Fog and washing machine.

Yesterday we had a foggy old day, so what better place to be but inside next to the fire and the TV on. The day was spent messing about getting the temperatures sorted on the fridge and fridge freezer and finally I think we may have got it figured. I can think of better ways to spend the day, but there I was standing near the thermometer and LEDs waiting for the lights to go on and off and noting down the times for on and off. I know boring, but someone had to do it. Whilst watching the lights and temperature, I did make a steak and kidney pie, apple crumble and a bread and butter pudding. I had only planned to do the crumble, but then found my loaf of bread was beginning to go off, so not wanting to waste it, I put off the crusts and made a pudding out of it, waste not want not I say, especially as it was reported yesterday that half of all food produced is wasted. REPORT. I find that report quite disturbing.

This morning it was another foggy start. So the fires were stoked up, breakfast was eaten and Paddy was walked. The day had come to fire up the washing machine, because it was full and I did not want to be the first to run out of underwear (I am joking, I have plenty), but you know what I mean. Keith took charge of loading the machine and we switched it on, so far so good. Whilst the wash got started I climbed into the hold to get coal out for the saloon and back cabin stoves. The washing machine began pumping out the dirty water and taking in clean water for rinsing, so things were progressing well, but then it came to the spinning part of the cycle and that was when it all went pear shaped. Keith watched the machine attempting to spin the washing, but it was clearly struggling to complete the task. Eventually after upsetting the inverter, the spinning cycle completed its task and I for one was relieved to switch the machine off. It was official the machine had a problem, which in one way was good because it meant I was not going mad and I had not lost the plot when it comes to loading a washing machine with washing. I really had begun to think it was down to me. Keith rang DMC Services and spoke to our friend Ian. He agreed there seemed to be a problem and suggested he come and collect the washing machine at Welford Wharf, so we upped sticks and set off reversing Hadar back to the junction. We turned into the Welford Arm and made our way back to the wharf.

As we approached the wharf, we could not moor on the water point, because a hire boat was tied up there, but there was a space in the wharf itself where we had moored a few days ago, so we pulled in their bow first. We could not wind as we would normally do because of the hire boat bring in the way. All moored up, Keith got on with stripping down the washing machine, whilst I cleared a path into the hold. We then man handled the machine into the hold and waited for Ian to arrive at midday to collect the machine.

It was lovely to see Ian and Liz again as it had been sometime since we had last seen them.  Whilst Keith and I lifted the machine on to the gunwale Ian and Liz man handled the washing machine onto the bank. With the machine in the back of Ian’s car, we got the chance to catch up on Ian and Liz’s news, I do pop into their blog when I can, to see what they have been up to, but it is always nice to chat about the things we have done and hope to do. Ian and Liz had to head back to the work shop with our poorly machine, so we said our goodbyes for now and let them go. Back on the boat, I got the boat back to some sort of normality and then prepared some lunch. After lunch Keith moved the fan on the rear of the fridge freezer to a better position and we now have to see if that makes any difference to the cooling.

So that has been the fun and games for today, we will stay here at Welford Wharf for a few days to see if our machine comes back all mended and I have a Tesco delivery coming Wednesday.