Narrowboat life, working and YouTube adventures…. Day 226 – 232 / Mon 4th – Sun 10th March
((BE WARNED. THIS WILL BE A LONG LONG LONG LONG LONG BLOG… in a distance world far… far away….))
Monday 4th March Day 226
Today is the day we leave the marina after just over three months! It’s a strange feeling when you’ve been living in one location and your home is movable. We could have untied the ropes at any time but as you will know if you read this blog, we were away for 20 days in Jersey, visited family and friends at Christmas and then the boat DIY commenced! We are very pleased with everything we managed to get done, of course, there is lots more to do but back to leaving day…
I pop up to the office and agree we will swing the boat around 11ish so we can fill up with diesel before we go and get coal and logs now we are out on the cut we want to make sure we have enough. Then it’s toilet emptying time, hooking the battery back up, unhooking from the electric ((It’s like cutting your umbilical cord!)) it is!
Coffee made and I do a piece to camera for the vlog ((Get you! What do you think you are? A news reader?)) well, how else do I say it? And explain the plan for the day ((Which you don’t stick to anyway!)) then it’s TIME. The cratch covers are taken down, the tiller slotted into place and off we go. I must say Chris executes the perfect manoeuvre from our pontoon and around to the docking area to fill up with diesel and go and pay our bill. It all goes well, and a hug and a handshake later we say goodbye to a very nice marina and lovely people.
We leave the marina with big smiles on our faces. It’s a cold day but the sun is out, and despite being about 5 degrees, we have our sunglasses on. It seems to take a age to reach the 5 minute walk to the first lock and I grab my windlass and the memories of all lose locks come back ((like riding a horse or a bike. You never forget)) We are soon through the first lock and cruising past Shugborough estate; an area we have gotten to know well and it starts us wondering where we will end up this winter.
After cruising for about an hour we moor up for lunch. Our first mooring goes well although I forget what Armco is called ((That’s the metal bar at the side of the canal which boat use their pins to tie to. I will try and remind Peachy to add a pic)) After coffee, we decide to crank it and soon arrive at the next lock where there is someone setting the lock. I go over to help and end up doing the lock for the couple ((That’s generous of you, Peachy)) well, I need to get my lock fitness back and honestly don’t mind. People have done the same for us before it’s how it works on the canals. Anyway, they leave the lock and then another boat is on the way so it makes sense for them to come in as the gates are open and saves wasting water. It’s a solo boater so I offer to do the lock again. It’s easier for them as they can stay on their boat and other than the gates are stiff it’s an easy enough lock. He tells us Rugeley is busy but Wolseley Bridge is quiet after the bridge and this is where we end up mooring as it’s about 3pm and to be quite honest, we can do as we please as we have nowhere to be.
It’s 6pm on this very day ((Wait……………………………. You’re actually writing this on the day…. As in today…….. so it might actually be true because even you can just about remember what happened! I need to lay down.)) Rude. I used to do this when we were cruising as no way I would remember this if I waited a week to write it up. Anyway, it’s been a wonderful day getting back to cruising life. We feel so happy to be starting our cruising adventure again and cannot wait to share it. I’ve just remembered we haven’t put the screens up in the windows – now we are back on the cut these stop people from peering in! A very fabulous day done! Until tomorrow. xx
2.5 hours / 2 locks
Tuesday 5th March Day 227
After a good nights sleep due to all that fresh air and lock work, we wake around 7am to the sounds of the geese making their presence known. I’m not sure if they are kicking off and wanting breakfast, fighting over territory or just a bloody nuisance. Still, it’s a nice way to wake up when it’s a reasonable hour. We weren’t sure how it would be without the little heater in the bedroom on overnight, but in fact it was fine and the weather reported it was at the lowest 3 degrees. Maybe we were just tired enough to sleep through it.
The batteries seem to be on full this morning, normally they decrease overnight so I don’t know if that’s from being conditioned so well being hooked up to electric for 3 months or the fact it’s not freezing but we all know what this means ((You can have coffee using your machine!)) You got that right, so we lounge in bed chatting about how lucky we are to be living this life.
Since we have decided this week we are on holiday ((Wait a minute. On holiday?? From what exactly??)) I’m not sure really, as today I manage to get a decent signal out on the stern so get this weeks vlog created and uploaded to YouTube for Sunday and early access to Patreons tomorrow. ((I feel like we are living in a parallel universe. You can use the coffee machine on the cut and you have a signal!)) We also did a couple of little boat jobs; just putting the towel rail back up etc in the shower room.
We decide to stay here overnight so have a walk to Wolseley nature reserve which is a fabulous place to explore. It was a lovely day today; blue skies and warm when the sun was out. It’s really is so nice to be back on the cut and exploring new places again.
I also make the most of waiting for the vlog to upload to read my latest book which needs to be finished by Friday afternoon for book group ((Oh you poor thing. I didn’t realise you were this busy! And on your holiday as well! Also, hilarious what happens re the book!)) When I opened my kindle it said there was approximately 10.5 hours reading time yesterday so I better crack on. With that in mind and the sun setting on a wonderful first full day on the cut its day done. Until tomorrow. x
Wednesday 6th March Day 228
It’s a lovely start to the day as the mist and fog rises from the canal and the fields and the blue sky tries it’s best to come through.
We have been impressed so far with our solar as we seems to be in gigawatt as we call it; meaning it’s not going much below full! I’m not sure what the change is as last year, especially overnight it was going down to between half and three quarters hence me not using my coffee machine but now the batteries seem fantastic. I don’t know if it’s being hooked up the electric for so long has somehow conditioned the batteries, because it isn’t much colder than it was towards end of last years cruising. The sun is higher in the sky so we are getting a decent amount of solar so maybe that’s all it takes to make the difference.
I work on my freelance job in the morning as I managed to get ahead of myself with the vlogs ((Miracle do happen people)) I’m going to try and aim to get a few weeks ahead now we are cruising again and the DIY is almost at the end! Chris makes some lovely roasted parsnip soup and then after lunch we cruise the few miles to Rugeley. No locks today, so just a nice gentle cruise passing a few other boaters on the move. Very pleasant.
Arriving into Rugeley, we snag a nice little mooring close to the supermarkets. Chris’s knee is still a bit swollen so it’s good to be a bit closer to the shops. We decide to head straight in and have a wander around the charity shops. I but some nice jigsaws before going to the pub ((You’re not on holiday you know!)) There is a very good reason for us going to the pub actually ((What other than cheap booze?)) the wi-fi! I’ve been trying to back up my icloud for days and it’s just not having it with the signal I have, even though it’s better for videos; maybe half as good as home wi-fi at the moment. It won’t back up my icloud. ((Well, I’ve heard it all now!))
It only takes 2 glasses of rose to get my icloud up to date. it would have taken probably 3 days on the boat! Day done. Until tomorrow. x
2 miles/ 0 locks
Thursday 7th March Day 229
We stay at Rugeley for the day and I wake up not in the best of moods ((That will be the wine you drank yesterday!)) Hey it wasn’t my fault we had to go to the pub! ((unbelievable!)) I’ve said that it would have taken me about 3 days to sync all my videos and photos and it took only two glasses of rose in the pub! ((Next you will be offsetting that against expenses!)) well, funny you should say that we did wonder that since we were there so I could get a good signal and I had a cracking idea about my plans for my canal book and who I might try and submit it to then I reckon it could be classed as a business meeting ((I’ve heard it all and more than once!))
Chris decides that we need to fit the vinyl flooring in the shower room because it’s just getting in the way all the time having the roll in the lounge. Like I said I am not feeling in the mood and we did agree to have a week off DIY but hey ho. It’s got to be done.
It’s a faff as we need to cut the curve for the shower cubicle but we manage it in the end and it looks great. We get it stuck down and fit the trims. We still need to do the varnishing and snagging jobs but that is absolutely it for a while. Anyway who has done DIY for months will know you get to the point where you’ve just had enough. As I’ve mentioned before it’s even harder on a boat due to the small space but that is another big job ticked off the list. Day done. Until tomorrow. X
Friday 8th March Day 230
Cruising day as we are on route to possibly Fradley Junction to see if we can get a mooring for the weekend. A few reasons for this; it’s a good place for one of my patreons and pals to come over as they have a carpark, pub and café at the junction. The weather looks dodgy and MotoGP motorbike racing is starting and so we want to watch that, and then we will start the week off cruising a new stretch of canal.
We set off and I head inside the boat to get this blog updated and answer some emails. I have some online training at 11am as part of the freelance job and just hoping we get moored up in time and I have a signal!
We end up stopping in handacre as there is a chippy ((fish and chip shop)) and it is Friday, so basically the law in the UK to have chips. We moor up with 5 mins to go and I make my meeting with not a bad signal and then it’s off to the chippy for the biggest bag of chips I’ve ever seen – they defeat us.
We decide to stay here as the weather has turned cold, windy and rainy and will cruise to the junction tomorrow. I faff about getting some uploading and downloading done whilst we watch MotoGP and then have book group at 3.30pm. It’s been a challenge to get the book finished as it’s massive ((Oh this is a good one… wait for this…)) Alright, you only like it when something bad happens to me. We started the book discussion and all was going well. There was a few bits people were saying that I couldn’t remember ((Nothing new there)) but there were quite a few discussion points we agreed on… anyway, my signal went dodgy and couldn’t reconnect which was annoying but I’d promised Chris we would finish fitting the trims on the shower room vinyl it wasn’t until later on that the penny dropped and I’d realised I’d read the wrong book ((Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Brilliant)) I know! It’s just ridiculous. I did think about not saying anything but I knew it would give everyone a good giggle!
That was it for the day. I’m off to read a different book. Day done. Until tomorrow. x
Miles/Distance: 3 /Locks: 0/ Tunnel : 1
Saturday 9th March Day 231
Up early again today as we need to cruise as the toilets are reaching maximum capacity. ((Thanks for sharing that. Put me right off my cornflakes)) It’s been a nice quiet mooring and a lovely spot. The weather is threatening rain and there was some this morning as we enjoyed a coffee in bed – no cappuccino from the machine though as the batteries didn’t charge fully as the travel pack didn’t charge them. ((You mean you had instant coffee???? Instant???)) well, it was a coffee bag so a step up from instant.
It’s a nice cruise with only one lock to do so pretty smooth going and although cold, the weather is kind to us and we find a lovely mooring just above one of the locks overlooking a field and just about right from the Fradley junction facilities without going through the locks. We deploy the CCV – cassette carrying vehicle – the electric bike, tie the cassette to it and off we go. We really need to empty both of the cassettes as we have a spare but that can wait until Monday when we are cruising past the facilities. ((once again, oversharing))
Job done, it’s back to the boat and I try and get some work done but the signal is not so good so do what I can so I give the boat a clean instead. Day done. Until tomorrow. xx
Miles/Distance: 3 / Locks: 1
Sunday 10th March Day 232
It really is a grim old day today and the rain is pretty much relentless which is a shame as my friend is coming over to visit but we make the most of it and after she’s had a tour of the boat we head to the pub and enjoy a delicious Sunday dinner; roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, parsnips, carrots, roast spuds and gravy – so so nice. This was in the swan pub which is known as the Mucky Duck, highly recommend you pop in if you’re around for a meal although they didn’t do cappuccinos! ((WHAT? Call the coffee police!)) I know, never mind.
We were going to go for a walk but the rain really was awful so my friend drove us to Alrewas which was only about a mile away. Living this canal life really does make all sense of ‘where you are’ in the country go out of the window. Well, it does for me. We have travelled for months and months. I think the last time we were in Alrewas on the boat was September and here we are only a mile away by car. Blows my mind ((Doesn’t take much))
I wander back to the boat after having a lovely catch up, great food, great company and after doing a little bit of freelance work as we want to cruise tomorrow it’s day done and another week over and closer to warm cruising days. I hope. Until tomorrow. x
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