Almyne 2009
Tue, 1 Sep 2009
3 miles 3 locks
Up early to get a pump out for Destiny. The boat yard opened bang on nine and Alex was there waiting for Scott
and Kaia
sitting on his Quad bike.
The pump out man arrived with his pump out machine, the oldest rustiest, most dilapidated Bedford truck that I have ever seen in constant use.
Pump out completed I spent far too much at the chandlery, even though it was mostly on necessities, before setting off to find a mooring so that we could go into town to do some shopping. The only mooring we could find was using pins (or stakes) and since the ground was so soggy, they were pulling out almost as fast as we were hammering them in. Took quite some time to get the boats moored up safely (as we thought) before setting off into Stone to do some shopping. We know that it will be at least four days before we get to another supermarket and almost as long before we get to any sort of shop, so it is imperative to have stocks of food for about a week.
Into Stone to find the market in full swing. Spent the first hour or so looking round and trying to find some CO2 cylinders, all to no avail, then into the supermarket do get provisions. Between the market and the supermarket we were all heavily laden with shopping bags for the walk back to the boats where we unloaded everything and prepared to make the second trip into town for fresh fruit and vegetables.
Kath
Scott
and Kaia
set off while I fiddled about with the batteries and put the mooring pins back where they had been dragged out by passing boats before hot footing it after them.
During our first trip I had enquired at the fruit and veg shop about the price of a sack of potatoes and they could not seem to decide whether the price was 6.99 or 7.99 for a 25kg bag, so I left it. This time around when Kath asked they promptly said 6.99 a bag, so we got one, it was a good job we had the big shopping trolly with us.
Returning to the boats laden with provisions again we unpacked everything and set off to find a better place to spend the night. One lock and a couple of miles (ten or so minutes of it in the rain) saw us safely ensconced at a secure mooring well out in the countryside, listening to the blast of shotguns in the field next to us, after all it is the first day of the shooting season.
After dinner I tried to do some internetty work but the signal was varying wildly between excellent and cutting my off, so I soon gave that up and joined Kath for the rest of the evening.
PooTruck1
PooTruck2
Wed, 2 Sep 2009
6½ miles 3 locks
Holed up just below Stone. Got up this morning to do some internetty stuff only to find that the signal was appalling, so bad that I could not even get a connection.
Tidied up Almyne and while I was doing this Kath popped along to try to do some work on her courses. She got a connection where I could not, but it was still not really usable.
Having got all my boat work done I fired up my other computer, just six feet nearer the stern in Almyne to look at the web site. Just out of curiosity I tried to connect tot the internet and got a blinding connection, how weird is that.
Kath piggy backed off my connection and I uploaded all the images and files for the web site that I have been waiting to do, so, as you can see, it is now almost up to date.
Set off towards Great Haywood, not too far, and as Kath was leaving Hoo Mill Lock on Destiny the engine started to hiccup. Now Kath has experienced this before and it seems that this is the signal prior to running out of diesel. I had already set off but was alerted to a potential problem by the wild gesticulations from the group of people on the stern of Destiny.
Not knowing what the problem was I tried to pull over, only to run aground. Whilst trying to extricate myself, Scott came along to tell me the good news. There was nothing I could do until I was moored up, so while I was sorting myself out, Scott
ran ahead to see where I could moor up. He returned at just about the time I was free and I continued on to the point that he had indicated.
I moored up and walked back to where Kath was in trouble with Destiny. Well aground, she was too far out to just jump aboard, so the first thing to do was get the gang plank out. This done I boarded Destiny and found out what the problem was.
Kath could not shut off the engine. Now the only experience I have of this situation is when the injectors work loose and diesel leaks into the sump. This them gets sucked past the piston rings and keeps the engine running and can result in a runaway engine. Having ascertained that this was not the case and the symptoms being experienced had occurred before when running out of diesel, I felt much more comfortable.
Destiny was low on diesel. We had three twenty litre jerry cans on board, one of which I had already put in Almyne, but these were right at the front of Destiny. I walked the gunwale to the front, hooked out a can and three it onto the bank. Jumping after it I watched is slide ever so gently into the canal. I managed to grasp the handle just as it was disappearing and hold onto it. Now a twenty litre jerry can, full of diesel, is not light and I was struggling just to hold it there without falling in myself. I composed myself and hauled gently on the can, inching it back onto the bank until, eventually, I had it in a position that I could grasp it properly and haul it to safety.
Carried it along the bank to the stern of Destiny and then up the gang plank. Put the full twenty litres into Destiny and went back for the other can. It was empty.
Tried to shut her down and it worked.
Decided that we would just go as far as the marina, opposite which I was moored and hole up for the night and sort the problem out in the morning.
Thu, 3 Sep 2009
4½ miles 1 lock
Only about a quarter of a mile from Great Haywood junction where there is a boat yard. I walked along there just to see how far it was. Arranged to pop back with two jerry cans to fill them up, which is what I did. Put both into Destiny and set off.
Moored up at Great Haywood junction, topped up with water, filled all three jerry cans and set of again.
I was in the lead after Tixall Lock (which has won prizes for being so pretty) and spotted an electrical wholesalers. Why, you might ask am I after an electrical wholesalers.
Well, being on a boat that has as its main source of power batteries, I am looking for LED lighting, which is very economic on battery power. I have seen LED lighting at boat chandlers and it is VERY expensive. I have also seen some LED lighting at car accessory shops, but it is not right and also expensive. Sooner or later it will come down in price to a level that makes it sensible to purchase and replace all the lighting on both Destiny and Almyne.
Anyway, pulled over and went for a walk to the electrical wholesalers. They did not have anything of interest but I did then spot a timber merchants.
Kath has been wanting a proper bed for the salon on Destiny for some time now and this was an opportunity to investigate the prices of the materials needed to accomplish this task. Popped along to the timber merchant, passing a joiners on the way.
Priced up the timber and returned to Destiny to make the calculation of how the sheet of ply and the sheets of melamine faced chip board should be cut.
That took all my time for the evening, I'm not sure what everybody else did, but I was pleased with my progress for the day.
MakingTheDecision
Fri, 4 Sep 2009
With the timber requirements and cutting list for the bed sorted, I popped along to the joiners to see if he might be prepared to cut the sheets for me, he agreed, and this was then followed by a discussion about what I was making and how. He came up with several suggestions and modifications, which I was more than happy to follow, after all, he is the professional.
I went along to the timber merchants and told them my requirements, including helping me carry the two sheets of ply (this is what the joiner had suggested) along to the joiners. I made my purchase and the guy that was in charge of the timber section then realised that he was not allowed to leave the premises (something to do with company regulations). Since I had made my purchase from the company manager, he relaxed this regulation, just his once, and I got my materials delivered to the joiners as requested.
So, the timber was at the joiners, he had the cutting list and I was raring to go. The joiner asked me when I wanted the cut pieces of timber by, and I explained that the children were going to their dads for the weekend and it would be nice to be able to do the work while they were gone. "So you want it this afternoon then" he said querulously.
"Well, yes, but not if it is going to put you out", I replied.
"Come back about four" he said.
Spent the rest of the day mooching round, trying to keep the dogs apart and trying to find pout a solution to the problem with the batteries on Destiny.
Went back to the joiners at four and he presented me with the cut pieces of time and a whole bunch of additional bits that would make my life easier, including all the screws I would need, all for just twenty pounds. A bargain.
It took several trips to carry everything back to Destiny.
started on the raised stern deck for Destiny. As it is, Kath has to have a plank to stand on to see over the top of Destiny and has wanted a couple of boxes to store things in on the stern, so, I'm building a sort of combination storage area and raised deck.
I have been meaning to for some time, but I now have sufficient materials available to do it. Jackie
arrived during the evening to collect the children and we all spent an evening of gossip about people that she and Kath know well into the night.
Sat, 5 Sep 2009
Jackie set off with Scott
and Kaia
while I was still in bed recovering from a late late night.
Eventually got up around midday and set too making the new bed. Continued on till evening, by which time almost everything was ready for installation, but I'll leave that till tomorrow.
Sun, 6 Sep 2009
Up early, finished bed, put a shelf for Scott in his bedroom and put the curtain back at the window for DestinyKaia.
All weekend, Kath was TOTALLY cleaning and reorganising their bedrooms.
We were both exhausted by the time Jackie and Sammy
brought hte children back.
Mon, 7 Sep 2009
4½ miles 2 locks
Today's the day. Home education starts.
Settled the children down with their task for the day and then set off for a quiet days travelling. It was probably good that the children were occupied inside for the day because the weather was uncomfortable to say the least, rain, followed by a little drizzle, followed by more rain.
Mind you, this did not stop me enjoying the thing I most love to do, travel the canals and to see Kath ahead of me wiggling her bum in time to the music she was listening to was just delightful.
Tue, 8 Sep 2009
8½ miles 9 locks
The Shop
Back Wall
We made good time into Penkridge where we stopped for lunch. Actually, we walked into Penkridge to do some shopping and got waylaid by the Olde Sweetie Shoppe', after which we went to Jaspers Bakery to get some of the finest bread available for a long way. We also got some lunch time goodies which we took to the local park, where the children had their PE lesson, running around the obstacle course five times and doing sit ups and pull ups on the parallel bars, that is when they were not playing on the swings and slides.
Got back to the boats in time to travel a few more locks out of Penkridge to a quieter position where we were not crowded by too many people, well actually none.
How many of your favourite sweets can you spot in the window? I have a fond memory of Blackjacks, Dip Dabs and Fruit Salad, along with Sherbet Fountains, Pez and Fisherman's Friend. Kath went a bundle on Sherbet Crystals in FIVE different flavors and some Sarsaparilla drops.
The back wall was just row upon row of jars of sweets of every hue and flavour, from lemon bon bons to liquorice all sorts, from hundreds and thousands to the the biggest god stoppers I have ever seen.
Toffee and fudge lined one wall, while the other was a cornucopia of all those pocket money packets of sweets that were in such short supply just after the war.
Wed, 9 Sep 2009
WallOne
Kath spent the whole day doing the washing. The weather was so glorious it seemed a shame to waste the opportunity.
I emptied Almyne Too and repacked her.
Thu, 10 Sep 2009
Wall Two
Another day of washing, the only glitch being the fact that just before Kath finished the washing her washing machine gave up the ghost. I moved mine on to Destiny so that Kath
could finish it all. It's good to be a two washing machine family.
Fri, 11 Sep 2009
5 miles 2 locks 2 locks
FordAngliaAtGaileyLock
Friday Evening
Target for the day, Autherley junction.
Set off quite early after settling the children into their school work in brilliant sunshine, the best we have had for a long time. Destiny and Almyne 'leapfrogged' each other at the first lock and at the next lock we both pulled over to use the facilities. Both boats topped up and emptied out, we set off again and reached the Hatherton Branch in time for lunch. Took a break for lunch and walked up the Hatherton Branch. I scattered Geri
in both pounds, as is my wont, and felt good about completing another small part of my mission.
The reason I put at the beginning 2 locks 2 locks, is because the main journey we completed 2 locks. The walk along the Hatherton branch was another 2 lock, but not by boat.
Pulled over just past Slade Heath Bridge, four and a half miles short of today's target.
Not I have been on a mission for eighteen months now and all that time I have been focused on travelling. It is not necessary. I am beginning to realise that I do not have to be motoring all the time, I can take time out to relax and absorb the surroundings.
It is a lovely little spot, the sun catches the boats early in the morning and is still in view as it sets in the evening, and with the weather we are having, and is promised for the next few days, very acceptable for a longer stay.
Moored up and settled in for the evening feeling fairly relaxed after the stress of keeping the dogs apart for another day.
Sat, 12 Sep 2009
Saturday Evening3
Saturday Evening
I can tell it's going to be one of those weekends where I get some of the little ten minute jobs done, just got that sort of feeling.
Kath has a couple of trestle table legs that she has been saving to turn into a trestle table, well, I noticed that the piece of ply that had been cut for the back boards for Destiny that ended up being too small was standing on the front of Almyne Too doing absolutely nothing at all. Not being able to find any other purpose for it I decided that it might be useful as a small trestle table. Checked this out with Kath and she agreed.
Positioned the legs on it and marked the screw holes. Now all I need are some screws the right size. Now I have a big biscuit tine full of screws and several other containers with screws in as well. Kath also has several containers of screws, so I decided that a really good screw sort was in order.
I emptied all the screws containers into one big heap and sorted them into very long screws, long screw, medium screws, small screws and put all the ones that did not fit these categories into a separate tub. In the process I found all sorts of other goodies, nails, eye hooks, brass countersink washers, springs and oh, so many interesting bits, which were consigned to a container all of their own.
Anyway, found twelve matching screws just right for the trestle table and assembled it. A good job, well done and it only took about four hours.
Started on the raised stern deck for Destiny. As it is, Kath has to have a plank to stand on to see over the top of Destiny and has wanted a couple of boxes to store things in on the stern, so, I'm building a sort of combination storage area and raised deck.
I have been meaning to for some time, but I now have sufficient materials available to do it.
Managed to get all the timber cut to size and roughly placed in position before starting to prepare dinner.
Barbecue for the evening meal, unfortunately, the gas ran out while the potatoes were cooking and no-one noticed. so the sausages were overdone by the time I changed the gas bottle and got the stove going again.
Turned the barbecue into a log fire and D'fer
in his own way managed to get his rope wrapped around the barbecue, startled himself and upset the whole thing over my feet. Not one to panic, I threw my glass of wine over my feet as I stood up and moved out of the way, extricating D'fer fro the embers at the same time.
Righted the barbecue and scooped all the hot ashes back into it and eventually settled down to enjoy an evening in front of a log fire in the open under a cloudless starry sky, smoking a cigarette and sipping a glass of red wine. What a blissful way to end an interesting day.
Sun, 13 Sep 2009
Sunday Evening
Very leisurely day, got up just after nine and pottered around doing some internetty stuff for an hour or so. Took Kath a cup of coffee about ten and continued with the raised stern deck for Destiny.
That done, I noticed that I now have enough bits of wood to make the bookcase that Kath has been after, so made that too.
Spent the rest of the afternoon (what was left of it) reading a book in the warmth of the setting sun and then retired inside to do some more internetty stuff.
After dinner, I eventually got some time on the computer to update the web site.
Fed the dogs together and they were definitely more interested in food than each other for a change. After they had fed I gave them a bone each and they sat chewing on their bones for some time, Rowan
growling at D'fer from time to time if he got too close, such a relief.
Mon, 14 Sep 2009
Carp
Caught a carp this evening, twelve and a half pounds in weight, twenty four inches long, the biggest I have caught for a long time. Everyone was excited.
Tue, 15 Sep 2009
Walked into Coven today to get some Rowan-berries to use as pectin in the damson and the sugar plum jam that Kath has planned for, as soon as she can get some proper sugar. (She sent me into the village to get two bags of sugar and when she came to use it found that it was 'light' sugar, {I didn't know that there was anything other than white sugar and caster sugar} silly me).
Spent the afternoon 'shaking trees' and catching the sugar plums as they cascaded into an old upturned fishing umbrella.
Wed, 16 Sep 2009
3 1/4 miles
Just before we set off we spotted a steam boat coming around the corner towing a butty. I turned out to be President, the flagship of the Black Country Museum and is a fully restored working steam boat with butty that is paraded around various sites as an example of what it used to be like on the cut.
Down to Autherley junction today, along the 'very narrow cutting' which runs for almost a mile with the odd passing point. It really is only wide enough for one boat at a time. We must have timed it right as no other boats came along in the opposite direction during our passage.
bit of a to-do when we got to Autherley junction as there was only enough room for Destiny, and that was when the boat that was at the mooring left, which it was in the process of doing. The wind was taking Destiny across the wrong side of the canal while this other boat was manoeuvring out of the way and I was hovering the other side of the bridge, just out of sight of the mooring point.
The boat behind me cottoned on, and held back, but the four boats behind him were not so sure and just kept creeping closer and closer till they were almost nose to tail.
Wolverhampton for the day to get some birthday presents for Kaia - ten today.
Walked up the Wolverhampton twenty one. Twenty one locks in under two miles right into the centre of Wolverhampton and found the Wulfram Centre, a big shopping mall where you can get everything. I think that they actually had everything that Kaia wanted, unfortunately the pockets were not big enough and she only got some of the items on her wish list. I think that she was quite pleased with the result.
The President
ASteamer
Thu, 17 Sep 2009
11 miles 2 locks
Set off just after eight, in time to get to Brewood (pronounced Brewed) to meet Kath 's parents (Anne and John) and take them for a trip up to Wheaton Aston and back.
Kath set off on Almyne with Anne and John and Kaia and the two dogs while Scott
and I manned Destiny.
Strange, you might say, but Almyne has more 'passenger' space as Destiny is set up as a real live-aboard.
Anyway, Almyne decided that one and a half knots was her maximum, so after an hour Kath pulled over and we swapped crew. By this time Scott had cleared space in the salon on Destiny, so there was room for everyone.
Kath set off with her new complement and I followed on along with Almyne, who decided she could do three knots after all.
Into Wheaton Aston, winded at the winding hole and reversed back to the garage where we both filled up with diesel.
Destiny was first in the queue and once filled up they all set off back to Brewood as Anne and John needed to be leaving by five for their evening appointment. I filled up and then followed on about forty minutes later.
Met Mark
at the lock and had a brief natter while I was going through. Tentatively arranged to meet up for a drink when we get back from Kidderminster in a week or so.
Got back to Brewood in time for tea but not in time to say goodbye to Anne and John.
My narrative does not do justice to the day which was much more exciting that my description.
Fri, 18 Sep 2009
Now I don't know if I have explained that the electrics on Destiny have been giving problems. I have been taking a battery at a time from Destiny onto Almyne, charging it up and then taking it back to Destiny for use. In the process we have discovered that all her batteries have seen their best.
Anyway, Kath rang a guy she knows, Barney, a marine engineer, who arranged to come and sort it all out on Tuesday, so we are, not so much stuck, as delayed in our travels.
Not that it is a problem, Brewood is a nice location, quiet and peaceful, well, it was before we arrived anyway.
Spent most on the day doing internetty stuff, as did Kath , while the children caught up on their Home Ed work.
Did I mention that this location is quiet, not so at night time. It all started off about half nine. An owl (female) started twit to-wooing, and then the males started their own territorial claims. What a racket, I soon had to take my one remaining hearing aid out.
Sat, 19 Sep 2009
Steve
collected Kaia
just after ten. The rest of us wandered into Brewood for a look around. The gift shop was interesting and the lady who runs it was interested in the pentacle that Kath
was wearing - then ensued a long conversation.
Did a little shopping and later on that afternoon a boat arrived and moored up quite close to us. It is owned by a woman called Pam who, it seems, has a phobia about going through locks! Quite a problem on a narrow boat. We don't know all her history but it seems that she is a bit of a recluse as well. She was accompanied by Simon who came along and chatted for a while.
Sun, 20 Sep 2009
On our trip around Brewood yesterday we spotted some advertisements for a fete at St Mary's School, so decided that we would support it and see if there was anything interesting there. It was due to be happening between twelve and four, so we set off just before three to find it. Wandered into Brewood to St Mary and Chad school only to find that absolutely nothing was happening, strange. Wandered about a little more and asked someone where the fete was meant to be. Aha, is is at St Mary's, not St Mary and Chad. Got directions and off we went. By the time we arrived everyone was packing up but we were in time for a drink and a burger. While we were eating our burgers the woman who was manning the burger stall started to wander around selling off the burgers and sausages at silly prices, so we bought some, and some buns to go with them.
Kaia returned just after half seven and after an evening meal of Chicken Ham and Leek pie with mash and broccoli we all retired for a good nights rest.
Mon, 21 Sep 2009
Up early, all of us. We caught the half eight bus into Oxley to get to the vets. (D'fer and Rowan
beat us to it one evening.)
Back at the boats, Barney arrived with the batteries. He had collected them and was just dropping them off so that they would be here ready for him to start bright and early tomorrow.
Scott has decided that he can sell logs to other boaters and has spent most of the day cutting up wood that he has found in the undergrowth. He is bagging it up in 2.5 kg bags and has priced them at a pound each.
Tue, 22 Sep 2009
Barney arrived by ten and set to sorting out Destiny. Four new batteries, a new split charger relay and fitting. After that he looked at my gear box. Definitely needed adjusting, but the main problem was the linkages from the controls to the gear box, they were just not putting the boat into gear properly. A big sigh of relief to me as a new gearbox could be very expensive, far more so than the linkages and control lever.
Sitting here at twenty past eight and it is pitch black outside, don't the seasons race past, it only seems a few days ago that we could sit out till ten on the tow path enjoying the sunsets.
Wed, 23 Sep 2009
2 miles
Gorilla Face
5 miles 1 lock
Barney came along again and fitted a new alternator to Destiny, complete with a new belt. The one on Destiny was a little thin for the alternator and the main flywheel pulley, so he fitted a wider one.
While he was doing that I dismantled the Morse gear on Almyne in preparation for him to fix my gear box problems. Not so much a gear box problem as a loose cable problem. The new Morse control helped to cure it and a bit of adjustment worked wonders. Now I have full power instead of only half power.
Set off towards Kidderminster about one ish and paused at Autherley junction to get a pump out for Destiny. While we were there Simon turned up and gave us the 'gen' on where to moor up at Compton.
He cycled on ahead and we meandered along at our own pace arriving at Compton about half five.
I had noticed last time I was on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal that someone likes to make smiley faces on the tree trunks. We I think that they may have gone one better with the painting of the gorilla face on the inside of a railway bridge arch.
While we were travelling Kath had noticed a slight smell of burning rubber and when we checked it looked as if the fan belt needed adjusting again.
Thu, 24 Sep 2009
Diesel
Silver Tree
Simon wandered along half way through the afternoon and suggested a BBQ at the picnic bench on the other side of the canal and we all thought that this was quite a good idea. He went to his boat and came back with some sausages, an onion and a few bread rolls, along with an inverter, a TV aerial and a couple of TV booster boxes, all in a wheelbarrow. And his dog, Diesel.
Diesel is reputed to not get on well with other dogs but he and D'fer ended up being best of mates.
While we were chatting about the items that he had decided that would be useful to us we were sat on the back of Destiny. Simon was telling Kath about the sausages that he had brought along at which point I spotted Shadow the cat walking proudly along the tow path with a sausage in his mouth and a couple more on the string trailing behind him. I said to Simon, "Well, you did have some sausages". We all laughed and as we had to go to the supermarket to get some other BBQ stuff it was not really a problem.
Of to the supermarket, did the BBQ shopping and back to the boats. By this time it was getting a little late, so rather than debunk to the other side of the canal we had the BBQ right outside Destiny.
Pleasant evening telling canal stories to each other and finding out about others 'on the cut'. It was interesting to hear stories about people that we know from people who do not know that we know them! if you get my drift.
Fri, 25 Sep 2009
2 miles 3 locks
KaiaOnTiller
Spent the morning doing Home Ed, me included. I have scanned all the pages of all the books that the children need to work from and printed out three copies. One for each of them and one for me.
They seemed to appreciate that I was doing the same work as them and because I was 'in attendance' they had less of a chance to play around and disturb each other.
Didn't go far during the afternoon, just far enough so that we all felt as though we had done some travelling.
Sat, 26 Sep 2009
4 miles 7 locks
This is the week end. I took a conscious decision to have a lay in. I woke just after seven (I think it is becoming a habit) but decided that I did not have to get up this morning, so rolled over and went back to sleep.
Woke again just after nine, knowing that I had enjoyed a lay-in. After all, if you haven't woken up beforehand you might never know that you have had a lay-in.
Isn't it funny how sometimes the day just disappears without you realising that anything has happened? Today was one of those days. Although we travelled for nearly six hours today it was extremely leisurely, basking under warming sunshine and listening to the water going past the sides of the boat.
Arrived at Bratch flight sometime in the morning, or maybe it was the afternoon and, because we had heard that it was a little different, moored up and wandered down to see what was what.
Bratch Flight is actually a flight of locks, three in total with a pound between each one that is so short that it is impossible to get a boat of any size into the pound. What this means is that each of the locks in the flight has to be ready as the boat comes out of the previous lock.
the lock keeper told us to keep the dogs on leads as we were going through the locks, so, not to antagonise, we did.
Having worked out how the locks were best approached we prepared the flight and Scott went and brought Almyne down to the first lock and straight in. We worked Almyne through the flight, closely followed by Destiny and in the process I chatted to the lock keeper about my mission. He was interested and thought that the idea was really rather nice. After this he warmed to us and helped us through the flight.
Most of the rest of the journey was a display of loads of brightly coloured dragon flies sweeping past us, one in particular, a vivid orange.
Inside Lock
Sun, 27 Sep 2009
2½ miles 6 locks
Yesterday as we were motoring, Kath spotted the couple who were so helpful to her when she was trying to moor up at Autherley junction, so decided to pop back along the tow path (it was only a mater of a few hundred yards) to say hello and give them a pot of home made damson jam as a thank you.
We wandered back there and got chatting to them. Amongst other things, they keep chickens on board and get three eggs a day on average. Loads of useful information for the future.
While we were chatting to them Ron on Inky and I went past and I followed him for a while walking along the tow path, catching up on some news. Carol on Kentish Maid has had her boat lifted out of the water and put back in at Medina on the Isle of Wight, spending half her day on the mud and half the day on the water.
Set off just after mid day and motored till just before four when we pulled over at the facilities. Martin has his mooring close by and we spotted his boat and popped along to see if he was in, but he was not. Left a note for him and continued to replenish water and all the other things that we do at facilities.
While we were there Scott found a multi-meter that had been dumped at the facilities. I think that boaters are a lot more into re-cycling than others, as it seems common to put unwanted items to one side at the facilities instead of dumping them in the bins.
He also found one of those fold up tables and chairs which seems to be in perfect condition. This we are now using as a school table outside on fine days. The multi-meter seems to work fine on the voltage ranges but we have yet to test the other functions.
The most exciting thing for Scott today was selling one of the bundles of logs that he has cut and stored on top of Almyne, £1 a bag for 2.5 kg logs.
Moved through the next lock to a suitable mooring point and settled in for the night.
Interesting Bridge
Mon, 28 Sep 2009
The morning was spent doing Home Ed with the children. It takes a lot of time preparing their work and even more supervising it. I can understand why teachers get stressed so easily if they have to take a class of over four children.
Martin arrived just after mid day and we all had a natter for a while. While we were chatting a Kingfisher swept past Destiny, dived and caught a fish and kept going at a rate on knots, quite stunning to see, even though I only caught the last bit.
Persuaded Martin to take me to the supermarket during the afternoon to stock up on some essentials, the dogs were right out of food and we were right out of bread.
Kath had tried to make some bread but the yeast that I had on board had lost it's efficacy.
She did manage to make a chocolate cake thing that was scrumptious ad had to fight all three of us to save some for tomorrow.
Scott and Kaia
were very good with their Home Ed today, I think that we might have hit on a solution to them finding it difficult to concentrate.
Tue, 29 Sep 2009
Boarding Point
HeronInWater
The third day of the new regime. Started with the guy behind and opposite us complaining that I had the engine running before nine am, must check on the BW regulations on this. Mind you, he then told me that D'fer had been reported for jumping up at joggers, I think he is just a complainer.
This Home Ed is really hard work. I managed to catch up on the Maths that the children had done and some of the English, but haven't even started on the Science.
I have got most of the question pages printed out now though.
Half my time is taken up with scanning and printing and the other half is taken up by trying to understand the new maths and helping the children.
(Courtesy of Tom Lehrer)
Subtraction question 342 - 173.
Now remember how we used to do that. three from two is nine; carry the one, and if you're under 35 or went to a private school you say seven from three is six, but if you're over 35 and went to public school you say eight from four is six; carry the one so we have 169, but in the new approach, as you know, the important thing is to understand what you're doing rather than to get the right
Er. here's how they do it now.
You can't take three from two,
Two is less than three,
So you look at the four in the tens place.
Now that's really four tens,
So you make it three tens,
Regroup, and you change a ten to ten ones,
And you add them to the two and get twelve,
And you take away three, that's nine.
Is that clear?
Now instead of four in the tens place
You've got three,
'cause you added one,
That is to say, ten, to the two,
But you can't take seven from three,
So you look in the hundreds place.
From the three you then use one
To make ten ones...
(and you know why four plus minus one
Plus ten is fourteen minus one?
'cause addition is commutative, right.)
And so you have thirteen tens,
And you take away seven,
And that leaves five...
Well, six actually.
But the idea is the important thing.
Now go back to the hundreds place,
And you're left with two.
And you take away one from two,
And that leaves...?
Everybody get one?
Not bad for the first day!
Hooray for new math,
New-hoo-hoo-math,
It won't do you a bit of good to review math.
It's so simple,
So very simple,
That only a child can do it!
Now that actually is not the answer that I had in mind, because the book that I got this problem out of wants you to do it in base eight. but don't panic. base eight is just like base ten really
if you're missing two fingers. shall we have a go at it? hang on.
You can't take three from two,
Two is less than three,
So you look at the four in the eights place.
Now that's really four eights,
So you make it three eights,
Regroup, and you change an eight to eight ones,
And you add them to the two,
And you get one-two base eight,
Which is ten base ten,
And you take away three, that's seven.
Now instead of four in the eights place
You've got three,
cause you added one,
That is to say, eight, to the two,
But you can't take seven from three,
So you look at the sixty-fours.
Sixty-four? how did sixty-four get into it? I hear you cry.
Well, sixty-four is eight squared, don't you see?
(well, you ask a silly question, and you get a silly answer.)
From the three you then use one
To make eight ones,
And you add those ones to the three,
And you get one-three base eight,
Or, in other words,
In base ten you have eleven,
And you take away seven,
And seven from eleven is four.
Now go back to the sixty-fours,
And you're left with two,
And you take away one from two,
And that leaves...?
Now, lets not always see the same hands.
One, that's right!
Whoever got one can stay after the show and clean the erasers.
Hooray for new math,
New-hoo-hoo-math,
It wont do you a bit of good to review math.
Its so simple,
So very simple,
That only a child can do it!
Come back tomorrow night. were gonna do fractions.
Well, this is the situation I find myself in, I am dreading division.
The other half of my time is taken up with mundane things like chopping logs for the winter (if I don't do it now we will be caught out), tidying the boat and general maintenance.
The other half of my time is taken up washing up (after all, Kath does all the cooking) thinking up ways to make Home Ed interesting and trying to do my own internet course. The one I am doing this semester is really challenging.
When I get a minute or two to myself there is a little program I want to write on numerology and I want to update my Fate and Fortune web site.
But then being retired I have all the time in the world!
Did take time out during the day to move both boats about two hundred yards along the canal to get away from the moaner, and it's a nicer spot with more sunshine.
Wed, 30 Sep 2009
I think an element of enthusiasm has set in, if only for Scott .He woke Kath
and I up at seven o'clock this morning, just busting to get on with his science. I might add that this was in part triggered by the availability of a spare twelve volt battery, loads of wire, some light bulbs, some switches and a load of connectors. He is jumping ahead in the work book.
Having started the children off with their work I took an hour out and sourced some paper projects to do at lunch time. Downloaded a whole bunch of them and printed off three, one for each of us.
It made a pleasant break to do a little crafting but lunch was soon over and we were all back to work again.
Scott was, needless to say, the first to finish and promptly pestered me to help him construct his new lighting system with bulbs and switches and wire and things. (Mum, do I hear you say "I've seen that before somewhere".
One of the reason for going down the Staffs and Worcs canal is to see Dowie. He rang up today (I think he was expecting us to be there as I rang him and told him we were on our way) to ask where we were and to let me know that he has to go away for the weekend, but back Sunday night.
The other reason is to see Martin, who turned up on Monday and again today. He spent yesterday painting his boat, something that Kath and I have not had time to do so far this year. Maybe we can turn it into a Home Ed project. You know, teaching the children all about proper preparation of metalwork, sanding, grinding, polishing and two coats of undercoat and two coats of coloured varnish!
Well, it was only a thought.
The only blight on it was the late night cyclists. They started at about seven in the evening. First a bunch of about twelve raced past us nearly knocking Scott into the canal and disappearing into the night without a bye your leave or anything. Then ten minutes later another bunch raced past.
This time Shadow, one of the cats on board Destiny was scared into jumping into the canal. It was OK in that he can swim but not OK in that the cyclists should have had more respect for other tow path users.
By the time the next bunch had raced past us we were getting a little angry. We assembled as many chairs and table as we could and put them all over the tow path as an obstacle course as well as the washing line with a tea towel on it.
To our amazement the next bunch still raced past, the lead cyclist just shouting to his mates 'Duck' as he slalomed through our chairs and tables.
I rang BW and asked if they had sanctioned a cycle race along the tow path and was amazed to find that the guy I was talking to thought that the tow path was a public right of way.
Actually the tow path is NOT a right of way. BW have the right to close any tow path at any time and if it were a public right of way this would not be allowed.
There are some sections of the tow path that are maintained by the local authorities and these are regarded as public right of way, but they are few and far between.
3 miles 3 locks
Up early to get a pump out for Destiny. The boat yard opened bang on nine and Alex was there waiting for Scott
and Kaia
sitting on his Quad bike.
The pump out man arrived with his pump out machine, the oldest rustiest, most dilapidated Bedford truck that I have ever seen in constant use.
Pump out completed I spent far too much at the chandlery, even though it was mostly on necessities, before setting off to find a mooring so that we could go into town to do some shopping. The only mooring we could find was using pins (or stakes) and since the ground was so soggy, they were pulling out almost as fast as we were hammering them in. Took quite some time to get the boats moored up safely (as we thought) before setting off into Stone to do some shopping. We know that it will be at least four days before we get to another supermarket and almost as long before we get to any sort of shop, so it is imperative to have stocks of food for about a week.
Into Stone to find the market in full swing. Spent the first hour or so looking round and trying to find some CO2 cylinders, all to no avail, then into the supermarket do get provisions. Between the market and the supermarket we were all heavily laden with shopping bags for the walk back to the boats where we unloaded everything and prepared to make the second trip into town for fresh fruit and vegetables.
Kath
Scott
and Kaia
set off while I fiddled about with the batteries and put the mooring pins back where they had been dragged out by passing boats before hot footing it after them.
During our first trip I had enquired at the fruit and veg shop about the price of a sack of potatoes and they could not seem to decide whether the price was 6.99 or 7.99 for a 25kg bag, so I left it. This time around when Kath asked they promptly said 6.99 a bag, so we got one, it was a good job we had the big shopping trolly with us.
Returning to the boats laden with provisions again we unpacked everything and set off to find a better place to spend the night. One lock and a couple of miles (ten or so minutes of it in the rain) saw us safely ensconced at a secure mooring well out in the countryside, listening to the blast of shotguns in the field next to us, after all it is the first day of the shooting season.
After dinner I tried to do some internetty work but the signal was varying wildly between excellent and cutting my off, so I soon gave that up and joined Kath for the rest of the evening.
PooTruck1
PooTruck2
Wed, 2 Sep 2009
6½ miles 3 locks
Holed up just below Stone. Got up this morning to do some internetty stuff only to find that the signal was appalling, so bad that I could not even get a connection.
Tidied up Almyne and while I was doing this Kath
popped along to try to do some work on her courses. She got a connection where I could not, but it was still not really usable.
Having got all my boat work done I fired up my other computer, just six feet nearer the stern in Almyne to look at the web site. Just out of curiosity I tried to connect tot the internet and got a blinding connection, how weird is that.
Kath piggy backed off my connection and I uploaded all the images and files for the web site that I have been waiting to do, so, as you can see, it is now almost up to date.
Set off towards Great Haywood, not too far, and as Kath was leaving Hoo Mill Lock on Destiny the engine started to hiccup. Now Kath has experienced this before and it seems that this is the signal prior to running out of diesel. I had already set off but was alerted to a potential problem by the wild gesticulations from the group of people on the stern of Destiny.
Not knowing what the problem was I tried to pull over, only to run aground. Whilst trying to extricate myself, Scott
came along to tell me the good news. There was nothing I could do until I was moored up, so while I was sorting myself out, Scott
ran ahead to see where I could moor up. He returned at just about the time I was free and I continued on to the point that he had indicated.
I moored up and walked back to where Kath was in trouble with Destiny. Well aground, she was too far out to just jump aboard, so the first thing to do was get the gang plank out. This done I boarded Destiny and found out what the problem was.
Kath could not shut off the engine. Now the only experience I have of this situation is when the injectors work loose and diesel leaks into the sump. This them gets sucked past the piston rings and keeps the engine running and can result in a runaway engine. Having ascertained that this was not the case and the symptoms being experienced had occurred before when running out of diesel, I felt much more comfortable.
Destiny was low on diesel. We had three twenty litre jerry cans on board, one of which I had already put in Almyne, but these were right at the front of Destiny. I walked the gunwale to the front, hooked out a can and three it onto the bank. Jumping after it I watched is slide ever so gently into the canal. I managed to grasp the handle just as it was disappearing and hold onto it. Now a twenty litre jerry can, full of diesel, is not light and I was struggling just to hold it there without falling in myself. I composed myself and hauled gently on the can, inching it back onto the bank until, eventually, I had it in a position that I could grasp it properly and haul it to safety.
Carried it along the bank to the stern of Destiny and then up the gang plank. Put the full twenty litres into Destiny and went back for the other can. It was empty.
Tried to shut her down and it worked.
Decided that we would just go as far as the marina, opposite which I was moored and hole up for the night and sort the problem out in the morning.
Thu, 3 Sep 2009
4½ miles 1 lock
Only about a quarter of a mile from Great Haywood junction where there is a boat yard. I walked along there just to see how far it was. Arranged to pop back with two jerry cans to fill them up, which is what I did. Put both into Destiny and set off.
Moored up at Great Haywood junction, topped up with water, filled all three jerry cans and set of again.
I was in the lead after Tixall Lock (which has won prizes for being so pretty) and spotted an electrical wholesalers. Why, you might ask am I after an electrical wholesalers.
Well, being on a boat that has as its main source of power batteries, I am looking for LED lighting, which is very economic on battery power. I have seen LED lighting at boat chandlers and it is VERY expensive. I have also seen some LED lighting at car accessory shops, but it is not right and also expensive. Sooner or later it will come down in price to a level that makes it sensible to purchase and replace all the lighting on both Destiny and Almyne.
Anyway, pulled over and went for a walk to the electrical wholesalers. They did not have anything of interest but I did then spot a timber merchants.
Kath
has been wanting a proper bed for the salon on Destiny for some time now and this was an opportunity to investigate the prices of the materials needed to accomplish this task. Popped along to the timber merchant, passing a joiners on the way.
Priced up the timber and returned to Destiny to make the calculation of how the sheet of ply and the sheets of melamine faced chip board should be cut.
That took all my time for the evening, I'm not sure what everybody else did, but I was pleased with my progress for the day.
MakingTheDecision
Fri, 4 Sep 2009
With the timber requirements and cutting list for the bed sorted, I popped along to the joiners to see if he might be prepared to cut the sheets for me, he agreed, and this was then followed by a discussion about what I was making and how. He came up with several suggestions and modifications, which I was more than happy to follow, after all, he is the professional.
I went along to the timber merchants and told them my requirements, including helping me carry the two sheets of ply (this is what the joiner had suggested) along to the joiners. I made my purchase and the guy that was in charge of the timber section then realised that he was not allowed to leave the premises (something to do with company regulations). Since I had made my purchase from the company manager, he relaxed this regulation, just his once, and I got my materials delivered to the joiners as requested.
So, the timber was at the joiners, he had the cutting list and I was raring to go. The joiner asked me when I wanted the cut pieces of timber by, and I explained that the children were going to their dads for the weekend and it would be nice to be able to do the work while they were gone. "So you want it this afternoon then" he said querulously.
"Well, yes, but not if it is going to put you out", I replied.
"Come back about four" he said.
Spent the rest of the day mooching round, trying to keep the dogs apart and trying to find pout a solution to the problem with the batteries on Destiny.
Went back to the joiners at four and he presented me with the cut pieces of time and a whole bunch of additional bits that would make my life easier, including all the screws I would need, all for just twenty pounds. A bargain.
It took several trips to carry everything back to Destiny.
started on the raised stern deck for Destiny. As it is, Kath
has to have a plank to stand on to see over the top of Destiny and has wanted a couple of boxes to store things in on the stern, so, I'm building a sort of combination storage area and raised deck.
I have been meaning to for some time, but I now have sufficient materials available to do it. Jackie
arrived during the evening to collect the children and we all spent an evening of gossip about people that she and Kath know well into the night.Sat, 5 Sep 2009
Jackie
set off with Scott
and Kaia
while I was still in bed recovering from a late late night.
Eventually got up around midday and set too making the new bed. Continued on till evening, by which time almost everything was ready for installation, but I'll leave that till tomorrow.
Sun, 6 Sep 2009
Up early, finished bed, put a shelf for Scott
in his bedroom and put the curtain back at the window for DestinyKaia.
All weekend, Kath
was TOTALLY cleaning and reorganising their bedrooms.
We were both exhausted by the time Jackie
and Sammy
brought hte children back.Mon, 7 Sep 2009
4½ miles 2 locks
Today's the day. Home education starts.
Settled the children down with their task for the day and then set off for a quiet days travelling. It was probably good that the children were occupied inside for the day because the weather was uncomfortable to say the least, rain, followed by a little drizzle, followed by more rain.
Mind you, this did not stop me enjoying the thing I most love to do, travel the canals and to see Kath
ahead of me wiggling her bum in time to the music she was listening to was just delightful.
Tue, 8 Sep 2009
8½ miles 9 locks
The Shop
Back Wall
We made good time into Penkridge where we stopped for lunch. Actually, we walked into Penkridge to do some shopping and got waylaid by the Olde Sweetie Shoppe', after which we went to Jaspers Bakery to get some of the finest bread available for a long way. We also got some lunch time goodies which we took to the local park, where the children had their PE lesson, running around the obstacle course five times and doing sit ups and pull ups on the parallel bars, that is when they were not playing on the swings and slides.
Got back to the boats in time to travel a few more locks out of Penkridge to a quieter position where we were not crowded by too many people, well actually none.
How many of your favourite sweets can you spot in the window? I have a fond memory of Blackjacks, Dip Dabs and Fruit Salad, along with Sherbet Fountains, Pez and Fisherman's Friend. Kath went a bundle on Sherbet Crystals in FIVE different flavors and some Sarsaparilla drops.
The back wall was just row upon row of jars of sweets of every hue and flavour, from lemon bon bons to liquorice all sorts, from hundreds and thousands to the the biggest god stoppers I have ever seen.
Toffee and fudge lined one wall, while the other was a cornucopia of all those pocket money packets of sweets that were in such short supply just after the war.
Wed, 9 Sep 2009
WallOne
Kath
spent the whole day doing the washing. The weather was so glorious it seemed a shame to waste the opportunity.
I emptied Almyne Too and repacked her.
Thu, 10 Sep 2009
Wall Two
Another day of washing, the only glitch being the fact that just before Kath
finished the washing her washing machine gave up the ghost. I moved mine on to Destiny so that Kath
could finish it all. It's good to be a two washing machine family.
Fri, 11 Sep 2009
5 miles 2 locks 2 locks
FordAngliaAtGaileyLock
Friday Evening
Target for the day, Autherley junction.
Set off quite early after settling the children into their school work in brilliant sunshine, the best we have had for a long time. Destiny and Almyne 'leapfrogged' each other at the first lock and at the next lock we both pulled over to use the facilities. Both boats topped up and emptied out, we set off again and reached the Hatherton Branch in time for lunch. Took a break for lunch and walked up the Hatherton Branch. I scattered Geri
in both pounds, as is my wont, and felt good about completing another small part of my mission.
The reason I put at the beginning 2 locks 2 locks, is because the main journey we completed 2 locks. The walk along the Hatherton branch was another 2 lock, but not by boat.
Pulled over just past Slade Heath Bridge, four and a half miles short of today's target.
Not I have been on a mission for eighteen months now and all that time I have been focused on travelling. It is not necessary. I am beginning to realise that I do not have to be motoring all the time, I can take time out to relax and absorb the surroundings.
It is a lovely little spot, the sun catches the boats early in the morning and is still in view as it sets in the evening, and with the weather we are having, and is promised for the next few days, very acceptable for a longer stay.
Moored up and settled in for the evening feeling fairly relaxed after the stress of keeping the dogs apart for another day.
Sat, 12 Sep 2009
Saturday Evening3
Saturday Evening
I can tell it's going to be one of those weekends where I get some of the little ten minute jobs done, just got that sort of feeling.
Kath
has a couple of trestle table legs that she has been saving to turn into a trestle table, well, I noticed that the piece of ply that had been cut for the back boards for Destiny that ended up being too small was standing on the front of Almyne Too doing absolutely nothing at all. Not being able to find any other purpose for it I decided that it might be useful as a small trestle table. Checked this out with Kath and she agreed.
Positioned the legs on it and marked the screw holes. Now all I need are some screws the right size. Now I have a big biscuit tine full of screws and several other containers with screws in as well. Kath also has several containers of screws, so I decided that a really good screw sort was in order.
I emptied all the screws containers into one big heap and sorted them into very long screws, long screw, medium screws, small screws and put all the ones that did not fit these categories into a separate tub. In the process I found all sorts of other goodies, nails, eye hooks, brass countersink washers, springs and oh, so many interesting bits, which were consigned to a container all of their own.
Anyway, found twelve matching screws just right for the trestle table and assembled it. A good job, well done and it only took about four hours.
Started on the raised stern deck for Destiny. As it is, Kath has to have a plank to stand on to see over the top of Destiny and has wanted a couple of boxes to store things in on the stern, so, I'm building a sort of combination storage area and raised deck.
I have been meaning to for some time, but I now have sufficient materials available to do it.
Managed to get all the timber cut to size and roughly placed in position before starting to prepare dinner.
Barbecue for the evening meal, unfortunately, the gas ran out while the potatoes were cooking and no-one noticed. so the sausages were overdone by the time I changed the gas bottle and got the stove going again.
Turned the barbecue into a log fire and D'fer
in his own way managed to get his rope wrapped around the barbecue, startled himself and upset the whole thing over my feet. Not one to panic, I threw my glass of wine over my feet as I stood up and moved out of the way, extricating D'fer fro the embers at the same time.
Righted the barbecue and scooped all the hot ashes back into it and eventually settled down to enjoy an evening in front of a log fire in the open under a cloudless starry sky, smoking a cigarette and sipping a glass of red wine. What a blissful way to end an interesting day.
Sun, 13 Sep 2009
Sunday Evening
Very leisurely day, got up just after nine and pottered around doing some internetty stuff for an hour or so. Took Kath
a cup of coffee about ten and continued with the raised stern deck for Destiny.
That done, I noticed that I now have enough bits of wood to make the bookcase that Kath has been after, so made that too.
Spent the rest of the afternoon (what was left of it) reading a book in the warmth of the setting sun and then retired inside to do some more internetty stuff.
After dinner, I eventually got some time on the computer to update the web site.
Fed the dogs together and they were definitely more interested in food than each other for a change. After they had fed I gave them a bone each and they sat chewing on their bones for some time, Rowan
growling at D'fer from time to time if he got too close, such a relief.
Mon, 14 Sep 2009
Carp
Caught a carp this evening, twelve and a half pounds in weight, twenty four inches long, the biggest I have caught for a long time. Everyone was excited.
Tue, 15 Sep 2009
Walked into Coven today to get some Rowan-berries to use as pectin in the damson and the sugar plum jam that Kath
has planned for, as soon as she can get some proper sugar. (She sent me into the village to get two bags of sugar and when she came to use it found that it was 'light' sugar, {I didn't know that there was anything other than white sugar and caster sugar} silly me).
Spent the afternoon 'shaking trees' and catching the sugar plums as they cascaded into an old upturned fishing umbrella.
Wed, 16 Sep 2009
3 1/4 miles
Just before we set off we spotted a steam boat coming around the corner towing a butty. I turned out to be President, the flagship of the Black Country Museum and is a fully restored working steam boat with butty that is paraded around various sites as an example of what it used to be like on the cut.
Down to Autherley junction today, along the 'very narrow cutting' which runs for almost a mile with the odd passing point. It really is only wide enough for one boat at a time. We must have timed it right as no other boats came along in the opposite direction during our passage.
bit of a to-do when we got to Autherley junction as there was only enough room for Destiny, and that was when the boat that was at the mooring left, which it was in the process of doing. The wind was taking Destiny across the wrong side of the canal while this other boat was manoeuvring out of the way and I was hovering the other side of the bridge, just out of sight of the mooring point.
The boat behind me cottoned on, and held back, but the four boats behind him were not so sure and just kept creeping closer and closer till they were almost nose to tail.
Wolverhampton for the day to get some birthday presents for Kaia
- ten today.
Walked up the Wolverhampton twenty one. Twenty one locks in under two miles right into the centre of Wolverhampton and found the Wulfram Centre, a big shopping mall where you can get everything. I think that they actually had everything that Kaia wanted, unfortunately the pockets were not big enough and she only got some of the items on her wish list. I think that she was quite pleased with the result.
The President
ASteamer
Thu, 17 Sep 2009
11 miles 2 locks
Set off just after eight, in time to get to Brewood (pronounced Brewed) to meet Kath
's parents (Anne and John) and take them for a trip up to Wheaton Aston and back.
Kath set off on Almyne with Anne and John and Kaia
and the two dogs while Scott
and I manned Destiny.
Strange, you might say, but Almyne has more 'passenger' space as Destiny is set up as a real live-aboard.
Anyway, Almyne decided that one and a half knots was her maximum, so after an hour Kath pulled over and we swapped crew. By this time Scott had cleared space in the salon on Destiny, so there was room for everyone.
Kath set off with her new complement and I followed on along with Almyne, who decided she could do three knots after all.
Into Wheaton Aston, winded at the winding hole and reversed back to the garage where we both filled up with diesel.
Destiny was first in the queue and once filled up they all set off back to Brewood as Anne and John needed to be leaving by five for their evening appointment. I filled up and then followed on about forty minutes later.
Met Mark
at the lock and had a brief natter while I was going through. Tentatively arranged to meet up for a drink when we get back from Kidderminster in a week or so.
Got back to Brewood in time for tea but not in time to say goodbye to Anne and John.
My narrative does not do justice to the day which was much more exciting that my description.
Fri, 18 Sep 2009
Now I don't know if I have explained that the electrics on Destiny have been giving problems. I have been taking a battery at a time from Destiny onto Almyne, charging it up and then taking it back to Destiny for use. In the process we have discovered that all her batteries have seen their best.
Anyway, Kath
rang a guy she knows, Barney, a marine engineer, who arranged to come and sort it all out on Tuesday, so we are, not so much stuck, as delayed in our travels.
Not that it is a problem, Brewood is a nice location, quiet and peaceful, well, it was before we arrived anyway.
Spent most on the day doing internetty stuff, as did Kath , while the children caught up on their Home Ed work.
Did I mention that this location is quiet, not so at night time. It all started off about half nine. An owl (female) started twit to-wooing, and then the males started their own territorial claims. What a racket, I soon had to take my one remaining hearing aid out.
Sat, 19 Sep 2009
Steve
collected Kaia
just after ten. The rest of us wandered into Brewood for a look around. The gift shop was interesting and the lady who runs it was interested in the pentacle that Kath
was wearing - then ensued a long conversation.
Did a little shopping and later on that afternoon a boat arrived and moored up quite close to us. It is owned by a woman called Pam who, it seems, has a phobia about going through locks! Quite a problem on a narrow boat. We don't know all her history but it seems that she is a bit of a recluse as well. She was accompanied by Simon who came along and chatted for a while.
Sun, 20 Sep 2009
On our trip around Brewood yesterday we spotted some advertisements for a fete at St Mary's School, so decided that we would support it and see if there was anything interesting there. It was due to be happening between twelve and four, so we set off just before three to find it. Wandered into Brewood to St Mary and Chad school only to find that absolutely nothing was happening, strange. Wandered about a little more and asked someone where the fete was meant to be. Aha, is is at St Mary's, not St Mary and Chad. Got directions and off we went. By the time we arrived everyone was packing up but we were in time for a drink and a burger. While we were eating our burgers the woman who was manning the burger stall started to wander around selling off the burgers and sausages at silly prices, so we bought some, and some buns to go with them.
Kaia
returned just after half seven and after an evening meal of Chicken Ham and Leek pie with mash and broccoli we all retired for a good nights rest.Mon, 21 Sep 2009
Up early, all of us. We caught the half eight bus into Oxley to get to the vets. (D'fer
and Rowan
beat us to it one evening.)
Back at the boats, Barney arrived with the batteries. He had collected them and was just dropping them off so that they would be here ready for him to start bright and early tomorrow.
Scott
has decided that he can sell logs to other boaters and has spent most of the day cutting up wood that he has found in the undergrowth. He is bagging it up in 2.5 kg bags and has priced them at a pound each.
Tue, 22 Sep 2009
Barney arrived by ten and set to sorting out Destiny. Four new batteries, a new split charger relay and fitting. After that he looked at my gear box. Definitely needed adjusting, but the main problem was the linkages from the controls to the gear box, they were just not putting the boat into gear properly. A big sigh of relief to me as a new gearbox could be very expensive, far more so than the linkages and control lever.
Sitting here at twenty past eight and it is pitch black outside, don't the seasons race past, it only seems a few days ago that we could sit out till ten on the tow path enjoying the sunsets.
Wed, 23 Sep 2009
2 miles
Gorilla Face
5 miles 1 lock
Barney came along again and fitted a new alternator to Destiny, complete with a new belt. The one on Destiny was a little thin for the alternator and the main flywheel pulley, so he fitted a wider one.
While he was doing that I dismantled the Morse gear on Almyne in preparation for him to fix my gear box problems. Not so much a gear box problem as a loose cable problem. The new Morse control helped to cure it and a bit of adjustment worked wonders. Now I have full power instead of only half power.
Set off towards Kidderminster about one ish and paused at Autherley junction to get a pump out for Destiny. While we were there Simon turned up and gave us the 'gen' on where to moor up at Compton.
He cycled on ahead and we meandered along at our own pace arriving at Compton about half five.
I had noticed last time I was on the Staffordshire and Worcester canal that someone likes to make smiley faces on the tree trunks. We I think that they may have gone one better with the painting of the gorilla face on the inside of a railway bridge arch.
While we were travelling Kath
had noticed a slight smell of burning rubber and when we checked it looked as if the fan belt needed adjusting again.Thu, 24 Sep 2009
Diesel
Silver Tree
Simon wandered along half way through the afternoon and suggested a BBQ at the picnic bench on the other side of the canal and we all thought that this was quite a good idea. He went to his boat and came back with some sausages, an onion and a few bread rolls, along with an inverter, a TV aerial and a couple of TV booster boxes, all in a wheelbarrow. And his dog, Diesel.
Diesel is reputed to not get on well with other dogs but he and D'fer
ended up being best of mates.
While we were chatting about the items that he had decided that would be useful to us we were sat on the back of Destiny. Simon was telling Kath
about the sausages that he had brought along at which point I spotted Shadow the cat walking proudly along the tow path with a sausage in his mouth and a couple more on the string trailing behind him. I said to Simon, "Well, you did have some sausages". We all laughed and as we had to go to the supermarket to get some other BBQ stuff it was not really a problem.
Of to the supermarket, did the BBQ shopping and back to the boats. By this time it was getting a little late, so rather than debunk to the other side of the canal we had the BBQ right outside Destiny.
Pleasant evening telling canal stories to each other and finding out about others 'on the cut'. It was interesting to hear stories about people that we know from people who do not know that we know them! if you get my drift.
Fri, 25 Sep 2009
2 miles 3 locks
KaiaOnTiller
Spent the morning doing Home Ed, me included. I have scanned all the pages of all the books that the children need to work from and printed out three copies. One for each of them and one for me.
They seemed to appreciate that I was doing the same work as them and because I was 'in attendance' they had less of a chance to play around and disturb each other.
Didn't go far during the afternoon, just far enough so that we all felt as though we had done some travelling.
Sat, 26 Sep 2009
4 miles 7 locks
This is the week end. I took a conscious decision to have a lay in. I woke just after seven (I think it is becoming a habit) but decided that I did not have to get up this morning, so rolled over and went back to sleep.
Woke again just after nine, knowing that I had enjoyed a lay-in. After all, if you haven't woken up beforehand you might never know that you have had a lay-in.
Isn't it funny how sometimes the day just disappears without you realising that anything has happened? Today was one of those days. Although we travelled for nearly six hours today it was extremely leisurely, basking under warming sunshine and listening to the water going past the sides of the boat.
Arrived at Bratch flight sometime in the morning, or maybe it was the afternoon and, because we had heard that it was a little different, moored up and wandered down to see what was what.
Bratch Flight is actually a flight of locks, three in total with a pound between each one that is so short that it is impossible to get a boat of any size into the pound. What this means is that each of the locks in the flight has to be ready as the boat comes out of the previous lock.
the lock keeper told us to keep the dogs on leads as we were going through the locks, so, not to antagonise, we did.
Having worked out how the locks were best approached we prepared the flight and Scott
went and brought Almyne down to the first lock and straight in. We worked Almyne through the flight, closely followed by Destiny and in the process I chatted to the lock keeper about my mission. He was interested and thought that the idea was really rather nice. After this he warmed to us and helped us through the flight.
Most of the rest of the journey was a display of loads of brightly coloured dragon flies sweeping past us, one in particular, a vivid orange.
Inside Lock
Sun, 27 Sep 2009
2½ miles 6 locks
Yesterday as we were motoring, Kath
spotted the couple who were so helpful to her when she was trying to moor up at Autherley junction, so decided to pop back along the tow path (it was only a mater of a few hundred yards) to say hello and give them a pot of home made damson jam as a thank you.
We wandered back there and got chatting to them. Amongst other things, they keep chickens on board and get three eggs a day on average. Loads of useful information for the future.
While we were chatting to them Ron on Inky and I went past and I followed him for a while walking along the tow path, catching up on some news. Carol on Kentish Maid has had her boat lifted out of the water and put back in at Medina on the Isle of Wight, spending half her day on the mud and half the day on the water.
Set off just after mid day and motored till just before four when we pulled over at the facilities. Martin has his mooring close by and we spotted his boat and popped along to see if he was in, but he was not. Left a note for him and continued to replenish water and all the other things that we do at facilities.
While we were there Scott
found a multi-meter that had been dumped at the facilities. I think that boaters are a lot more into re-cycling than others, as it seems common to put unwanted items to one side at the facilities instead of dumping them in the bins.
He also found one of those fold up tables and chairs which seems to be in perfect condition. This we are now using as a school table outside on fine days. The multi-meter seems to work fine on the voltage ranges but we have yet to test the other functions.
The most exciting thing for Scott today was selling one of the bundles of logs that he has cut and stored on top of Almyne, £1 a bag for 2.5 kg logs.
Moved through the next lock to a suitable mooring point and settled in for the night.
Interesting Bridge
Mon, 28 Sep 2009
The morning was spent doing Home Ed with the children. It takes a lot of time preparing their work and even more supervising it. I can understand why teachers get stressed so easily if they have to take a class of over four children.
Martin arrived just after mid day and we all had a natter for a while. While we were chatting a Kingfisher swept past Destiny, dived and caught a fish and kept going at a rate on knots, quite stunning to see, even though I only caught the last bit.
Persuaded Martin to take me to the supermarket during the afternoon to stock up on some essentials, the dogs were right out of food and we were right out of bread.
Kath
had tried to make some bread but the yeast that I had on board had lost it's efficacy.
She did manage to make a chocolate cake thing that was scrumptious ad had to fight all three of us to save some for tomorrow.
Scott
and Kaia
were very good with their Home Ed today, I think that we might have hit on a solution to them finding it difficult to concentrate.Tue, 29 Sep 2009
Boarding Point
HeronInWater
The third day of the new regime. Started with the guy behind and opposite us complaining that I had the engine running before nine am, must check on the BW regulations on this. Mind you, he then told me that D'fer
had been reported for jumping up at joggers, I think he is just a complainer.
This Home Ed is really hard work. I managed to catch up on the Maths that the children had done and some of the English, but haven't even started on the Science.
I have got most of the question pages printed out now though.
Half my time is taken up with scanning and printing and the other half is taken up by trying to understand the new maths and helping the children.
(Courtesy of Tom Lehrer)
Subtraction question 342 - 173.
Now remember how we used to do that. three from two is nine; carry the one, and if you're under 35 or went to a private school you say seven from three is six, but if you're over 35 and went to public school you say eight from four is six; carry the one so we have 169, but in the new approach, as you know, the important thing is to understand what you're doing rather than to get the right
Er. here's how they do it now.
You can't take three from two,
Two is less than three,
So you look at the four in the tens place.
Now that's really four tens,
So you make it three tens,
Regroup, and you change a ten to ten ones,
And you add them to the two and get twelve,
And you take away three, that's nine.
Is that clear?
Now instead of four in the tens place
You've got three,
'cause you added one,
That is to say, ten, to the two,
But you can't take seven from three,
So you look in the hundreds place.
From the three you then use one
To make ten ones...
(and you know why four plus minus one
Plus ten is fourteen minus one?
'cause addition is commutative, right.)
And so you have thirteen tens,
And you take away seven,
And that leaves five...
Well, six actually.
But the idea is the important thing.
Now go back to the hundreds place,
And you're left with two.
And you take away one from two,
And that leaves...?
Everybody get one?
Not bad for the first day!
Hooray for new math,
New-hoo-hoo-math,
It won't do you a bit of good to review math.
It's so simple,
So very simple,
That only a child can do it!
Now that actually is not the answer that I had in mind, because the book that I got this problem out of wants you to do it in base eight. but don't panic. base eight is just like base ten really
if you're missing two fingers. shall we have a go at it? hang on.
You can't take three from two,
Two is less than three,
So you look at the four in the eights place.
Now that's really four eights,
So you make it three eights,
Regroup, and you change an eight to eight ones,
And you add them to the two,
And you get one-two base eight,
Which is ten base ten,
And you take away three, that's seven.
Now instead of four in the eights place
You've got three,
cause you added one,
That is to say, eight, to the two,
But you can't take seven from three,
So you look at the sixty-fours.
Sixty-four? how did sixty-four get into it? I hear you cry.
Well, sixty-four is eight squared, don't you see?
(well, you ask a silly question, and you get a silly answer.)
From the three you then use one
To make eight ones,
And you add those ones to the three,
And you get one-three base eight,
Or, in other words,
In base ten you have eleven,
And you take away seven,
And seven from eleven is four.
Now go back to the sixty-fours,
And you're left with two,
And you take away one from two,
And that leaves...?
Now, lets not always see the same hands.
One, that's right!
Whoever got one can stay after the show and clean the erasers.
Hooray for new math,
New-hoo-hoo-math,
It wont do you a bit of good to review math.
Its so simple,
So very simple,
That only a child can do it!
Come back tomorrow night. were gonna do fractions.
Well, this is the situation I find myself in, I am dreading division.
The other half of my time is taken up with mundane things like chopping logs for the winter (if I don't do it now we will be caught out), tidying the boat and general maintenance.
The other half of my time is taken up washing up (after all, Kath
does all the cooking) thinking up ways to make Home Ed interesting and trying to do my own internet course. The one I am doing this semester is really challenging.
When I get a minute or two to myself there is a little program I want to write on numerology and I want to update my Fate and Fortune web site.
But then being retired I have all the time in the world!
Did take time out during the day to move both boats about two hundred yards along the canal to get away from the moaner, and it's a nicer spot with more sunshine.
Wed, 30 Sep 2009
I think an element of enthusiasm has set in, if only for Scott
.He woke Kath
and I up at seven o'clock this morning, just busting to get on with his science. I might add that this was in part triggered by the availability of a spare twelve volt battery, loads of wire, some light bulbs, some switches and a load of connectors. He is jumping ahead in the work book.
Having started the children off with their work I took an hour out and sourced some paper projects to do at lunch time. Downloaded a whole bunch of them and printed off three, one for each of us.
It made a pleasant break to do a little crafting but lunch was soon over and we were all back to work again.
Scott was, needless to say, the first to finish and promptly pestered me to help him construct his new lighting system with bulbs and switches and wire and things. (Mum, do I hear you say "I've seen that before somewhere".
One of the reason for going down the Staffs and Worcs canal is to see Dowie. He rang up today (I think he was expecting us to be there as I rang him and told him we were on our way) to ask where we were and to let me know that he has to go away for the weekend, but back Sunday night.
The other reason is to see Martin, who turned up on Monday and again today. He spent yesterday painting his boat, something that Kath and I have not had time to do so far this year. Maybe we can turn it into a Home Ed project. You know, teaching the children all about proper preparation of metalwork, sanding, grinding, polishing and two coats of undercoat and two coats of coloured varnish!
Well, it was only a thought.
The only blight on it was the late night cyclists. They started at about seven in the evening. First a bunch of about twelve raced past us nearly knocking Scott into the canal and disappearing into the night without a bye your leave or anything. Then ten minutes later another bunch raced past.
This time Shadow, one of the cats on board Destiny was scared into jumping into the canal. It was OK in that he can swim but not OK in that the cyclists should have had more respect for other tow path users.
By the time the next bunch had raced past us we were getting a little angry. We assembled as many chairs and table as we could and put them all over the tow path as an obstacle course as well as the washing line with a tea towel on it.
To our amazement the next bunch still raced past, the lead cyclist just shouting to his mates 'Duck' as he slalomed through our chairs and tables.
I rang BW and asked if they had sanctioned a cycle race along the tow path and was amazed to find that the guy I was talking to thought that the tow path was a public right of way.
Actually the tow path is NOT a right of way. BW have the right to close any tow path at any time and if it were a public right of way this would not be allowed.
There are some sections of the tow path that are maintained by the local authorities and these are regarded as public right of way, but they are few and far between.
© Chris Giles 2021
To make comments, point out errors or contribute please send an email to 