First day

Hi everyone




Monday the 4 April the morning dawned grey and quite cold. The weather forecast did not look good neither did the sky line. Still we had decided to start our journey today and if you put it off just because of the weather you would never do anything would you . Having filled up with diesel, had a pup out and said our good byes to Alan and Danny with a blast of the Claxton we set off,

I new that the wind would be a the underlying problem for the day and it was, Rain you can cope with But wind is a different kettle of fish it tends to prevent you from going in straight line and getting Noreen on and off for the locks all becomes far more complicated than it should be. For the first hour the hazy sun tried to break through a milky cloudy sky we new it would not be long before it gave up and give way to the dark clouds that were amassing in the west and heading our way we were right, soon we were into high winds and driving rain we new from the outset that it was not going to be a good and soon enough we new why not only were we rusty in our boating skills but the locks were also very rusty. Even with the wind and the rain and our rusty boating skills we were still managing to make headway, that is until lock 5 where on leaving the lock with a broadside wind I managed to get us grounded by allowing the wind to throw the bow onto the far bank, it took us almost 30mins to extradite ourselves off the bottom the rest of the journey was; well all I can say is hard just a very hard slog. We eventually moored up at 15.30 at Dean Lock under the M6.

All the above sounds quite harrowing but now sat here having stripped out of our wet clothes, had a shower, dressed in warm clothes, a good fire blazing, a lovely Curry bubbling away on the cooker all the hassle of the days journey seems a long time ago. That’s the beauty of this live you are soon appeased and with all your creature comforts with you it never takes long to be (reet comfy )again.

It appears that the weather for tomorrow is the same as today so its just a case of getting the wet weather gear on again putting our best foot forward and getting on with it. Its more miles tomorrow but fewer locks with an early start we should be in Leigh before early afternoon .



Keep Smiling

Big Al


Buggerlugs

Monday 08.30 WE ARE OFF

From the deck of


Buggerlugs



Its true what they say “there is no substitute for experience“ Last year whilst out on the canal we were constantly shopping for a multitude of items that were difficult the find especially without a car. The list is endless so I will not bore you with them, Then there were items we took along but never used. So this year we decided to plan it a bit better Noreen thinks that I go to far planning it like a military move, with schedules, lists and itineraries, I tell her old habits are hard to break.

But the whole thing has now come together, we have enough stores such as rope, fenders, engine spares, electrical spares, iron mongery, food, booze, and fuel to last at least the first part of the trip. The boat has been polished all the brasses are gleaming she is full of fuel all spares stowed away and ready for the off.

Getting the boat ready for the off has been quite an exercise one we never really thought about but in hindsight this year we are ready for anything that the canal throws at us (we think)

In some ways we will miss the security and convenience of the marina with all its facilities and closeness to family but the open water awaits and of course we have lots of friends to catch up with and winter stories to swap. As for family they always know were we are visits are numerous.

The open water and the life we will live fir the next six months is something I know lots of people dream about its exciting, stimulating, calming, sometimes fretful, sometimes very scary but always actively stimulating. Also we don’t have to join a gym to keep fit.



Please stay with the blog I will attempt to make it as interesting as possible



Yours

Big Al

Hi Again

It looks as like on my last blog I omitted to say where I we going to too so here is a quick Run down:

For the first part which will include the most of April firstly the first week we will be in and around Leigh as we are having a some work done on the boat. we will then spend a week in Castlefield Manchester onward then to Stretford were we will spend Easter with Noreen's dad this will also be good for the the Easter mass at our church in Salford.
As soon as the easter holidays are over we will be setting off for Worcester we have to be there for the 16 May to have the roof re-painted this will mean traveling down the Bridgewater canal Going through Altringham, Northwich, then onto the  Shropshire canal continuing south through a very beautiful part of the country. We hope to spend a couple of weeks round the Worcester area and the start North East traveling just south of Birmingham the turning south along the Grand union were we will then turn north up the River Nene towards Peterborough. Then the fun starts we head off weaving our way through the middle levels towards Cambridge Via Wisbeach, Diss and Ely hopefully ending up in Cambridge about July.
That is a very rough guide to our itinerary
If anyone is about any of these places we would love to have you aboard

Fair Winds and good weather ahead of you

Big Al

almost ready for the off

Hi everyone




Please forgive me for not keeping up the blog , though I do have an excuse, and that is I have been really busy also I have had very little to report.
However we are now well on our way to being ready for the off. I had a little trouble last week with the rudder, I needed to change the rudder bearing, which in itself is not a difficult job, unless whilst trying to remove the bearing you pull the rudder arm out of the skeg, as I did. Luckily I had the forethought to put a rope on the rudder tied to a stern post so that I didn’t loose the lot to Davy Jones’s locker. Now if this ever happens to you before you start shelling out having the boat put into dry dock to re-engage the rudder in the skeg, do as I did, screw back in the swan arm retaining screw, put wire around the screw making a loop enough to pass a rope through then tie a rope onto the rudder, by lifting the centre post and manoeuvring the rudder it is possible to drop the rudder post back into the skeg single handed though its a killer on the back. Also unless you are a very competent engineer with a full workshop buy the housing with the bearing ready fitted to buy just the bearing albeit a nylon bush with a centre o ring they are impossible to fit back into the original housing.
I have fitted new buttons to the pointed bit and re vitalised the buttons to the blunt bit I have given the hull a blacking to the waterline ( I am doing the rest when it is in dry dock in May.
The engine has had a complete service. My son Matthew has made me a new long top box for plank, fenders and such like, so now everything is ship shape and ready for the off
We are now sorting out the last few dinner parties for friends we won’t see for the next six months and getting everything like dental checks, heart checks, bulking up on the tablets and all the domestic and personal stuff sorted.
The weather has been very kind to us allowing all the work to be done its been great not to have to worry about the rain though I think we will suffer in the summer for this lack of rain I can see us being short of water again?
All our families are fine no problems there . Fantastic news from the Antipode’s I am a great uncle again my nephew and niece in Australia have had a baby girl Scarlet who by looking at her picture will be braking a lot of young men’s hearts
Fishing has been quite good Our Keith came last week for a couple of days he managed a nice Perch which was deserving of a photo, the week before we had Bethany, Rachel and Elliot they where fishing when I hooked into a large Pike about three foot long and despite all our efforts we could not land it, it was on long enough for everyone to have a look at it but when it came to getting it out, it took one look at the net, shook its head and said good by.
The picture below is of my new friend I miss Herby the Heron unfortunately he has not been seen for some time though Phil the Pheasant is a good substitute but a lot noisier, at least with Phil if I get fed up of him he will make a lovely Pie\????

Keep smiling summer is not too far away now I will give you a report when we are on the move.
Big Al
Buggerlugs



Day Out

Great Day today

Thank you to Chris and Gerry for a wonderful reception, lunch and walk. Chris and Gerry have been stuck in the ice in Great Haywood throughout the cold snap, we were feeling rather sorry for them being stuck in the middle of nowhere.
How wrong could we be what a wonderful place they have the Shrudburry Manor estate on one side and the river Trent on the other. The views are stunning and the walks fantastic, except for the inconvenience of having to walk for the water, diesel, and coal they have fared a lot better than some in the marina's and now the canal has thawed they are mobile again, unlike us who are still iced up. and still having to push a barrow with the coal in.

It was great to get out again (before the price of petrol makes us all house bound ) anyway, being back on the Cut was great it started my itching feet tapping and raring to go, spring can not come quick enough.

Check out the pics and if you are ever passing Great Haywood stop and experience the place very very nice especially the walk over the pack horse bridge and along the river.

Keep smiling we will all be out again soon

Big Al

The Pack Horse Bridge

The Manor House

Long Horns

Noreen and Chris all wrapped up

 

Hi everyone
Well that's it Christmas and New Year over, packed and stowed away until the festive season comes around again.
We had a great Christmas mainly because we decided that we were going to try and take out the commercial element out of Christmas, and to a degree we did especially in the respect of presents, most of our presents for adults were things we made Noreen made a selection of biscuits and I painted the tins to put them in, I also made personalised calenders with photo's of their visits to the boat all these items were accepted with as much enthusiasm a as expensive gifts. Children of course are a little more difficult, though we did decide to make every present a practical one (our grandson has not yet played with half the presents he got last year) We now seem to live in a throw away society at least when you give biscuits you know they are not going to finish up in a bottom draw. I also feel its nice to give something of yourself, and that's not me making an excuse for being a cheap skate or scrooge.
Even with the weather we managed to get out and do a lot of visiting North Wales, Warrington, Stretford Manchester, Blackburn, Leigh and Hyde, The Food was beautiful and plentiful, the drink chilled and flowing, and friends were in abundance. All our church services went well, (though cold) I managed not to break any guitar strings and stay in key playing the right chords in the right order (all down to practice)
So that's it, Now we are a new year and looking forward I tend to be a very optimistic person. I never look back my Army service taught me that, never look behind you there is nothing you can do about the past (only learn from it) it but you can alter the future.
I look forward to the new year and am very anxious for the weather to break I have so many jobs waiting, I need a new burner fitting for the central heating system, my roof needs painting, some blacking is required, I need a new button bow and stern, a new seal on the tiller and numerous other jobs, enough to keep me busy until April when we are off again.

I have only wrote this today because we are still iced up it is raining and I have nothing else to do I am very glad you are there

Big Al

Merry Christmas

The peace Of Christmas

Merry Christmas To Everyone

May I take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a fantastic new year. And to thank you all for reading all my wittering's.
Lets forget all the bad news, the wars, the financial crisis, the editorial writers will be making sure we get all the downtrodden, demoralized news in the so called news papers through the special season. Or Do like I do and don’t give them the chance to ruin Christmas and enjoy this festive season with no news paper, or any other type of news (except the weather report) After all 90% of it is pure fiction. And only think of the beautiful things in life.
So!
Remember all those who are less fortunate that us, give as not to receive. Smile, sing laugh and be happy for we are a long time Dead.
Enjoy Friends and Family for its they that matter
Remember and keep that feeling when you make some one smile, keep it with you for when you need a smile

My wishes for 2011
I would like to see all our troops home from the gulf (at let the bloody yanks have it, I’ve been and its not worth dying for)
I would like to see a year were all children are free to play to their hearts content without restrictions of fear from adult interference and health and safety nonsense. (let Children be Children)
I would like to see a year where news papers printed The News and the Truth Instead of sensationalism, Slander and untruths.
A year where all of the worlds governments worked for the electoral masses and not for themselves,
their ego and personal gain.
A year where all separated families are united and throw away all the animosities that drove them apart
And a year where all people respect all religions, customs, and heritage and allow them the freedom of
Speech, Religion, Tradition, and Custom.


May your God Bless you, look after you and care of you and yours


Big Al