A productive day.

Hello family, friends and followers.

I am going to be boring for some, because I am going to be going on about our new mooring again. It is taking up our time when the weather allows. Yesterday nothing got done due to the very wet weather. No one can say we are lacking water now. Keith is doing well on his antiviral tablets and eye gel. Because he has Shingles on his face and in his hair, I gave him a rather serious hair cut, so we could see the extent of the rash. It seems most of the rash is on his face and on his forehead along the hairline. It is getting better and it has not really stopped him from doing anything.
Today we were promised some sunshine after the deluge of yesterday and the sun did pop out for a while this afternoon. Our plan for the day was to finish removing all our belongings from our old mooring, so this morning we emptied the second bunker and got on with removing planters.

This afternoon fellow moorer Maria, came and tackled our overgrown hedge for us. Maria is a tree surgeon and has all the tools to tackle the job, so it was well worth getting her in to do the job. Within two hours we had the hedge cut and all the cuttings cleared up ready for Maria to chip in a few days time.

 The hedge has been cut back by a good foot.

Having the hedge cut back, it has really opened it up and made it lighter. I am now looking forward to tackling the garden.

 Already we have fungi growing in the garden, which makes me very happy, because I love all the different kinds.

After finishing the hedge, a Wren and Blackbird came and tucked into the bugs shaken from the hedgerow. I will be adding some nest boxes to our garden to hopefully encourage the birds to nest.
So pleased with our days work.

Pop back soon xx

Shingles and a touch of hard work.

Hello family, friends and followers.

You know how it goes. You just think you are getting on top of things and life throws you another curve ball. Yes we had that curve ball thrown at us on Friday. On Monday I noticed that Keith had what looked like a spot on his forehead. I thought he got caught by one of the branches off the trees we removed from our new mooring. On Tuesday/Wednesday it seemed to be getting bigger and more angry. Keith was then complaining his head hurt and on Friday morning I made him ring the GP to ask advice. She booked him in with the nurse who diagnosed Shingles. Because the Shingles seemed to be affecting his left eye, she sent us immediately to the University Hospital, Coventry, because if Shingles affects the eyes, it can cause you to go blind. When I say immediately, it took us almost three hours to travel there, because we had to go by bus. So we caught the X17 to Coventry and then the Number 4 to the hosptial. What we did not know what the Number 4 takes you on a tour of the bloomin city. Anyway we arrived at the hospital and found the emergency eye clinic, where he was seen as soon as we arrived. We were all done and dusted within an hour. Keith has antiviral tablets and some gel for his eye. We then caught the Number 9 bus back into the city, this was much quicker, the X18 to Warwick and the number 1 back to the gate outside the Arm. All in all it was a very long day, but at least Keith can now be on the mend.

Even with Shingles Keith was keen to get on with some jobs. So having recieved our chicken wire on Friday, we got on with fixing it to our fencing. Now our mooring is completely dog-proof, and NO we are still not getting a new dog.

We have had a busier day than we had planned, but we have achieved a lot. Having done the chicken wire this morning, this afternoon we cleared the patio area. We moved the two large planters which were on the pontoon, complete with earth still in them, to their new location at the front of the patio. We have also moved our table and chairs to the patio, this has cleared space on our pontoon, which is now looking much tidier :-). I am looking forward to planting the planters up for the Spring and enjoying sitting out with a coffee or something stronger :-).
That is it for the day. Time to put my feet up until tea time at least.

Pop back soon xxx

Back to it.

Hello family, friends and followers.

Autumn is upon us and therefore we must make the most of the sunny days, if we want to get any jobs done. This morning we woke up to sunshine, which put a smile on my face. Mind you I was not smiling at 4.30am. I was sleeping and dreaming about a tarpaulin floating in the Arm, when I was woken up by Keith shouting "Wake Up". He was dreaming and muttering in his sleep and when he eventually woke up for a cup of tea, he had no recollection, that he had shouted at me hahahaha. I did go back to sleep for a while, but then got up and made us our first cuppa of the day. Discussions were had as to what we would be doing for the day and it was decided that we would get more moving done.

We moved our table and chairs. These will go on the patio area once it has been cleared of the previous moorers belongings.

We wondered what we could do with the table top we made which was good but wobbled on its base. Keith had a brain wave and we have attached it to the gate to create a dog-proof gate.

We await the chicken wire to dog-proof the fence. This is to keep dogs out, and NO we are not getting a new dog 🤣.

We put a temporary cover on one of our bunkers, because it was leaking. We will felt it properly eventually. But with funds tight right now it will have to wait.

We moved our bird table and Clematis and some other plants. The bird table was made by our friend Mike, who also lives on his boat two boats away from us.

It has been a good days work and good to see more progress being made. We still have a bit to do, but there is no hurry as such.

Pop back soon xx

Day Off.

Hello family, friends and followers.

I am not usually one for lying in, but this morning I made an exception, mainly because I overslept. I only woke up when Keith coughed and it was already 7.45am. Cup of tea and the BBC1 news on we sat in bed until gone 8.30am, which is luxury for us, because we are not ones to lounge around. I have to say it was lovely though and I think it has come about, because I am just so in love with the peace and tranquilty of our new mooring.
After getting up we had breakfast and I started to take the curtains down in the back cabin. They will get washed and put away for next year. During the Winter, if the stove is going the curtains can get so dirty with the smoke and dust, so I like to put them away with the lace to keep them clean.
After a coffee, we walked into town to get our flu jabs done. Keith gets his free, but I have to pay for mine. This year it was £11, which in order to keep the flu away, is a small price to pay. I realise it does not cover any new flu that comes along, but it does cover me for the ones on the go already. I have been having flu jabs for years and thankfully they have kept me flu free and I have not had bronchitis for years either.
We took a walk around the town, checking out the charity shops, where I got a Margaret Dickinson book, which will be added to my collection. I adore her books and will happily read them over and over again. After checking out the charity shops we walked down to Torry's, Warwicks very own independant DIY shop to purchase a few bits. Our walk home was done alongside the racecourse, which was looking lovely on a sunny autumnal morning. We have had a day off from doing anything on the mooring, but I dare say we will be back to it tomorrow if the weather is on our side.

Pop back soon. xx

Making changes.

Hello family, friends and followers.

We have only been on our mooring a few days and yet we have already made changes. It is already feeling like home and we both love it.

The garden is in need of a lot of attention, so we got on with clearing the many damson trees, which have self seeded. I have however kept a couple, which I will keep under control and they will be lovely for the birds to sit in and for me to hang my wind chimes on.

Already taking shape. The hedge behind iur garden is over grown and so we have a friend coming in to get it under control for us. Once that has happened, we will be able to keep it tidy and I will be able to get on with planting up the garden.

At this end of the garden I plan to plant our fruit bushes. Raspberries and Gooseberry bushes, which are on our old garden. I also have Rhubarb to go in and Strawberry plants. The plan for our garden is to make it a little oasis of peace and calm for us and the birds and the bees, which I will be making most welcome. I have a log pile to move and a bug hotel as well.
Because we have had no TV, we have been binge watching Peaky Blinders. I love that program. It is made even more special, because there are people, places and boats we know very well in it. We spend our time picking out our friends, places and boats, but most of all we both love the series. Tonight we will be watching series 4. Today we sorted out the Terrestrial TV aerial, Satellite dish, phone and broadband, although we still have to get the phone line moved. We also moved the remaining 3/4 tonne of coal, so it has been a busy day.

Pop back soon xxx

Moving precious family members.

Hello family, friends and followers.

We have been on our mooring now a couple of days and already we have achieved a lot. We came home earlier than planned due to our generator and batteries and so the mooring was not cleared by the previous moorer, which is not a problem for us, because we are very easy going and know her well.

One of our priorities was to move our precious family. We moved Marmite and Paddy to their new home. We could not leave them behind, so yesterday we cleared a space in the garden especially for them both. We then removed them from our old garden and placed them together in our new garden. I welcomed them to their new home and I hope they love it as much as we already do.
Today I have begun clearing the garden. The main problem is the hedgerow overgrowing onto and into the garden. There are also some shrubs which need cutting back and then the whole garden needs digging to get rid of the nettles and brambles. There is already a rockery in place and we have also been left large stone planters, which will be going onto our patio area, which at the moment is full of the previous moorers belongings, which are to be gotten rid of. She came to collect a few bits today and it was lovely to sit and have a cuppa with her and to have a natter. Leaving a mooring which you have loved for over Twenty years, must be so very difficult and on top of that she is selling her boat, so a double whammy. Anyway we will love her mooring as much as she did and we will do our best to look after it.
I already feel at peace here and know that it is going to be very tranquil once finished.

Pop back soon xx

Day 52: Last day of the Autumn Cruise.

Hello family, friends and followers.
What a difference a day makes. We were blessed with sunshine on an Autumnal day. We descended the last of the 6 Lapworth Locks.

We left the Stratford Canal via the Lapworth Link. Lock 20 is back in operation finally.

We approached Kingswood Junction and turned right onto the Grand Union Canal, where we followed another boat for a while. We then saw a stray boat floating in the canal, with a man on the roof try to get the boat into the side. It turned out it was the gentleman off the boat in front of us, who was trying to moor the stray boat up, but was struggling, so we offered our help by coming alongside the stray boat, in order to get it back into the side. Once this was achieved, I loaned the gentleman our lump hammer so that he could hammer the mooring pins back into the ground. Boat safely moored up, allbeit around the wrong way, we both set off again for Shrewley Tunnel.

We arrived at the top of Hatton Locks, to be joined by Narrowboat Yondley and their crew. We had a great trip down the locks.

Whilst walking down the flight to working the locks, who should I come across or should I say they came across me. Adam and Adrian on NB Briar Rose, were walking up the flight heading off for some lunch. We only had time for a quick "hello" and chat, but it was so lovely to see them again. I cannot remember the last time we saw each other.
Having completed the Hatton Flight, we said "Cheerio" to Yondley and her crew and thanked them for their help.

Now for the good news I spoke about Yesterday. We have a new mooring in the Saltisford Arm. We have moved from our old mooring and onto the first mooring as you come into the Arm. For us it is brilliant, because we can come straight in and reverse straight out, so no having to wind anymore. The mooring is also straight, whereas we were on a slight bend and on the bottom, being a deeper draughted boat than normal. The new garden needs attention, but hey you know me I love a challenge. I am sure we will get it all neat and tidy in no time at all. We have to move all our stuff from our old mooring, but first we must wait for the old owner of this mooring to move all her things.
Looking forward to posting about the progress of our new home.

Pop back soon xxx

Day 51: On our way home :-(

Hi family, friends and followers.

We had a fantastic weekend at the BCLM with friends and like minded folk. I would post photos, but our allowance is coming to an end and I do not want to use it all up, so you will have to put up with my rambling on.
There were I am told 41 boats there and lots and lots of people. Saturday was kind weatherwise, we had a could of drizzly showers, but it did not dampen the spirits at all. Sunday was a bit damper, but hey ho we are boaters after all. There was much hilarity and talking. We spent the days in the museum and the evenings in the pub, so what more could anyone ask for.
Sunday evening came and we started the generator up to top the dying batteries up. It ran for half an hour and then decided to stop. We tried everything to get it going again and did all the usual checks, but no it would not start, so we have dying batteries and a poorly generator. There was only one thing to do and that was to head for home. We have cancelled the two other events we were supposed to be attending.
Yesterday we stopped in Birmingham for the night and tonight we are part way down the Lapworth Flight on the North Stratford Canal.
I wish I could give you lots of photographs and happier news, but hey ho, life throws a curve ball every now and again. I will however have some good news when we get back to the Saltisford Arm, so please keep reading.

Pop back soon xxx