alafloat

Hi Everyone

HAPPY NEW YEAR to Everyone

We as everyone else are hoping and praying for a trouble free 2013 no matter what the government, the environment or the weather might through at us. We will shrug it off and carry on, I love this stiff upper lip attitude it really makes me smile??

Now some catch up news??

My shed (as we live on a posh marina it’s now called a cabin) whatever it is, it’s now finished. I now have a dry place to spray and paint my Canal Art Talking of art. And doing lots of other little jobs, Marquetry, tying my fishing fly’s and all those repair and restoration jobs people bring me in. It’s very small but I have equipped it like a little work shop and I love it.

I have just spent two weeks designing my web page buggerlugscanalart.com hopefully now the orders will flow in???? I wouldn’t call it a work of art or anything spectacular but it says what I wanted it to say. I have also been busy working with my mate John on his boat Orion just a few tidy up jobs for the coming season. Just got that done before this cold snap started. At last today I got my car in the garage. It became very sick with a very poorly gearbox I eventually tracked down a gear box and with everything crossed it should be done by Friday. I am not a car person really if it starts and stops when I tell it too I am quite happy. I understand engines and cars but that’s as far as I goes anyone asks what car I have I say a blue one, just a metal box with an engine that gets me from A to B is that too simplistic a view point??

Even though the winter is still here I feel that Spring is not too far away at least the days are getting longer, We have decided that this year we will head off towards Cambridge we lived there in the late sixties Our first Married home. Ahhhhhhhh.

It would mean going south to the River Nene then north to Peterborough at that point we join the Angian Water Authority most of the trip from Peterborough to Cambridge is mostly by river and tidal rivers at that, now that should be fun??

I will publish the actual route when I have more info though if anyone has done it and got some tip I would love to hear them.
My social calender has been packed this week, Monday was Noreen's birthday, yesterday we went to lunch with Sylvia and Alan great lunch and catch up, tomorrow I have Bob and Norma visiting from NI they are also bringing Noreen's dad and Shirley that should be a great day for everyone if the snows stays away.
and today well! As you all know I have a lot to say on many subjects and never afraid to voice them???? In the past I have done a few interviews on local radio mainly with ref to the canal. Yesterday I had a call from Alison Butterworth Radio Lancashire wanting to come along to the boat and talk about the 50^th anniversary of the big freeze and how I remembered it ( I must now be looking my age ) anyway she arrived we had a good old chin wag and subsequently spoke with her and Ted Robins about how we cope on the canal in the winter all very boring as I really told it as it was. “just like living in a house YOU PREPARE stoke up the fire and relax. Anyway not 30 mins after that was broadcasted the phone rang and it was BBC local TV who wanted to come and conduct the same interview which they did I have no idea what I said or what questions she asked it all now seems very blurred ???? Out of the two Alison was best she was really taken with my new workshop ?????

On my paintings now I can say “as seen on TV”

Ok folks that’s your lot

God Bless

Big Al

Being interviewed by Alison 

My very small but usable workshop

(That's not a toilet roll its for cleaning my brushes)