Trip to Leicester.

There is still snow on the ground and fog was lingering in the air, but we decided that we would probably take the bus into Leicester, but this would only happen if my delivery of bunting arrived from Parcel Force. I had kept a track of my order and it was on the lorry ready to be delivered, but I did not know what time, so having walked Paddy, done the morning chores, Keith and I walked up to the hire boat office to wait for my delivery. As we walked around the basin Malcolm who helps to run the fleeted shouted across that a parcel had arrived, yayyyyy no standing out in the cold to wait for my parcel, sure enough it was a large box full of bunting for this seasons selling fest. We collected the boxes and took it nice and steady back to the boat, because it was slippery under foot. I then did a quick change out of my boating gear and into something a little more lady like. We were then off down the towpath again to the bus stop. The X7 arrived 15 minutes late at 10.30am, but that was understandable considering the weather conditions. Keith handed over £10 for two days tickets and we took our seats. It is 12 miles to Leicester, because it goes up hill and down dale, but we did eventually arrived in Leicester. We had a wander around the outdoor market, to see if there was any red rose material, which there wasn't but there was something close, but it was sods law because the gentleman only had 4 metres of it and I wanted 5 metres grrrrr. Having wandered around a little more just browsing, we spent three quarters of an hour in Dominoes toy shop which has 3 floors.

Each floor is stuffed with toys, some of which bought back childhood memories. Just up the street we went into a Chinese Buffet for lunch as we often do when we go into Leicester. We then went in search of some black socks for me, Primark was my final destination, I do so love that store. Before heading home on the bus we went into the Silver Street cafe for a coffee.

It was a lovely day out even if it was foggy and damp. We are now back on the boat in the warm. This evening the temperatures could drop below 0 degrees, and if this is the case it is going to be deadly on the towpath. Stay safe and warm out there people xxxx

And so the snow came.

Saturday 04/02/2012.

A bitterly cold start to the day as the temperature over night had dropped to -14.9c. Some of the boaters moored with us had ice on the inside of their windows when they woke up, because we have portholes we had no ice at all and were still nice and snug inside the boat. As per-usual the morning began with a nice hot cup of tea in bed, but this morning we also had toasted crumpets, which were delightful. As we sat in bed watching a little TV, I also got the back cabin stove going, to increase the heat in the cabin, which then attracted Marmite to the side bed, where she settled down until I got up to take Paddy for his walk.

After doing the usual morning chores, Keith helped me to get some coal in from the hold, because with snow expected I wanted to make sure the coal was gathered in ready in case I could not get into the hold for a few days. We then walked down into the town, because Keith needed to change an item we had bought on the Friday. It was very obvious that there was a big police presence, this was because they were expecting a group of protestors to stop off on their way to Leicester. Clearly the police were taking nothing for granted, because the same thing happened last year and the police got caught out. On that occasion 500 protestors turned up in Market Harborough and caused problems having been into The Sugar Loaf for drinks. Today The Sugar Loaf closed its doors until 1pm, so that the protestors could not get tanked up before heading to Leicester. Whilst down in the I went to the indoor market and bought 2 brush cotton shirts for £10 from John's clothing stall. I bought similar shirts last year and they wash really well and are still in good order. We popped in to see a friend in her shop, whilst there a coach load of protestors turned up, got off the bus walked down to The Sugar Loaf, found that it was closed, so they all got back on the bus, as we walked back to the boat we saw the coach with the protestors on board heading for Leicester, so what with the pub being shut and the police presence there was no trouble. Back on the boat we settled in and waited for the snow to arrive, which it did at 4.30pm.

Sunday 05/02/2012.

This was the view from our galley window this morning as Keith cooked us Mushrooms on toast. I got up just after 7am to go out and take some photos of the snow which fell over night. We have had between two and four inches here in Market Harborough.

It is a winter wonderland outside and like the child that I still am, I wanted to enjoy it before it is ruined by lots of footprints or before it melts.

The ducks and swans still have their pool in the basin. I dare say they will be getting large supplies of bread again today.

Someone had clearly been busy with this fantastic snowman on the opposite bank of the canal.

Paddy really enjoyed his walk in the snow.

For this photograph he sat and waited for me to take it, bless him he is a good lad. I am not happy about allowing his to run along the towpath without his lead on in these conditions, because it would be so easy for him to run out on to the ice which is covered with snow. Paddy hates water, but when the canal is covered in ice and snow it looks like land to dogs and they will just walk out on to it. Whilst out walking there were doggie footprints on the ice and a fellow boater said that his dog had been out on the ice, which is hugely dangerous. I sent in a warning request to the local Hfm radio station, asking them to ask dog owners to keep their dogs on leads.

Good morning and well done for getting into the studio. Keith and I are enjoying the program.

Could I ask you to give out a warning to dog owners and walkers who walk the towpath in Market Harborough up near Union Wharf.

Over the past couple of days, I have seen doggie footprints on the canal, where they have gone out on to the ice. The ice is not thick enough and is highly dangerous, so it would be better if dog owners kept their dogs on leads. Not only that now there is snow on the canal, dogs think it is land and just walk out on to it if not on a lead. We would hate to witness a tragedy from our boat.

Many thanks

Jo on the boat.

People really fail to see how dangerous it can be. No one wants to spoil their fun, but I would hate to see a dog go through the ice.

I am quite sure I will be out taking more photographs later.

Chat soon xx

Life is too short.

First snow.

It's arrived a day earlier to what the forecasters said. This morning I opened the back cabin doors to find a dusting of snow on the canal and towpath.

I absolutely adore snow, it brings out the child in me. Even Paddy had a spring in his step when we went for his walk.

After breakfast, we had a few things we wanted to do in town, we also wanted to visit the local radio station Hfm with who we love dearly. They are about to have their fifth birthday and we wanted to take a card into the station, as we cannot go to their birthday part on the 10th February, because we hope that we will be on the move then, if the ice goes away. The radio station was the first port of call, where we received a warm welcome and a nice hot coffee. We spent an hour chatting to the DJ's about all their news from the past few months. Whenever we are in the area we like to listen to Hfm and to pop in and see them all when we get the chance. Having said our goodbyes until we see them again in October, we headed off into town to pick a few things we had forgotten yesterday, this included some elastic for Keith's tracksuit bottoms, which he wears in the evening. The elastic in them is no longer doing its job, so we went into the indoor market to purchase some more and whilst there we went and chatted to John who runs the outdoor clothing stall, where we buy our trousers, shirts etc for boating in. John like all the other stall holders are extremely worried about having to move out of the market. The council want to sell the indoor market hall to a big name retailer, meaning the stall holders will have to move. This is extremely upsetting for all concerned. There has been an ongoing petition, which now has over 10,000 signatures, but as yet the council are not listening to what people are saying. Hands off our Market. John say's they have been told they have possibly two years before they will be forced out, which is a real shame. We wished John well and hoped that we would see him in October, when we would be stocking up on new trousers etc.

Back on the boat in the warm, it was time for lunch and a coffee, before sitting down to watch "Carry On Sergeant" made in 1958 and was the first Carry On film.

I did have a shock today. Keith and I keep a supply of British Waterways pump out cards on board, which we sell on to people who require them, we do not make any money on them we sell them on for the price we buy them, so no profit for us, we just offer a service, so I was absolutely horrified to find out this morning that in a year the cards had gone up from £10 to £18. With such a hike in the price we have decided that once we have sold the remainder of the cards we have left, we will stop supplying them. It makes me glad that we do not have a pump out on our boat. I wonder if anyone else has noticed the hike in the price of pump out cards??

Chat soon x

Market Harborough.

Brrrr after another night of minus temperatures, we are surrounded by ice again, but it is no where near as bad as last winter. We were awake before 6am, which is completely ridiculous when we have no need to be up so early, but a lot of it has to do with going to bed at 9.30pm. Keith had been snoozing in his chair from 8pm and I was left watching "Romancing The Stone" on E4, whilst also listening to Keith snoring. As 9pm approached I was also beginning to nod off, so at 9.30pm I gave in and woke Keith to let him know I was off to my bed and that he should also follow, which he did. Snuggled down in the back cabin beneath the duvet, I was soon in dream land.

Waking up so early meant the only thing to do was to make a cup of tea and put the TV on. I also got up and riddled the fire in the back cabin to generate a little more heat. Marmite clearly felt the warmest place was the back cabin, because she snuggled down beneath the duvet when Keith got up to go to the toilet. Watching the news I always find so depressing these days and this morning was no different what with the violence in Egypt and the Argentinian's getting on their high horse about the Falklands and Prince William going to the Falklands to do his training. No wonder I am not politically minded, but I do like to know what's going on in the world and the best way to do that is in bed with a hot cuppa and some toast, which I got up and made.

Finally out from beneath the duvet, Paddy was the first to get my attention, with his morning walk along a frozen towpath and snow flurries in the air. I was definitely crisp, but not get deep and even, but who knows we may get some of the lovely white stuff for the weekend. Back on the boat I stoked up the saloon stove, whilst Keith went off with the full cassette to the sanitary station, he also checked our post box for any mail. Unfortunately the letters we were expecting have not arrived grrrrr, he also collected a parcel from the hire company office, which Debbie took in for us. After getting the jobs done, we decided to walk into town, but not before giving a Tesco petrol voucher to our friends Jo and John on NB Acen, who are moored in the basin for the winter. When ever we get given fuel vouchers we always give them away, as we have no car. We had a chat with Jo and John and got to see their new designed galley which is stunning before heading down to the town to get a few bits. In fact we bought a new dustpan and brush, a mop, sink plunger, cod lover oil tablets and primrose oil tablets, so nothing exciting.

With lunchtime upon us, we went and had something in The Sugar Loaf a Wetherspoons Pub. Like so many Wetherspoons, it is housed in an old building this one dating back to 1810. It used to be Thomas Goward's grocery shop, where he traded until 1910. We had never been inside before, but had walked past it many times. Inside it is really lovely, we enjoyed our meals and two halves of Ruddles for just over £8. The place was pretty much full with people. After a very nice lunch we then wandered back up the hill to the boat, which felt lovely and warm as I opened the slide on the back cabin.

I do not think I will be venturing out again today. I will be sitting in a nice warm cabin with the TV on I reckon.

Chat soon xx

Coffee, Mr Tesco and Market Harborough.

Having done the usual morning chores, I suggested to Keith that we should go out for a walk to stretch the legs and to take in some fresh air, so we put on our hats and coats and headed off to Foxton Locks.

There is something incredibly refreshing about walking when it is cold and frosty. The air feels so new and clean.

Moored in the spot we had been moored in at the weekend was The Candy Boat, Trev was cutting up wood, so we stood and had a chat with him. We caught up on the news of their season and how well it had gone. Having enjoyed catching up with Trev, we went into Bridge 61 for a coffee and a chat with Dawn who was on duty in the kitchen. Mick stoked the fire up and it was not long before other people came in for a warm and a hot drink. Our walk back to the boat took us away from the canal and along a footpath towards Foxton village, which comes out behind Foxton church.

We really enjoyed getting out in the fresh air, back on the boat I baked some bread and made us some soup for lunch. I then settled in to wait for Mr Tesco to arrive with our much needed food delivery.

2.45pm Mr Tesco arrived with our food delivery, which I collected from him at Black Horse Bridge. Then we prepared the boat for the off, as we wanted to head for Market Harborough.

At 2.55pm we set off from Foxton village, I opened the swing bridge and then whilst Keith steered the boat, I was down in the galley putting our food delivery away. It was wonderful to see the fridge, freezer and cupboard full again.

It takes more than a bit of ice to stop us moving. The ice in question was about half an inch thick and in places there was none at all. Having stowed all the shopping away, I made dumplings for our Lamb Shank stew which was cooking in the back cabin stove and some coffee for Keith and I to warm us on our journey.

Keith snug in his donkey jacket and hat.

The light was beginning to fade as we approached Market Harborough.

With so few boats on the move of late, we knew there would be a mooring outside of Union Wharf and we were not disappointed, we had a few to choose from, but for us it was the depth of water which chose our mooring, because on the first two attempts to get it we did not succeed, thankfully it was third time lucky, but we are still not right into the bank, so Paddy may have to do a leap of faith when he needs to go for his walk. So we are moored up, and now nice and snug, against what is supposed to be a cold night again with the temperature dropping to at least -2c according to BBC Weather for this area.

I really did enjoy cruising in the ice, there is something magical about listening to the ice break and watching it slide across the surface of the water.

Right off to enjoy a evening by the fire.

Chat soon x

Operation poop:

Every responsible dog owner would love to see this happen all over the country.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094338/Night-vision-goggles-used-dog-fouling-crackdown-council-wardens.html#ixzz1l8Dxmh5P

Chilly Wednesday.

 

The view from the galley window was a real picture, with the early sun shining on the frosty field. Over night the temperature got down to -3.2c, so a hard frost and yet there was not a lot of ice on the canal, but we are sheltered a little by trees.

Because the calm conditions the canal is like a mill pond, which lends itself to fantastic reflection photographs.

I could not resist taking the camera out.

On such a chilly morning, Porridge was on the menu for breakfast, which I made when I got back from walking Paddy along what was a very hard towpath, as the mud was frozen solid, this was great because no muddy footprints would be dragged through the boat. Breakfast eaten and fires stoked, the generator went on to charge the batteries and I put a load of washing on. I am waiting now for my Tesco delivery man to arrive with a bountiful amount of food to restock my cupboards and fridge which are both looking a little bare as it has been three weeks since we shopped for food, but it is always good to use up things which have been hanging around for a while. I have been informed that my food will be arriving between 2.20pm and 3.20pm, so we may make a move after that for MH all being well. If there is any ice it will not bother us to much, as we are not precious over paintwork or blacking. A boat is for boating with, so as continuous cruisers we will move if we can. Of course if the ice does get to thick then we would have to reconsider. Washing has just finished its cycle, so I am off to hang it up in the engine room and back cabin to dry, then we will see what the day brings.

Keith bless his heart, just got the local radio station HFM to play "Angels" by Robbie Williams for me awwwwwww.

Chat later maybe xxxx