Back Home

As usual I've been too busy to let you know where we are and what we have been doing. How did we ever find time to go to work?

Last Thursday was a very pleasant day for travelling so we continued our journey along the Coventry Canal to Fazeley Junction where we saw NB Sparks, unmistakable with all the plants on the roof. We stopped for a chat then carried on, turning onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and up through the locks at Curdworth. It got rather windy later in the day but I managed not to make too much of a hash of negotiating the locks.The weather on Friday was atrocious so we took a day off from cruising but I stayed busy making things to sell later in the year.

Saturday was a little chilly and breezy to to start but we made good time through Minworth locks and the onto the Tame Valley Canal and up through Perry Barr Locks. The vast quantity of blossom floating in the canal managed to block our water filter on the cooling system but apart from that it was an uneventful journey. We reached home with much debate as to whether it was possible to turn into the moorings approaching from the Tame Valley Canal and proved that it wasn't! Ray got Morgana and Merlin wedged between the far bank and the bridge! We had to detach Merlin ti order to make the turn. We managed to get home in time to watch the Cup Final so I was happy, and even happier when Arsenal won.

Since we have been back it has been all go. The weeds had taken over the garden, although I did have three or four parsley trees as well. Now the weeds are mostly gone, I have dried a lot of parsley and mint, I plan to dry some lemon balm too. The plants from the roof of the boat have been re-potted or planted in the garden. We have demolished a cupboard which was in self destruct mode and intend to replace it with a bench seat with storage underneath. This is a prelude to (probably) turning our lounge into a bed sitting room and our bedroom into a workroom. This will give me a workspace and us both a warmer bedroom in winter. It might not happen of course.

I have also taken advantage of being of fixed abode temporarily to get some wool and beads delivered. More things to be made!


Since my last post we have traveled 14.2 miles, 16 locks and 1 tunnel

This year we have traveled  181.5 miles, 167 locks, 3 swing bridges and 5 tunnels

In 2014 we traveled 425 miles, 334 locks, 2 swing bridges,17 lift bridges and 23 tunnels

In 2013 we traveled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2012 we traveled 876.9 miles, 675 locks,  55 swing bridges, 22 lift bridges and 31 tunnels

In 2011 we traveled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we traveled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have traveled 3133.6 miles, 2696 locks, 121 swing bridges, 92 lift bridges and 130 tunnels