Just heard.

It seems that some of our boaty friends are giving up, we knew that Francis and Alan nb Lazy Days have bought a house in Somerset and the boat is up for sale and now I find that Heather and Paul nb Roxanne are also putting their boat up for sale. Hev and Paul are returning to Oz they promised themselves 5 years aboard and that is now up. Although we never saw these people regular when we did it was nice to catch up and it is sad we wont see them again.

Paul being the determined person that he is has spent the past half hour fishing, it is absolutely freezing out there so I think he is mad over the last couple of days he has caught one fish. Words really do fail me but if it keeps an old man happy who am I to comment…..

Weather forecast looks decidedly gloomy with really low temperatures forecast for the next couple of days. A couple of boats have gone past heading for Braunston wont be too long before we may be joining them.

Brrrrrrrrrr

Cold snap is back and this morning this is how the canal looked.

Looking forward.

looking aft.

Good morning sheep.

Anne and Keith left us this morning as they are getting low on water and with the forecast looking decidedly cold they didn't fancy trundling water up the tow path cant blame them really. Hopefully we will catch up again in the next week or so.

Friday saw Paul and I back in Rugby at the bank to cause a bit of aggro, with the branch telling me one thing and head office doing the opposite we had reached the end of our tether, so, a heated conversation ensued and hopefully that is the end of the saga but we definitely wont be giving Santander any more of our money good interest rate or not.

On the way back we called into Aldi for Paul to pick up a few bits and pieces that of course he hasn't already got but he really really needed. I did manage to get him to buy himself a new coat for the back of the boat so he looks half decent now or will do once we get on the move again.

Had afternoon tea with Anne Keith Del and Al on Oakfield yesterday which was nice and we had a few laughs its nice we all get on so well.

This morning Les and Jacqueline nb Valerie went past, have been following their blog and didn't realise they were so near only managed a quick wave but it was nice to see them looking so well.

Nice to be with friends

Over the past few days we have been busy to-ing and fro-ing to Rugby doing this and that and generally just wasting time but we have had a few nice meals with our friends. Sunday saw Ann Keith Paul and I in the Stag and Pheasant for lunch, yesterday Del Al Ann Keith and I were back in the Stag and Pheasant for a lively night out.

The boys talking all things boaty.

Ann looking very regal.

Something obviously tickled Al’s fancy.

Today saw Paul and I in the Red Lion in Crick with Angela and John having a very pleasant lunch. I am sure many of you have been in this lovely pub and if you haven't I can recommend it, the food was very good and reasonably priced.

So much for me cutting down,,,,,, two meal and two puddings in two days isn't good for my diet but up till now I have been very good,  tomorrow is weigh in day if its good news I will let you know.

All this socialising is the best part of boating it seems we do more in the winter as most of us stay in one spot for a bit longer than normal and in the summer it is BBQ on the tow path rather than popping to the pub. But thank you everyone for some smashing times and for the laughs we have had.

Oh No!!!!!!!

Paul has lost 2inches……………

Today the 4 of us went into Rugby to have breakfast in Weatherspoons, I say breakfast it was 11.45 by the time we got there so an early lunch really. Of all of us Paul had a breakfast Ann had a toasted t cake and Keith and I had a cup of coffee. Afterwards Paul decided he wanted to weigh himself (not because he had eaten a porky breakfast) and I thought I would check to see if my non snacking regime had been working. Paul was first on the machine which measures height weight and BMI now bearing in mind he had on his walking boots and his coat he was pleasantly surprised to find that after taking off the estimated weight of these things, he has put on about a stone which is a good thing. The bad thing is he seems to have SHRUNK by a couple of inches we all put it down to the fact that as he has grown outwards he has shrunk a bit. He was not amused I can tell you.

As for me the non snacking has paid off but I still have a long way to go, the way I look at it I am not overweight I am UNDERTALL.

Yet again the weather has been on the wet side and a bit blowy but it is a lot milder which is good. Not one boat went by us yesterday today there has been 3. I must get the dogs booked into the vets to have their jabs and Crystal is in desperate need of a manicure.

Have arranged with Jess to visit around my birthday next month having given Paul plenty of warning to get used to the idea.

Not a good idea…….

This morning we woke to a very mild day, the canal was thawing and the tow path was a mud bath. I had a quick visit to Tesco to get a few bits and on my return Paul went to Wickes for his new sander. When he came back he said that the canal opposite the Harvester was so clear that you could see all the trolleys both Tesco and the big flat bed ones from Wickes  crushed into the silt at the bottom of the canal.

We pulled over to the park side to empty the cassette and get rid of the rubbish and then we set on our way. Now to say we made a big mistake would be an understatement. What looked like a clear canal was in fact an inch of water over a sheet of ice still we had made the move so we just carried on. As I said the canal was crystal clear as there hadn't been any traffic due to the ice we saw a few more trolleys under the road bridge, but the thing that was really amazing was the amount of fry swimming about when I say there were millions I am honestly not joking plenty of food for the herons and kingfishers.

We called in at Clifton for a gas bottle then on towards Hillmorton passing Del and Al on the way. Luckily a boat had left the golf course moorings in front of us so there was a clear channel. Once on the water point Paul was able to have a chat to Mike nb Draco about our solar panel mountings. By this time nb Oakfield had caught us up and as their water tank was empty they tied up behind us on the water point. We went on our way up the locks and at the top lock the BW guys were there so we told them about the trollies in the canal and they got onto head office and hopefully they will be removed quite soon.

Stuck…….

We had planned to move from here on Saturday but everyday since the ice has got a little bit worse. Yesterday though two hire boats went towards Hillmorton no worries about the blacking for them. Hopefully if the weather man is right it is due to get warmer tomorrow with the chance of rain if that's the case we will move if all the ice is gone.

I used to like being here close to shops etc. but as the years have gone by it has become a stopping point for a couple of days and no more, much prefer the peace and quiet away from the bustle. Ann and I have walked to town a few times no catching the bus for us I need to shed the winter excesses. With it being so cold we have become a bit lazy saying that while I was out Paul made a start on sorting the bathroom ceiling out, plaining the old glue off he then got the sander out plugged it in and found out it had given up the ghost, at least part of the job is done think a trip to Wickes is on the cards tomorrow while the canal is thawing out. When I think back to last winter we have got off lightly this year or am I jumping the gun a bit?

Friday 13th….Unlucky…..no way…..

Yesterday we had lots to do. Firstly we had to go to the bank to grab the manager by the throat as he had made a massive error with our investments. as you can imagine Paul was ready for a row but the guy took the wind right out of our sails by saying they would re-imburse us the lost interest plus another £50 plus compensation for having to complain, what a result……….

Then into another bank more business done with a good interest rate another result……….

In the evening Keith Ann Paul and I went over to the Harvester for a meal, we enjoy it there food is reasonably priced and the puddings are to die for. This time Paul was a bit adventurous and had Chicken Skewers normally he is a rib man, any way he convinced himself that the chicken wasn't cooked properly, the rest of us were tucking into our meals telling him he was imagining it, but no he had to leave the chicken on the plate and when the waitress collected the plates he said he wasn't happy, after talking to her manager they knocked the price of Pauls meal off the bill and gave him a free pint, mega result………

So all in all Friday the 13th wasn't as bad as we feared. This morning it is bitter and when Paul took the dogs out he said there is a thin layer of ice on the canal at least we have access to all the facilities here so if it gets bad we should be okay.

At Last..

We have had some good news Pauls brother is home from hospital, 3 kilos lighter but home, no doubt Sandy will be feeding him up.

Today we have moved, filled up with water and had a nice cruise in the sun. Once moored up it didn't take long for the local nutter to come past us at full throttle. I know our neighbour shouted but of course it fell on deaf ears.

We have a couple of appointments and of course the obligatory visits to Wickes, Pets at home and Tesco before moving off again at the weekend.

It is very quiet we didn't pass one boat in either direction today. We know there are a few stoppages past Newbold so this obviously restricts traffic and Braunston locks will be closed shortly so that doesn't leave many options on where to go.

Now there are 6

Last week there was just 3 of us here then Tranquillity joined us and now on return from a girls day out to Coventry we noticed that Derwent 6 had tacked themselves on the end. Was nice to catch up with them has been a good few months.

Yesterday I was just getting the dogs off the boat and this was the view that greeted me.

 

Rainbow over the farm.

There is the reflection of the rainbow in the canal.

Yesterday we went up to The Stag and Pheasant for Sunday lunch. The food is so reasonable here £4.75 and you get plenty, of course we had a pud as well so no need for me to cook a tea as we were stuffed.

While I was in Coventry this morning Paul finally gave the engine a thorough going over. All the copper and brass is gleaming now Paul must have known Del was on his way, good job Del didn't see the engine before Paul cleaned it.

Have also met up with Beccy the signwriter here so have had a chat with her to do the diamonds on the cratch as these were never done at the time of the paint job. She is also going to do some other art work for us.

Good news then……

Paul heard before Christmas that his brother had to go into hospital for an op, with Eric being 80 it was a worrying time. Sandy, Eric’s wife spoke to Paul last week to say all had gone well and Eric would be out tomorrow. Then we got an email to say that he had got an infection in the wound was now on antibiotics and if the problem didn't clear up he would have to have surgery again. So Eric isn't a happy bunny and Paul is trying to stay positive.

Has been a trifle windy here today and the rain for a while was torrential, needless to say the dogs didn't like getting their feet wet and so a longish walk wasn't an option. At least the sky has cleared and hopefully with this wind the tow path will dry out a bit.

Betty and Graham joined us Monday so we are all together again for a little while at least.

Need to settle down with the Nicholson's and plan our cruising route for 2012 it seems with the Golden Jubilee and the Olympics everyone we have spoken to appear to be heading North this year, do we bite the bullet and go down the Grand Union that is something I will have to consider or we could go to Stratford or Worcester, hell I don’t know, think we will just end up pointing in a direction and going for it.