OK here we are again

Just to let you all know that the cardiac team at the Blackburn Royal have done a good job of re-plumbing my arteries; everything went well although I went in to have a 30min op to repair my old stent and finished up having a 2 hr procedure and an  extra two stents,  I think they had a BOGOF which is good for me I never get anything free. Having been discharged from Blackburn everything was great  until we returned to the boat I then developed some strong pain to cut it short and nit sound to much like Holby City, I spent another two days in Southport CCU who with great efficiency  sorted everything out my consultant called it Stent Stress the walls of the arteries were put under a lot of stress and just rebelled. Hey I’m here and feeling great.

So with the help of dear friends we managed to cadge a week on Anglesey as part of the recuperation programme, We had a fantastic week with Thomas, Maryanne and Steve stayed a few days, by the end of the week I was back to walking a mile along the beach, up hills and around the town NO pain I still get puffed if I run any distance so I have stopped nicking as I can’t get away lol. I have been working hard in the garden and my shed and today we had a great day in the lakes.

Why do some people struggle to get to an overcrowded airport, get pushed around like a flock of sheep fly off to some pack resort just to get a bit of sun When here in Britain we have some wonderful places, last week we had a day on a almost deserted beach, we played, fished, had lunch build sand castles, caught crabs all for free why are we missing out on the simple things in life.

So back to normal now taking up my duties as representative for the RBOA in this area, started collecting wood for next years walking sticks, another engine overall before the winter  draws in, you know the usual things around the boat.

And of course planning next years trip one we will be going on.

Look after yourselves

God Bless

            Big Al

Day Out

Hi Everyone

Noreen and I decided as we havent been out this year we act as two tourists along the canal
We took a 90min drive to Skipton  a journey that would take 5 days in Buggerlug. As usual Skipton was packed coach loads of them. I have no reason why but its always a good day by boat or car. I know its a very old market town with real Yorkshire charm but it has something unique about it. We walked the market, had fish and chips from busy lizzies ate them sitting  by the canal with all the day trippers,
Its Funny to listen to the men explaining to their wives everything about boats, Noreen had to hold me down when the guy sat next to me on the bench  was explaining in great detail the workings of a "Barge" he was so far off the mark he could have been sailing the QE2. Why do people consider themselves experts on such complex subjects. It was really good to be on the tow path it give a complete distortion to canal life, and the boats look bigger???
After lunch we took the walk along the tow path to the castle I have done that walk in sun, rain, snow and Ice and always loved it its only a few 100 yards but well worth it. nicer as we were alone no relatives or friends to look after I know my last blog was praising family and friends but sometimes its quite therapeutic  to be alone.

Be Good God Bless
Big Al

 

Hi Everyone

Family and friends where would we be without them? what’s more important is what a miserable life it would be without them. This week not only has it been filled with glorious weather but its been overflowing with friends and family

Sunday after church we had Matthew and Thomas plus Noreens Niece over from NI Kimberley, Ian, Mark and Emily It’s quite some time since we have seen them consequently we had a lot to catch up on, yet again Noreen performed with a lunch and evening meal conjured from nowhere. The kids had a great time and it wasn’t long before we had a fishing competition then an Archery competition everyone had a great day.

Monday Tues Our Keith was here we enjoyed two days fishing and just laughing our fishing exploits are getting more chaotic as we get older maybe because we just love the crack, People on other boats around the marina must think us a pair of lunatics escaped from an asylum. Weds Noreen was working so I had time to get around and do some visiting, Thurs the NI Contingent rejoined us I was very proud to here that on a vote the kids voted for the boat over the Cinema and Bowling we must be doing something right. As it was a beautiful day I took the all for a very short cruise culminating in a pump out HEY never let it be said life on board is boring????

Friday John and Alan came over for a catch up great to know friends are still willing to catch up.

The Marina is now starting to fill up again with people returning from their cruises with tales of boating memories good and bad. It’s good to know that all the boaters going out for their first trips returned without too many disasters, all the work preparation and planning prior to going out was worth it

Just for a bit of fun here ar some quotes on Kids Family and Friends:

The most important thing a father can do for his children

is to love their Mother.

There is only one way to guide a child down the right path ,

and that’s to go that way yourself.

A child will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, the home happier,

the past forgotten and the future worth living for.

Friendship is love with understanding.

Friends are kind to each others hopes: they cherish each others dreams.

My Friends are not perfect, and neither am I…. that’s why we suit each so well.

Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest home

Emily-Jane's first visit 

Mark Ulster's next hope of winning a rugby Championship

Narrowboat Central heating

Hi Everyone

Well we have had the pleasure of Maryanne with us this weekend as her and Noreen have gone over to Manchester tonight to see The War Horse at the Lowery (I am left here on my own) As Noreen was working today I decided to take a day shopping with Maryanne round the antique shops and curios shops Maryanne and I just love browsing, rummaging and scrounging. However as Maryanne is expecting in November and today was the hottest this year the trip was cut short due to swollen ankles so a quick pub lunch and back to the boat. Maryanne decided to have a lie down. I took this opportunity to have a last bash at getting the central heating fixed ( well its no use waiting for the winter and then trying to fix it) after bleading all the radiators and the heater unit I gave it one last try EURIKA it works, of course once it has started you have to allow it to run for a while. Eventually when Maryanne came too from her semi coma she was subjected to a boat that was resembling a floating sauna, even with ever aperture open you still could not breathe. This is one visit  that Maryanne will be tell my future grandchild about, “the day that granddad tried to cook me”

Anyone with a busted Webesco central heating system just ask Me ????????????????

Be Good

Big Al

What a wonderful Day on the Cut

Hi everyone

In my last communique I said we would be back in Fettlers by the Thursday But as with everything with boating we are very fluid  and things rarely go to plan and to that effect we are still here in Scarisbrick.

The weather is so nice, the mooring is good, and the fishing excellent so why rush, my only problem is I am missing my shed I know its pathetic but and man and his shed should never be parted for to long I have even suggested to Noreen that we get a butty build a shed on it and tow it along, Well it sounded like a plan to me?????? Noreen had different ideas and having being married for 45 years  I agreed?????

Whilst we have had plenty of visitors none more special than todays I entertained Margaret and John two old school friends Margaret and I could not decide if we were actually girl friend boy friend but as there was a gang of about eight of us its hard to remember. However to chat over what were very happy times, those halcyon days of the last year of school all your dreams and expectation ahead of you Ohhh only if we knew then what we know now. I often wonder if it would have stopped us doing anything or doing it in a different way I tend to not. For It’s the mistakes we make that build us into who we are today. It was of course great to catch up, swapping snippets on the net is good but there is nothing like a good old face to face chat.

I have a little trouble with the central heating (not that I need it but winter will be here soon, it’s a very simple problem the clock just will not switch on, so having discussed the problem with the experts the census of opinion was to buy a new clock timer , Now the one I have at the moment is a 8 day clock quite a sophisticated one and so it should be at a cost of £180.00 I decided on the cheaper version of £120 yesterday I was about to fit the new clock however on removing the existing £180 one I noticed that amid the electronic wizardry was guess what a bloody £2.50 battery so if anyone wants a clock timer for a marine webesco central heating system I have a spare one.

On this Marina I have a mooring tucked up in the far corner. Now 21.00 hrs the sun has just about lost its heat and turning the sky that lovely mustard colour as it sets over Southport and sinks into the Irish Sea. I have the bow of the boat headed into the breeze so we have a soft breeze blowing the full length of the boat. There is still enough light in the sun to reflect all the colours of the boats in the water its always a spectacular sight the only other place I have noticed it was on Malta with those wonderfully painted fishing boats. Whilst we were there I was talking to one of the fishermen, when I told him I lived on a boat he insisted we took the “eye of Orpheus “ which all their boats carry for luck, ours is still above the cratch door. This evening the water is so calm I feel as if I am an intruder casting my fishing line and making the most gentlest of splashes, Ducks mainly mallards a few moorhens are nestling in the reed bed and bedding down for the night. Even now in this dying light there is a buzzard soaring high probably looking for that first rabbit of the evening to appear ( Hey we all have to live) Although I may have just painted an idyllic picture I still remember the sun sets over Openshaw you saw the odd one through the steel works fog and sometimes when they opened the furnace at night and poured the molten steel into the ingots the glow and the sparks were as good as any sunset beauty is all around us all we have to do is look.

Here are a few pics taken tonight (I missed the sunset)

God Bless

Big Al

Back on the canal

Hi everyone

Well even though I am still under the hospital and awaiting my procedure ( When did we stop calling them operations and start calling them procedures?? With the help of friends We have been on the move on only 10 miles down the canal but hey out is out no matter what the distance. Noreen and I have moved over  to Scarisbrick Marina we came over for the boat festival last weekend which is explained below I  had a stall were I gave a Canal Art Workshop I shared my stall with Robbie who is ex Navy and the best rope man in the business so if you want any fenders or buttons he’s your man. Our stall is normally the one everyone heads for I think because we have a good laugh and nothing is serious, (except the price) but as in live everything is negotiable I was even asked to go to a school and give the kids a chance with the canal art and explain about canal live as it now and its history, I am looking forward to that  

It was not only good to be out and about but meeting old friends was a real boost many of our old marina friends from Fettlers have moved over to Scarisbrick  it was quite a reunion especially as we had two nights of partying. We should be back in Fettlers for thurs but as I may be helping to move a boat on Monday and Going to see Maryanne on Tues Noreen is working Weds we may just decide to stay another week that’s the good thing about boats no matter where you are” Home is where your Boat is”. Plus the fishing is good at Scarisbrick

I have my dates not for my plumbing job it all takes place mid Aug so by the end of Aug I should be fighting fit again God Willing.

I wasn’t going to write anymore Blogs but over the busy weekend so many people said that they had missed it I apologise for that.  

Lots of visitors over the boating weekend Noreen managed to do lunch for 11 on the Sunday even though the café was only 10 yards away. Monday we had Keith Carol and Sue that was a good day and culminated in the Indian Restaurant that was also very nice

So even though we are no out travelling there is still a lot going on, everyone stay in touch God Bless to all

Big Al  

This part of an article I sent in to Soundings a boating mag, just gives an indication of the weekend

From The North

As I read so little about this area, I am writing this to endorse and give support to this beautiful corner of our wonderful waterway system. I refer to the North West from the bottom of the Wigan flight to Liverpool along the wonderful Leeds and Liverpool canal not forgetting the tranquil stretch of the Rufford branch to Tarlton and the Ribble Link. The area boasts the longest canal, the magnificent Barton swing bridge over the Manchester ship canal, the Ribble link connecting to the Lancaster canal, the exciting ports of Manchester and Liverpool. But its main attribute is the boaters and its genuine thriving boating community. 

We have just had the second Scarisbrick Marina Boat Festival a boat festival for boaters by boaters; with boat clubs, boating societies, historic societies and ordinary boaters came together for a fantastic weekend of family fun and frolics  

Friday night was a sing along folk music (well why not?) and a boaters get together, Sat we opened for the public exhibiting all the usual boating stalls from Rag rugs making, Canal Art Workshop, Rope and fender making demonstration all by genuine boaters  from the local area also for a change we had No trade stand.

Sat night was the great barn dance, what we would call “ a reet good Do” with the obligatory potato pie supper, and wonderful fiddle playing.

Sun started with an outdoor ecumenical church service combined with St Andrews Mission, which I believe is the only boaters church still consecrated and in use St Andrews was built in 1905 for the large boating community around Burscough and is still in use today. The day was enhanced by music from a brass band, sea shanties, R&B and folk music

The whole weekend was a celebrated success with all the proceeds going to local charities.

There was 300 boaters renewing old friendships, generating new ones and talking to non boaters and of course potential new boaters.

 As I previously stated the boating community here is as strong now as it was in 1905. So please come up you would be most welcome. You will discover peaceful and tranquil surroundings places of interest steeped in history and of course lets not forget two of the biggest cities in England all combined with good northern hospitality.

This is my very feeble attempt and short account of a fantastic weekend. Of what can be achieved when a community come together.

Alan Hodgkinson

NB. Buggerlugs