Time to batten down the hatches.

Despite the forecast of heavy wind and rain over night, I did not hear a thing. The first I knew of the morning was the other half waking me from my slumber as he climbed out of bed to do his ablutions.

I looked at the clock bleary eyed to see it was 6.30 am. There was nothing else for it, but to get up and make us the first cuppa of the day. I clambered out of bed and marmite greeted me with s meow from her engine room bed and Paddy stirred in his bed as I put the kettle on. Paddy never actually gets out of his bed until we are up and dressed, he just lays in bed looking at me, as if saying “Why are you up so early”.

I switched the radio on and the weather forecast was not encouraging, so with cups of tea in hand I went back to bed and we discussed staying put for the day. 7.30 am it was time to leave the comfort of our bed. I put the bed away, but piling it into the bed ‘ole and closing the door. Non of this making it up every day for us.

Breakfast was cereal, before taking Paddy for his morning walk along a very windy towpath. Paddy does not enjoy getting wet or blown around, so he did what was needed and did an about turn and headed back to the security and comfort of the boat. He was also eager to have his breakfast. Paddy always sits and waits patiently for his food, whereas Marmite is very vocal when it is feeding time. In fact she only shuts up once the food is in her dish.

Because the weather has been so indifferent, we still have a fire going and so to make the most of it, I cook meatballs in a tomato sauce on top of the stove and let it simmer away. The smell wafting through the boat was sublime. Whilst lunch was cooking, I decided to pull out a book I have not read for some years “Idle Women” by Susan Woolfitt. I thought I would bury myself in a book for a while, so that I did not have to listen to the rain beating down on the cabins roof.

Lead coloured sky had announced that the rain was being carried towards us on the strong blustery winds, which is what is causing the white horses on the surface of the cut. Ducks could have gone surfing on the waves we have had today. The decision to not let go today was a wise one it seems.

Having had lunch, read more of my book, it was then time to do some cleaning, so I gave the back cabin Copper kettle some attention and the Aluminium floor beneath back cabin stove got a polish as well. I do so love it when the cabin looks tidy and clean. I had the back cabin doors open to the elements. The wind was competing with the bird song. Swallows were doing their utmost to fly against the wind, they were at times losing the battle. Feeding must have been so difficult this past couple of days for the birds.

It is now almost 6 pm and the weather has not really let up all day. I am going to settle in for the evening with a DVD and hope as the forecast suggests, that the wind is going to die down over night.