Tree climbing sheep - whatever next?

Today was a lovely day - I wasn't a billy no mates!!

Boat was sprung clean and laid out in visitor mode.

Finally we can both sit somewhere comfortable - result.

Dearly beloved hasn't seen the boat since the changes and he said it was a huge improvement.

We had a cooked breakfast for lunch as that was all I had on board that would please his taste buds.

And of course cake and tea (he brought the cake).

Anyone ever read the book 'The tree that sat down'?  If this one isn't sitting down then it must at least be kneeling.

See ship's cat is very brave.

Not scared at all by two crocs...

While waiting for dearly beloved I was sitting on a tree stump watching the world go by.  (Mostly on very fast virgin trains it must be said.)  A hire boat went slowly past and the hirers invited me on board which was very sweet of them but they were going in the wrong direction.  It was a lovely thought all the same.

They were American seems like they are all invading us these days!

Coming here stealing all our narrowboats ...

Only joking.

We are off...

 and the adventure starts here.

Typical that the day I choose to travel is slightly damp.  Still I wasn't going far so not too much of a problem and to be actually moving was such a pleasure that it really didn't matter at all - forget I mentioned it. 

It is lovely to have a change of scenery I was beginning to get stir crazy on the mooring.

Had some good news last night we may have to visit Italy twice this year as the people we are going to visit soon are planning on getting married in Italy in the summer - if the Italians let them.  So it looks like the last couple of months of learning Italian won't be totally wasted.

Sono eccitato così. Potrei essere su una gondola presto.

Guardare questo spazio!!!!

Homely

So today I hung some pictures up.  Makes the place feel homely.  I have also checked (inadvertently) their ability to survive superfast boat passages as nb.Kinver went past at warp speed. 

I have yet to test their ability to cope with lock surges and the like !!!

I'm a heathen

It was about two hours after I had bought my coal from this little lot by letting my bow rope go and drifting across the canal that I realised 

a) it was steam driven

and

b) that it was Monarch (in that order!)

Now of course afficionados would have known this just from the shape of the bows etc etc

I apologise for my lack of observational skills.

Am I forgiven by the cogniscenti I wonder?

What a lovely day

Wish I had been able to boat in it.

Never mind.

One wet leprechaun ...

So near and yet so far ...

All the boats

That passed me yesterday heading into Rugeley and now coming back again.

Colwich Lock is closed until around 25th February which is why I am languishing at my mooring rather than setting off on my 2011 Odyssey. 

This year Llangollen is my main destination.