have been done when the stove door was repaired but Steve decided to leave it. Then the stove wouldn't catch so it has to be done. I found that by saying  "I think the chimney needs sweeping" two or three times a day, for a few days, Steve thinks it was his idea and gets it done!

Steve wanted ham, egg and chips yesterday, it's one of his favourite meals. I made leek and potato soup for myself using up the last of the leeks.  I will order more with my next shop, I'll chop them and freeze them for next time I want soup. 

I will empty out a cupboard today,  it's getting to the stage where stuff falls out every time we open the door. It's the treats cupboard. It's full of crisps that Steve no longer likes and most of them have gone soggy. I don't like wasting food but I don't eat crisps, I will have to keep a closer eye on what he's ordering.

Valentines day

It's Valentine's day soon.

Steve asked what I wanted.

I replied, "Same a last year".

We wait until a week or as after Valentine's day and then we go out for lunch at a local pub.

It's cheaper, quieter and just what we like.

Beano is a perfect gentleman.

On our walk yesterday Beano, Gill my neighbour, and I encountered an elderly gentleman with a nervous chihuahua.

As the chihuahua was on the lead I called Beano and put him on the lead too.

The gentlemen explained that his dog was very nervous as her previous owner had recently died and he had acquired the dog. The dog had not been exercised or socialised and had been a lap dog. Beano sniffed gently and stood quietly whilst the chihuahua sniffed him. We took both dogs off the lead and they had a little wander about together for a few minutes. It was so nice to see the little dog gaining confidence and to see Beano being so calm and gentle.

When we first got Beano he was totally silent, it was three weeks until the first time he barked and another three weeks until he barked again. He is still quite quiet but is barking a lot more this evening as we are moored on the service jetty so there are people going past. Just a couple of little woofs and a grumble and then he settles down again.

When we start travelling again he will bark more as there will be more people passing the boat but he will settle down after a couple of weeks. He usually only barks when he hears someone approach the boat. When it's someone he knows he stops barking as he does when we let people on to the boat.

He has however started to enlarge his vocabulary. Beano's main mode of communication is the stare he will get to his feet and stare pointedly at me. If that doesn't work he will stand on me and stare. If he needs to go out he will give a couple of little yelps.

If one of his friends is out side he will run to the door crying and yelping.

If I'm eating something that he thinks I should be sharing with me he hums, he's not growling its a sort of humming interspersed with little high pitches squeaks. I always think he's singing for his supper.

Tuesday

 VC, you must be so incredibly proud of your niece, she must be so dedicated.

Chloe's nan, we each need to find our own path, I don't use candles as I don't think that me , candles and a wooden boat would be a safe combination.

I'm sorry I think I managed to delete a comment, I do struggle sometimes with small text and fat fingers.

I managed a walk today with a neighbour, it took my mind off my disappointment. I was expecting a visitor today but this was cancelled due to covid.

Today's meal was a combination of an assortment of stuff from the fridge/freezer. A chicken breast, a rasher of bacon, some mushrooms. I sliced a quarter of an onion and a few mushrooms, sliced and added the chicken breast and the bacon. I added a couple of spoonfuls of soft cheese and the last scraping of a tub of cream plus a good grinding of pepper. Once cooked I served with rice. Steve was very doubtful but admitted it was very tasty.

We have to move the boat to the service jetty tomorrow, we are having the engine serviced first thing Thursday morning. We will get coal, gas pump out and diesel and then return to our usual jetty on Thursday once the service has been completed.