Finally it arrives.

Hi Friends.

Firstly I hope you have been staying safe out there?

Last night we had a fabulous moon.

It had a beautiful halo, making it quite mystical.

We woke up at 6 am, mainly because Keith was sneezing and sniffing and no he does not have a cold, he has a nasal issue, which no one seems to know what is causing it and the consultant, say’s there is nothing wrong with him. Ha ha he should try living with it. Anyway we were awake, so yes you guessed it we had our cuppa in bed watching the BBC1 news. Blimey the end of the world is coming, if you believe what they are saying about our weather. It is just a bit of ice and snow on the roads, not mountains of the white stuff. I remember back in 1982, when the snow was above the hedgerows and it hardly got mentioned. These days there is a dusting of snow and the whole country comes to a stand still. I think people need to get a grip. Of course I understand it is difficult to get around in and we all need to stay safe, but I wish they would not be over dramatic.

The first thing I did was open the engine room door, to check if we had been blessed with snow and was excited to see although it was only a dusting, we have had our first snow of the Winter.

I could not resist going out and taking a photograph. It was icy under foot, so I went out with salt. I put some on the back counter of the boat and on the pontoon, because Paddy would find it slippery.

Up and off the boat at 7.30 am with Paddy, who was not to impressed with the conditions, but needs must he had to go for a walk. We did not bother leaving the Arm this morning, he was just happy to go up on to the grass, do what he needed to do and head back to the warmth of the boat. With both he and Mrs Mog fed, I looked out of the back cabin door to see snow coming down yippee said I, only to then think, we are going out in this on the bus.

At just gone 8.30 am, we locked up the boat and trundled up to the bus station, we left early just in case the footpaths were a nightmare, but we need not have worried, because the gritters had done the roads, some of the grit had found its way onto the pavements, so we were actually at the bus station early. Our bus the X18 was due in at 18 minutes past 9 and that time came and went, so we got on the X17, which takes you around the scenic route. We explained to the driver we had hoped to get on the X18, but it was late. We bought our tickets from him, but he said that is the X18 should arrive, whilst he was in the station, we could get on the X18 and low and behold after a further five or so minutes the X18 appeared. He had obviously been held up in the traffic. The snow had now stopped and the trip in to Coventry was problem free, in fact they had hardly had any snow, Warwick had had more. We arrived in Coventry at 10.15 am and quickly made our way to our destination which was BBC Coventry and Warwickshires Radio Station, where we were joining in with Vic Minett’s Open House. Also there were ‘Sons of Pitches’.  In 2015, they became the first winners of BBC2’s The Naked Choir hosted by Gareth Malone.

The show was brilliant as were Son of Pitches, they are in fact brilliant. Also there were some of the ladies from Silver Lining Barbershop Singers, chatting about what they are all about. Having enjoyed our visit to Vic’s show, we headed off into the city to do a little light shopping. I was the last of the big spenders as always 2 bras from Primark and a heart shaped wreath from Wilko’s, we also had lunch at the Chinese Buffet, before getting back on the bus to come home.

I have relit the back cabin stove, because we are in for another chilly night. Mrs Mog was really interested in the bag I bought home, so she felt the need to investigate. With nothing of interest for her, she was soon out of the bag and back in front of the fire. Anyone would think it is cold living on a boat . Paddy was more interested in going for a wee, so off we went and once again he was quick to do an about turn and head back to the boat. I really do think we have a couple of wimpy pets on our boat.

I have been back on the family tree hunt and came across the brother of Frederick William John Seaborn.

WALTER WILLIAM GEORGE SEABORN. I have discovered that he was a Fireman on H.M.H.S. "Asturias" (Belfast).

His regiment was Mercantile Marine, and he Died on the  31-03-1917, age 28. The cause of death was as a result of an attack by an enemy submarine. Asturias was torpedoed by UC 66 on 20th March 1917.
How incredibly sad for his parents Alfred and Adelaide. His name is on the Tower Hill Memorial in London

H.M.H.S. "Asturias" (Belfast), was built in 1907 for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. Sailing between Southampton and Buenos Aires.

When war was declared with Germany in 1914 she was requisitioned by the Admiralty, who converted her into a Hospital Ship. On completion she was handed over to the Army soon making regular crossings bringing back the wounded from the Western Front. She was converted to Accommodate 896 patients.

During the Dardanelles Campaign she served in the Eastern Mediterranean returning wounded from Gallipoli, Egypt and Salonika to the U.K.
The ship was unsuccessfully attacked on February 1st 1915.

After the March 20th 1917 (see above) attack she was declared a total loss. Even with extensive damage Asturias was towed to shore and beached off Salcombe. Later being towed to Plymouth and used as a floating Ammunition Store were she stayed for the rest of the war.

In 1920 the hulk was towed away and rebuilt as a Cruise Liner renaming her “Arcadian”. Operating Mediterranean and West Indies cruises until 1930. This was a short term project the ship being finally scrapped in 1933.