alafloat

Hi Everyone

Yesterday our visa’ s for Leeds ran out so we had to leave, another early start for us and our travelling companions Kara and Henk a lovely Dutch couple on there Boat “Double Dutch” they have been over here since the 80s. The outbound trip from Leeds is just as thwart with the same difficulties as the inbound trip mainly the locks are to short for a 60ft boat though in reverse the difficulty wasn’t opening the lock gates but closing them I would advise all boaters to remove any large buttons from stern and bow. However this time we were aware of the problems and took action to remedy them which made it a bit easier. Yesterday Being a Sunday I think the volunteer lock keepers (who do a grand job and have a lot to put up with) had forgotten to take their Happy Pill because they were as miserable as sin, one did explain to me that the locks were not working properly some were very stiff some paddles were broke, some sluices were blocked, and to top it all last week they were visited by CRT top brass who came in a narrow boat and I will put it in the words of the lock keeper “ the lazy bast==== never got out of the boat, didn’t ask us what could be done to improve the locks, how we felt as volunteers didn’t even get a well done, apparently all the local CRT brass came along but not a word was spoken in reference to the operational state of the locks. He even implored me to write to the trust about how awful the locks were I assured him that I already had but would do again I love writing letters of complaint.

Having already decided that today Monday was going to be a wet one and Buggerlugs wasn’t moving, when Henk and Kara passed and hooted this morning I said we were staying put but as they are on a schedule they were pressing on. We are moored half way between Leeds and Shipley in the Borough of Pudsley in a little village called Rodley. After lunch Noreen and I took our daily walk around the village, after looking at what it had to offer we decided that the occupants of this little back water must be the best fed and groomed people in the country and have the smartest bath room, They must have nothing better to do with their money than pamper themselves, which I do not have a problem with what ever floats your boat. For the village contains three Pubs, five hair dressers/Barbers, two nail shops, ( I consider a nail shop to sell round, oval clout, tacks etc apparently I am wrong) three bathroom design shops/fitters, four restaurants not counting the pubs and the two take away shops, Oh yes and one fitness / spa club.

One advert brought us back down to earth it said the HQ for the WI (Women’s Institute )in this area. That was it the sole number of shops in the village there is nothing else. No Garage forecourt, no post office no general store if you want a pint of milk then it’s a bus ride to Leeds. Yet there is a big building program, lots of new houses and more being built so come on all you budding shop keepers a golden opportunity awaits. We managed to buy nothing but Noreen is booked in tomorrow for a hair do???

God Bless everyone

Buggerlugs