Getting ready.

Hello friends and followers.

Here we are with the snow all gone and the birds singing their little hearts out. Something tells me Spring has now well and truly sprung.
We put some nest boxes up in the Arm a few weeks ago.

Already it appears rental has already been paid on these new high rise homes, because we have Blue Tit's moving their nesting furniture in already. I will try and get some photographs for you.

Now that Spring is here, not only are the birds Spring cleaning, so am I. It is time to get ready for the the cruising season. This year I decided to begin in the back cabin and work my way forward. The curtains were first to come down for a wash, then the plates got their annual wash. I even washed the walls and ceiling. It amazes me how dirty they get, but I guess with the stove going, it is soot grime. Keith helped me cut the new lino and that is now in the back cabin. I want to wash the rag rug by the coal box before we go, as it is looking very grubby. The coal box has been filled to the top as well, in case of cold weather. I washed the blankets and the cushion covers. The whole of the back cabin is now sparkling, well almost. I still have the brass to clean, but I have been over it with Cilit Bang to take the worst of the grim off. Oh and I still have the gearbox to check.
Friday's task was to tackle the engine room. Keith checked the fan belts, whilst I went Teddy washing. Yes you read right. I have a shelf above the bed 'ole and on it we have our small Teddies. They were looking dust and grubby, so in the washing machine they went with other washing. They went into the drier afterwards and are now safely back on their shelf, none the worse for their wash and blowdry. Washing done, it was back on board to fill the water tank and tidy the pontoon, ready for our friend who will be pontoon sitting whilst we are away. Whilst the water tank filled it was time to start the engine room clean. Having a long haired Collie, is not idea with an open engine room, because his hair sticks to the engine. So out came the hoover and along with a bowl of soapy hot water and a cloth, we soon had the hair under control and the engine looking clean and tidy again. I still have the floor to wash, but that will happen just before we go.

After Sweet and Sour Vegetables and Rice for lunch, I turned my attention to doing some cutting back in the Arm's Sensory Garden. In the Sensory Garden we have a herb bed, which needed trimming back, so I took the opportunity to gather some herbs to dry in the boat. These will get used whilst we are away. So I have Bay Leaves, Sage and Rosemary hanging up in the boat to dry, which is giving off a lovely scent.No sooner I had cut the herbs rain began to fall, so it was back to the boat for a coffee and feet up for a bit. The evenings are still chilly, so I relit the back cabin stove, to take the chill off and to of course make Marmite incredibly happy. She has taken over one of my fleece jumpers, which has become her cosy bed for the moment, but I know it will not last, because she will move to somewhere else in a few days. Friday in many ways was a productive day, which ended with a minor disaster. I decided after dinner to wash our elderly rag rug, dusters and brass cleaning cloths. The rag rug is usually in front of our coal box in the back cabin. It is about 10 years old and has been washed numerous times. I put it in to a wash bag or pillowcase and wash on a quick wash. Sadly it did not survive the wash this time and came out of the machine with a hole in the middle, so it has gone to the bin and a new one will be put in its place. In fact we need two new ones. Thankfully Keith has some he has made in a box, so I will be looking through there to find something suitable. The dusters and cleaning cloths came out nice and clean phew.

Saturday I woke to the sound of sniffing and coughing, which means the other half has a bit of a cold going on. I am seriously hoping I do not get it before we go out. He had said he had a tickly throat, so was sucking on pastilles from Superdrug, but they are not doing the trick, so having done all the boat chores and made a Chicken and Sweet Potato, we walked up into town to buy some Olbas Pastilles which I know always work. The weather for today is supposed to be wet. We did have a lot of rain overnight and it was raining when I was woken up. I can see me having a sports watching day, what with the Paralympics and six nations rugby ongoing, I think it will be feet up day watching the TV and knitting dishcloths. I am making some new ones for the back cabin. The old ones are looking rather tatty and need refreshing.

Have a lovely weekend.

Pop back soon xx