Birthday afloat!

Yesterday was my 61st birthday and being away on the Great Escape meant there was just Mike and I to celebrate it. However due to the power of technology and a functioning Dongle (at last...thank you T-mobile!) I was able to receive messages from many friends and acquaintances all over the world via Facebook, as well as personal messages via text. Gone are the days when anyone can be totally cut off from the rest of the outside world, but on the green corridors of the canals you can pretend!

there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

The weather being beautiful, we set out for a trip down the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. People ask us "Where are you heading?" and are often surprised by our answer that we are going nowhere in particular. We will go for several days and turn round and go back again. It's better to travel than to arrive,so they say........

The joy of the canal is that  round the next bend or under the next bridge may be an interesting old building, a beautiful view, or a herd of cows which really oughtn't to be in the newly sown wheat field! 

Just like life really, it's the journey that counts, we all know what the destination is...

Today we are back at the marina at Great Haywood. One of the reasons we came up at this time was the retirement of Jennie and Dave who have lived and worked at the Marina since before  it opened. Although we have only been here two years, they have made us feel welcome, given us advice and helped us out when we've had a problem. Ask anyone who works or moors here and they would tell you the same story. Jennie and Dave are just good people. The sheer number of people who turned up for their surprise party this evening  is a testament to the high regard in which they are held.  We wish them every happiness in their well deserved retirement and happy cruising!

Didn't it rain?

This is how it has mostly been since we set out from Great Haywood on Tuesday...we have just been down to Fazeley junction near Tamworth to give the boat a good run to charge up the batteries and to reacquaint ourselves with boating after a five month lay off. We never intended it to be this long but ill health and various crises have kept us away much longer than we planned. Of course, it also means we missed the lovely sunny weather last month and now seem to be in the monsoon season! 

I keep telling myself we need the rain, the canals need the rain, if we are to be able to cruise through the summer months. So just grit the teeth and dress up warm! 

It's maybe true what they say...sometimes we get what we need and not what we want!

Back online!

Well it's been a while. Last time we were up at the boat I was having connectivity problems with my 02 dongle i.e. it wouldn't! Continual "no network available" messages, even in places where I'd had one before. Back home, a trip to the 02 shop and a chat with their instore "guru" lead to the conclusion by him that it "is not working". Gee I'd never had guessed. It was sent away for repair and eventually a new one was despatched. Well guess what guru? No network available! Luckily, having taken advice from fellow boater, Terry of NB Coracle,  who moors nearby, I had equipped myself with a T mobile dongle, as apparently, they  actually have coverage in this area. (Staffordshire). Interestingly I did explain to the 02 assistant when I  purchased the first one where and how I intended to use it, but nobody told me they had virtually zero coverage in this area. Wonder what the job spec is for being a guru? So now on my 3rd dongle and reconnected to the blogosphere. 
Getting boat ready to overwinter, touching up scraped paintwork, and enjoying the slanting winter autumn sunshine and the comfort of the woodburner in the evenings. Life is good.

Wish we were there!

Having left our beloved boat and come home for more physio for the knee, I'm now wishing we'd stayed aboard and not found ourselves in east London at this moment in time amongst the riots. Never seeen anything like it....as soon as physio is over  we're off.

Visiting old haunts.

If you find yourself on the south Oxford canal near Napton on the Hill you can now feel free to visit the Folly Inn, under completely NEW management ( the previous incumbents having done a moonlight flit owing several thousand to the brewery apparently!) It now has a warm  and welcoming atmosphere, a much extended and improved menu  i.e. you can get something which ISN'T a pie! Also roast dinner served on Sundays 2 till 4 or sooner if it runs out! Ales on tap last night included a St Austell ale and Old Hooky. What a relief to find a pub re-opened and better than before. The neighbouring shop is useful too, all sorts of useful bits and bobs, locally made sausages, second hand books to swap or buy for 50p. You can order a paper for the following morning and they do cash back. Result. We need more places like this along the cut. Use them or lose them!
And the windmill on the hill seems to rotate around you as you follow the contours...well worth a trip up the hill if you're feeling energetic.