Its On. No Its Off. OK its a maybe.

Still here at Thorne.  We were going to move on to Bramwith on the way to Doncaster to kill some time but having woken up several times last night with the boat moving in the wind and it still blowing this morning we called the move off.

Had a walk into town and bought some of the staples of life - bread, sausages and faggots! by the time I got back it was about to rain so carried on working on the logbook.

During the morning I could hear a helicopter buzzing over head and watched as it circled around several times but this time it was the Police.  Someone some where was misbehaving I guess.  Seconds later a couple of Police cars went racing over the bridge in the direction of the M180.

To be ready for a move tomorrow I turned the boat around with some difficulty in the wind that remained.  Wind genny still doing its thing keeping the batteries charged. 

At some time I want to replace the fuel return pipes on the engine so when I went for a new gas bottle I bought some tube in readiness.  It will all be done one day I am sure.

Naughty Cal says "If you ever get the chance to have a look at Spider T she is lovely inside. The last time we moored at Keadby we managed to have a quick look inside, we where very impressed."  While I was out walking yesterday I picked up a leaflet on the Spider T from the Stanilands Marina and it has pictures of the inside.  Very swish.

Stocking up for the cold weather

It was back into Lincoln for the weekend with a visit by Abz on the Saturday after dance classes.  The was a possibility that she would only be on board for a few hours as she is becoming a home bird. 

Had an enthusiastic wave from Naughty Cal who will be off on the Trent over the next few days.

In the end she decided to stay as we might go off to do some shopping.  Like mother like daughter.

She is training to be a teenager I was told.  She wanted to stay in bed later than usual on Sunday leaving me to move the boat from the Uni mooring, turn around and move back through the Glory Hole. She got up to go through the Glory Hole and touch the underside of the bridge.

Ian and George were visiting us in the afternoon to go out for a meal.  A bit of a walk to the Hut or a Burger bar was not on when it started raining with a vengeance.  Easiest way was to move the boat back to the Uni mooring   and walk from there.

A very nice meal and the unlimited supply of cola and ice-cream with all the trimmings went down really well with the shortest member of the group.

Then its back to the mooring and the short trip before dark to Waterside North for Abz to have a ride back home.

A wander around the charity shops on Monday to pick up some reading material and I am ready to move out to moor up for the wait till Thursday.

A brilliant sunny day but very cold.  The hat was out to keep the brain usable. Not very effective.:-)

The mooring is just past the Pyewipe Inn.

I will do some  foraging for firewood here and enjoy the view and quietness.

The Dashed Cat

A couple of days at Saxilby were very welcome and with a visit from Chris into the bargain – enjoyable. Whittering away and the time flew past and I hadn’t realised that it was 10 o’clock and time that the visit ended. I apologise Chris for having my back to the clock.

Then the weekend and a visit from my favourite mini-mobile disaster area. All the plans were made in advance of what we were going to do and it started well enough. As soon as Abz was onboard we set off for Lincoln. Spotting the black swan who now seems to be the extra help to the parents of half a dozen youngsters. A menagerie et trois which seems to be the thing these days.

Arrived safely in the Uni mooring and went off shopping to spend Abz’s pocket money which we succeeded in doing very quickly. Checked out Lidl and surrounding stores and back to the boat. Then it all started to fall apart.

Dash went off for a walk and we started on ticking off the items of the To Do list. Salt dough came first and I must admit the galley of a narrowboat leaves something to be desired when it comes to an eight year old + flour + salt + water.

Still I got the lumps out of it and most of it off the rest of the galley. :-) then the making of the items. These progress quickly and the fire was lit and the results put on the top to dry out. Computer games and the new acquisition kept us busy for a few hours. Getting close to bed time where is the Dash cat. Still out so leave the door unfastened for him to get in, wake me up so that I can lock up later.

In the morning we are moving on to the centre of Lincoln and then to Stamp End. Wot no Cat!! We are staying until he is found. Umpteen trips up and down the moorings and around the Uni buildings. No Cat. I am persuaded that a tin of tuna is worth a cat so open one up which we rattle and waft about in the search. Early lunch and have bacon sandwiches to use the smell to tempt him back. No Cat. Abz by this time is getting quite upset at the non-arrival of the cat and when the heavens open and the rain is belting down I can only just stop her going out with the umbrella to give it shelter.



During the wait for the cat things are still happening on the canal and off it. We spot the Army going past out on a training session and I remembered then why I joined the navy! :-)

While we were sat there thinking of the next move to get the cat back on board I heard a boat saying it was going full astern – three short blasts – they might have been but it was actually Naughty Cal asking if they could moor up alongside while they went off to the shops.

Even later Andy arrives to take Abz home and brings the inverter with him so that I can be back using the electrics more fully. Abz still worried and upset but its time to go and I have to promise to call the instant he returns.

Wot no Diesel

Since getting out of the lock on the Kyme Eau I have moved up to Tattershall. I stopped at the mouth of the Kyme to enquire as to the nearest diesel source. I did have sufficient fuel on board for the return trip but the constant use of the engine to get back to a winding hole meant I had to waste a lot of my supply. There were two points I could pick it up. Anton Gowt or Kirkstead garage were the nearest and I plumped for Kirkstead as I was moving back up stream.

Coming out of the lock I met a number of boats that were going up to the rally. I hope they had an easier time of reversing than I had.

I moored at Tattershall and first thing in the morning was attracted by the horn blast from a boat going past. Waving madly was the proud owner of Naughty Cal going up stream and by the time I was out with the camera he was under the bridge.

Brian and Gloria were coming out for a trip but it was put off for a couple of hours as Brian had a date with a drain to unblock. He was threatened with the hose in the back garden but managed to get away with it.

They were kind enough to take me to the garage at Coningsby for some diesel as I am unsure of the amount in the tank as there isn't a gauge on it. I thought I had enough but rather than run out on the river….

During the visit we tried to put the world to rights and failed but we did figure out what was wrong with things – all the others!!

Extra litres in the tank we headed off towards the Kyme. Soon after leaving the pontoon Brian took over the tiller and took us there and back. He very quickly got the hang of it and all I did was to turn round at the end and moor back at Tattershall.

A very enjoyable interlude as I don’t see them very often and hope that they will come again but for a longer visit in future.