Radio and Red Wine.

Happy Christmas Eve to everyone.

What a start to our day. Awake early, so a cuppa was made and drunk in bed, whilst discussing the fact that it is Christmas Eve. Now we had planned a quietish day, with possibly a few customers arriving wanting their coal. It was also going to be a day of tidying the boat and doing some cooking. Having drunk my tea, I then checked on Marmite.

Why you ask?
Well Marmite and Paddy were play fighting last night and Paddy got a bit over excited and hurt Marmite's tail. It does not seem to be bothering her to much, but she is not flicking it around like usual and it is hanging a little limp, so I need to keep an eye on her and it. If it does not improve, she will be visiting the vet.I am hoping Paddy has just bruised it, but as Marmite cannot talk, I have no idea if she is in any pain.

With Marmite checked out, it was time to get up and dressed. First job on the list was to walk Paddy along the frozen towpath. When we got back to the boat, toast was on the go and the generator was on charging the batteries. Everyday we enjoy the local radio station Hfm (Click). This morning they were doing a competition where they would ring a number and if the person answered saying 'Ho, Ho, Ho, I'm a silly Santa' they won a bottle of Champayne. We were not fortunate to be rung, but Keith did win us a bottle of Red Wine. A few days ago we both answered the radio station's survey as to why we love it and Keith's name was drawn out of the hat. So I thought I would ring the radio station up and say thank you, little knowing that I would end up live on the radio arghhhhh. I got to speak to the lovely Dave Irving, who does a fabulous show from 7 to 10am. We chatted live on air about us being frozen in and what we had planned for Christmas and of course I wished everyone at the station a very Happy Christmas.

Having got off of the phone, I was then contacted by a customer, who required some fuel, So it was then time to don the donkey jacket and head out in the cold to unload some coal. Keith headed off to the sanitary station with rubbish and toilet cassette, whilst I sorted the coal out. Just as I was about to lock the boat up and trudge down the towpath, Keith arrived back, so we set off to deliver coal together. Whilst heading for the basin another of our customers was coming to meet us also wanting coal for Christmas, so we did an about turn and headed back to the boat to unload more coal, which got put on the sack trolley. One thing is certain, I am never going to be unfit humping all this coal around. Coal dispatched from the hold and on to the trolley, we set off again along the towpath to the car park, where we put two bags of coal into the customers car. Just as he was leaving our other customers arrived, carrying our bottle of Red Wine from radio station, they had very kindly collected it for us as they had cards and presents to deliver to the radio presenters. They saved us a hike to the station, which was very nice of them. Not that we did not mind walking over mile to get to Hfm, because today they have lots of choccies and cake going free ;0).

It looks like that is our last Coal delivery for Christmas, so we are now going to put our feet up. Well that is until I have to put the bacon in the back stove, feed us both for dinner tonight, stoke the stoves, washup etc etc etc. A woman's work is never done, especially of you live on a boat. Have a lovely Christmas Eve everyone x