Tuesday, 22 March 2011

Back Home Today

Up early as lots to do today. We had breakfast, loaded the car and locked up the boat with tracker activated and we were away from the marina by 9.30.
First appointment with Patricia (the wedding flower lady) in Penkridge. Next appointment with Amerton Cakes (you guessed!). Thankfully by 1.00pm the stops on the way home got more interesting; Midland Chandlers and Kuranda. I am planning solar panels soon so thought I had better study the kit!
Stopped in Sheffield to order the new cushions for on top of the new log chest.
Back home by 5.00pm to long grass and the usual chores.


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Monday, 21 March 2011

A Monday Cruise! Yes Monday!

Cruised down from the marina to Rugeley to wind and return to Shugborough Hall.
On our way we spotted the crew of narrowboat Beeston Castle who we had met last in the summer of 2008 as we were both cruising the 4 counties (clockwise). They are still enjoying their time share of their boat and are out for a short chill-out week in the local area. It was good to catch up!
Returning via Colwich Lock where we had to queue as usual!! Rather surprising that we had to queue in March - who knows how bad this 'slow-filler' is going to be in July!
The weather today was again excellent.

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Location:Shugborough Hall, Kingdom

Sunday, 20 March 2011

A Diamond for Elaine

Yes - Elaine always wanted a diamond! Today I painted one on the back hatch! I guess my joke was wasted on her! I could only have got away with it; as she already has a ring!

This blog update is a bit of an experiment using my iPhone.

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Location:Stafford,United Kingdom

Log chest and table installed!

Elaine & I travelled down to the boat in good time; arriving circa 11.00am. The previous evening I had collected the new log box and table from the joiners shop made to my design and sizes. It was quite a relief when the log box actually fit snugly into the bow deck. We then spent the remainder of the afternoon fitting the table leg base and pole into the steel deck. Although the steel was 5mm thick it was cut through quite quickly with my steel hole cutter. I'm thinking - money well spent on the hole cutter!
Anyway by 4.30pm all was installed and the front deck was looking quite a good place to hangout on the boat. I am typing this update from the new facility! The seat is a little hard; as I still need to make a template to take to the upholsterers to have a loose seat cushion made.
New Log Chest/Seat and Table Installed.

Wednesday, 16 March 2011

It seems to have been a long winter!


Well - it's mid March and we are planning to spend our first long weekend on the boat. Previously we have stayed at the boat in all weathers. It seems to have been a long winter and although we have visited the boat several times we have failed to stay longer than a few hours. We have either; got much older and less tolerant of the cold; or, wiser, choosing to maximise our weekends during the winter period doing more pressing chores at home.

This was the image from the Marina Webcam during the majority of the winter period!

This year is a big year for Elaine and I; we are getting married in May at the Moat House at Acton Trussell so there has been lots to sort out. We will therefore be making up for lost time on the boat; spending more time this summer on the boat and we intend to honeymoon up the Shroppie, Llangollen and Montgomery before taking up short-term moorings at Tattenhall Marina during the summer. This will allow us to explore some further reaches from our base at Great Haywood and return later in the year.


Improvements on the boat this year will, all being well, include the addition of solar panels to our battery system (for less reliance on shore power and engine running) and the provision of better seating/storage and a table in the bow (a quiet place to update the blog with good broadband signal while the 'galley girl' slaves in the kitchen!). I will keep the blog updated with improvements as they materialise.