Almyne 2009
Tue, 1 Dec 2009
Still nowhere to move to so, double breasted, we stayed, almost, on the water point. We do not seem to be causing a problem but if we do we will move off.
Another day of reading and doing not a lot. I did some washing, well with unlimited supplies of water I had to take advantage of it, doesn't happen very often.
The only thing I have to be aware of now is that I do not do too much, after all, we have to get it dry as well.
Wed, 2 Dec 2009
Much the same as yesterday. More washing, more, reading, more drying.
Thu, 3 Dec 2009
Destiny Kath did a little shopping today. Carol, from NB Ozzie, took her into Hillmorton for a few basics and also sold us a bag of coal. We are running short.
I have looked up coal merchants on the internet and there is one that will deliver to the boat. Placed my order and arranged to have it delivered to the boat yard, after checking with them that this was OK. Delivery due Monday or Tuesday.
More reading, I have read three books in the past few days.
Fri, 4 Dec 2009
Just waiting to get into the boat yard now, scheduled for Tuesday, but it seems silly to move off and then find that the weather is just too bad to want to move back.
Sat, 5 Dec 2009
Just waiting now, it'll soon be over.
Read another book.
Sun, 6 Dec 2009
It's Sunday, a day of rest, as if we had not had enough of those already.
Read another book.
I noticed that the boat yard has a book exchange going, perhaps I will trade in some of the books that I have read three or four times for new ones when we get there.
Mon, 7 Dec 2009
Sometimes I wonder what I would do in situations like this if I were living in a house. I would probably read a book, or sit in front of the television, whiling away the hours waiting for something to happen, someone to arrive or the weather to break.
Not a lot different really.
Tue, 8 Dec 2009
1/2 mile 1 lock
Moved up to the boat yard. There was a little jiggling of boats to get us both in, but once that was managed work started on fitting the pot bellied stove in the front cabin. They measured up and drilled the hole in the roof and then found that the collar that they were going to use was not right, it had a flat bottom and the roof at this point is sloping, not good.
Being fabricators, they made a new collar just for Destiny.
In the mean time I was looking at the stove and noticed that the bottom plate had been put on underneath the feet, which left a big gap all around the base of the stove and the bottom plate. This would have provided such a flow of air that you would never have been able to shut down the stove.
I dismantled it and re-assembled it in time for the boat yard to finish fitting it.
The children were delighted that they now had a stove of their own and that they can keep their rooms warm and cosy.
Kath
and I spent most of the day reading.
Wed, 9 Dec 2009
Got the stern gland pump repositioned.
The Stern Gland Pump, is a bit like a grease gun, is pushes grease in to the stern gland. The stern gland stops water coming in to the boat by way of the propeller shaft. If not regularly greased it just leaks water into the boat and would, if left to it's own devices eventually sink the boat. It would, admittedly, take along time, but nonetheless is something to be avoided.
The Stern Gland Pump on Destiny is located right under the back boards and is almost impossible to get to with out removing all the 'stuff' on the back deck and lifting the rearmost board. By repositioning it, anyone can get to it really easily.
Kath went into Hillmorton to do a little shopping and found a really quick way there and back, so we must remember this.
Thu, 10 Dec 2009
1 lock 4 miles
Set off from Hillmorton just after midday, after paying the bill for the pot bellied stove to be fitted to Destiny and saying goodbye to Carol and Steve.
We had intended to fill up with diesel before leaving, but this boat yard has totally run out, so we will be calling in at their sister yard for some just the other side of Rugby .
Their sister boat yard is Willow Wren a name that most people associated with the canals in any way will probably recognise.
Arrived there after a beautiful afternoons travel in brilliant sunshine and next to no wind, so it was almost warm. I had my stove on all the time, so on arrival Almyne was nice and cosy.
Turning off the Oxford canal into the Willow Wren branch was not exactly easy as the turn is almost back on itself, but we both managed it.
Then we had to navigate about half a mile between boats moored two and three abreast on both sides, about six inches clearance.
At the basin there was only just enough room to turn around and virtually nowhere to moor up.
Debbie, the woman in charge and Chris, the other member of staff, managed to jiggle some of their boats around to fit us in.
As we were after diesel, I moored close to the diesel pump and got the jerry cans out, placing them next to the pump.
I am not a 'pushy person', so I just waited for someone to come and work the pump, after all, they knew that was why we had arrived.
I waited, and waited and waited.
I popped into Almyne and did some tidying up. Kath came along and helped, in fact she almost took over as I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task.
About an hour after dark I retrieved the jerry cans, it was not going to happen tonight now.
Settled into Destiny for evening meal and a bit of reading. These winter evenings make for lots of reading time, especially as the batteries do not last too long using the computer, the lights and so on. The computers need a good charge in the batteries to work, the lights will just go on, getting dimmer and dimmer, but still enough light to read by.
Fri, 11 Dec 2009
Well, here we are at Willow Wren , settled in and topped up with diesel, at last.
Although I like 'canal time', sometimes it can be a little wearing. We arrived here yesterday afternoon, and admittedly there had to be some jiggling around to get us in to the moorings, so that we could get some diesel as we are both running low.
Got up this morning and eventually found someone to fill us up with diesel, so now we can run the engines and charge the batteries again.
Destiny is having a little trouble with her power. Although Kath had new batteries, a new split charger and a new alternator just two months ago, the batteries are still not charging properly.
We have ascertained that it is the alternator, so have arranged to return this to the supplier who has agreed to replace it for us. Still a bit of a bind in the mean time.
Picked a car up from the hire company just after five, loaded it with stuff to drop off at the garage that Kath uses as storage. As time goes on we find that we have stuff on board that is not being used and it is just cluttering up the living space(s).
Arrived with Barney, who is going to get the alternator checked out and dropped that off with him and carried on to John and Anne, Kath's parents, arriving just after ten.
They were not in, but had left their caravan open and ready for us, with the heating on. And so to bed.
Sat, 12 Dec 2009
Lots to do today. After breakfast we set off to drop Kaia
off with Steve
leaving Scott
with his grandparents.
First stop the lockup to drop off the surplus to requirements items and make room in the boot for the shopping that we intend to do then along to the tools hire company to collect the chain saws. Too late, they only work a half day on Saturday.
Off into Wrexham to do the Christmas shopping, didn't take that long as Kath has this sort of thing well organised.
Back at the caravan we spent the evening watching TV, quite a novelty!
Sun, 13 Dec 2009
Sunday, a day of rest. (I seem to keep saying that!)
This time it really was a day of rest. Did little else but eat and drink and watch TV, interspersed with chatting about this and that and relating some of our adventures with Kath's parents.
Mon, 14 Dec 2009
Early start again. Got to the hire shop and collected both the chain saws, maybe we can get some wood cut now if the weather holds off, then off to an appointment that Kath has. That went well.
Called in to see Jackie
and picked up my mail, then back to the caravan, collected the children and set off to see if the alternator was ready.
It was, so we collected that and returned to the boats.
Doesn't sound much but quite a day.
Back at the boats I fitted the alternator to Destiny, just to provide a little power, the batteries had run down over the weekend.
It seems that the alternator is putting out just what it should do, so all the problems we have been having are not that. Now we are really stumped as we have checked everything else. Will have to investigate that further tomorrow.
Tue, 15 Dec 2009
3 miles
Got to get put of here. Filled the water tank on Destiny, it was empty, and set off to go towards Hillmorton .
Turned at the nearest winding hole and returned towards Rugby , stopping off short so that the cats could have a little bit of freedom.
Wed, 16 Dec 2009
Today we have rain, rain and more rain.
When it is raining I tend not to go anywhere so spent most of the day reading again. I should have updated the web site, but (more excuses) the signal was not good.
Thu, 17 Dec 2009
1 mile
Walked up to the moorings in Rugby to see if there was space for the two of us - yes, just.
Walked back to the boats and set about doing all the engine checks and so on to get ready to move. Everything done and tickety boo, so cast off Destiny and Kath was just about to go when I spotted Marley, one of the cat sneaking off into the bushes.
Moored up again while the search parties were sent out to retrieve said cat. Sounds easy, but the process of mooring up (and casting off for that matter) is not a ten second job. Cat retrieved, we set off. It's not far, but in this weather it was still a bit on the chilly side. By the time we had gone the mile to our designated mooring point my finger felt as if they were lumps of wood on the ends of my palms, difficult to move and with very little feeling in them. I was careful not to bang them into anything in case one of them just broke off.
Fri, 18 Dec 2009
Snow. Lots of snow. It's a good job that we are moored up by a supermarket. Stayed in and tried to keep warm, managed it by collecting wood, (that warmed us up), chopping it, (that warmed us up), and burning it, (that warmed us up), interspersed with cups of coffee.
About midday a boat went past and broke the ice on the canal. It was at least an inch thick, not enough to skate on, but still quite thick.
Sat, 19 Dec 2009
Walked into Rugby proper. Did a little shopping and walked back. Stayed in for the rest of the day to warm up!!
Sun, 20 Dec 2009
Broke the ice on the canal, lit the fires, stayed inside most of the day.
Went shopping at the local supermarket to get the yule time goodies for our feast tomorrow.
Mon, 21 Dec 2009
Celebrated Yule today. The children could not wait till Christmas so we had ours a few days early. It will also make travelling a little easier as we won't have to take all their presents with us.
I seem to have been going on about being cold. We aren't really cold it is just that it is cold outside and no-one wants to go out to do anything and it is cramped inside with all of us occupying the same cabin, the one with the heater in it.
We have got the knack of keeping the fire in all night, so it just needs a little kick start in the morning to get it going again and the boat warmed up,
Not so very different to a normal house that uses a coal fire to keep it warm.
But them I suppose there are not many of those around nowadays, what with gas fires, central heating and night storage heaters - all those forms of heating that breed bugs in the air and make people ill.
I remember the days when the only way to get warm in bed was to take a hot water bottle to bed with you, or even better put it in the bed a good half hour before you got in yourself. I remember the days when everyone huddled around the fire in the living room listening to the radio and reading books.
I remember the days when you hoped that mum
would have the fire lit before you got up so that you could get dressed in front of the fire.
Central heating may be a good thing for keeping warm, but it has meant that everyone can do their own thing in their own room and only ever meet each other for meal times, unless of course they take their meals at different times and in their own rooms again, because they are all watching a different TV program, or chatting 'on-line' to all their cyber friends. Whatever happened to going out and kicking a ball around the park till dusk with your mates, making a dam across the ditch at the side of the road, or even cutting some sticks to make a bow and arrow so that you could take a friends eye out, not that ever happened to me or any of my friends.
Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
Tue, 22 Dec 2009
A day to keep warm. Thick ice on the canal, nearly two inches think in fact. Did throw the ball for D'fer
for about ten minutes and then spent the next half hour trying to warm up.
D'fer was having none of this 'It's chilly", he just wanted to get out there and play again.
Spent a good part of the day modifying the site to make it easier, rather than modifying the existing pages to cope with another year (2010 is coming up fast) I re-wrote some of the routines so that I can just continue on as I have been doing. In the process I did some mods so that I can change the appearance more easily and consistently across all pages.
Wed, 23 Dec 2009
Kath Scott
and Kaia
went into Leamington Spa today to finish off the Christmas shopping. I stayed with the boats and tried to catch up on the backlog of work that builds up while I am reading!!.
Walked along to the car hire company to make sure that nothing would go wrong when I pick up the car tomorrow. On the previous visit their machine would not accept my card, even though everywhere else does. It was quit a trek along the tow path covered with a thin layer of snow on top of the thick layer of ice, very slippery.
Got that sorted, although they did say that they would sort out the paperwork tomorrow. I explained that I had a problem on the previous hire and was assured that it would not happen tomorrow.
The crew arrived back just after seven. The bus that they had planned to catch after taking advice on time tables from the bus conductor apparently didn't run, the times for that bus change after half four. So they ended up waiting and extra hour for the next bus, still, all's well that ends well. I soon had them warmed up in front of the fire with hot drinks inside them.
Early night tonight,busy day tomorrow.
Thu, 24 Dec 2009
Spent the morning getting ready to go to Burbage . Collecting all the sleeping equipment and the presents for tomorrow.
Collected the car at midday, only one little hitch, but got that sorted out.
Set off just after two, took that long to get everything into the car, and had an uneventful journey down to Burbage, where we debunked and lit the fire straight away.
One of the main concerns of the housing association seems to be condensation, so I do take precautions to minimise this. There was no signs of any damp or condensation anywhere, and I think that this is because the main cause of condensation is people - breathing.
If they really want to make sure that condensation is not a problem with their properties then the best answer is to get people to live in them, but spend most of their time away.
Fri, 25 Dec 2009
Christmas with mum and Peter
.
Surprisingly early start after a late night watching videos and playing games on the PlayStation 2 on the side screen with the volume turned right up.
Scott and Kaia
seemed to enjoy the spectacle of running around a virtual world shooting guns and killing people across a whole wall of TV screen.
Sat, 26 Dec 2009
Back to the boats. Left Burbage just after twelve and arrived back at the boats by half three. Unloaded the car and got the fire(s) going.
Ran the engines for a while, just to top up the batteries and I took the opportunity to catch up on the web site.
A quick dinner and an early night as we are off early in the morning again.
Sun, 27 Dec 2009
First stop Steve to drop Kaia
and Scott
with him, then on to Hazel at Ellesemere. Having spent some time with them, we then set off to see Jackie
for a while, eventually arriving with John and Ann (Kath
's parents) by about nine. Settled down in their caravan about midnight.
Mon, 28 Dec 2009
Quiet day after a sumptuous meal the night before. Kath wanted to see the film Avatar, so we set off to Wrexham in time to just miss the start of the half one showing. Wandered around Wrexham till half four and then went to see the film. It was in 3D and I was a little worried that having to wear a pair of spectacles on top of my own spectacles would be a bit uncomfortable, but as it turned out it was no problem and well worthwhile. The 3D graphics and effects were truly stunning and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.
Eventually collected the children about eight in the evening and then back to the caravan.
Tue, 29 Dec 2009
We had intended to return to the boats today, sort of accompanied by Harry and Sim, but the weather warnings decided Harry to give the boats a miss, just in case he got stuck there without his medication, so we stayed another day. This gave Scott and Kaia
the chance to spend a day with their cousin Sam.
Wed, 30 Dec 2009
This is the start of the end of the Christmas celebrations, time to go home to the boats. Packed the car, hardly enough room to get the children in what with all their presents and the dogs and bedding, but we managed it. Set off just after lunch and arrived back at the boats by shortly after four. Unloaded the car and a quick cup of coffee while we got the fire going and then off again to the supermarket to stock up on all those heavy provisions, like lemonade and beer, tinned vegetables and butter, potatoes and beans. Beans with sausages were cheaper than plain beans, so we'll be having sausages with our beans on toast in the morning.
Indian with toast for evening dinner and by nine we had the children settled in and the bed sorted. Didn't actually get to lie down to go to sleep as we discovered Robinson Crusoe and watched the first three episodes. As usual with these series,the first one was really good, the second almost as good, but the third is beginning to stretch the story line a little. Still we did enjoy it.
Thu, 31 Dec 2009
Stayed up late last night watching Robinson Crusoe, so didn't rise today till after nine.
Did a bit of tidying up and got rid of some of the accumulated rubbish before returning the car.
The car sorted, Kath set about sorting out Destiny while I set about sorting out Almyne, putting all the shopping away, getting rid of more rubbish, getting the fire lit and making her habitable again after weeks of presents clogging up all the available space on the bed, in the gangways and in any spare bit of space that we could find.
Still nowhere to move to so, double breasted, we stayed, almost, on the water point. We do not seem to be causing a problem but if we do we will move off.
Another day of reading and doing not a lot. I did some washing, well with unlimited supplies of water I had to take advantage of it, doesn't happen very often.
The only thing I have to be aware of now is that I do not do too much, after all, we have to get it dry as well.
Wed, 2 Dec 2009
Much the same as yesterday. More washing, more, reading, more drying.
Thu, 3 Dec 2009
Destiny Kath did a little shopping today. Carol, from NB Ozzie, took her into Hillmorton for a few basics and also sold us a bag of coal. We are running short.
I have looked up coal merchants on the internet and there is one that will deliver to the boat. Placed my order and arranged to have it delivered to the boat yard, after checking with them that this was OK. Delivery due Monday or Tuesday.
More reading, I have read three books in the past few days.
Fri, 4 Dec 2009
Just waiting to get into the boat yard now, scheduled for Tuesday, but it seems silly to move off and then find that the weather is just too bad to want to move back.
Sat, 5 Dec 2009
Just waiting now, it'll soon be over.
Read another book.
Sun, 6 Dec 2009
It's Sunday, a day of rest, as if we had not had enough of those already.
Read another book.
I noticed that the boat yard has a book exchange going, perhaps I will trade in some of the books that I have read three or four times for new ones when we get there.
Mon, 7 Dec 2009
Sometimes I wonder what I would do in situations like this if I were living in a house. I would probably read a book, or sit in front of the television, whiling away the hours waiting for something to happen, someone to arrive or the weather to break.
Not a lot different really.
Tue, 8 Dec 2009
1/2 mile 1 lock
Moved up to the boat yard. There was a little jiggling of boats to get us both in, but once that was managed work started on fitting the pot bellied stove in the front cabin. They measured up and drilled the hole in the roof and then found that the collar that they were going to use was not right, it had a flat bottom and the roof at this point is sloping, not good.
Being fabricators, they made a new collar just for Destiny.
In the mean time I was looking at the stove and noticed that the bottom plate had been put on underneath the feet, which left a big gap all around the base of the stove and the bottom plate. This would have provided such a flow of air that you would never have been able to shut down the stove.
I dismantled it and re-assembled it in time for the boat yard to finish fitting it.
The children were delighted that they now had a stove of their own and that they can keep their rooms warm and cosy.
Kath
and I spent most of the day reading.Wed, 9 Dec 2009
Got the stern gland pump repositioned.
The Stern Gland Pump, is a bit like a grease gun, is pushes grease in to the stern gland. The stern gland stops water coming in to the boat by way of the propeller shaft. If not regularly greased it just leaks water into the boat and would, if left to it's own devices eventually sink the boat. It would, admittedly, take along time, but nonetheless is something to be avoided.
The Stern Gland Pump on Destiny is located right under the back boards and is almost impossible to get to with out removing all the 'stuff' on the back deck and lifting the rearmost board. By repositioning it, anyone can get to it really easily.
Kath
went into Hillmorton to do a little shopping and found a really quick way there and back, so we must remember this.Thu, 10 Dec 2009
1 lock 4 miles
Set off from Hillmorton just after midday, after paying the bill for the pot bellied stove to be fitted to Destiny and saying goodbye to Carol and Steve.
We had intended to fill up with diesel before leaving, but this boat yard has totally run out, so we will be calling in at their sister yard for some just the other side of Rugby .
Their sister boat yard is Willow Wren a name that most people associated with the canals in any way will probably recognise.
Arrived there after a beautiful afternoons travel in brilliant sunshine and next to no wind, so it was almost warm. I had my stove on all the time, so on arrival Almyne was nice and cosy.
Turning off the Oxford canal into the Willow Wren branch was not exactly easy as the turn is almost back on itself, but we both managed it.
Then we had to navigate about half a mile between boats moored two and three abreast on both sides, about six inches clearance.
At the basin there was only just enough room to turn around and virtually nowhere to moor up.
Debbie, the woman in charge and Chris, the other member of staff, managed to jiggle some of their boats around to fit us in.
As we were after diesel, I moored close to the diesel pump and got the jerry cans out, placing them next to the pump.
I am not a 'pushy person', so I just waited for someone to come and work the pump, after all, they knew that was why we had arrived.
I waited, and waited and waited.
I popped into Almyne and did some tidying up. Kath
came along and helped, in fact she almost took over as I was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the task.
About an hour after dark I retrieved the jerry cans, it was not going to happen tonight now.
Settled into Destiny for evening meal and a bit of reading. These winter evenings make for lots of reading time, especially as the batteries do not last too long using the computer, the lights and so on. The computers need a good charge in the batteries to work, the lights will just go on, getting dimmer and dimmer, but still enough light to read by.
Fri, 11 Dec 2009
Well, here we are at Willow Wren , settled in and topped up with diesel, at last.
Although I like 'canal time', sometimes it can be a little wearing. We arrived here yesterday afternoon, and admittedly there had to be some jiggling around to get us in to the moorings, so that we could get some diesel as we are both running low.
Got up this morning and eventually found someone to fill us up with diesel, so now we can run the engines and charge the batteries again.
Destiny is having a little trouble with her power. Although Kath
had new batteries, a new split charger and a new alternator just two months ago, the batteries are still not charging properly.
We have ascertained that it is the alternator, so have arranged to return this to the supplier who has agreed to replace it for us. Still a bit of a bind in the mean time.
Picked a car up from the hire company just after five, loaded it with stuff to drop off at the garage that Kath uses as storage. As time goes on we find that we have stuff on board that is not being used and it is just cluttering up the living space(s).
Arrived with Barney, who is going to get the alternator checked out and dropped that off with him and carried on to John and Anne, Kath's parents, arriving just after ten.
They were not in, but had left their caravan open and ready for us, with the heating on. And so to bed.
Sat, 12 Dec 2009
Lots to do today. After breakfast we set off to drop Kaia
off with Steve
leaving Scott
with his grandparents.
First stop the lockup to drop off the surplus to requirements items and make room in the boot for the shopping that we intend to do then along to the tools hire company to collect the chain saws. Too late, they only work a half day on Saturday.
Off into Wrexham to do the Christmas shopping, didn't take that long as Kath
has this sort of thing well organised.
Back at the caravan we spent the evening watching TV, quite a novelty!
Sun, 13 Dec 2009
Sunday, a day of rest. (I seem to keep saying that!)
This time it really was a day of rest. Did little else but eat and drink and watch TV, interspersed with chatting about this and that and relating some of our adventures with Kath's parents.
Mon, 14 Dec 2009
Early start again. Got to the hire shop and collected both the chain saws, maybe we can get some wood cut now if the weather holds off, then off to an appointment that Kath
has. That went well.
Called in to see Jackie
and picked up my mail, then back to the caravan, collected the children and set off to see if the alternator was ready.
It was, so we collected that and returned to the boats.
Doesn't sound much but quite a day.
Back at the boats I fitted the alternator to Destiny, just to provide a little power, the batteries had run down over the weekend.
It seems that the alternator is putting out just what it should do, so all the problems we have been having are not that. Now we are really stumped as we have checked everything else. Will have to investigate that further tomorrow.
Tue, 15 Dec 2009
3 miles
Got to get put of here. Filled the water tank on Destiny, it was empty, and set off to go towards Hillmorton .
Turned at the nearest winding hole and returned towards Rugby , stopping off short so that the cats could have a little bit of freedom.
Wed, 16 Dec 2009
Today we have rain, rain and more rain.
When it is raining I tend not to go anywhere so spent most of the day reading again. I should have updated the web site, but (more excuses) the signal was not good.
Thu, 17 Dec 2009
1 mile
Walked up to the moorings in Rugby to see if there was space for the two of us - yes, just.
Walked back to the boats and set about doing all the engine checks and so on to get ready to move. Everything done and tickety boo, so cast off Destiny and Kath
was just about to go when I spotted Marley, one of the cat sneaking off into the bushes.
Moored up again while the search parties were sent out to retrieve said cat. Sounds easy, but the process of mooring up (and casting off for that matter) is not a ten second job. Cat retrieved, we set off. It's not far, but in this weather it was still a bit on the chilly side. By the time we had gone the mile to our designated mooring point my finger felt as if they were lumps of wood on the ends of my palms, difficult to move and with very little feeling in them. I was careful not to bang them into anything in case one of them just broke off.
Fri, 18 Dec 2009
Snow. Lots of snow. It's a good job that we are moored up by a supermarket. Stayed in and tried to keep warm, managed it by collecting wood, (that warmed us up), chopping it, (that warmed us up), and burning it, (that warmed us up), interspersed with cups of coffee.
About midday a boat went past and broke the ice on the canal. It was at least an inch thick, not enough to skate on, but still quite thick.
Sat, 19 Dec 2009
Walked into Rugby proper. Did a little shopping and walked back. Stayed in for the rest of the day to warm up!!
Sun, 20 Dec 2009
Broke the ice on the canal, lit the fires, stayed inside most of the day.
Went shopping at the local supermarket to get the yule time goodies for our feast tomorrow.
Mon, 21 Dec 2009
Celebrated Yule today. The children could not wait till Christmas so we had ours a few days early. It will also make travelling a little easier as we won't have to take all their presents with us.
I seem to have been going on about being cold. We aren't really cold it is just that it is cold outside and no-one wants to go out to do anything and it is cramped inside with all of us occupying the same cabin, the one with the heater in it.
We have got the knack of keeping the fire in all night, so it just needs a little kick start in the morning to get it going again and the boat warmed up,
Not so very different to a normal house that uses a coal fire to keep it warm.
But them I suppose there are not many of those around nowadays, what with gas fires, central heating and night storage heaters - all those forms of heating that breed bugs in the air and make people ill.
I remember the days when the only way to get warm in bed was to take a hot water bottle to bed with you, or even better put it in the bed a good half hour before you got in yourself. I remember the days when everyone huddled around the fire in the living room listening to the radio and reading books.
I remember the days when you hoped that mum
would have the fire lit before you got up so that you could get dressed in front of the fire.
Central heating may be a good thing for keeping warm, but it has meant that everyone can do their own thing in their own room and only ever meet each other for meal times, unless of course they take their meals at different times and in their own rooms again, because they are all watching a different TV program, or chatting 'on-line' to all their cyber friends. Whatever happened to going out and kicking a ball around the park till dusk with your mates, making a dam across the ditch at the side of the road, or even cutting some sticks to make a bow and arrow so that you could take a friends eye out, not that ever happened to me or any of my friends.
Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
Tue, 22 Dec 2009
A day to keep warm. Thick ice on the canal, nearly two inches think in fact. Did throw the ball for D'fer
for about ten minutes and then spent the next half hour trying to warm up.
D'fer was having none of this 'It's chilly", he just wanted to get out there and play again.
Spent a good part of the day modifying the site to make it easier, rather than modifying the existing pages to cope with another year (2010 is coming up fast) I re-wrote some of the routines so that I can just continue on as I have been doing. In the process I did some mods so that I can change the appearance more easily and consistently across all pages.
Wed, 23 Dec 2009
Kath
Scott
and Kaia
went into Leamington Spa today to finish off the Christmas shopping. I stayed with the boats and tried to catch up on the backlog of work that builds up while I am reading!!.
Walked along to the car hire company to make sure that nothing would go wrong when I pick up the car tomorrow. On the previous visit their machine would not accept my card, even though everywhere else does. It was quit a trek along the tow path covered with a thin layer of snow on top of the thick layer of ice, very slippery.
Got that sorted, although they did say that they would sort out the paperwork tomorrow. I explained that I had a problem on the previous hire and was assured that it would not happen tomorrow.
The crew arrived back just after seven. The bus that they had planned to catch after taking advice on time tables from the bus conductor apparently didn't run, the times for that bus change after half four. So they ended up waiting and extra hour for the next bus, still, all's well that ends well. I soon had them warmed up in front of the fire with hot drinks inside them.
Early night tonight,busy day tomorrow.
Thu, 24 Dec 2009
Spent the morning getting ready to go to Burbage . Collecting all the sleeping equipment and the presents for tomorrow.
Collected the car at midday, only one little hitch, but got that sorted out.
Set off just after two, took that long to get everything into the car, and had an uneventful journey down to Burbage, where we debunked and lit the fire straight away.
One of the main concerns of the housing association seems to be condensation, so I do take precautions to minimise this. There was no signs of any damp or condensation anywhere, and I think that this is because the main cause of condensation is people - breathing.
If they really want to make sure that condensation is not a problem with their properties then the best answer is to get people to live in them, but spend most of their time away.
Fri, 25 Dec 2009
Christmas with mum
and Peter .
Surprisingly early start after a late night watching videos and playing games on the PlayStation 2 on the side screen with the volume turned right up.
Scott
and Kaia
seemed to enjoy the spectacle of running around a virtual world shooting guns and killing people across a whole wall of TV screen.
Sat, 26 Dec 2009
Back to the boats. Left Burbage just after twelve and arrived back at the boats by half three. Unloaded the car and got the fire(s) going.
Ran the engines for a while, just to top up the batteries and I took the opportunity to catch up on the web site.
A quick dinner and an early night as we are off early in the morning again.
Sun, 27 Dec 2009
First stop Steve
to drop Kaia
and Scott
with him, then on to Hazel at Ellesemere. Having spent some time with them, we then set off to see Jackie
for a while, eventually arriving with John and Ann (Kath
's parents) by about nine. Settled down in their caravan about midnight.Mon, 28 Dec 2009
Quiet day after a sumptuous meal the night before. Kath
wanted to see the film Avatar, so we set off to Wrexham in time to just miss the start of the half one showing. Wandered around Wrexham till half four and then went to see the film. It was in 3D and I was a little worried that having to wear a pair of spectacles on top of my own spectacles would be a bit uncomfortable, but as it turned out it was no problem and well worthwhile. The 3D graphics and effects were truly stunning and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.
Eventually collected the children about eight in the evening and then back to the caravan.
Tue, 29 Dec 2009
We had intended to return to the boats today, sort of accompanied by Harry and Sim, but the weather warnings decided Harry to give the boats a miss, just in case he got stuck there without his medication, so we stayed another day. This gave Scott
and Kaia
the chance to spend a day with their cousin Sam.Wed, 30 Dec 2009
This is the start of the end of the Christmas celebrations, time to go home to the boats. Packed the car, hardly enough room to get the children in what with all their presents and the dogs and bedding, but we managed it. Set off just after lunch and arrived back at the boats by shortly after four. Unloaded the car and a quick cup of coffee while we got the fire going and then off again to the supermarket to stock up on all those heavy provisions, like lemonade and beer, tinned vegetables and butter, potatoes and beans. Beans with sausages were cheaper than plain beans, so we'll be having sausages with our beans on toast in the morning.
Indian with toast for evening dinner and by nine we had the children settled in and the bed sorted. Didn't actually get to lie down to go to sleep as we discovered Robinson Crusoe and watched the first three episodes. As usual with these series,the first one was really good, the second almost as good, but the third is beginning to stretch the story line a little. Still we did enjoy it.
Thu, 31 Dec 2009
Stayed up late last night watching Robinson Crusoe, so didn't rise today till after nine.
Did a bit of tidying up and got rid of some of the accumulated rubbish before returning the car.
The car sorted, Kath
set about sorting out Destiny while I set about sorting out Almyne, putting all the shopping away, getting rid of more rubbish, getting the fire lit and making her habitable again after weeks of presents clogging up all the available space on the bed, in the gangways and in any spare bit of space that we could find.
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