The First Of The 60ths. 17th October

Bumingham / London

Another early start, this one even earlier than the last few, we were awake before the sun had lifted over the horizon today. Breakfast and the magic food bowl set. Not Again! This is getting tedious!! We walked through the city the sun coming up and making everything look wonderful. The Library shone gold, and when we reached St Martin in the Bullring the sky behind the church peachy gold and just emphasised how high up the centre of Birmingham actually is.

We climbed on board a train from Moor Street Station headed for London Marylebone. I had time to carry on knitting the next pair of sockathon socks, I’d made pretty good progress with them in the hire car to and from Scarborough, maybe I’d get this pair finished on this trip to London.

A walk, then the tube, except there was some hold up, so we changed lines and got ourselves to the Mildmay Line to Homerton. At my brothers we dropped off our overnight bags and we had time for a good chin wag, some lunch and an attempt to sort dates for a pre Christmas get together. Have to admit my mind hasn’t been thinking of such things at all recently.

Back into London to meet with my friend Nick and friends at The Albany pub by Great Portland Street tube. It is soon to be Nick’s 60th birthday so he’d arranged a get together with friends and their woofers. Tilly had been invited and she’d accepted. The menu later on didn’t include rodent curry, so in the end I declined the invite!

Around 30 of us met at the pub, had a drink and then headed into Regents Park. The walk would cover quite a distance, so Mick opted to get a bus to the next location. The masses stopped to look at the sculptures in the park. We only saw a few of them before it started to rain and everyone’s attention was distracted from the artworks to a double rainbow. I got chance to chat to various people who’d been at Nick’s 50th in the Yorkshire Dales and I got to meet his in-laws, Kerry’s family. Nick is my oldest friend, by that I mean he met me when I was only a couple of days old, he was a couple of months old.

We wove our way through the park. A slight detour to see the giraffes at the zoo who had just been given some fresh branches to munch on. Then across the Regents Canal to Primrose Hill. Here we met up with Mick again and climbed to the very top. Photo opportunity with storm clouds over the high rise cityscape down below.

I’d looked at a map for where we were headed, it wasn’t that close, there were a few comments of ‘How much further?!’ Was everyone still with us? We now meandered our way through the streets, a pit stop and a half pint each at Camden Brewery, I enjoyed some gluten-free, alcohol-free beer, you’d never have known anything was missing! Chance to chat to Nick’s brother Guy who is now retired and is planning quite a major cycling trip to Istanbul next year, this year he’d achieved Lands End to Gateshead using quite a bit of the canal network.

After dark we arrived at The Pineapple, Kentish Town. An old fashioned boozer with small rooms, but a larger one upstairs. Here we were joined by more people and the rest of Nick’s family, his sister and his Mum, both of whom I’ve not seen since 2019. Plenty to chat about as we all drank, ate Thai curry and on in the back ground on a large TV screen was a coloured version of the World Cup final of 1966. Mick and I tried our best to see if we could spot our friend Frank in the crowd, but the resolution wasn’t good enough. We and more importantly, Frank knows he was there!

A lovely afternoon and evening with friends and their family. I was asked what I’d be doing for my 60th. The second time this had been asked in one day! Well a thought had been to have a do in Scarborough, but timings for that are now a touch wonky for several reasons, so I may have to opt for a get together at a later date. We’ll see.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 train, 5 tubes, 1 overground, 2 buses, 1 Elizabeth line, 23161 steps, 125 brisk minutes walking, 1 Leckenby lunch, 2 pubs, 1 brewery, 1 tyre tree, 4 woofers, 1 absent cat, 2 giraffes, 1 big view, double rainbow, 1966 World Cup final, 60 years old.

Westlife. 16th October

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Scarborough /Bumingham

Up early, a few jobs to be done in the house to leave it ready for lodgers. The freezer was the main job as it had been defrosted yesterday and needed mopping out.

The drive back southwards was longer than the drive north, more traffic and far more tractors on the Wolds. We paused at Doncaster services for breakfast, a cuppa each and an M&S sandwich.

Coming into Birmingham in a car we try to catch glimpses of the canal below flyovers. Part way back I got a message from Adam regarding Lock 17 on the Lapworth flight, there was a stoppage, next update on Monday! Eek!!

Our planned route would see us descending the locks in a few days and they are at least a days cruise away. I looked at the stoppages map was there an alternative route open to get us down to Stratford Upon Avon?

Yes another route, more locks and therefore more hours cruising to get us onto the South Stratford Canal. But at least there was a route.

**A bit of maths to while away the afternoon**

Back in Birmingham Tilly was pleased to see us. A shopping list was put together, then we headed out to Tescos. A few messages went back and forth regarding the lack of news about Frank’s discharge. I called the discharge nurse, she’d been waiting for a response form CHC, but now that wouldn’t happen until after the weekend!

Mick returned the car to Enterprise whilst I sat down to finish off the Cutweb accounts. An hour and a bit and all was done, a rogue £5 and some interest had made the numbers a touch wonky the other day. But now all was fine.

A haircut for Mick was achieved out on the towpath shortly before the light faded, an increase in hubbub was happening across the way at the Arena. Who was playing tonight? Westlife! Mick checked the ticket prices, but we decided we’d rather settle down in front of the stove and TV for the rest of the evening, after all Traitors was on!

0 locks, 0 miles, £5 fuel just in case, 5 miles left in the tank, 2 sandwich breakfast, 0 news again, 2 boxes wine, £7.29! £97.97p,1 set of books balanced, grade 3, 1 cuddly cat on the sofa.

A Day In Hand. 15th October

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Bumingham/ Scarborough

With a day in hand on our schedule, we decided to make use of it. Mick headed off before 8am to pick up a hire car. I pottered and got things ready for a day away, maybe a night away. Tilly’s magic food bowl was set, we’d most definitely not be back in time for this evenings dingding.

We were away around 9, heading northwards to Scarborough to visit Frank. The journey was pretty swift and we made good time. The suggestion that there was a meeting happening at lunchtime made us head straight to the hospital so I could be with Frank to hear the outcome.

It was very good to see Frank, we chatted, he snoozed, we chatted. Mick headed to the house to get the washing machine working on lodgers bed linen, I waited with Frank for news. After an hour I asked at the desk. After another half hour I sent a message to the nurse who’d called yesterday. She actually called me back, the first person to do so! With the time line explained our hopes were dashed. We chatted some more before I headed back to the house myself.

**A G VI R postbox on a motorway service station wall!**

Time to check how the cleaners had done in the house without us being around. A few odd things, bins left on cupboards and toilets and lots of cushions left as if the karate kid had visited! But the house was spotless and only one towel missing. Oh, I did have to hunt round for the chopping boards and trays, they’d been tucked away in a cupboard.

Just before 6 we set off to meet up with Ruth, had a cuppa whilst we checked through some paperwork before heading back to see Frank again, we needed his signature on a few things. Then it was time to say goodbye, leaving him in the company of his friend.

It was now 8pm. Earlier in the day we’d decided to head back to Birmingham. The three hour journey lay ahead, we’d not eaten, so we’d not get back until midnight. We’d booked the car for Friday as well so we didn’t have to leave. Instead we opted for a microwave curry back at the house and to sleep in the back bedroom, leaving the two bigger rooms all ready and made up for lodgers. It had already been a long day, so a sit on the sofa in front of Traitors with a glass of wine was needed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 3:15 drive, 1 snoozing Frank, 2 discharge chats, 0 discharge, 1 load of towels, 1 load of bedding, 1 form, 8 interesting things, 0 casserole, 1 friend, 1 chicken tikka masala, 1 sag aloo, 1 rice, 2 bottles wine, 2 boaters back in the back bedroom, 1 cat at home on the boat alone.

Oh, BUM! 14th October

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Wolverhampton Tunnel to Sheepcote Street Bridge, Bumingham

Whilst Mick tightened the stern gland this morning I chatted to Frank keeping him upto date on paperwork I’m doing for him and checking to see what other things he might want to take to his new home. Jamie then called to double check on a few things we’d discussed over the weekend. Then a chat with Ruth up in Scarborough agreeing that Frank should take a few items to spark conversation, he enjoys telling a tale or two.

**Our first properish tunnel this year**

Late morning, time to push off, we’d got some distance to travel today. I opted to bob below and do some emails for Frank as we passed along the Main line. I could hear Oleanna dragging past things, along the bottom and cabin sides, some narrow sections may have left us with marks that need polishing out, but we’ll see.

Back up top in time to arrive at Factory Locks, the three locks which would get us down onto the New Main Line. There was time as Mick needed to clear the prop, I set about trying to pull out masses of weed that had amassed above the lock gates. Oh for a keb! What I didn’t manage to pull out with the boat hook got moved away from the lock hoping it would stay there and not join in with our descent.

I filled the next lock down and opened the top gate, we descended the top lock, I closed the gate behind then leap frogged to the bottom lock which was already full for us to open the gate. I like the little cantilevered bridge below the bottom lock, wish I could have got a better angled photo for a possible painting in the future.

**I might have to be onboard to get a better one**

We pulled in, well nearly, not far along for a late lunch and a sit down for Mick. Then onwards, I opted to walk to Spon Lane. Who would get there first? I needed to cross the canal at the next bridge and then double back on myself to get to the towpath. Then it was just about a straight line from there for two miles, just the bridges over the branch lines to give a bit of interest.

At first Mick was ahead of me, but I’d managed to overtake him by Netherton Junction. Now is it called Dudley Port Junction or Netherton Tunnel Junction? This was a question Paul yesterday had asked us to see if we could find the answer. No white signpost at the end of the arm to be seen either from the canal or towpath, just a blue CRT modern sign with walking times to various destinations. Nothing on the bridge either. So our detective work was inconclusive.

I carried on walking, the canal filled with duckweed for long long sections. This seriously held up Oleanna’s progress especially at the toll islands where the depth today would have seriously caused the working boats problems back in their day.

I reached Bromford Junction where the canal splits into two, one side heading north up the three Spon Lane Locks onto the Old Main Line. I hopped back on board at the narrows and we continued straight on into Birmingham.

Does anyone who rides a bike actually use the pedals anymore? They all wizz along at speed, the canal now a shortcut away from the roads.

On our first ever cruise into Birmingham on NB Winding Down we’d come down Brades Locks onto the New Main Line, the going was speedy, just as well as we’d spent much of the day at the Black Country Museum, arriving at Sheepcote Street at dusk. Today the going was far slower, the bottom of the canal closer to the top.

A phone call from the discharge nurse at Scarborough Hospital to talk about Frank’s onwards care and it’s funding, Frank had given her permission to talk to me and Ben. She was filling in the paperwork. Would the care home that had been lined up be within the budget? Someone would call tomorrow. I chatted it over with Ben, then chatted it over with Frank who was now understandably confused about it all.

We pulled in, opposite the lego giraffe, it was just about empty, but this is where we normally stop in Birmingham. Tilly looked out of the bathroom porthole Oh BUM! Sorry Tilly!

Jobs to do for panto, an email for Frank, chicken tray bake in the oven, yarn to choose for the next pair of socks. We finally sat down infront of the TV at 9:40pm, time to finish off the latest episode of Bake Off before the news.

3 locks, 13.1 miles, 1 stern gland tightened, 1 weekend plan kind of sorted, 2 emails sent off, 8 fingers crossed, 1 extremely bored cat, 1 tunnel branch or 0 tunnel branch, ? much for Franks care, ? what he’ll decide, 1 cassarole queen incoming, 20mm off the love hearts.

21 with 4. 13th October

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Autherley Junction to Urban Moorings to Top of Off Side Mooring Wolverhampton Tunnel

Up early, a check in with Frank who had been moved at midnight within the hospital. A list of things he might like when he moves to his new home, not much on his list, a new pair of black cords was the first thing he requested. This would get added to.

Time for us to push off. On seeing us getting ready a hire boat sped up their pushing off and beat us to it by 2 minutes. Yes they were headed for Wolverhampton too! As we passed NB Firecrest, Cheryl popped her head out to wish us well. We’ll hopefully have a longer chat when we come across each other again.

As we pootled down to Aldersely Junction I called Adult Social Care and got to talk to Robert, I’d talked to him a while ago and he’d been very helpful then as he was today. Data Protection still stood in my way but he was willing to tell me various things on Frank’s file, the home was mentioned, they couldn’t do anything now until the medics deemed that Frank was medically fit to go home, to his new home. I thanked Robert and apologised for being a serial phone call offender. I wonder how many times my name appears on their notes for Frank!?

A quick check in with Frankness Base Camp in Scarborough just as we arrived at the bottom lock of the Wolverhampton 21. I lifted paddles to empty the lock but then didn’t have two hands to do much else as I was still on the phone. Some CRT volunteers arrived and lowered a paddle for me, then Mick arrived and helped with the gates. I think everything was covered now until later in the day. I had my fingers crossed.

As we pootled along to the second lock of the flight two figures came walking towards us, Paul and Christine Balmer who had come for a boating fix to help us up the flight today. With handcuff keys and windlasses at the ready we could work as a team to rise Oleanna to the highest point on the network that she’ll achieve this year.

**Our experienced crew Paul and Christine**

Following another boat meant we were resetting every lock, so one of us would walk ahead whilst the other two saw Oleanna through a lock. I had a few panto phone calls with questions, thankfully nothing that I needed drawings for.

The day had started wet as we had breakfast, but thankfully that had passed, waterproofs were handed to Mick at the stern, soon followed by my jumper.

At lock 17, two CRT chaps were doing something to the metal bridge below the bottom gates. A discussion was had with Paul regarding how a lock should be left, the other chap chatted to me apologising for his argumentative colleague! Under the railway viaduct, I almost forgot to take a photo!

By Lock 15 there is a building used by the volunteers on the flight. There seemed to be loads of them. I said we were fine for crew, maybe someone else might need them. We were told that there were three boats heading down. We soon came across them. The amount of water coming round the bywashes meaning it was far better for Oleanna to wait in the lock below for the downhill boat to scoot round the forceful water and then do-ci-do close to the lower lock.

Onwards and upwards, we got closer to the boat ahead. By the time they were in the top lock I was arriving to reset it for us. Sadly Nebo doesn’t have waypoints for the bottom locks of Wolverhampton so I don’t know what time we started on them as I was distracted at the time to make a note, but we did finish at the top at 12:45. (Mick here: we entered the bottom lock at 09:20 so 3 hours 25 minutes for the flight)

We pulled in to have some lunch with Paul and Christine. There was the usual list of questions from Paul to go through and of course the apple flapjack I’d made yesterday. Our crew were keen to help us that bit further today, but we’d achieved one of our goals for the day, the flight. The other one was to make a deposit at Urban Moorings and we’d not be able to do that until after 4pm. So we waved them farewell and a big thank you for their company today.

We pulled up onto the short arm to fill with water. This meant I got chance to catch up with Ruth, a Frankness member who was on a paperwork hunt. I also caught up with a few things to do with panto.

**Paul has a homing device for cameras!**

A little before 4, Jennie called from Urban Moorings, she was back and we could call in. Up to Horsley Junction and through the narrows, picking up something on the prop as we did so, making it a touch troublesome to breast up to one of their moored boats.

Unusually, Jennie was the only one about. The moorings were abundantly green after having been dried to a crisp this summer, that’s their compost working wonders! Getting a full bucket off the bow was a little treacherous over the bow of a boat that’s not moved for a long time, but we succeeded. We tried giving Jennie a donation, but somehow we ended up coming away with a pot of strawberry jam and some red currant jelly instead!

In the past we’ve been able to stay with them overnight, but today that wasn’t possible. So we set about reversing through the narrows to the junction. This actually took us about half an hour as what was once quite a nice bag had found it’s way onto our prop along with an orange urban jellyfish. Whilst all this was happening Ruth in Scarborough had found some items I need at Franks, one step closer.

**There’s a lot more sky round here than there used to be**

Once back out at the junction, which by the way is so different from the last time we were here, so much sky, we winded and headed back to the top of the 21, we winded again and pulled in on the off side mooring. Sorry Tilly, there’s too much greenery she’d love to climb here!

Now what to eat? I’d forgotten to defrost some chicken, but managed to put together a tuna pasta bake whilst Mick lit the stove. Another pair of socks were finished ready for the ends to be sewn in and we talked about plans for the next few days.

21 locks, 6.2 miles, 3 lefts, 2 rights, 2 winds, 2 old hands, 1 shouting cat, 1 boat followed, 3 boats coming down, 1 argumentative 1 apologetic CRT employees, 5 volunteers, 2.5 months closed, 1 flight well mown, 1 full bucket deposited, 2 jars, 2 letters found, pair 136 knitted.

https://what3words.com/firmly.grapes.chin

Protection. 12th October

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Moat House Bridge 74 to Autherley Junction

Apologies that this is becoming a bit more of a diary at the moment rather than a boating blog. The blog has always been a way of recording our life afloat which includes all that goes on in our lives. I hope there is currently enough to keep boaters interested, but life events happen to us all and it would feel wrong to not mention current events.

I called Frank before we were out of bed this morning, he was waiting for his breakfast, still in A&E but was feeling quite positive. Then I got a message from the panto set builder, could he chat to me about the carousel? I could give him ten minutes now. As ever with Chippy scenery, you want height, but bases are restricted in depth, so stability is always an issue. Jamie’d been giving it some thought over the weekend and had some suggestions. Our conversation finished at 09:01.

With cuppa in hand I headed out to sit under the pram cover for the best possible phone signal to call Social Services. My job today was to try to get to talk to the team who had been looking after Frank, get a name of a social worker so that when he’s discharged from hospital things could be in place for him to move straight into a nursing home.

**Tilly’s favourite mooring so far this year**

I don’t know how many times I’ve now told the receptionist everything. I’m not Frank’s next of kin so they won’t put me through to the team. Have to say the chap was good, took down everything. Our main concern was that Frank should not go back to his house, the care he was receiving for whatever reason was not working for him, and his attitude won’t change, plus his house really isn’t suitable for someone to spend their last days.

In Scarborough a team were making phone calls, then calling through to me. Time to make a quick call to the panto lighting designer. What next? Back on the phone to social services, a possible place found for Frank, but he’d need an assessment, could they do this today? The system does not make this easy. I could get to talk to someone who doesn’t know Frank’s case. Then they can’t do anything until they know he’s being discharged. The doctors had said they wouldn’t discharge him until we knew there was a room for him somewhere. Round in circles. Phone calls, messages. Data Protection stopping me from talking to someone who knows his case. So frustrating!

Should we stay put for the day and set off early tomorrow? I got to the point where there was nothing else I could do and panto questions had calmed down too. We pushed off. Then my phone rang again. This time it was a social worker who I think had been to Frank’s house. We talked about the care he’d been getting and how carers don’t understand gas ovens, I also think Home Economics isn’t taught as it used to be in my day, plus carers don’t have enough time to cook you pork chops every day! At least she seemed willing to talk to me, but before I could just do a quick recap of the important things she had to go. Gosh my brain was mashed by now!

We pootled on through the narrows, thankfully not meeting anyone coming the other way. Would there be space for us at Autherley Junction? It looked pretty full. A boat was coming towards us. They carried on, one space left, would we fit. Yes easily! Hang on that green boat ahead looks kind of familiar, the bow and welldeck certainly does, but the last time we’d seen it it had been dark blue. A ladies head bobbed up from where she was sitting, could that be Cheryl? Once we’d moored up I went to check. I was right, NB Firecrest.

Time for a late lunch. Then Mick headed out to do a touch of shopping, walking there with Cheryl from next door. I on the other hand did a touch of shopping for panto. Jelly moulds, baubles, cake tins.

News came through from Scarborough, a possible room had been found. People went to see it, it was good. I tried calling the social worker I’d talked to earlier. No answer, three more times I tried her, still none of the calls answered. I left a message. Maybe data protection was stopping me from getting through here now! I so hope tomorrow won’t be as stressful. Time to give up for the day, my attention turned to something very sweet, some lock fuel, some apple flapjack!

0 locks, 4.7 miles, 27 phone calls, 1 green boat, 31 messages, 1 frustrating day, 1 big tin of flapjack, 1 frustrated cat, 0 brisk walking, 1 plan hopefully coming together.

Rallying Frankness. 11th October

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The Geraghty zoom conversations included Zack, Library banning, hose pipe dispensation, the final Waverely trip, and Ardingly Reservoir. Afterwards we pushed off with the aim of finding a mooring better for Tilly than last nights.

Some days you spend waiting for news. Today was one of those and I have to say not knowing what was happening in Scarborough for most of the morning made me feel really quiet nauseous. We worked our way through the locks towards Gailey, several boats coming towards us, most locks empty waiting for our arrival.

**Some awkward mooring by Rothens boats on the lock landings**

At Rodbaston Lock just after I’d opened the bottom gates my phone rang. This lock is pretty close to the M6, not the best place to hear what had been happening further north this morning. The troops were rallying for Frank. At least I knew what had been decided, but there was still more waiting, news available in short messages for much of the day saying there was no news.

I walked all the way to Gailey, Boggs Lock with its temporary beams, another with a cage round it, I was scared that if you sneezed, it might just give up and fall to pieces. I hope they are on the winter stoppage list.

At Gailey there were crew from a downhill boat who came to watch and not help, one of the bottom gates eventually got closed by a chap sat on a bench smoking his pipe.

**Not quite THE photo but the extra crew were too eager to open the top gate**

I carried on walking, checking a few things for Waterway Routes. The chemical works along this stretch has lost lots of its pipe bridges, new trees now fill the gap where a footbridge had been and a newly surfaced towpath means we’d most probably not choose to moor alongside it for fear of loose chippings hitting our new paintwork.

I hopped on board for the last while, round by Hatherton Junction, pulling in at a mooring soon before Moat House Bridge. No other boats other than those passing. We had a late lunch and Tilly got busy in the friendly cover, doing a touch of self catering.

More waiting. Time to finally get round to putting our Fund Britain’s Waterways banner up on the bow. Time to position our escape ladder at the stern. The banner was quite easy tying it round the cratch board. The ladder was more involved as we wanted to attach it to where the stern fender attaches. D shackles were undone, straps slotted on, but then reattaching everything took both of us.

A bit of a wipe down of the paintwork on the starboard side, someone had left their muddy paw prints! I’m also aiming to keep on top of the dribbles below the windows. These came off really easily, but I suspect if left too long they may get stubborn to shift. All this helped with the waiting.

Late afternoon the news came through that Frank was headed back to hospital and the hunt for a care home was seriously on. Jobs were allocated for the morning. Then Frank called me to say where he was, in A&E waiting to be seen.

Tilly kept herself occupied all afternoon and she lost sight of the time, maybe because her mouth was too full! I’d started cooking, pork chops and dauphinoise potatoes, but Mick ended up having to finish things as messages were flying around the Frankness whatsapp group. Hopefully tomorrow things will get sorted for Frank and then things will start to calm down for everyone, especially Frank.

5 locks, 5.2 miles, 1 very long wait for news, 1 very very long wait for Frank, 2 frothy locks, -2 pipe bridges, 1 pipe smoker, 3 friends at least, 1 rally of Frankness, 1 ex-Production Manager, 1 stage manager, 1 ex-wardrobe assistant, M6, 3 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval?!

https://what3words.com/clip.alien.gather

Funny Feet Locks. 10th October

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Hazelstrine Bridge to opposite Otherton Boat Haven

Five minutes late pushing off this morning! A boat came past us, it had slowed a touch to pass, but still had us all over the shop, as we discovered this was the only time they would have speed today.

What a lovely morning, clouds and blue sky, we hoped we’d not be needing waterproofs today. At Deptmore Lock I offered to lend the chap on the boat ahead a hand, he said I could help close the gates behind him which I did. He was then taking an age to walk down his gunnel with a rope and windlass to get to the ladder. I said if he was happy for me to work the paddles he could stay on his boat, this was fine. As his boat rose in the lock it occasionally went on quite a list, I kept an eye on it, he didn’t seem at all bothered. Maybe this was normal. As he pulled away above the lock the boat kept listing and then straightening up, maybe the ballast was on wheels, it certainly needed adjusting.

A boat went down, we came up, there was another boat waiting below too, we’re back in the busy world. I hopped on board, Jamie the panto set builder had a couple of questions for me to answer. My technical drawings came out along with a scale ruler, replies were sent via Whatsapp. Yesterday I’d spent sometime looking at garden benches for the town scene. I’d been hoping for quite a curvy frame, within our budget. The only one I found was one Helen the Props Supervisor had suggested a week or so ago. I gave the thumbs up to buy one, it will need a bit of painting, but that was always going to be the case.

At Shutt Hill Lock the boat ahead was in the lock, now with two crew, the chap and his son, or sleeping partner as the chap called him. His son was new to boating and had been given the job to steer in and out of the lock. We closed the top gate behind them, then the chap insisted on helping me with the bottom gates. Nice of him, but he could be helping by getting a move on to the next lock! We were of course also being followed, the boat arriving a bit before we left the lock.

Between locks I did my best to respond to some messages coming through from Scarborough regarding Frank. A to and fro about samples is hard to write as you try to power walk along an uneven towpath, maybe I should have hitched a ride.

At Park Gate Lock the son had been charged with a windlass and when I got to the lock there was another person helping. This turned out to be someone from the trip boat that was picking up customers above the lock. Another boat down, then us up, the trip boat down, blimey it was busy.

**Longford Lock the first lollipop lock**

By the time I had walked onto Longford Lock the boat ahead was just about to go into the lock. The son appeared to be ignoring his fathers calls for assistance, hiding inside, stoking the fire and setting the smoke detector off, so the chap was single handing again. They were planning on going up Wolverhampton tomorrow, that would be fun with a noncommunicative son! Hopefully they’ll have finished the flight before we arrive in a day or two! The chap pulled over to let us overtake, mooring up on the lock landing and coming to help me, son tucked away inside still.

Penkridge Lock next, this is where there was a collapsed culvert earlier this year which closed the lock and road bridge over the bottom end of the lock. There was no obvious evidence of where the work had happened. We made our way up and then pulled in to use all the services, water, yellow water, bins. The slow chap arrived, he ended up assisting the boat that had been following us, he must have let them overtake too. Then it was their turn, he was single handing again. The alarming listing of the boat was most probably being created by his son inside, it would have seriously worried me if Oleanna was moving like that.

Thankfully we were finished at the services and pulled out without jumping in front of them. Filance Lock was being awkward with it’s bottom gates opening when they’d just been shut. I chatted to the lady on the boat going up. I’ve called these locks the Lollipop stick locks for some years because of their rounded ends, today we decided they looked like they should have Funny Feet ice creams on the ends of them.

Our last lock of the day, now to find a mooring. There wasn’t much space on the 2 or 5 day moorings, but we wanted somewhere for Tilly, so we carried on to opposite Otherton Boat Haven which was surrounded by fields. There were a few too many woofers being walked though to have a good afternoon, anyway I wanted my dingding! Too early for that Tilly!

A few extra supplies were needed, a walk to the Co-op required. I followed a footpath from the bridge which turned out to be like a magical tunnel through bushes, I had to stoop a little to get through. Sunday dinner bought and some ingredients to help us up Wolverhampton in a few days time.

During the day Mick had tried to find out if there were going to be any winter stoppages on the River Avon that would affect us after panto has opened. The Avon Navigation website didn’t seem to have them listed. Then we decided to check our route back north on the CRT winter maintenance list. Hmm, several blockages we’d not noted before, a bit of a convoluted route back to the River Trent would be needed. Do we try to beat the stoppage at Vazon Railway Bridge which starts on the 5th January? Will the Trent behave for us to get back to Yorkshire in the first place? Lots of variables.

6 locks, 5.2 miles, 1 alarmingly bobbing about boat, 1 haunted mooring, 1 absent 20 year old son, 700 and 1220 checked, 0 name and DOB confusion, 1 trip boat with high tea, 1 magical path, 2 pork chops, 1 recipe checked for extra fuel, 2 lollipop locks, 10 toes each, 1 detector bipping across the way!

https://what3words.com/convinces.crisp.workouts

Three In A Line, In The Rain. 9th October

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Tixall Wide to Hazelstrine Bridge 96

A stormy night. Really quite windy. This would most probably have woken us both up at some point, but we’d normally have been able to get back to sleep. However, there was a tapping noise near to our bedroom window. Was it one of the window catches? No. Mick went outside to see if he could find out what was making the noise. A popper on the cratch cover wasn’t pressed home as well as it could be. He pushed it and came back to bed. A few minutes later it was doing it again!

I found some bluetac and tried that to hold it firm. This lasted about ten minutes, more bluetac was deployed, then some more pushing. I don’t know if we just got used to the noise or whether the wind dropped a bit but we both managed to get some more shut eye. The poppers on the boat for the cratch were new ones put on by Tom and they aren’t as snug as the original ones, we’d already noticed this when rolling up the covers. We’ll have to see what we can do about it.

It was raining as we had breakfast, it was still raining when we wanted to set off. Should we wait a while? No, waterproofs on, it wasn’t that bad. We pushed off and I walked ahead to Tixall Lock. I’d looked at a walk round to the gatehouse yesterday and hadn’t understood why my OS map was taking me to the next bridge beyond the lock. There was no obvious way off the canal. The moored boats have access, but that’s not a public right of way.

**A Gnome Traction Engine has been added to the tree house and train**

I hopped on board now to catch a lift to Deptmore Lock. This route is half familiar, half not. The railway comes close, no trains timed correctly for us today. You go over the River Sow. At a bend near Stafford is where a lock is being built to connect the canal to the River Sow and provide a route into Stafford. We once moored along here in our NB Winding Down days, I got a seriously early train to Hull for a read through of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, showed my model, then came back to the boat to complete the four counties ring, hopping back on board in Stone, having missed out Tixall Wide.

It was now obvious that we were following another boat, we were gaining on them. The rain started to come down again. Up ahead we could see another boat, we’d got a convoy going on.

The towpath has recently been mown, large amounts of greenery floated about in the canal. The lead boat seemed to get stuck. A crew member at the bow did their best to try to move the grass trimmings out of their way, we however thought that they were possibly stuck on the bottom and the best thing to do was to back off. The hire boat behind them managed to get past, they didn’t offer to lend a hand at all, but their movement helped pull their stern out into deeper water and they were soon on the move again, only for the hire boat to pull in a couple of minutes later opposite Stafford Boat Club.

It was heaving it down all this time. We didn’t have that much further to go to our planned for mooring today, but the thought of waiting at Deptmore Lock for the boats ahead of us to go up wasn’t appealing. We pulled in after the next bridge for lunch and to decide whether to carry on.

A phone call from Dawn in the Frankness group. She and Lee were planning to visit Frank to move things about for him and hopefully give him some food he’d like to eat. A while later there was another phone call from Dawn. Frank had decided he’d rather move to a care home. Thank goodness for that! I’d been trying to steer him towards this decision, Dawn, as only Dawn could, helped push him across the line.

We’d opted to stay put. Time for me to prepare the Cutweb Boat Club accounts. But the afternoon was taken over with Frankness phone calls. Strike whilst the iron’s hot etc.

**I maybe should have put a bit more cheese in them**

This evening I made up a batch of gluten free Staffordshire oatcake mix I’d bought from the farm shop. I chopped up some sausages and mushrooms, added in some cheese. Very tasty and we can have the same again another time. I really should have a go at making them from scratch one time, as that would be far Far cheaper, and I don’t think you HAVE to be in Staffordshire to enjoy oatcakes.

1 lock, 5 miles, 1 soggy day, 1 seriously annoying popper, 1 ex-Senior Stage Manager, 1 puppet Man, 0.5 of a fish pie, 1 Frank eating, I decision, 3 Frankness members jumping into action, 2 certificates, more still needed, 1 cat half interested, 1 grounded boat, 3 boat convoy, 1 set of accounts set aside for another day.

https://what3words.com/battle.oath.bounty

One For Each Bedroom. 8th October

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Tescos, Rugeley to Tixal Wide, Stafford and Worcester Canal.

Mick started sorting clothes for a wash this morning. Now that the weather has turned a bit chilly we both realised we’d only two pairs of jeans each. Having another pair in reserve would be a good idea. After breakfast we headed into Tescos to see what they had to offer. Why are there SO many different types of jeans for ladies these days? Mom, Wide leg, straight, bootcut, jeggings, cigarette, carrot! Please can I just buy some plain ordinary jeans that fit! Cigarette seemed to be the nearest to what I wanted, they’ll take a bit of getting used to as they are tight on my calves and a bit baggy round my bum.

Boats had moved off before us and others arrived for top up shops. We made our way westwards slowly passing all the moored boats. The Fund Britain’s Waterways garden with all its pirates is getting quite over crowded now.

Over the River Trent. Past where Dexter used to sell diesel at good prices. They seem to like rusty old VW Beetles now. A very jolly boat came towards us, flowers hanging from the roof into the well deck. Pink and blue, was this Sebrina from the Boat Women group? It was, I waved and made a comment on her recent paint job.

Colwich Lock was waiting for a boat to come down. The lock cottage having some work done to it with scaffolding at one end, the owners stood in the doorway feeding a robin from their hands.

The boat coming down was out for the day, friends had joined the crew for a jolly. Three of us worked them down then it was our turn to ascend. The bottom gates with their short beams are heavy, the top gate beam still a stack of planks, a temporary beam until one is made for it from oak.

**Shame about the scaffolding and lock beam**

I walked on ahead, nearly 2 miles to Haywood Lock. Not quite as chilly as yesterday, but keeping up a good pace kept me warm. There was space below the lock, several boats looked like they’d been here a while. Up ahead a Stone hire boat was just going into the lock to go up. I went to help as Oleanna was still a bit behind.

The chap asked about a waterpoint just round the bend on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. I explained where the tap was at the junction, straight on just before the bridge, I showed him on Waterway Routes. Another person saying they’d have to update their app! We checked where he was wanting to wind and that information was correct.

I reset the lock for Oleanna, the bottom gates with short beams heavy to move again. It took a while to get one side closed, I walked round to do the other. A very helpful, well meaning man walking the towpath walked up to the gate I’d just closed saying, ‘Would you like me to open this one for you?’ NO!!! was my slightly rude reply, NO thank you. The thought of having to close it again really wasn’t appealing!

**If we were here longer I’d walk round to get a different angle**

There was a bit of a do-ci-do at the junction with a boat having just turned out onto the T&M. Mick swung Oleanna round under the bridge and headed for Tixal Wide. Walking ahead I expected to see quite a few boats. One gap with an angler sat right in the middle. But further along with the best view of the gatehouse there was plenty of room, we’d just have to contend with the really low bank. The sun was just catching the gatehouse rather nicely, I took lots of photos. Maybe this winter I’ll do a painting which could hang above our bed, that will be two paintings of buildings from near the canals, one for each big bedroom.

The washing went out on the whirligig, Tilly disappeared into the friendly cover for quite some time. I had a walk back to the farm shop to see what there might be, maybe a nice joint for Sunday. However, there being very few prices on show put me off buying meat. I selected a few items, gluten free black pudding and oatcake mix, some cheese and a sausage roll for Mick’s lunch tomorrow. Definitely a treat shop at over £20!

Back at Oleanna I checked things out with Frank, today so far had been quiet, but not so after checking his notes! Photos of pieces of set came through from Jamie, I requested a slightly bigger pipe, which was sorted within a few minutes.

Late afternoon it started to rain, the washing had to come inside!

***It was good to start with, but not so now!***

Two potatoes got wrapped in foil and popped in the firebox of the stove, the last of the weekend’s chicken was mixed with carrot and greens for a chunky coleslaw to accompany the baked potatoes. Very nice.

6 miles, 2 locks, 1 left, 5.17 miles walked, 2 new jeans, 1 jumper, 7 odd marks, 12 oatcakes to make, 1 flushing loo, 0 DOB or name, 1 rendezvous arranged, 1 more in the pipeline, 2 visits from Tucker, 3 Frankness members wondering about Charlie Bigham.