At last

I have managed a deep double lock all by myself.  And of course I had to do two!  Where are the men in slippers and the brightly coloured female runners when you need them?  I had to make do with a frail elderly lady with walking stick (I asked her to lean against one of the down gates while I went around to try and shut the other one).

All in all a lovely sunny day today, I have attached the anchor and checked the river levels - so far so good Just have to wait until Saturday for my friends to come and join me on the river.

When I say slow I do mean slow

Mileage so far on 2013 mega trip.

Saturday 1 mile 1 lock
Sunday 2 and a bit miles 2 locks
Monday rien, nix, nada

I had a lovely lunch in the Munch Box cafe in Burton, cauliflower cheese with chips and a side salad £3.99 (small portion) and it was yum I would have licked the plate but felt it would perhaps not be a good idea!

Slow boat to Wigan

And they're off ...

Having trouble using up my electric

I've used the electric heater almost non stop, I even brought my hair dryer onto the boat to dry my hair this morning.  I've made bread ...

I am running out of time and still got loads left in the meter.  If I had switched on the water I suppose I could run the washing machine, but that seems a bit excessive.

Next winter I will not make the same mistake again.

But hey I will be on the move again soon.

Warmth and the lack thereof

So on Thursday the oil fired central heating/cooker at home was playing up.

Friday I was at work and himself doesn't feel the cold so we lit a fire when I got home and turned the heated blanket on the bed on.

Saturday we thought about contacting the man who can but himself decided it might be an idea to check it wasn't lack of oil before calling him out

So he braved the sleet and peered down into the depths.

And of course it was. . .

Because we need to move the tank again we didn't want to buy too much and it appears we bought too little.

Ho hum


I have returned to the boat armed with the electric heater to use up my electric that I have paid for before I get turfed out of the Marina on Friday and I am glad I did.  The fire is proving a pig to light.