Onward and Upwards.

On the 16th November we made it to lock 37 before turning round and heading back for home.

Today it was going to be the day that we made it all the way to the top of the Hatton flight.

Left home at 1 pm and headed off up the flight. 45 minutes later we were at the top.

In the distance St. Mary’s Church. Her town standing tall and proud in the Winter sunshine.

This very attractive and eye catching stainless steel sculpture by Gideon Petersen is in a side pond above Lock 42 on the Grand Union Canal, opposite the British Waterways depot.

The Canal & River Trust buildings and workshops.

Getting closer to the cafe.

Hatton Arms. We have not been in there yet. It over looks the Hatton Flight.

I promised Keith, if we made it to the top of the flight, I would treat him to a cuppa from the cafe. I always keep my promises.

Stunning spot. The cafe was very busy.

The Lock Cottage, looks like it could do with a little TLC.

After a well earned cuppa and rest, it was then time to head downwards and back home.

The afternoon sunshine was descending, as it walked towards dusk and the temperature began to slide, but the walk down hill was a joy. Keith had certainly done well today, but was beginning to feel it as we strolled down hill towards home.

Unveiling of the ‘Celebration’ Sculpture.

Today MP Chris White came to the Arm to unveil the ‘Celebration’ sculpture.

The new sculpture 'Celebration' dedicated to all the fantastic volunteers who have helped at Saltisford over the last 30 years

The sculpture was by Paul Margetts; was generously donated to the arm.

Councillors and dignitaries joined volunteers and moorers for the unveiling.

The weather was sunny and mild.

Afterwards some of the volunteers and moorers joined in with the Spring bulb planting.

Lots of digging holes.

Chit chat.

There should be a wonderful show in the Spring.

Victorian Evening and Christmas Lights Switch On.

Keith and I decided to dress up for the Victorian Evening. We got to meet and chat with Vic Minett from BBC Coventry & Warwickshire Radio.

Keith and I won a years membership to Warwick Racecourse for our Victorian dress. So we get to go to 15 races 2014/2015. I can see a lot of photos being taken.

We had a great evening and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Day at the races.

Today there was racing on the cards.

We had hoped to be able to see them from Jubilee Wood, but there were notices on the gates saying that there was no access due to the racing.

So we decided to walk up through the wood.

Autumnal colours were plentiful.

With it being so mild, it was hard to believe we are creeping ever closer to December and Christmas.

At one of the entrances to the racecourse a Marshall is on guard and the camera man is filming the racing.

We decided to walk back through the wood and down on to the road, to take us to the racecourse. Hoping we could see the racing from along side the racecourse car park. We were in luck.

No sooner we arrived, Jockeys and their mounts were heading off to the start.

Perfect day for racing and the ground looked good.

Up and over.

No fallers.

Majestic watching them jump.

We only stayed for the one race, but we will definitely go back and I will take my long lens next time. I actually feel we are so lucky living so close to the racecourse. Not just for the racing, but it is a beautiful place to walk.

Cheryl - 'Only Human'

Sunday stroll.

For me Sunday’s is always an easy day. I choose not to do much, not because I am religious, but I tend to be busy for the rest of the week and so Sunday is a chill-out day watching movies.

Today though was a little different, because I wanted to get some hedging plants re-potted and some put in the garden and because the weather has been wet of late, today being dry meant I was going to get on with the job in hand.

After breakfast, I made up the saloon stove, walked Pad and then fed him and mog. It was then off outside to get the hedging plants in. Last year when I stripped the garden back, many of the hedging plants were dead, so having removed them, it left big holes. It did not take me long to plants the hedging and then I turned my attention to re-potting the rest of the plants. Forty plants later they were all potted up for the Winter. Over the coming months, I hope to find homes for them throughout the site.

After lunch Keith suggested we head off out for a stroll up the locks. Now last time we did this, we made it to lock 32 before he wanted to turn around. It was very overcast, but mild. It is hard to believe that this is November.

Up above the first lock Woodhouse was loaded down with all the rubbish taken out of the canal. Trolleys, bikes, tyres, water tank to name just a few items. It is so sad that people feel the need to dump their rubbish in our beautiful waterways.

Even in the gloom, the canal still looks stunning, especially with the Autumnal colours which are hanging on.

You may notice a For Sale board on the right of this photograph. The lock cottage is up for sale, if you have £360,000 spare.

We managed to walk past lock 32.

We made it up to lock 37 on the flight where the locks are closer together. Keith had then had enough and wanted to turn for home.

There was only one boat on the move down the flight. A perfect day for cruising.

Back home, the kettle and the TV went on and it was time for feet up.

Who watched the X-Factor last night?

I have to say I was disappointed with Big Band night and I reckon that apart from Lauren and Fleur, everyone else is in trouble. Tonight see’s the new series of “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here”. I am so looking forward to seeing it as always.

I am here, honest.

Hello followers, boaters, friends and anyone who has just found me.

I apologise that these days my posts are few and far between, but life takes over and blogging is not at the top of my priority list these days, so I am sorry if you pop in each and everyday expecting something to read and are disappointed that yet again I have neglected to post an update on my life.

Hey I am here now, so enjoy.

So what have I been up to, well I am busy with the gardens. This time of year you would think there is nothing much to be done, but you would be wrong. There is cutting back to be done, leaf clearing and clearing beds.

This bed is going to be the wildflower bed, but because it had to be cleared and was full of weeds, it was decided to cover it with an old carpet to smoother the weeds.

I then covered it with mulch to help cover the carpet up. The mulch would also help to stop the carpet lifting in the wind.

All done.

I then turned my attention to the Sensory garden. One of the beds needed stripping and replanting, so I emptied the bed, refilled the bed with more top soil and got on with planting the grasses which had been bought for the raised bed.

Really pleased with the end result.

My garden is pretty much up to date. I did go out this morning and pruned the hedging and cut back some of the plants which have died back, but the ground was so wet I could not stand on it without getting my boots all muddied up.

Since taking on the gardens, there have been some wonderful comments from visitors, which makes it all worth while. Volunteers are always needed and I know that I could certainly do with more help. I still have the other raised beds to tackle over the Winter.

When I have not been gardening, I have been doing the usual boat stuff. Emptying the loo cassettes (Such a wonderful job). I rearranged the hold, so that this Winter I can get the coal from inside the boat. There will be no standing on the gunwale this Winter for me. It will also help with my on going Sciatica, which I am having physiotherapy on. That is another story. The fire needs attention twice a day and what with feeding the OH and pets, my day is pretty much taken up. I would not have my life any other way though. I only thought the other day, that this part of my life is and has been the happiest I have been for many a year. It is said you should never look back, just keep marching forward and that on the whole is right, but I do look back and there have been tears and misery in my life, but I will not let that happen again. I am in control of my life and happiness and that is how it will stay for the rest of my days.

I wrote earlier about my Sciatica. Well I have had two lots of Physiotherapy with Rob at the hospital and he is yet to get hands on with the manipulation, but with the exercise suggestions he gave me, I have gotten some relief, so I think the next visit will be the hands on bit.

I am not one to rant, but I am already sick of all the Christmas adverts on the TV already, oh and the begging charity adverts. I give to charity, but I hate it when it is rammed down our throats and the one that really gets me is the Red Cross one, where they suggest you leave them a donation in your will. If I want to leave money to a charity I will, I do not need an advert telling me to do so. In one afternoon I could have given £35 to charities advertising on the TV. What with water, donkeys, hospitals and children’s charities. They seem to be around more at this time of year. On the charity front, I sat and watched “Children In Need” and thought how amazing it was. The money raised goes to help children and people in the UK. They say “Charity begins at Home” and I agree that is where it should be.

Ok that is it folks I am off now to think of dinner and an evening watching X-Factor.

10-11-2014 New addition.

Winter moorers all in for the Winter.

The new statue in all its splendour.

A welcome new addition.

Meeting up with friends.

Yesterday the weather was not at all nice, not even the ducks like it, but things still needed doing.

We needed to head into town to go to the post office, and then Keith needed new laces for his boots. We got ever so slightly damp, but soon dried out on the boat, which was cosy and warm with the saloon stove going.

11 am we shut the boat up and head out of the arm and down on to the towpath to meet up with Jan and Tom on Waiouru. Jan and Tom had very kindly invited us for coffee and to carry on our chit chat.

Non of us expected our nattering to carry on till 2.15 pm. But I think we managed to put the world to right and there was no mention of the boaters usual topic of conversation. If your a boater and your reading this,  I will not need to tell you what that topic is. We actually joked before Keith and I left that the word had not been spoken about once, which must be a record. It was a delight to spend time in Jan and Tom’s company, they are a wonderful couple. We finally left them, allowing them to have their bit of peace and headed off home. Lunch was to be a late one and then it was time to put our feet up and watch films all afternoon. As we settled down there was a knock on the boat and low and behold it was Chris and Tim off of  The Stoker, who are moored in the arm for the Winter, so we had a catch up with them. I am sure over the coming months whilst they are here, we will get to natter a lot more. The afternoon sky was darkening and so we said our “Goodbyes”. The joy of having Winter moorer’s in, is we get to catch up with people we know and hear all their Summer cruising news.

I am not a fan of the dark nights drawing in, but it is that time of year and so it is something I like everyone else has to endure.