Stonewalling ...

Stone walling

and studiously ignoring one another.

Rob got a chance to learn how to stonewall. So I very kindly brought him a picnic and watched them work in the broiling sunshine for a bit.

A long slog

but worth it.

Left home at 8.25am and arrived at Kiveton Park at 9.25am exactly. Would have been a little bit quicker but I did help a single handed boater by shutting some gates after him. Put the push bike on top of Phoenix and the rest of the convoy set off down the locks. Took us 5 hours to get the boats to Shireoaks Marina. (30 minutes by bike!) I then had to remount my trusty steed and return home. My legs are tired.

I took a slightly different route home as I wanted to avoid the three stiles and the railway line that I had negotiated on the way down. I struggled this morning and felt I really wouldn't be able to lift the bike over my head by the end of the day. There really shouldn't be stiles on a bridle way !!!

Emily Anne was about 5 boats back from us. Managed to time it right to go back and get a photo of her at Turnerwood but the funnel was down, so took this one at the lock after he had put it up for me. Should have asked before. Ho hum.

Kiveton Park Festival day 3

Another full day helping out at the Festival today. The weather once more was kind. Footfall I believe was around 7000 by the end of day three. Certainly in the morning one poor lady was pounced upon as the 5000 person to enter the site. There is a distinct possibility that I am also in the picture gurneying in the background!

She is quite pleased as she won a book of short circular walks around the Chesterfield Canal and membership of the Trust.

There are already some pictures on the Festival Website of Day one and presumably Day's Two and Three will follow in due course.

See www.kiveton2009.com

I am now looking forward to Wednesday as I have offered to help move three boats down to Shireoaks. It is such a hardship! Which reminds me must go and check that the tyres on the bicycle are up to the trip.

Kiveton Park Festival day 2

Woke up in the morning and it was so sunny I went back to help out at the Festival. My job for the morning was helping to man the 'James Brindley'. This is the name for the fancy promotions trailer. I did my best 'welcoming people to my world'.

Had a trip on the Seth Ellis so have got my narrowboat fix for 2009 at last.

Met Daniel and discussed schilling rudders. His top plate (what we could see of it in the murky waters) looks a lot wider then mine and presumably his fish tail is as well. Daniel did say that there appeared to be no exact 'best' ratio of fish tail etc so hopefully my rudder will perform once it is in the water. I asked his opinion on the Axiom and he wasn't convinced enough data was in to support their claim. Anyone had one fitted?

Left in the afternoon to fetch small boy from university.

Saturday we had had over 2000 footfalls in and by 11.30 Sunday we had had 700. The site was heaving when I left at 2.30 so I imagine even more people turned up on the Sunny Day despite the first train not coming through until about 2pm.

Right back once more unto the breach.

Kiveton Park Festival day 1

I arrived at the site about 9.45 and was given my job as greeter off the park and ride bus on the road.

at 12pm I drove up to North Anston and was given my second job as a 'take their money and make them take the bus' person this I found somewhat embarrassing as bus no 1 had broken down on it's first trip so we were down to only 2 vintage buses which meant some long waits for the punters.

at 2.30pm I was relieved and finally made my way down to the site and it appeared to be heaving which was good cos it had been quiet up in the field!

I saw Emily Anne. Daniel was not on board but I spoke to his parents and grandfather. I may call in again tomorrow to talk to Daniel because I have put a schilling rudder on my boat after he posted about the one he made for Emily Anne on the canal forum.


This is the trip boat heading for the tunnel. Bobcat should have been moored somewhere up here. Sniff.



Some interesting exhibitors.

and these two are ready to go home now please.

I've got the bird

My neighbours get green finch, blue tits you name it they get pretty little birds.

I get this lot

7.30 this morning



9.30am this morning

and by the time I got home from the IWA campaign festival the support for the fat stick had been discarded on the lawn! I only put the fat stick out last night.

I give up ...

I don't believe it!!!!!

I've apparantly won the canoe in Canal Boat magazine. How cool is that? I'm so excited it will be called Skidoo and with it we will be able to visit parts of canals rivers etc that Bobcat can't get to.

Back to the build, Bryan has made the hanging wardrobe part of the office/desk scenario.

Access to the wardrobe is from the corridor.