Things to do on a Royal Wedding Bank Holiday.

Wash the car !!!

I have had this car for over three years and this is the first time (I) have washed it.

Himself felt that it was such an event it needed recording for posterity especially as I was also colour co-ordinated.

We also fixed the puncture on my bike and I cleaned the chain and sprockets as well ready for car bike boat shuffles I will be doing over the next month.

Oh joy.

An interesting day.

Spotted this motheaten deer on the side of the Macclesfield Canal.

Rob's brother in law and niece are over from New Zealand so we took Katherine out for the day.

She went from this ...

To this in the space of a few hours.

Her mother won't know about it until she has safely arrived at the other end!

Bet her brother wishes he hadn't stayed in NZ now.



Another milestone

Small Boy is 21

Being as I am sort of Homeless the event was held at my ex in laws.  I did most of the catering but I delegated the trifle making to my sister in law.  The trifle is a big part of the family tradition and therefore a very important part of the proceedings.  All in all a good old fashioned tea party, even if his father didn't turn up.

In case you were wondering it is Sheffield United.

Bosley Locks

True to form I collect randomn folk to assist with locking!

Actually in this case I had arranged to meet my Dad's University friend so he could help with the locks.  He often walks his dog there and thought it might be fun!  He sensibly also recruited a local to meet us half way up.

So I had some lunch as I waited at the bottom of the locks and as soon as Geoff rang to say he had arrived I pulled my pins and of course just as I was moving a hire boat came around the corner behind me.  I imagine they were cursing their luck.

However I decided that as there were loads of them all crowding around us at the lock that they should go first and leave a paddle up for us to follow.

They actually left a couple with us to help with gates paddles etc for the first four/five locks until we started to meet boats coming down when they went ahead back to their boat and we never saw them again.

So for two locks only I climbed out of the lock and assisted Geoff with gates etc and then his mate joined us and I reverted to staying on the boat.

All in all a very easy passage up.

Bet I will be all alone going down!

And then to cap it all after making him work hard I repaid him by letting him and his wife take me out for a meal.  Something wrong there I fear but who am I to complain?

Stokies can be lovely

All that worrying about travelling through Stoke was unfounded.

I couldn't get out of bed on Friday until about 11.30am!  Having made up my mind better not to attempt the deep locks in Stoke whilst exhausted I stayed where I was.  Good plan in the end as a narrowboater who I know from Spode House came out of Stoke and moored up behind me.  I invited him on board for coffee and in the end he helped adjust my tv aerial through 90 degrees and fixed my shower/bath diverter.  He also gave me hints on where to moor in Stoke and Manchsester.  And which locks in Stoke were a bit fierce and which were pussy cats.

At the first lock (really deep one) I knew it was in my favour so nosed straight in, collected up my rope and windlass and started mountain climbing.

A lad leaned down (he had already shut the gates for me) and took the windlass off me.  He was gentle with the paddles as he knew what it was like since he used to canoe up and down the flight using his mother as lock wheeler.  His girlfriend had never seen a lock in action and was fascinated with the whole process.  Once all the paddles were up he handed the windlass back and as I went out the lock he closed the gate behind me.  They carried on walking up the towpath ahead of me but then he came back to say the next one was against me so I had to moor up.

They helped me again with this lock always handing the windlass back after every operation.

As we parted company for the last time he said.

"See all Stokies are not bad people!"

I can safely say they were a lovely couple.

Initially I thought 'ooh nice flats overlooking the canal wonder how much they are' then I thought perhaps I wouldn't like to live there - see all the rat catching devices?

Bw bollards?  Now they are really taking the mickey.

Yesterday I wiped the boat down prior to meeting an old university friend of my Dad's to take him through Harecastle Tunnel.  I wanted it to look relatively clean.  Also a good firtle inside.

I moored at Westport Lake and Rob had a trip out on his motorbike to see me for tea and biscuits.

and no I didn't let him steer through the tunnel!

I may let him steer when we meet again at Bosley Locks (he wants to help me through them and who am I to complain?)