Catch up

Hi You Lot

Though we are still suffering from the wind and rain we have just got the tail end of storm Henry next it must be storm Impossible, anything stronger than Henry we will have to through the anchors out??
It seem that no matter what the weather the work keeps coming in though according to Noreen I do tend to make work. Last week I was cutting some logs when I noticed one piece part of a fork in the branch when sliced it seemed to have two eyes "being the two branch center's" the two eyes reminded me of an Owl as our great friend Julie loves the animals I make of scrap wood the quest was on to make the owl even though it took two days out of a busy period Maybe Noreen has a point.
It is only a few weeks now before we set off for Castleford I am keeping a weather eye out and joined the CRT notice board I now receive texts on stoppages and delays on the route I have chosen its a great service For those who replied I thank you I just hope that it was a blip and everybody is now receiving the blog.

Most life along the cut is getting back to normal but every time I say that  something else crops up and sends us backwards, I am now awaiting a few good days of dry weather for painting, I have everything for ready primed and sanded I just need a dry spell. one good thing this year as we are having Buggerlugs resprayed I do not have to spend time getting her ready it seems pointless as she is going to be shot blasted.
Today Buggerlugs has been turned into a commercial kitchen as tomorrow Noreen and I are Putting on a Fund Raising Dinner for our church, its amazing what you can do with a little bit of organisation all the prep is done starter is ready meats prepared and pudding ready all we have to do is get it there and finish off we hope to raise £400 not a lot I know but its the first one and we all have to start somewhere I hope this will give impetus to get the fund raising moving .

Last we week we had a great day visiting our friends Chis and Gerry on Overwater marina. just walking round to the boat we passed at least 6 boats we have had as neighbours in the past. The weather was awful so we did not go knocking however it was a great day there is nothing better than catching up with old friends Now Chris and Gerry are back on the cut we will no doubt see more of them

Keep smiling
God Bless
Buggerlugs

Mr Owl made from scrap wood 

End of January already

Hi everyone

I am asking a favour if you have read this could you please in the comments just write YES as some people say they are being blocked not sure why but a few answers you mean its not my end.

I normally enjoy January with frosty mornings, the trees looking as if they have been sprayed but this year it has been a nightmare the rain has been relentless, the wind constant and the temperature more like the south of France. as my dad would say "it all ars about face". I am now attempting to get Buggerlugs ready for the epic winter trip to Castleford 120 miles crossing the boarder into Yorkshire on one of the highest canals in the country IN MARCH we must be mad but Buggerlugs is booked in for her re-spray on the 19th of March so we will just have to grin and bear it. I have signed up for the CRT up dates on closures across my intended route ( with a 60ft there is only one route, unless we go south through Nottingham then north on the Trent that should take about three weeks)) So we will tackle this one head on and go for it.
Once Buggerlugs re-spray is completed we will collect her from Castleford head south towards the River Trent come off onto the Fosdyke and then head east for Lincoln and Boston for the return I think we will just go the way the wind takes us.
The floods have subsided a little But at the moment it is raining again along with the rest of the country, here we still have two pumps here working 24/7 which are coping very well, However the head of water that is seeping into the culvert and on into the Marina is still huge but the back pressure seems to be slacking off.

Both Thomas and Pippa are doing well Thomas is now learning the Guitar I am hoping he will teach me to read music after 40 years of playing the guitar I still cannot read music how pathetic is that However I could not get to grips with Logarithms or Algebra purely because I did not see the use of them or understand them its the same with music but maybe Thomas will succeed where all others have failed.
Pippa is a little darling I know all grandparents say that and why not Here is a nice quote from my book.
""Grandchildren are Gods Gift and Compensation for Old Age.""  Pippa is going to grow up to be a very independent, self motivating, single minded young lady just like her mother.
 With these pumps pumping excess water into the canal it has aerated the water in the marina and the fish have come out of their winter sleep and are feeding like mad consequently the fishing is good if you are willing to ignore the rain the fishing is very good.

Yesterday we managed to deliver the last of our Christmas presents we drove down to Overwater Marina to visit Gerry and Chis who are now living on there NEW Boat its a very nice 58ft narrow boat, Cruiser stern very neat and tidy trim the same standard has been applied to the interior "God Bless all who sail in her" .
We tried to meet up a few times over Christmas but because of weather we kept missing out. That was our first time to Overwater Marina quite nice very isolated and very Quiet.

Thats your lot folks

Look after yourselves
God Bless you all

Buggerlugs

Not huge but a good scrap

Up to date  Only one day of Ice 

Looking back 2015

Happy New Year



The last day of the 2015 I spent the morning in a septic tank helping to get the marina sewer system working after the flood they should be fully working by Saturday. The pumps are running 24hrs and managing to keeping the flood water back, the Environment Agency have brought  some larger pumps up from the Summer Set Levels to empty the adjoining fields and that should take some of the pressure of the head of water threatening us.
So now we can start 2016 on a high  note with the great expectations. The future will call the past two weeks The Great Flood of 2015 and as that has only 4 hours to run it is already in the past it will be remembered for the fortitude  and resilience of the people of North West Lancashire
Looking back on 2015 it was a really good year for us all, Starting with Maryanne’s MBE presentation a great achievement and a memorable occasion. Then the epic trip from Liverpool to Leeds along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, then continuing on to York now that was a trip to remember. Returning to find we had a breach in the  Rufford canal  preventing Buggerlugs from returning Home, it meant we had to spend a month in our second home at Scarisbrick  We didn’t have two addresses when we were Landlubbers. Then it was off to Australia  where we were made that welcome it became our third home. What a fantastic holiday we had, every time we go we always find new places, new adventures and form new friendships.
2015 saw our Granddaughter Pippa grow into a one year old bundle of smiles and joy.  Thomas our Grandson grow into a real little boy with that great imagination only little Boys possess and long may he retain it what a joy he is to have around.
2015 also saw the passing of a number of our friends and relations all I know is they will be well looked after in the place they have gone God Bless them all.
NOW we march forward into 2016 like good soldiers never looking behind us, treasure its memories, but do not let them hold you back, look forward  with great expectation and excitement to 2016.
Thank you all for following the Blog
May you have a great and exciting 2016

See you along the cut

Ps
Next year its in March we take Buggerlugs to Castleford  for a re-spray then it down the Trent and across to Lincoln and Boston  That’s the Plan??? But as usual we will end up where we end up

The Dunkirk Spirit

In this modern world of clichés the title is a very well worn one and used in many mundane circumstances
However in this instance we have the original and the reason we use the phrase today
Firstly the story of the Princess Mary who started her life as a ferry boat but like many others when the
question was asked she answered the call crossed the channel and under enemy shore fire, naval fire and dive bombers  for three days she ferry our troops off the beaches and in the process saved hundreds of our troops,
After that she had many tasks through various owners. Princess Many arrived here on the Marina about two years ago with thoughts in mind of converting this time into a live aboard Now to shorten this tale and not to dwell on the WHY! I will put it down to old age, a hard life, and a small amount of neglect, the combination resulted in a pump failure which meant she took to sitting on the bottom for a week. Between the various parties it was decided that the only way forward was to pump out raise here and get the salvage crew lift her onto dry land and do the necessary  repairs. However even with the best people on the job and everyone involved giving it there 100% best on the first lift she broke her back I stood with hands in prayer but that sound will live with me for ever it sounded like the old girl was saying leave me just let me go in peace and with that goes another one of my old Comrades A very sad day but surprising how many people rallied round and shared a great loss
That leads me on to the crux of this piece that is The Boxing Day Flood. I seems strange writing about a Flooded Marina  but that is what we have.  Obliviously the boaters on their boats are sitting pretty and are much more comfortable that the surrounding villagers something we should all be grateful for and allows us time to help the more troubled. Our problems compared with theirs are minor  and come in the form of  amenities we have lost the elson point, the pump out and  diesel and all these facilities can be received very close by unlike the landlubbers we have the flexibility and the ability to move.
The picture is this: the quantity of rain that fell over a twenty four hour period was unprecedented, The marina is situated near and along side the river Douglas and a railway The river is fed by a few brooks, the nearest one to us is Ellen Brook which had a breach on Christmas day night as the river was already in full flood the water flowing from the now breached brook had nowhere to go but along a culvert and onto the Marina. By 09.00 on boxing day the marina was under a foot of water and by 16.00 it was under three foot and rising culminated in
The Coffee shop being flooded. The amenities block being put out of action, with all the consequences that go with it. But this is the point with the Princess Mary still sitting on the car park awaiting dismantling and shouting out the Dunkirk Spirit.  With a valiant effort from all the helpers using all the fast array of  local help in the area with some boaters working alongside local contractors we (not really we my roll was very minor  as traffic control??)  have now managed to get the flood level down to a manageable level and if we get away with dodging Storm Freddie due tonight  (which is now causing my boat to roll a little ?? ) we should soon be getting some of the services back.
It will now take a few weeks to get the marina back to its pristine condition with all the facilities working, But as I said before this is the Dunkirk spirit were obstacles are over come, the impossible is made possible, and friendships moulded through adversity, My opinion is that Boaters come in to guises  the first are renowned for their fortitude, the ability to get the job done, and the friendship they bring with them. And the others who tend to continually moan, think the world owes them a living and tend to disappear in an emergency. Luckily we have more of the former than the latter.
Luckily here on Fettlers wharf we have owners that care and instead of saying “Sorry there is Nothing we can do!” Here they rallied the troops worked around the clock and  went that extra mile to maintain the stability of the Marina and it should also be noted that over on the ‘dark side’ for the last 48 hours the sun has shone on a job well done.

Car park at Amenities block Cafe

A very tranquil scene of a lake pitty its the Bloody Car Park

The entrance to the Marina with Princess Mary 

displaying the Dunkirk spirit

A well earned Potato Pie 

The Che nuke brought in to dam the breach on the  River. Douglas

ferrying 100s of tons of sand  

Manning  the pump outlet & Directing Traffic 

Hi

At long long last we are back in our own home mooing, Having left here in April traveled along the canals and  rivers of northern England Then heading off to hotter climates and Australia, a place of ever changing contrasts, from sea sand and surf to mountains and rain forests all in one day. Our eight weeks there was, as it always is fantastic; my sister-in –law is the best hostess in Australia for a fee I can pass on the address ask about Thai fish soup???????????

The return trip was quite uneventful, the only thing is, its a long way 21 hours in the air fortunately both the the leg from Brisbane to Dubai and the leg from Dubai to Manchester the planes were almost empty we had a row of four seats to ourselves so Noreen was able to stretch out and sleep most of the way except for feeding time, it could be me but I believe that food is getting less on long haul flights I remember a few years ago when they were feeding you every few minutes now its specific tables but drinks are free and if you manage to get hostess then snacks are available so with snacks and drinks I watch tv for 20 hrs I must be mad I have films and Telle.

So here we are back in Rufford we have only been on the mooring for two weeks but so much has happened Noreen and I have both been extremely ill with some sort of intestinal infection now not to go down that road too far but two, using the loo every three minutes on a narrowboat is not ideal and pump out’s (for the boat that is)  have become quite expensive. I believe that we are now over the worst of that episode of ailments.

Noreen went to a meeting at school on Monday night and whilst parked out side Matthews house a transit van reversed into her new car, not a great deal of damage but according to the insurance co enough to warrant a hire car, I said that our car was still drivable but they insisted on sending us a hire car straight away it arrived the following day now our car is a very mundane Dacia so they sent us a brand new 54 miles on clock Skoda Octavia automatic

Now don’t get me started but what a waist of money someone has to pay for all that no wonder our premiums are so high??? So as we had a very nice set of wheels we decided to get up to Castleford and sort out the re-spraying of Buggerlugs  all is now booked we have to get her there by the 19^th April

Which mean travelling the length of the Leeds and Liverpool plus the Aire and Calder at the worst time of years along with some bad weather?

We will not be staying up with the boat as we are both committed down here we have, But as yet we have not come up with a alternative mode of accommodation but as seasoned travellers we have always got the tents

It’s nice to be back home amongst old friends and familiar surroundings, though a few have moved on; as boaters tend to do. However that means that

There are friendships to be cultivated. I am back in the Shed lots of work has piled up and I need to get stuck into it. I am looking at a new lap top this is still working on valves and the key board is knackered I will have to bite the bullet and spend some money but I keep thinking of the re spray ??

Ok folks we are back and the kettles on just give a ring before turning up

07969319626 as if you don’t know

God Bless

Big Al

Driving in Australia

Sorry this has got out of order, This should have gone before my last one as I have not yet told you of the return trip from the blue mountains.

I have driven in almost every part of this world and Australia is no exception there are as many crazy people here as anywhere else, though some of the rules are different lets just take Cyclists her they use the Motorway technically speaking its a Highway and restricted to 80 / 100/ 110 kph with equates to between 50 and 70 very similar to our speeds, However I would hate to be a cycelist pedling down the hard shoulder with a Road Train passing 6ft away at 70mph, not what I would regard as safe however I am told that this is because when the roads were built that was the only road from A to B then with mounting population they were improved but still being the only road fron A to B they could not impose any none use restrictions anyway it all seem to get along very well and unlike UK i did not see anyone abusing the system. Roads here have a very long run on the highway changes from three to two lanes with an alarming frequency and you really have to be aware of what's going on or you just end up running out of tarmac though give the drivers here their due they are very good at letting you in as everywhere else you get the moron who just sits there with an empty lane to his right and will not move over because "I was here first attitude " the other strange aspect is that here you are allowed to overtake on the left or the right at the begining its a bit disconcerting to have a Road train on your right and one on your left and you in the middle of becomes a 70mph vacuume .

On the return trip we encountered some rather bad weather rain that came with such force that most drivers just stop as you litrally cannot see your bonet as alwas you have mister Moron who still continues at 70mph oblivious to everything around him/ her Have way I remembered a little village we stopped at some 5 years ago it had a nice cafe so we managed to pull in there, we had a lovely  rest and walk by the river (Clarence) and then it started to rain again but this time I meen rain withing 20 minutes the road was flooded so bad that we took our shoes off to get back in the car BUT as always here in Aus 20 minutes later we were driving with the Aircon on and earing sunglasses such is the diverse weather here on the east side of Australia  

Driving is driving the world is a small place

Above before the storm

                                                                        Then the flood

Farewell to Australia

G,DAY

Mary ' Noreen, Jane, Nadene 

                                                          The kids writing in the sand

The thrills of power boating 

Tomorow it is farewell to Australia
This will be the last Blog form downunder, this morning at 06.00 I was out in the tinny making my farewell trip out on the water FISHING yes and I did catch in fact we are all having fish tonight as our farewell dinner.
I always find this last day the most awkward we have had such a great time, we have been royally looked after, the hospitality, freindship and Love has been second to none, I o love it here and I could willingly stay, however the other me has missed the kids Pippa and Thomas its so inportant to watch them grow up I know from my experience of being away so much when they were growing up just how fast they change, When Mat was first born he would be about 3 months when I was sent out to the Gulf for nine months when I got back he was just about walking ( I know my choice I was the one that signed up no complaints from me we all knew what the life meant even our wives knew what to expect  Though I do get annoyed when I here present Army wives Complaining and saying its an injustice'  our wives never had a voice )
Noreen and I haven't even started to pack yet "if it dos'nt go in then it stays" that's our philosophy
Whilst here we have done everything that was on our original agenda the cruise to Papa new Guinea was not on that list so that has gone down as just a learning curve. Who was it said that you can live your life in RETROSPECT  was gone is gone. the only thing you can do with the past is learn from it (I wish our politicians would take that advice)
Last night my niece organised a family get together on the beach as a farewell its great here to be able to plan that type of event and rely on the weather, these park areas by the sea are fantastic its a public place with electric BBQ you just click a switch and use it ifs its busy nobody minds sharing and the following morning its all steam cleaned ready for the next lot the kids were skate boarding, playing on the swings writing in the sand and in general just having a lovely time with Friends and Family
Noreen and I are not really looking forward to our return flight that is the only thing that needs thinking about when you book a long haul the first leg is 14 hours then we get a 2 hour rest in Dubia then a second leg of 7 hours in all 23 hours travelling thats why we stay her so long you need time to recover so dont expect to see me much before sunday.
Ok everyone thats it from Australia
God Bless you all for  listening