Moving Home & Boat Blacking!

Friday 29th January

Firstly I hope everybody had a good Xmas & New Year, we have been very busy since we got back to our cottage in Burton Pidsea. When we moved from Roos where we had lived for 25years we missed it very much (well probably me more than Kev) & wouldn't have left had there been a property for sale that didn't have a garden or hedges that would need taking care of whilst we are on R&R. Then a friend of mine, Pam who lived in Roos told us about a cottage that had been totally renovated and we did know which one it was and a man lived in it and he had since died, so a couple had bought it for their son to buy once they had completed the renovation work, but he couldn't get a mortgage! Anyway we put an offer in which was accepted in November and we managed to get moved in on 19th December! In time for Xmas so we have been very busy and now we hopefully have somebody who is going to rent the cottage in Burton Pidsea fingers crossed, we have used a letting agent so she will make sure we don't have to worry while we are away on R&R.

Kev had got R&R booked in for blacking at Shobnall Marina for Friday 22nd January, his friend Nigel had offered to go with him from Shardlow Marina to help him with the blacking while I stayed at home with Jaz, I dropped them off at our marina on Tuesday 19th January and then came home.

Jaz with her Xmas toy

Kev & Nigel arrived at Shobnall on Thursday afternoon and they went across to see Gareth at the dry dock  who told them he would come out to them on Friday morning at 9am and sure enough at 8-50am he came to R&R. They followed another boat that was going into the dry dock for a rudder repair and by 9-45am they were on the chocks in the dry dock and then Sam (Gareth's son)began to steam clean our Hull!
Kev & Nigel asked Gareth if there were any good pubs nearby, and they both ended up in The Coopers Arms which according to Kev was like stepping back in time. Think I will have to give it a try when we pass through Burton upon Trent!
Over the weekend Kev & Nigel managed to get 3 coats of Comastic on the hull & repainted the tunnel bands. Kev had been dying to get the boat out of the water so he could finally see what condition the hull was in and was pleased to find it was fine and so too were the anodes and so he didn't have to replace them even though he had bought new ones but they will keep for next time the boat needs blacking.

Kev would like me to say that all the people in the marina & chandlery were all extremely friendly and would like to say a big thank you to Gareth, Sam & Dave and he would highly recommend Shobnall marina to anyone wanting to use it for DIY blacking etc.

Kev brought R&R out of the dry dock on Monday morning and made his way back to Shardlow marina & on Wednesday morning Jaz & I arrived at Shardlow to pick both Kev & Nigel up and come home. 

A job well done, Kev is pleased with it and we will be back on our travels around the beginning of March, we are heading for the Thames this year and so we hope that we will get to see Carol & George on their wide beam " Still Rockin" on our travels.

I would like to wish everybody a belated Happy New Year.

Back home now

Sunday 1st November

We had a nice weekend at Willington although the weather wasn't very good, but on Saturday (24th October)we had a walk to Repton even though it was showery we managed to get there without getting wet.

This plaque is just at Willington Bridge over the river Trent

Walking over the bridge the footpath is only at one side and very narrow and we were glad we didn't have Jaz with us as the road was quite busy too. A bus was coming towards us as we were crossing the bridge and he slowed down while he passed us. It is ok when cars pass but anything like a tractor, lorry or a bus means you are quite close to the wall with the river below. 

Looking across the bridge, no footpath on that side!

The river Trent below us.

Lovely thatched cottages in Repton

The cross in the centre.

We walked to the right of the cross to the Red Lion pub as it started to rain, (good excuse for a pint) and as we sat inside the heavens opened up and it poured down but by the time we had finish our drinks it stopped so we headed back to Willington. In the pub there were a few photos of people who had attended the school here and one was the earlier Sherlock Holmes actor Basil Rathbone along with another photo of Jeremy Clarkson. The school at Repton is spread out around the village, a lot of the different departments like the sports complex looked quite new. It was about a 20minute walk and if it had been a sunny day it would have been lovely as you always see places differently when the sun is out. 

On Sunday morning we were getting ready to leave our mooring to go across to the services for water etc when another boat got there first so we had to wait, which is just one of those things but the couple didn't fill with water at first they decided to do a DIY pump out instead! The man got his hosepipe attached to the tap and then washed his boat!! We then made the decision to start to pull across to them and wait as if we stayed on our mooring while they finished someone else may have come along. They had already been at the services for over half an hour and we had to wait nearly the same again!

Anyway once we had  topped up with a little water we emptied cassettes & got rid of some rubbish and then made our way to Stenson lock where there was a boat waiting to go into the lock so we were able to share it with them. There were volunteer lockies on too so they told both Kev and the man from the other boat to stay on board so that was a bonus, no such luck when we got to Swarkeston lock though and both Kev and the other man had to get the lock ready. We let the other boat exit the lock first as we were going to stay at Weston for the night and they were carrying on to Nottingham.

We moored on the moorings close to the lock and these were going to be winter moorings from 1st November, CRT men had just put up the sign there.

Monday morning about 8am we were ready to leave so Kev pushed the bow off for me and went to open the lock gates as it was full. As we got to Aston lock there was a boat coming up so we didn't have long to wait, and when we got to Shardlow lock the gates were actually open so we went straight in! 

We were soon back at our marina and we spent Tuesday cleaning, packing etc ready to leave for home on Wednesday, although Kev will be back on board in another week or so as he wants to do a few jobs and Nigel will be at his boat too. They are both going to sort out getting a slot to get both boats  into a dry dock for blacking etc probably in March next year so I will stay at home while they do that.

Out with the old in with the new!

Friday 23rd October
On Wednesday we headed for Shobnall fields and moored so we were able to let Jaz have a good few runs on the playing field and also she was able to mix and play with a few dogs which is great for her.
Yesterday we left Shobnall fields at about 9.45am, it was quite windy and I walked to Dallow lock to get it ready for Kev who was following me on R&R. As I had just filled the lock and Kev was heading into it a boat came so we were able to leave the gates open for them. I must admit it was like pea soup in the lock, it was full of leaves but it is that time of year again.
We have been having problems with the batteries for a bit now, with them not holding a charge for long so Kev made the decision to buy new ones, he had rung Midland Chandlers up to see if they had the batteries he wanted in stock and so we made our way to Mercia marina. It always seems to be windy in any marina and yesterday was no exception, we managed to get moored on the Midland chandler pontoon and Kev was soon back with the 4 new Albion sealed for life batteries 115a.h.
As it was very windy in the marina Kev left the stern rope tied onto the pontoon and pushed the front of the boat away from the pontoon and let the wind push us around to face the exit and once we were round he let the stern rope go and we were on our way out of the marina. We then turned right back onto the Trent & Mersey canal and we travelled a short distance to moor up just passed the railway bridge so Kev could get the old batteries out and the new ones in. Job done and we stayed put last night and this morning moved on up to the moorings outside The Green Dragon pub where we will stay for the weekend.

A blogger at Fradley

Tuesday 20th October

On Sunday morning we moved off from Wolseley Bridge  and made the short trip to Taft bridge where we pulled alongside the fuel boat that is permanently moored there. We topped up with diesel @ 60p per litre and a bottle of gas @£22. We told the lad serving us that we were booked in with his dad Dave Freeman, for a boat safety certificate inspection on Monday afternoon and said we would moor across on the towpath side of the canal. The lad said his dad had another boat to do on Sunday so Kev told him if he wanted to do ours the same day that was fine. Later on in the day there was a knock on the front doors and it was Dave, who asked if he could do our inspection so Kev said yes and so we now have R&R up to date with the boat safety certificate!
We decided that we would leave yesterday (Monday) and when we got to Rugeley we moored on the visitor moorings and went to Morrisons for some shopping and then while I unpacked the bags Kev  started the engine and let go the ropes and we were on our way again. We had an uneventful cruise with hardly any boats on the move and when we were approaching Shadehouse lock we noticed spaces on the visitor moorings there so we pulled over and moored up.
This morning it was fine and the sun was shining as we left to make our way down the locks and when we got down through Junction Lock Kev walked on ahead to the water point while I brought the boat alongside and as I was there was a familiar boat on the other side of the canal...

Kev had seen Maffi and his Staffie Molly while I was coming out of the lock and Maffi walked round to us at the water point for a natter.

Jaz was happy to meet both Molly & Maffi although Molly wasn't as interested in her!

The water flows very slow here so we had time to have a cuppa while we were waiting for the tank to fill. When we finally had a full water tank Maffi walked to the lock with Kev and they chatted until we were down through the locks. Nice to have met you and Molly too.

As we got down the last lock and were passing the moorings we noticed the newly repainted Percy  and looks good, nobody on board though.

Just passed Percy

We were lucky with the next couple of locks as there was a boat coming up both of them and we were able to go straight in! Kev stayed on the towpath at Alrewas and he walked unto the moorings before Alrewas lock to see if there were any available and there was a space between two boats as one had just left to go down the lock so that was us sorted!

Moored at Wolseley Bridge

Friday 16th October

After a final circular walk on Wednesday morning through Burston  & back onto the canal at bridge 86, we got back to R&R and had a cuppa and then left to make our way to Sandon Lock. I got off the boat and filled the lock but no way could I open the gate and so Kev told me to get on board and he would open it! Well he couldn't open it either so it took both of us to do it! We don't know why it was so hard to open but wondered if the other gates were leaking, but anyway were down and through the lock in the end! 

This lovely wooden boat passed us when we left the mooring at Burston

 When we arrived at Gt Haywood we moored at the water point at Anglo Welsh, while Kev was filling the tank etc I walked into Gt Haywood to the Spar shop and when the water tank was full Kev set off onto the Staffs & Worcester canal and moors at Tixall wide, I then walked back along the towpath and arrived at the boat as Kev was putting the canopy up. Yesterday morning Kev washed the towpath side of the boat and later he waxed & polished it with a machine polisher while I held the electric cable to prevent it dropping into the water! All done & looking good, we then had some lunch and then we left and turned around to head back to the junction and back onto the Trent & Mersey canal.

Looking across Tixall Wide in the morning.

Turning around.

Once we were down Haywood lock we moored  on the moorings across from Shugborough Hall. Yesterday afternoon we had a walk to The Clifford Arms for a couple of beers as we wanted to see the menu for Sunday lunch (good excuse for a beer?) We got chatting to some locals and we were told that the pub doesn't do a Sunday roast but that the Ham & eggs were good, we wanted a Sunday roast not Ham & eggs even if they were good, so we had a change of plan altogether. This morning  before we left Gt Haywood, Kev had been chatting to a local man who told him that the Indian restaurant "Shimla Palace" at Wolseley bridge was once a pub and that it was once visited by Oliver Cromwell and that there is a tunnel under the restaurant that leads all the way to Shugborough Hall, and was in use at the time Oliver Cromwell was plotting to take over.

We are now moored just before Wolseley bridge 70 and our new plan is to have an Indian tomorrow night instead of going for sunday lunch. Not much difference! But it is a really good Indian.

A walk around Burston

Tuesday 13th October

Yesterday was a lovely day and I managed to get a wash done and even got it dried! After lunch Kev & I had a walk with Jaz into the village of Burston and it was well worth the walk, it is a lovely old village and you can walk over bridge 85 to it (for those who have never been).....

 The house above is Burston Hall & can be seen from the canal just before bridge 85

The village pond, to the left of the photo is the church (out of view)

The church has an inscription on it.

The back of this house can also be seen from the canal,there is a footpath beyond here good for walking dogs so will have to have a walk here later today.

Another lovely large house

The pond from the other side

Another lovely house

 This is The Greyhound pub and is about a 5minute walk from the centre of the village, we didn't go in as we had forgot our money but perhaps another time?

Looking from bridge85 at R&R on her mooring

This morning is a bit cool but unlike yesterday morning there is no frost or mist and I took another couple of photos of.....

A Cow!

Also a Bull with other cattle. 

(just for Kevin Too lol)

Weekend in Stone now in the countryside.

Monday 12th October

We stayed at Barlaston as it rained on Wednesday, I noticed that when I had a walk to the shop over the bridge where the Plume of Feathers is that there was some writing under the name saying" with Neil Morrisey", I wondered if this was the actor and apparently it is him. We only realised this as we were leaving on Thursday when Kev had been speaking to another boater  who had told Kev that he had been in the pub and that the actor Martin Clunes had been in there too. So The Plume of Feathers is now owned by Neil Morrisey!
We got to Stone late morning and moored before the Star lock, there was a boat moored along there too that we knew. We had met the couple on the boat nb Puddleduck  briefly when we were on the Weaver and they were travelling with another couple on their boat but had parted company in Middlewich.
Kev spoke to Phil (Nb Puddleduck) and was told that his wife (who's name we never got) had gone down south to her mother as she was ill and had to be admitted to hospital, their car was parked in Stone so she would be either coming back to Stone or meeting Phil further along the canal. Kev went for a few pints with Phil in the evening while I stayed with Jaz. On Friday morning Phil decided to move down through The Star lock so I went and worked the lock for him while Kev moved R&R up onto Puddleducks mooring as it was in the sunshine and would get some sun on the solar panels.
We stayed in Stone for a few days and I went into one of the many charity shops and bought Jaz a childs long sleeved T-shirt to wear in the night as she was still itching a lot and it was keeping her awake. It has worked and she slept a lot better!

Jaz in her PJ'S!

We had some good walks with Jaz and walked down along the river Trent where we noticed a slalom course. We had seen on the playing field there was a building that said it was a canoe club so they must use this course.

On Sunday morning we left our mooring and headed down the Star lock, we passed Nb Puddleduck but no sign of Phil!

looking behind at Star lock

All quiet on Puddleduck!

We didn't travel too far we headed down Aston lock and we finally moored shortly after we had gone through  Lower Burston bridge.

The view opposite our mooring

Kev took this photo but he couldn't get a zoom in any better

It was a lovely day yesterday and we took Jaz for a walk and when we got to the bridge at Sandon lock we thought we would have a walk to the Dog & Doublet pub, I must admit it wasn't ideal for walking as there wasn't a footpath at all and certainly wasn't good for walking Jaz but it was only about a five minute walk on the road to the pub which was long enough!

This morning when we woke up there was a frost on the grass and it was a bit misty too!

What a difference to when we arrived!

The cows seemed to be enjoying the wet grass!

This morning I had to bath Jaz in the Aludex solution again and felt very mean, it made her sick but she is ok now but hopefully we won't need to repeat this much more as she doesn't seem to be itching as much and her hair is growing back in places albeit very slowly!