Mooring

He Caroline.

We will be in the area for two weeks somewhere between Tesco and Victoria Park.

Living life fortnightly.

We carry 2 weeks water and the black water tank holds 2 weeks worth of waste. Steve's bad back lost us a week so now we have to make up the time.

We've made it to Newbury with a day of our fortnight to spare.

 We travelled for four hours today it was bloody cold and we have another lock to do before we get to the pump out. There is nowhere to moor outside Tesco so we've moored below the bridge. If we go through the next lock and there is nowhere to moor we then have three or four more locks before we can turn round. 

It's been an eventful few days since my last post.

Beano was bitten by another dog, a moment's inattention on the owners part but it took a while to prise the dog off Beano's neck. Beano was sore but there was no blood.

A hire boater fell off a lock gate and paramedics attended, they decided she was well enough to continue her journey but at the next stop she decided to turn around and return home. 

We met up with the fuel boat and bought more coal, so at least the boat is warm.

We have a spending spree coming up we need new bedding and cutlery from Dunelm, Steve is going to B&Q, I doubt he'll come back empty handed and we need milk, bread and veg from Tesco.

It's lovely here.

We've moved to a visitor mooring it's lovely and flat so no need to negotiate a steep gang plank. We will move on tomorrow so as not to overstay out time limit. I think we have a couple of sunny days still to come. I've just cleaned the windows on one side of the boat and a gorgeous spaniel has just added some fresh nose art to them.

I like Canal Boat Diaries, Robbie tells it like it is, warts and all. It can be a very hard life. Some locks are extremely heavy and misaligned so are very difficult to work. Pru and Tim are entertaining to watch but not very accurate as they are using two boats and have a crew of 12.

I have been head down in the weed hatch a few times, the main problem is getting up again.

The offending boat wasn't in the marina Rambler it was out on the cut.

I'm quite swamped with people to talk to here, apart from the staff in the village shop there is the groundsman  in the local pub, a villager who walks past everyday, an assortment of dog walkers. It's so nice.

Still here

Steve's chiropractor appointment was successful and he wants to go back in two weeks.

We still can't move as some idiot has moored, blocking the bridge, so I'm still struggling to get back on the boat.

The weather is glorious warm and sunny, I just wish I could hang my washing out.

Despite being pain free Steve is biting my head off every time I speak, so I'm keeping silent.

Not going anywhere!

Steve tends to wildly overestimate his strength and abilities so when planning our first trip out of the marina I suggested a stopping place.

Steve rubbished the idea and insisted we go further. Half way between my suggested mooring spot and the next visitor moorings Steve hits the wall and we have to stop.

Steve assures me we will move on the following day.

Unfortunately as well as exhaustion Steve now has a bad back!

It's now Sunday and we are still here!

The view is beginning to pall and the water levels have altered so much that getting off the boat is really difficult.

On the bright side Steve is now less exhausted and has managed to get a chiropractor appointment for Tuesday. The clinic is on a direct bus route and it's a short walk to the bus stop!

Hopefully we will be on our way on Wednesday.

 

There is now a long line of boats moored along this length of bank all constant cruisers. They have all collected piles of wood and kindling, they have erected an assortment of makeshift washing lines and other items. It looks like the Beverley Hillbillies.

We're off

We left the marina Tuesday morning and this is where we moored.

You have to admit that the view is much better, much less claustrophobic.

On Wednesday we helped a single handed boater through the nearby lock. He's not been on the K&A before and is really struggling because it's a mix of canal and river and he doesn't like the river bits as the water is so fast flowing. 

It started to rain heavily as we walked back to our boat and continued for the rest of the day.

I walked into the village to the newly opened shop and bought pies for tea. Steak and Ale for Steve and Chicken Curry for me. I got soaked but it was worth it, they were delicious.

We are moored in a row of boats so Steve has people to talk to which does him good.

We are now back to sporadic internet and no hot water unless I boil the kettle. Roll on some sunny days.

Monday

I'm having problems with my tablet so my replies to your comments may be a bit random.

I'm looking into Yumove for Beano to see if I can buy it in a shop or if it's only available by subscription.

I haven't taken him to the vet as he is improving so much every day.

Steve's new hearing aids have made my life so much better as he can now hear so much better. We have to get through the obligatory six weeks of complaints of "they don't fit" and "my ears are sore" but already the reduction in YouTube volume is lovely.

So whilst everyone else is  trying to cut back we are planning a spending spree.

We are aiming for lunch out when we get to the first pub.

Buying a jar of jam at a new shop that has recently opened.

A few days later we will be treating ourselves to fish and chips.

After that it's a trip to B&Q so Steve can top up on bits and pieces.

Finally the biggest treat a trip to the laundrette where everything not nailed down will be put through a hot wash and best of all dried and folded. Getting the washing dry on the boat is a bit of a chore.

1

Prepring to leave

Flis, no Beano is just bruised I'm pretty sure. He's very keen to go for a walk but he tries to walk too far. He's not happy with me as he normally chooses the distance and direction of his walks but currently I'm making the decisions.

We are planning on moving on Tuesday or Wednesday we are only travelling for a couple of hours a day and we have treats planned, fish and chips or a pub lunch. A visit to a new shop recently opened.

 Steve has a tendency to do too much and then make himself ill. So I've listed places I'd like to stop and the reasons why

Today's job is cleaning and filling all the water tanks, we have two extra tanks that we fill when we are travelling. It will take an age as it's the weekend and lots of people will be doing the same thing.

Beano

Beano seems to be improving, he's peeing and pooing fine. I keep putting his water bowl beside him so he's not going thirsty.

I think he walked a bit too far this afternoon and is sleeping now.

Steve has got his new hearing aids, it will take him a while to get used to them I'm sure.

For me it is absolute bliss as he has turned the volume down when he's on his computer.

Steve hasn't eaten a vegetable for the last week. He's now complaining that he's constipated!

He has also said he doesn't like my dirty habits in the kitchen. What dirty habits? I make gravy with the water I've cooked veg in instead of using fresh water and I use the meat juices as well instead of gravy granules.

An eventful day

Poor Beano has hurt himself although we don't know how.

On Wednesday he wasn't keen on going for a walk and was groaning and seemed in pain.

He makes little groaning noises if I'm eating Maltesers which he's not allowed or if I'm sitting in what he considers to be his place, but he seemed to be doing it for no reason.

He seemed very reluctant to move and couldn't get on or off the sofa. 

I spent the night on the sofa beside him, I offered him food and water neither

of which he wanted.

At 6am he needed to go out, I lifted him off the sofa and carried him up the steps, no mean feat as he's no lightweight and doesn't like to be carried. He wandered along the grass but he was walking a little stiffly.

I put his breakfast and water on the back deck for him as I then couldn't carry him back down the steps and got him a couple of snuggly blankets  and I sat on the back deck with him. At  7:30 he went out again for another wander about and then returned to sit on the back deck again. Fortunately Steve got up at 9:30 and he carried Beano back down stairs.

Steve and I spent the day making a fuss of him and lifting him off the boat, I went to bed at midday and Beano came and slept beside me. I got up just before 3 as Steve was worried as our Tesco delivery was due and our road was closed but the delivery arrived on time.  Steve had made contingency plans that included walking to the main road with our trolleys and collecting our shopping from the delivery van or diverting the delivery to one of the dd's houses, neither of them were home. I drive him mad because I refuse the panic in this sort of situation, I just assume everything will go ok. He does a grand impression of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army!

Beano can now jump on and off the sofa, is managing the steps very slowly and is being lifted on and off the bed.

Wednesday

 Jaccs, no he just likes noisy stuff, chain saws, politicians shouting, loud music, anything like that.

Jane I wish I had more patience.

My poor little grandson who is 7 isn't sleeping well and keeps crying. 

They had an assembly at school about the war in Ukraine, poor Teddy is so scared now.

Sunday

Col, Steve doesn't get on well with headphones, still look on the bright side, the silence is lovely when he turns YouTube off!

Lyssa, Beano says thank you for the scritches.

Thank you Ellen.

Fingers crossed for some sun soon Chris.

Beano and I managed to scare the bejeebers out of Steve a couple of days ago. During the short winter days Beano has his long walks in the morning and in the afternoon and evening walks just around the marina.

The weather has been cold and rainy so when Beano asked to go out at about 5:30 I didn't take my phone or my torch as I expected to be out for just a few minutes. Beano had other ideas and set off at a cracking pace off the marina and down the towpath, eventually he'd gone far enough and turned towards home but once we reached out boat, instead of getting aboard he headed for the grassy area just beyond it to do another head count of the local mole population.

While we were counting mole hills Steve had become worried and walked around the marina to look for me, he asked a couple of boaters if they had seen me. I realised as soon as I returned to the boat that Steve must be out looking for us so I phoned him immediately. Relieved he returned to the boat, unable to understand how he had missed us.  I explained and Steve was happy.

I must try to remember my torch and phone in future.

It's been bitterly cold again today but it wasn't quite so grey so Beano had two walks of just over an hour each along with three shorter ones.

I woke at 4:30 this morning but managed to get back to sleep again until 7:30 and I had a nana nap whilst the lame was cooking.

Waking at 5a.m.

Makes for a very long day!

It's bitterly cold here, it's not got above about 4 deg all day and we've had intermittent showers too.

Our neighbour is here for the weekend and his little dog keeps escaping, she won't come to me so I keep knocking on his window and shouting "Poppy's out".

It's been a boring day, too cold and wet to walk far and too cold to do much other than sit wrapped up in a blanket and read.

Steve's been watching YouTube for about 6 hours of someone playing a piano-accordion very badly and it's giving me a headache.

Friday

Love the idea of resting paint cans on top of the freezer Col.

It's been a bright day here not the weather, that's been dull but the boat next door was moved on to the service jetty so we haven't had a boat close beside us today.

Steve wanted to leave the marina today but the canal is still blocked by the fallen trees at Thatcham so we won't be moving for a few days yet.

I've struggled to do my 10k for a few day as everywhere is so muddy, I have managed 7.5 most days.

Steve's hearing aids haven't arrived yet, three weeks they said and it's been quite a lot longer now.

N I M B Y

I'm sure you all know that it stands for Not In My Back Yard.

When we returned here in November someone from the back pound was telling me how much she and her husband enjoyed feeding the ducks and swans. I mentioned that I won't feed the swans from my boat when we are in the marina though I will feed them on the cut. I explained that I found the swans too threatening and aggressive. She couldn't see the difference.

A couple of days ago I had to chase off the swans who had her pinned against the side of her boat. Yes they are beautiful but very large and there are currently five of them mum, dad and three almost full grown cygnets. They are also very demanding,  tapping on the windows for food as soon as they spot movement on board.

So I'm a NIMBY, I'm happy to feed the swans but not if they can get close.

Shopping

Our delivery driver was Polish and very interested in our boat, lots of the drivers are. The chap today was amazed when he looked inside. He said it looked just like inside a house.

Col I hope you both enjoyed playing food tetris.

Lyssa I was lucky this week, when there are lots of tins and packets I can send Steve off to the bedroom to put them away. We have so little cupboard space in the kitchen that we use a wardrobe to store our food.

Once he's in the bedroom I can pack the fridge and freezer efficiently otherwise he keeps passing me stuff when my hands are already full. It takes me about 20 minutes to put the stuff away but Steve is worried that the food will be unsafe on the worktop for that long.

I rarely buy frozen food apart from frozen peas and ice cream which I do put in the freezer immediately.

We bought enough meals for two weeks and I can stretch it to last two more so when we are on the cut we won't starve if we get red boarded.

Another rainy day.

 We had a few cold but sunny days after the storms but now it's wet and grey. The rain isn't heavy but it's persistent and the water levels are rising quickly. A few more days of this and we will be red boarded again. Nowt we can do but wait and see.

One of Beano's favourite boats is moored just outside the marina, the owner has a chihuahua, a Yorkshire terrier and Yorkshire/Jack Russell cross, the dogs have a great time playing on the towpath.

The marina cleaner, Debbie is leaving boat life to be nearer her daughter as the daughter is expecting her second baby. I'm not sure if there is a specific problem of she just wants some support. We did get Debbie to clean our boat once but I've managed myself since, my problem is lack of enthusiasm!

I have a Tesco delivery this afternoon, a big one, topping the cupboards up with tins and packets. Steve can play Tetris later fitting all stuff in to the cupboard.