Wow….

Yesterday afternoon while Anne and Keith were partaking of tea with us (Anne supplied the cheese scones) we saw a chap on the tow path with his camera taking pictures, we knew he couldn't be taking any of the boat because where he was standing all that was on the roof was the bucket with the solar lights in the broom and the mop. When we looked out of the window across the canal this is what he was snapping.

Is this where the pot of gold should be?

Double whammy.

Seconds later the heavens opened and it poured with rain.

Now I thought it was about time I got my backside into gear and got my self organised. I don't know about you but I get fed up with having the same meals on a regular basis so I thought I would sort out a menu for the week, (okay I can imagine there are a good few of you out there that do this my daughter in law being one of them). So I sat down with the folder I have compiled of all the recipes I have removed from various books and never used. Having decided what we were having I got my shopping list together and shopped till I dropped. Now these meals are ones I haver never attempted before so should prove interesting. Last night the first one on the list was cooked, now it would have been perfect if I had read the recipe properly, but I got my teaspoons and tablespoons all to cock so my sticky glaze wasn't very sticky at all, I remedied that though and the Braised Pork Fillet with spring onion was very tasty even Paul said so.

This afternoon I am going to attempt a Carrot cake seems easy so lets hope I don't mess this up.

I couldn't believe it this morning when Paul told his brother he was going to polish the side of the boat as it was a nice day. Well he wasn't telling porkies he did get the polish out so we now have a boat that is sparkly, well one side anyway.

Boats on the move.

Yes, it is half term and there are boats on the move. Yesterday a Roses boat broke the ice determined to get to Braunston, whether they made it or not I couldnt  imagine. This morning when we looked out the window the canal appears to be ice free, another hire boat has gone through so hopefully we will be able to move in the next few days.

Its my turn to get the first container of water today then Paul can get a couple. Think Paul and Del are off on a wood collecting trip sometime soon.

I’m back…

I have had a lovely birthday weekend away with the family in Kent. Was treated to a lovely meal yesterday with a nice cocktail to finish. (Diet what diet!!!!!!)

With my lovely daughter  Jess,Jon, Emily and Tom,

Nice dinner..

2 Cosmopolitons. Not both mine I hasten to add.

Emily, Tom, Jess, Jon and Tilly only the cat is missing.

It is nice to be back on the boat but things are getting a bit on the low side with regards to the coal situation, might have to go looking for wood soon.  Paul spoke to Ian on Gosty today and they are still frozen in on their home mooring so we wont be seeing them for a while. With the ice still 4 inches thick we wont be moving for ages yet.

Now need to catch up on the shopping the washing and the cleaning as you can see Paul has been very busy while I have been away.

That was nice……….

Yesterday saw us having tea and cake with Del and Al, okay the diet went out of the window just for yesterday honest!!!!!!! Del gave us a rendition of a song he had written, we were very impressed with the lyrics and the guitar playing. Apparently he has dedicated this song to Paul. Think that is a bit sad Del. We then heard the Derwent 6 song and Del and Al made a lovely duo. Was a lovely way to spend a few hours thanks you guys next time I will get Paul to bring his comb and paper sure that will add something, wont be very musical but I am sure we would have a laugh.

Found these photos on the internet, do you think this is how the canals will look in a few years If CaRT don't get their finger out?

Saw the farmer this morning when he came down to feed his sheep. Was surprised when he said he didn't know about one of the flock falling in the canal, he confirmed that all of the sheep are in lamb. Paul explained what had happened and where the sheep was, the farmer went up to the farm, not sure if any one was in but at least he knows now and he said he would let us know if the sheep survived. He did say that it was 4 years ago a family let their dog in to the field of sheep and the dog scattered 6 lambs into the canal, the family  didn't even bother to rescue the lambs just left them to drown. He had witnesses and when he approached the family they denied any knowledge of the event.

Need to get some water later just to keep the tank topped up.

Deep n crisp n………….

Well it arrived as probably all of you are aware, I took the first two pictures last night in the dark just as the snow was beginning to fall.

Paul took these first thing before he ventured out with the dogs.

It doesn't quite look like this now as we have had numerous people out and about enjoying the slight rise in temperature.

Paul spoke to our friends in Spain and they had a hard frost last night and their duck pond was frozen this morning, just wonder how our old neighbours are fairing in Hungary they were only saying the other day how mild it had been. Of course Pauls brother is roasting in Oz…..

Would you credit it!!!!!!!!!

Just in the throws of making a cuppa when all the sheep in the field opposite starting running around at first I didn't think anything of it assumed the farmer was on his way with food, but no, there was a Doberman running amok with two women chasing it. At one point they caught the dog and politely asked the thing to get under the fence at which point it escaped again. This time it actually was chasing the sheep and you could see it biting at one. The two women were as much use as a chocolate tpot. By this time a young lad who was walking by had run in the field to help. The poor sheep didn't know which way to go and after about 15 minutes the Doberman chased one sheep into the canal and the dog was finally caught as it was about to go into the canal after the sheep. Did it get a good hiding of course it didn't.

Now if Muchgigglin hadn't come through the sheep would have been able to walk on the ice but of course with the ice having been broken it just went in the freezing water, and with its heavy fleece was really struggling. Paul went out with a boat hook hopefully to make the sheep swim over to one of the women and the lad who were waiting to pull it out of the water. Del arrived with a lasso (the man from Laramie???????). With Paul moving the sheets of ice towards the sheep to encourage it over to the field they were able to haul it out. The poor thing was exhausted and being sodden the thought of it spending the night in the freezing cold didn't bode well. Del suggested they ran over to the farm to see if they knew the farmers phone number, but it would appear they didn't as the people came over with a wheelbarrow, put the sheep in it and took it away, hopefully in to a warm barn where it could get over its ordeal.

People who cant control their dogs shouldn't have them. The only thing that is worrying is that now the Doberman has enjoyed his little game and heaven only knows what would have happened to that sheep if it hadn't gone in the canal, will it do it again? The only way to cure a dog is to pen it with a ram. ( Have you ever seen a ram beat up a dog?) I think the  farmer is within his rights to have the dog put down, I just hope none of these sheep were in lamb.

It has just started to snow so one would assume if left in the field it wouldn't have made it through the night. ( Mint sauce springs to mind and it is Sunday tomorrow…….)

With n without!!!!!!

This morning when we woke I just had to take a picture of the difference between the kitchen window with no double glazing and the lounge one that has it.

Kitchen window

Lounge window.

The kitchen window is the only one that doesnt have the double glazing it is a job in progress but you can see the benefit we get during this cold weather.

When I took the rubbish down I noticed a boat above the bottom lock that wasnt there yesterday. Had it really travelled in all this ice? Well that question was answered when around 11.30 the ice started cracking Paul and I went up the back of the boat to have a look, Del was looking out of his side hatch doors as well. Then we saw in the distance a boat coming through, as he came under the bridge we noticed a couple of guys up the front with poles.

Lo and behold when the boat came by we noticed that it was Tone on Muchgigglin. he informed us that his alternator had packed up and he needed to get back to his home mooring at Wigrams to get on shoreline. I really didnt envy him the journey, no doubt when he gets to Onley  the ice will be very thick.

Coming through.

Getting closer.

Looks cold out there!

This is how thick it is here. All of  3ins.

Whats your angle?

I expect that his journey will take him quite a while.

As we sit here the sky is getting greyer how long will it be before the snow starts to fall the weather man says around 3pm, I wonder if he will be right? If it freezes again tonight thanks to Tone the ice will be 6 inches thick in places.