It's a century, but now for the Red Room.

Friday 13th March 2015

What do we have in common with the English cricket team?

answer: Nothing

Unlike the crew that have just been eliminated from the cricket ODI World Cup, we have managed to bring up a century - 100 tunnels - not all different, but 100 passages through tunnels on the system.

Our travels for the day took us through the Harecastle Tunnel for the 12th time.

We set out later than usual with rain still falling, but with a plan - Diane thought that an afternoon at the movies might be nice.
Also we had had a piece of good news for a change - I will explain all at the end of this blog entry.

So down from Poole Aqueduct to Hardings Wood Junction and turned right towards the tunnel; we didn't even have a chance to moor up properly when the tunnel keeper emerged and waved us in.

A brief safety explanation, the horn had been tested along with the light and I was already wearing the life jacket; he also passed over a bag for us to deliver to the other end - we are official carriers for CaRT.

Cheaper and better by the dozen, this passage passed without incident - as had most of the previous 11 trips.

At the other end we duly handed over the bag and emerged into a much more pleasant day - a bit brighter and a lot drier - it had stopped raining as forecasted on the weather app.

We cruised down to moor outside the Toby Carvery - now a favourite mooring spot since CaRT have moved on the continuous stayers - well done to CaRT for allowing genuine cruisers a chance to moor in these prime spots.

We were having dinner with Janet and Howard later on, but first Diane wanted to go to the movies.
Having read the three-part trilogy a couple of years ago, she now wanted to see how it looked up on the screen, so off we both went to see Fifty Shades of Grey.

It would be fair to say that the books are unlikely to win any literary awards and in keeping with that, this film is unlikely to win any film awards.

But the problem that I now have is the redecorating of the bedroom - a distinctive red hue has been suggested by "she who must be obeyed" and there will need to be another cupboard allocated for the extras.
Oh the things we have to do to keep them satisfied.

Before all of that there was dinner to be had and most importantly to see Janet and Howard again.

our Happy Friday selfie whilst we had a drink before Janet and
Howard won the battle with traffic

There was numerous remarks and silly giggling when we spoke of the film we had just seen, but we tried to steer away from that and concentrate on what we were all doing this year.

We had planned on doing The Wash with Howard (me thinks Janet would be waving him goodbye at Boston and then sneak around to welcome him at the other end), but the situation for us has changed that.

Just what has happened....

Last Tuesday I received an email from a colleague who looks after allocation of customers to inform me that all of mine were to be reassigned to other chemists by decree from the boss. Knowing him (the boss) as I do, it reeked of how he would go about wanting to be rid of my services.

Without jumping to any conclusions just yet, I did send enquiries out to find out exactly what was going on, but because of the time difference there were no answers yet.

Discussing this with Diane, we thought that this coupled with the uncertainty of the application to extend my stay in the UK, did not bode well for us being here after this year.

That being a higher possibility than previously, we made the decision to that we would most want to see the London canals.
So we have started our journey south.

All of this was going on in a shroud of uncertainty and felt that apart from the information that I had put in the blog, there was nothing of much certainty and signs of just not being sure, so we didn't want to unnecessarily say much.

On Friday, I received another email from the same colleague advising that the vast majority of the customers that had been reassigned on Tuesday would be reallocated back to me.
It seems that my boss wasn't fully aware of just how much I actually do in his company - he seems to think that I am over here on holiday at his expense and swanning around doing bugger all - but none of anything is certain for a long period of time.

Anyway it has left a bad taste in my mouth and when things get to the stage that they are, it is natural to start thinking of what can be done to change it all.

In addition to all of this, I have been advised that my current visa - an ancestry visa - which, whilst it states that I can work in the UK, actually means that I have to be seeking employment - even though I have a job.

So if anyone can offer me some employment whilst I continue to live on the boat I would be most grateful.
In the meantime I will now start seeking to put some poor Polish or Romanian immigrant, in this country legally, out of a job. You got to love beauracracy.           

7 miles, 1 tunnel
YTD: 113 Miles, 38 Locks, 2 Tunnels, 2 Lift Bridges, 6 Swing Bridges
Totals: 3007 Miles, 2159 Locks, 100 Tunnels, 36 Lift Bridges, 157 Swing Bridges

Hot and sweaty over a new bed

Saturday 20th December to Tuesday 23rd December 2014

Well we were up bright and early - just after 6am to get ready for the Harecastle.

In still dark conditions at 7:30 we headed off for the last half mile and last lock.

Lights were on and torches abounded - there just seemed to be enough illumination to make out the lock entrance and I could see the difference in lighting between the inside of the lock and the faint light of the sky - well I could see it until Diane in her desire to help, shone her torch toward me to help light the bridge hole and then I couldn't see anything.
"Shine it into the lock" I shouted and that helped.

We made it to the Harecastle moorings just after 7:45 - tunnelkeeper was already on duty; gave us the talk; strongly advising to wear a life preserver (which Diane insisted I do - yes dear!); moved the CRT craft out of the tunnel entrance and we were first through (the only boat at the northern portal) - the boat at the southern end apparently had not shown any sign of life.

The passage was uneventful - after 9 previous passages through here, we are used to it - but always careful.
Diane decided to do a bit of cleaning inside and indicated she would check occassionally to make sure I was still around.
Once out we moored up for water and after that it was straight to Westport for the day.
Howard (nb Compass Rose) popped by (we had texted him to see how he was) - so we chatted over a cuppa for a while and plans were made for lunch on Monday.
The remainder of the day was spent inside working and reading - pretty boring we can be a lot of the time.
Sunday now became a fasting day, but we cruised down to what many call "China Gardens" but we just know it as the Toby Carvery - we were hoping to find a mooring just before the bridge but instead we opted for right outside the carvery - not a boat insight - never seen it empty before.

Look - empty moorings outside the carvery - whoever heard of that!

Our slightly revised schedule determined that we needed to do a bit of shopping today - just little things, but meant a walk up into town.


Amongst the items on the ubiquitous list - price on a new mattress (just a price!). On the way into town we stopped at one shop - tested and priced - and later discussed it a bit - our existing memory foam one was a bit depressed in the centre and was in need of replacement; so we bit the bullet and bought one - the store wanted to charge ₤75 for delivery or we got 10% off if we took it ourselves.

Most people shopping like this have cars and taking such an item is relatively simple - not for us, we had to carry lug the thing back to the boat - well over half a mile - closer to a complete mile.
Diane's words seemed to be something like "no problems - you can carry it" - it started out OK but we were both needed to finish the task.
We did appreciate the offer of help from the fellow in the blue van when we were 50 metres from the boat.
Back on board and sweating profusely; we had both dressed for the cold conditions; not for an audition for World's Strongest Person; we practically stripped off inside just to cool down.
No strength left in our bodies at all.
After recovering we needed to take it a bit easy so rather than just sitting down and relaxing on the boat, we headed off to sit down and relax and watch the third installment of The Hobbit - showing at the nearby Odeon - and we didn't fall asleep once - and enjoyed it as well.

Monday was a chance to sleep in - still bloody recovering - work to be done - more shopping to be done - groceries this time.
Lunch with Howard - unfortunately Janet was very unwell - had a great time as we always do with Howard - he is fun to sit down with and chat away.
Lunch was good as well - just at the carvery.
 

Our good friend Howard

After saying our goodbyes we cruised the boat down to just short of the first lock in the Stoke flight and moored up for the night.
We had earlier unwrapped the new mattress so that we could "road" test it before leaving.
Road tested it was - hard and springy!

Our aim for Tuesday was to make it down to the Wedgwood/Barleston moorings.

For the past week really, the weather has been quite mild - not warm but definitely not cold - just nice weather - except for the damn wind.
Today it dropped a lot but still gave a little movement to the boat if you were moving slowly.
Made it through the five Stoke locks in quick time - every lock against us - then the enjoyable cruise down to Trentham Lock - also against us - by this stage we had decided on the Wedgwood moorings - someone wanted to visit the Factory Shop.
At this time of the year with few boats moving the last thing you expect at a lock is a boat coming along - no sooner had we closed the bottom gates and Diane got on - we were no more than 50 metres from the lock, than nb Harnser with Brian and Diana on board appears around the corner - a wave and greetings - at least it was set for them.

We were damned unlucky lucky, the Visitor centre (including the shop) was closing after today until April next year. The whole site has become a buidling site - new manufacturing expansion; moving the shop and cafe, and a small housing estate to the eastern side - that is, it is a small area of land, not small houses.

Entrance - to the building site

Scaffolding around the existing manufacturing building

part of the new housing estate - already occupied

across the road, the next phase of housing

So if you didn't get there, you won't be getting there until next April.


Almost forgot to include this and if I hadn't I might be turned into a newt or something worse.

To my very dear Mother-in-Law, Dorothy (affectionately known as Millie) we wish you a very happy ??th birthday - we saw you in October and had a great time - will call you tomorrow -love from both of us

10 Miles, 7 Locks, 1 Tunnel

Totals: 2889 Miles, 2112 Locks, 98 Tunnels, 34 Lift Bridges, 151 Swing Bridges