So it begins.

Welcome to 2013.

Happy New Year everyone. As I thought we did not stay up to welcome the New Year in. We began watching Alan Carr’s show which was very good and listening to fireworks going off around us. It was as though November the 5th was upon us once more. By 10.30 pm I was ready for my bed and so was Keith, even though we had thought we may see the New Year in. All’s I can say is my head hit the pillow and I was out for the count. I must have slept so soundly because apparently there were fireworks going off till midnight and yet neither Keith or I heard a thing.

It was a good start to New Years Day, the sun was shining and the wind had finally died away leaving us with a glorious morning for walking a long the towpath with Paddy. As we walked I wished other dog walkers a Happy New Year. Some said the same to me and others just grunted, which got me thinking, that not everyone is going to enjoy 2013, whether it be through ill health, debt or other issues, so maybe I should have kept my Happy New Year to myself.

Back on the boat, mog and dog got fed first, I then made Keith and I porridge for breakfast, normally we have it when it is very cold and we are on the move, but I just fancied it this morning, the porridge that is. After breakfast the back cabin stove got relit and the saloon stove made up. I then got on with making a turkey stew, which had onions, swede, turnip, potato, carrot, mushrooms and peas in, on and not forgetting the turkey, this went into the stove and is cooking slowly ready for dinner. Keith wanted to fit a light to the freezer so we can see when it is running, so whilst I held the freezer for him, he did the light fitting, now we can see when it turns on and off. I must add the freezer is only a small freezer, I am not superwoman with some hunking great chest freezer. Job done it was on to the next task and that was to take a bag of rubbish up to the sanitary station, this took me an hour because like all good boaters, I love to chat and spent an hour chatting with those boaters wintering in the basin on the electric. We all wished each other a Happy New Year and discussed our plans, plus other things. By the time I got back to the boat, I think Keith thought I had left him ;0). No such luck he is stuck with me ;0).

The morning has worn into the afternoon and the TV has been on. I love a good old movie, so first was “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and now I am watching “Ben Hur”. This is normally a movie saved for Easter, but I guess they needed to fill a space. Is it me or have most of the Christmas movies been repeats? I heard it said by someone, that 98% of the Christmas movies were repeats and on some days the same movie was on at least one other channel. Not the best Christmas TV I have seen, and I am not even going to delve into the soaps, because they are always doom and gloom at a time when we are supposed to be celebrating, no wonder I have not watched a soap in some 12 years. So not even going there.

It has gone 3 pm and after such a sunny day, it is turning dull as the sun goes to sleep for another day. I have a stew to stir and dumplings to make, so I will bid you farewell for now and I hope your hangover is not to bad.