Our time is about up.

Monday 9^th November to Sunday 15^th November 2015

We are still moored up in the general Paddington Basin area, having started the week around in the basin proper and after moving out of there and now find ourselves outside the entrance to Paddington tube station for the completion of the filming for the film.

Today (Sunday) is the final day and we will be free to move as necessary tomorrow but haven’t decided that we will be moving – simply based on the weather outlook at present.

So what have we been up to in this last week – well quite a bit actually, making good use of where we are moored.

 

Diane was convinced that the guy in the centre was Matt Damon -
but he was only the stunt double

We’ve been off to see the National Gallery; continued to do our walking down to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park; been down along Oxford Street; up along Edgeware Road; continue to discover more about the Paddington area and surrounds – feel like we are almost locals with the knowledge we have of the locations around here.

 

The Assumption of the Virgin - Francesco Botticini
at the National Gallery

saw this old barrow at one of the local markets off  Edgeware Road -
that would be the one with the wheels

Managed to see the “concertina” bridge open and roll-up in Paddington Basin; we met up with Gary and Carolyn from nb Inca; we had Caroline from nb Sonia-Louise drop by on her way home (their boat hasn’t been built yet but at least it is named).

Nicely moored up at Rembrandt Gardens - a truly top spot

Diane has loved being able to get a morning coffee direct from Costa – it being barely 50 metres from the boat.

 

Assuming the position for her morning coffee

The weather has, on-the-whole, been fairly good but as anyone who has been to the basin will know, the buildings create a wind-tunnel effect and that has been quite strong at times. Mostly it has been dry but a few days of rain have appeared (and gone).

Where and when we head next we will make a final decision about tomorrow. All we know is that we will be heading west and then north through Uxbridge at some time over the next couple of weeks.

One last thing that I very much need to advise about – anyone interested in buying a really top boat should look here -  nb Balmaha  - she is a great boat and worth a look. Having been on her a couple of times and enjoyed the company of Mo and Vanessa, we can recommend it very highly.

Hardly back long and she leaves me – stranded!!

Friday 30^th October to Sunday 8^th November 2015

It has been a “funny” 10 days since the last blog and the delay hasn’t been due to nothing to write about.

The most important thing to happen is the Diane made it back to the boat, all the way from LA.

She even had to catch the express from Heathrow to Paddington all by herself.

There have been a few times whilst she was away that we have both said that we will not be doing this travelling alone thing again for so long – 2 months has just been too long – well that’s what we are saying now but who knows what circumstances may arise in the future.

Anyway she is glad to be back and I am glad that she is back – I can now save some money on the cleaning, not to mention the cooking.

But mostly I have missed her gentle persuasive ways – some may call it nagging – I myself would never mention that word – especially anyway near where she could whack me.

We are currently moored in Paddington Basin after a week directly outside the Paddington tube entrance; we will be moving back to there sometime during this coming week for another week - it is all to do with the filming schedule.

The basin at night - so brightly lit that we have had to put
up "black-out"curtains in the bedroom

Have not seen this before - the pedestrian bridge
at the end of the basin open.

Every Thursday - a small international food market - we will
be back next Thursday

By arrangement with CRT we have some priority moorings allocated to us for this period of time and making full use of them as well.

 

Our moorings had something to do with filming taking place
around here - the boat is in the film - we are not - the big guy
in the centre is the director Paul Greengrass

Just a small part of the crew and equipment

There has been plenty of chance for us to do a lot of walking and a bit more exploring around this part of London and also seeing sights that we have previously discovered.

We have “endured” Halloween and wandered around to see the decorated houses and strange people walking around like living dead.

 

Wisely, to avoid any confusion, she left her broom back on the boat

Saturday mornings have taken on a new adventure as we seem to have ended up down in Kensington Gardens each time, but we have really enjoyed the feel and the lack of too many people – that can easily be destroyed if we venture too far near to Oxford Street.

The Italian Gardens in Kensngton Gardens

 

Xmas decorations have gone up in Oxford Street

Outside the British Museum...

...and inside too

The Sunday roasts have been variable to say the least – the first at The Sawyers Arms just near Paddington Station left a lot to be desired – quality-wise and price-wise; whereas the Weatherspoons (The Tyburn) at Marble Arch was incredibly good and at about half the price.

We found ourselves with some time on our hands so off on the tube we went to Kings Cross, a bit of a walk to The London Canal Museum – for Diane to buy a pen to replace the one that she liked a lot but gave to her Dad when she saw him.

After this we took a walk along the towpath to Camden Markets where, despite the rain, we had a good look around.

On our way to Camden Town tube station, we spotted these in a shop

 

Star Wars boots...

...and shoes

a tribute to Star Wars – not sure that they would be used as intended – at least not at £195-£250 per pair.

Further on we boarded the train to return us to Kings Cross; Diane noticed it was going the wrong way (Northern line heading south) so quickly said to get off – which I did – well trained that I am.

I turned around to see this figure still inside the train with doors closed and train moving, waving goodbye – only back a few days and she was deserting me – it must have been something more than what I said.

Anyway at Euston I got off the train and found her immediately so we could get back on and with no more problems we made it back to the boat.

1

Sunday 4^th October to Thursday 29^th October 2015

This is a catch up blog, simply because there has not been a hell of a lot to write about; I want to get things up to date because tomorrow Diane will be arriving back and I am sure that there will be a few more things about which I can write.

What has been happening?

It has mainly been a case of an overwhelming workload from work – new projects coming up constantly with restrictive completion dates so it has not left much time to do anything else, especially when there is a need to keep moving.

As most would already be experiencing, the weather has now started its movement towards winter – nights are getting colder, but we are still enjoying some quite sunny days.

Pleasing to note that all of the jobs have been completed – all that is left to be done is the last bit of tidying up and a vacuum around.

I have been oscillating a bit between Uxbridge and Willow Tree Open Space, but as of yesterday late morning I am now in Paddington Basin awaiting Diane.

Very lucky to find a spot – originally I had planned to moor out at Bridge 3 but it was absolutely packed out, so as I needed to wind somewhere I carried on just to check out the basin when I spotted a boat coming out – they informed me that tghey had just left so a space was available – so it was grabbed and here I am.

No sooner had I moored up than I was approached by a guy asking me would I be around for a while on the boat - I am always skeptical and suspicious when people ask questions about personal things but in this case I was very much so.

He saw my apprehension as I answered that I would be around and then spoke about being involved with some filming for a movie which would take place in and around the basin, and that they needed 5 boats to be available as background.

I was still a bit suspicious, but he then raised the topic of compensation for our time.

After an hour or so he was back - the director was happy with the boat - they were paying a substantial amount per day and he would be just another hour whilst he prepared some contracts.
Further on and in reading through the paperwork, it became apparent that they were not just some rag-tag mob but Warner Bros. and would be filming the upcoming new Jason Bourne movie.
Having made sure that I wasn't signing the boat over, I placed my mark in the appropriate spot.
The money would cover all of our envisaged expenses for the next 4 months – all

without having to do anything much at all.

  

Diane is currently in Los Angeles with Mitch and Sara; after a stopover in Auckland to visit Rebecca; she did leave Sam behind in Melbourne.

I think that Diane is planning our next US holiday whilst she is there – so I will have to wait and see what the schedule is when she returns.

It will be so very good to have her back – I may even chain her to the boat to stop her going again without me.

34 Miles, 9 Locks

YTD: 848 Miles (1365 km) , 527 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3742 Miles (6022 km) , 2648 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

Nie einen Rest für den männlichen Teil der Arten

Thursday 1^st October to Saturday 3^rd October 2015

From one extreme to the other – whereas I had not long finished saying that not a whole lot was happening and hence the reason for the time delay between one blog to the next, here we are and three days in a row and I have been quite busy.

First up on Thursday I had a doctors appointment to check out a long standing problem with my back, and before anyone says that this has only happened since Diane has been away, it actually goes back almost 6 months and she had been onto me about getting something done about it.

Even from 20,000 kms away she has a way of getting things done and so finally I made a doctors appointment.

In my defence as to why I had not anything before now was the fact that I was still on an ancestry visa and quite clearly stated “No access to public funds” and I take that to quite literally mean that I should not access the NHS services. Now that my status has changed I decided to seek a medical opinion to confirm my own or offer something different.

It appears to be muscular – obviously having to do too much work – probably too many locks – but I need to have an X-ray and physiotherapy.

Without wanting to suggest that the NHS system could do with a shake-up, the doctor said that she would arrange an appointment time for the X-ray and for the physio to start and would advise me – but it was quite clearly advised that the X-ray would take a couple of months and the physio might be a month.

I would give you the example that Diane has just gone through with her Dad back in Australia – he needed a blood test and an X-ray – after they came out of the doctor’s surgery they walked around the corner and had both done within an hour and would be able to go back in to see the doctor withgin 24 hours – all results having been fully checked by qualified medical staff to assess the results.

This has been the norm for us over the past 25 years (and longer).

I fail to see why I need someone else to set up an appointment for me when, in all likelihood the time and date may not be suitable and I would need to ring and re-arrange another date and time; and why does it take so long to actually get an appointment.

In addition I had to ask the doctor to supply me with a set of back exercises that I can start in preparation for any physio but also just to help relieve some of the stiffness and soreness that I have.

Oh, and by the way, the doctor agreed with my assessment of my situation – I am waiting for my medical qualifications to arrive in the mail.

Friday was moving day – but not too far.

The primary reason was the need to empty two full cassettes before the final one became full as well – it would have been another 4 or 5 days but the weather forecast was good so it was an excellent reason to move – down to Batchworth Lock where the water tank was filled and the cassettes emptied – a good result and I was away within 25 minutes but just as far as Tesco where I moored for a quick trip into the supermarket.

Unlike the usual situation on Ferndale, I had allowed the milk reserves to dwindle down to a completely out of stock situation – this would never do for “she who must be obeyed” and I could just imagine the terror-filled eyes that would have been confronting me if Diane had been facing the same realisation.

Anyway, I wasn’t overly concerned and the short stop meant that there was milk in the fridge once again.

The last time I was here, the TV reception was almost non-existant for me and so I had thought before getting here in Rickmansworth that it would not be worthwhile stopping – just as well I had that mindset – the moorings were all full anyway.

So I continued a bit further along to a mooring site that I had seen when down this was just a few weeks ago – just after going through Stockers Lock and rounding the bend there are excellent mooring spots with a southerly view across the canal and no trees to block the sun; TV reception is good so my schedule of recording TV shows for Diane can continue – thus preventing any problems upon her return.

The remainder of Friday was glorious with the temperature eventually reaching over the 20C mark – more like 22-23C – and the sun was streaming in through the windows and through the solar panels.

 

the outlook - obviously not when it was sunny, but still very open

Looking back - just around the corner is Stockers Lock

From the list of jobs that still remain for me to take care of before the end of October, I made a few notes on some of them that I can complete during this coming week with most of the work being able to be completed over the weekend.

It is all a matter of timing and arranging things to be done in the right order – as some of these jobs involved sanding I would need to have the engine running, so tie that in with having to charge the batteries.

The front-well deck and the rear deck both needed to be sanded back and repainted, so after walking back to Batchworth to deposit the rubbish in the bins there and of course popping into Waitrose for free coffee, walking back – engine started, both decks sanded and then two coats of primer/undercoat have been finished and now fully drying through ready for top-coating tomorrow.

A real sense of achievement and I have to say the the look of it is pleasing as well.

 

The front deck after one coat - getting there

Back deck after one coat

back deck after two coats

So it has been anything but relaxation here on Ferndale over the past few days – I may need to take a break to recover.

Never any rest for the male of the species

GO THE WALLABIES!!!

2 Miles, 4 Locks

YTD: 814 Miles (1310 km) , 518 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3708 Miles (5967 km) , 2639 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

Meine Frau sagt, mürrischen alten Mann

Sunday 20^th September to Wednesday 30^th September 2015

There hasn’t been a great deal of travel happening right at the moment, despite the weather being really very good; it has just been so easy to sit where I am and do not much at all – that is if you call working and crossing items off a list not doing anything.

So, what have been the highlights over this last week or so –

No one would really believe me at all if I was to say shopping for shoes – not that is if you knew me at all – I absolutely hate any form of shopping involving any type of apparel, and in this case the shoes were not even for me.

Diane thought that it might be a great idea to surprise Sam, our daughter, by getting her a pair of brogues here in London and post them back – Sam had seen Diane’s and was a bit envious – not of the black and white colouring but just the style.

So armed with the size and style I headed over to the Clark’s outlet at London Design Outlet beside the Wembley stadium.

Of course, the information that I had was incomplete to get anything.

Even after Diane now discussed it with Sam the original criteria had changed, so a second trip was required and this time – still no luck – not the style, not the size – just not the shoes in stock.

The second event of any note was almost being punched by a pregnant woman – well girl at least.

Diane will tell you, if you ask her, that I do not tolerate people walking along playing with their mobile phones – its OK if they are actually talking on them using them as a phone – but these days it is the texting whilst walking that leads to problems.

Anyway where there are lots of pedestrians and little room to move, I value the space of walking in a straight line and others move to the other side.

Anyone coming the other way that is not concentrating on where they are going suddenly is confronted by yours truly who simply stops and waits for them to react.

On this occasion it happened to be a pregnant girl – probably no more than 18 – but these days to me they are all young.

So she is walking along, texting, plenty of other people around so am I going to inconvenience them by having to dodge this girl so I plant the feet and stop – she keeps walking straight into me and seems to expect an apology.

Words along the lines of “you should get out of the way of a pregnant person” “why are you such an ars___le?” “you old fart”

Were replied with “you look more like you have eaten a few packets of chocolate biscuits than pregnant” “you should be watching where you are walking instead of playing games on your phone” and “If you are pregnant then I pity the baby – IQ is inherited – yours is starting from a low point”

With that I walked on, smiling all the way – she was left with a couple of people having a bit of a giggle at her expense.

I did however bring the boat down from Cassiobury Park to Croxley and have enjoyed three days here without having to run the engine at all.

The sun and solar panels were cooperating and the thinking is that one more day here will do just fine before the exhausting trip down to Rickmansworth and after that it will be further south.

I was up early the other morning – Tuesday, I think – to see the “super moon” but the pictures didn’t turn out that great.

The countdown has now reached 30 – just a month to go.

I think that she is having a bit of fun there -

That's right dear - make the old girl stand

yet another selfie

with the pool in the background

Did someone say cake?

...what and cider as well - she may not want to come back

My wife says Grumpy Old Man

3 Miles, 6 Locks

YTD: 812 Miles (1307 km) , 514 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3706 Miles (5964 km) , 2635 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

Mo - you will be missed

We have just found out the terribly sad news that Mo (nb Balmaha) has passed away after a battle with cancer.

It is something that has just hit us both for six and we cannot express our sadness at this time.

Naturally our thoughts are for Vanessa (Ness) and all of the family.

Mo was just such a cheeky guy that you could not help but instantly like.

We first met both Mo and Ness back in 2008 after we had finished with a hire boat and they could not have been more welcoming to two newcomers.

Over the years we have caught up on a few occasions as happens with all of us.

So so sad and upset with this news.

41

Saturday 12^th September to Saturday 19^th September 2015

I know that it has been a week since my last informative blog but at the moment there just isn’t a lot of variety or interesting things actually happening.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to tell you about going to the supermarket or that I have done the washing – the usual and normal domestic stuff that still happens, even on a boat.

What did happen that was interesting – nothing at all.

Sometimes it can be just uninteresting.

Sure I have done a bit of travelling – firstly from Cassiobury Park down to Croxley Green where Phil and Nikki now live with the two girls – Mia and Jessica.

I was very kindly invited to dinner on two consecutive nights – nothing flash, just good wholesome home cooked food and a chance for some conversation.

Croxley Green was interesting in a not-seen-it-before sense – worth a walk up the hill to see a varied group of shops offering quite a lot really and the Croxley underground station is right there as well.

A couple of days there and then it was down to Rickmansworth – nothing against it but I did need to empty the cassette and that was the nearest elsan point – I did however stay a couple of days – it was Champions League time and the White Bear shows all of the matches.

After that, I wanted to go down to Uxbridge – for fuel and I needed some packing rope for the stern gland. The fuel was only 59 ppl (self-declare) and I filled right up to the brim – it had been over 5 weeks since the last fill and I was happy with the 140 litres.

There was another boat waiting there at the same time and I was talking to the woman on the boat when she asked me a question that I had not been asked for a long time by a newly acquainted woman……

…..if I could guess where she came from, she had reached the conclusion that I was Australian. It is an indication of my improvement in picking some of the variety of accents of the UK that I almost immediately picked it as of a Mancunian origin.

If you were thinking that she might have been about to ask me some other type of question then ….. you were wrong!

We compared notes on a few things but predominantly pump-out tanks – she was about to have hers removed and I informed her that we had done so last year – and could not be happier with the result – there, the conversation always comes around to toilets – the batteries being quite OK.

After that – it was back on the “road” – the water road (to use the title of Paul Gogarty’s book) and up to Harefield – why there? – well I was a bit tired, it was starting to rain (for the 5^th or 6^th time that morning and fairly heavy this time) and it was nice and open for a TV signal to see the Rugby World Cup.

And today, Saturday, it was such an incredibly brilliant day – the sun was out from the very start and stayed out until disappearing behind the tress – a lovely warm day – and being the weekend there were so many people out and about; the sun giving them a new energy to engage with others.

This shot above Common Moor Lock was so peaceful and showed how lovely not
only the scenery was but also the day

 

I don't recall seeing a dutch barge going through a lock but that is exactly what
was happening at Lock 77 today

I finally moored up back at Cassiobury Park from whence I had left just 4 days previously but I think I will be here until next weekend when I will wind and head back south again but perhaps carry on past Uxbridge.

There, not much of an interesting week at all; I have hardly done anything at all.

Somewhere in there I have resealed the bath, cleaned the Reflecs stove; done a check on the stoppages over winter to see where we can cruise to; and of course a few loads of washing (had to get that in for Paul and Bruce).

Someone is bound to ask about the heading for this blog – why 41?

If I had written this yesterday then it would have been 42 and I could have given erroneous answers about the answer to the ultimate question of life and the universe, but quite simply it is a countdown.

There are now 41 days left until Diane returns.

 

Whatever caption I may wish to add may not be a wise move on my part, just
to say though, she is the best...

19 Miles, 24  Locks

YTD: 809 Miles (1302 km) , 508 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3703 Miles (5959 km) , 2629 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARA

Monday 14^th September 2015

Just a bit over a week after one daughter has a birthday we have the youngest one celebratoring hers as well.

Today it is Sara’s birthday and to us she is our daughter, so we wish her all the best for today, but as I understand she and Mitchell have taken off for a week and are somewhere down south of the Californian border.

I don't think it's broken but it hurts like hell

Monday 7th September to Friday 11th September 2015

I stayed put for one more day before deciding to head on - the mooring was not great - mostly shaded during the day so that meant the solar panels weren't in the sun for as long as I would like; and there was nothing holding me here anyway.

So a fine day on Tuesday and I was off - not very far mind you, it would only be to Cassiobury Park which only took me a couple of hours - slower going on your own and really no need to hurry.

It is easy to tell that schools have all gone back - much fewer boats around and I didn't come across one boat moving during this short trip.

Found a very quiet spot above the lock in the park, with as fully open as you can get around here, so the sun has been working its magic - and mostly it has been lovely weather - generally quite fine and full sun in the morning and then partial cloud in the afternoon.

For my part it has been a bit full on with work - seems that everyone has been saving it all up and sending it through en masse as a reward/punishment of some description. Anyway it has meant that the mornings are spent deep in work and only a chance to get out in the afternoons just briefly.

I did wander outside early on Thursday morning to adjust the panels in readiness for another fine day when wallop I went over unceremoniously, slipping badly on the wet/dewey grass alongside the towpath. A bit lucky not to fall in as well, but unlucky that the big toe on my right foot was bent backwards in a position that was not at all in the owners manual.

Managing to right myself, I could tell that not all was right with it at all - it hurt like all hell and the slightest pressure on it - you know, like trying to walk, which was sheer agony.

I have broken this toe and the corresponding one on the other foot a few times over the years and none felt as painful as this, so my first thoughts were that it definitely was broken.

Coupled with this was a fair degree of back pain - obviously I have twisted that in the process.

So I limped/hopped/crawled back inside and elevated it to relieve some of the blood rushing to it - this helped and after some time you could see the bruising starting.

If I cannot walk on it for a while, then I may as well get some work done and leave the foot raised.

About lunchtime I thought about giving it a spin and seeing how I would go actually walking; surprisingly, I was able to walk on it - just up and down the boat.

The next step would be to fit the foot with a sock and shoe - just putting the shoe on was an exercise in self-torture, but upright I remained and managed to get up and out of the boat and took the foot for a bit of a walk around the park.

It wasn't a good look on the face with each step but I was moving - fortunately the back was a lot better - not great but a good improvement.

Now, with another day under my belt and more walking, the toe is still very sore, but there is some movement in it. I still won't be chancing my luck with a marathon or anything else athletic, but I am pretty well confident now that it isn't broken.

A lot more bruising has come out - but it will be at least a couple of weeks before it starts getting back to normal.

 

Not something that you want to look at whilst eating your breakfast - my horrible
foot which is whole lot more horrible

If there is one thing that is a problem when you are single-handing, it's anything that restricts your mobility.

The usual thing that happens when you walk around with some part of your leg in such a state it that there is a compensatory thing that happens to allow for the loss of normal movement - I have found that my right calf is terribly sore and very tight - well at least that is only muscular and better than getting a hip problem - especially for someone of my age.

I may have to get the walking stick out to use - just in the short term, mind you; but sometime over the weekend or early next week I will be wanting to move the boat, so where I said earlier on that being on your own makes it a bit slower, I suspect that being invalided will make it even more so.

Anyway, we will just get on with it and see how it all goes - it's doubtful that the absent crew will be returning over a sore toe.

One last thing is that I have been a bit slack this last week with the blog and have only just seen comments that people have sent in - I have added these just now and also added a photo of Rachel and Kelvin (nb Serafina) to the blog from last week - apologies.

2 Miles,  5 Locks

YTD: 790 Miles (1271 km) , 484 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3684 Miles (5929 km) , 2605 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

Trial Separation?

Sunday 6th September 2015

For those who know, it came as no surprise, but maybe for those who didn't it will probably be a bit surprising but I can now tell you that Diane has left me, on the boat, and returned to Australia via Los Angeles.

Of course she will be coming back in a couple of months we aren't splitting up or anything like that, but she has gone home to see her parents who are having a not so great year

The timing of the trip was to be a secret to surprise our daughter, Sam, for her 30th birthday, but it appears that there has been some leakage of "state" secrets and a full-scale enquiry will take place with those responsible being dealt with quite severely - there will be feather-dusters and tickling involved.

She split the trip up by stopping in LA for a couple of days to see Mitch and Sara. This will now be the future travelling arrangements.

From all reports that I have had they all had a good time and there was another house guest there - Emily Flanigan - whom we know from Mitch's junior tennis days.

 

we think that they are just a lovely couple

The sign in the background says it all

Diane met up with Sara's brothers - Matt and Luke - and went out to a ball-game as she saw the LA Dodgers take on the San Francisco Giants.

 

So now there will be a Dodgers hat to go with the Yankees hat

But for now she is safely at home in Melbourne and will be flying to Queensland very soon.

 

Like I said yesterday - the wacky gene has defintiely been passed on

The selfie-queen is at it again

lucky Mum made it home - at least she will be there to help with the cleaning

In the meantime, I have renewed my single-handing skills and moved from Hemel Hempstead down to Hunton Bridge where I shall spend a few days.

4 Miles,  9 Locks

YTD: 788 Miles (1268 km) , 479 Locks, 14 Tunnels, 11 Lift Bridges, 16 Swing Bridges

Total: 3682 Miles (5926 km) , 2600 Locks, 112 Tunnels, 45 Lift Bridges, 167 Swing Bridges

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM

Saturday 5th September 2015

Parents are justifiable proud of their kids as they grow up, but it gets a bit scary when they hit milestone birthdays, but Diane and I are both very proud of our daughter Sam as she now celebrates her 30th birthday.

It is meant to be a time when someone finally becomes a bit more serious but we cannot see that happening any time soon.

She started off as such a lovely child...

...we knew that she had some coordination problems...

....we knew that she was one of the kids ...

...and a bit on the beautiful side...

She appears to have inherited the "whacky" gene - mainly from her mother

and sometimes she does have the "never-growing-up" side to her

but we do love her so very much

So, Sam enjoy today and tomorrow and then the day after that and on and on, for life was meant to be enjoyed

A different sort of week

Sunday 30th August to Friday 4th September 2015

Well after a couple of weeks of fairly lengthy travelling the boat has been in the same spot all week.

Diane decided that we should have a bit of a walk down along the tow path - she had wanted to see if she could find nb Serafina (Rachael and Kelvin) - she knew they were in the area.

The rain made it a case of a take the umbrella with you kind of walk. I did ask her what the colour of the boat was - easier given the rain to look for a colour than necessarily try to read all of the names - the reply was "a red one".

Didn't see a red boat corresponding to the name and we reached bridge 154 and there was nothing further on.

mmm- she loaded their blog to see if they were where we thought - I caught sight of the picture of their boat - not exactly red - from the small picture on the phone it looked dark blue - that shed a whole different light on it, so we back tracked and found it - it was actually a darkish green.

It  didn't matter, they weren't there anyway - later knowledge told us that they had actually done the same to find us - and we weren't there either.

We did enjoy a lovely Sunday roast at The Steam Coach which is just along in St.John's Road - very nice indeed - on the Wrenbury scale it was an 8 out of 10

Again we were quite lucky to have a cricket match going on right opposite the pub, so we finished our drinks sitting outside at the pub but able to watch and afterwards just strolled across the road to see it just that bit closer.

Monday was a pretty casual day - my last day of leave from work so we explored a bit and had lunch out again - this time we found the 'spoons which appears to have manifested itself in the old picture theatre - not the first we have seen thus transformed.

Tuesday it was back to work and it has been pretty much that for the rest of the week - catching up on emails and things that customers want.

Strangely, as I was coming back from Aldi where there were a few things needed to reinstate into the kitchen I managed to meet up with Kelvin and Rachael - they were just passing Ferndale so there was a bit of a chance to have a chat - not long enough really, but there will be sometime in the future.

Next year we will enjoy a drink together - good travelling you two.

The rest of the week has been a bit full on with work and not much else until today when I managed to get a few jobs completed on the boat that had been on the list and also got around to an engine oil change - always happy to get that done.

So now it is time to sit down and relax and ready oneself for the weekend.

I shall update with some photos tomorrow - hopefully.