We had a mixed weekend at Alvecote, Friday was busy and people were putting their hands in their pockets and spending. The Hobbins clan came visiting on Friday, it was great to see them again and they were popular with our fellow traders as they were spending money!!
Saturday and Sunday were fairly quiet, the weather wasn't good, we packed up early on Sunday because of the rain and the few people that were about were browsers not buyers. Monday saw a turn around both with the weather and the trade. All in all it was a good weekend, great to catch up with traders we already knew and even met a new couple.
We stayed at Alvecote on Tuesday and got some tidying and cleaning done, then moved down to Fazeley on Wednesday. Ray had a hospital appointment on Thursday, which would have been a smashing day for travelling. When he got back we went and bought some plants for my flower displays, I've got some home grown seedlings but they are a bit small.
Today we moved onwards to Rugeley, a fairly long day considering the weather but the forecast is no better for the next couple of days and we needed to get here so Ray can get to the hospital on Monday and we can reach Stone by Wednesday. So we are here until Tuesday morning and then we will be heading for Stone.
Photos may be a bit few and far between, I'm not the most prolific photographer anyway but now I'm on the tiller most of the time I don't get the opportunity to use the camera. I haven't mastered the knack of tiller in one hand and camera in the other!
Since my last post we have travelled 21.7 miles, 5 locks and 1 swing bridge
This year we have travelled 47.3 miles, 34 locks, 1 swing bridge and 1 tunnels
In 2013 we travelled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks, 55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels
During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 2585 miles, 2232 locks, 119 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 103 tunnels
Friday 25 April 2014
Friday 18 April 2014
At Alvecote
I've got out off the habit of blogging during our time off, time to catch up again.
We took a day off on Sunday, Ray wasn't feeling his best and it was very windy so we stayed where we were. On Monday we carried on through the last four Curdworth locks to the junction at Fazeley where we took a slight detour by heading away from Alvecote so that we could moor within walking distance of the shops. As we approached our mooring we saw Paul(of PJ Fenders) walking Patch, he stopped to help us moor then went back to his boat to fetch Jennie. After a couple of cuppas and a natter they headed home and we got ourselves sorted to go shopping. Then on the way back from shopping we stopped for a coffee with them, it's a hard life this boating lark!
On Tuesday we headed back the way we had come as far as the junction to meet up with Ali and Lou on Da Vinci and Lowry and Sandra on Golden Boyz,so with Paul and Jennie that made five boats heading for Alvecote. On Wednesday we headed for the marina apart from Sandra who was doing some good trading where she was so she joined us yesterday.
The weather forecast is pretty good for today and tomorrow but not so good Sunday and Monday,I've spent far too much time nattering to Ali and Lou but I have got a few more bits made. Hopefully we will have a good weekend.
Since my last post we have travelled 9.3 miles and 6 locks
This year we have travelled 25.6 miles, 29 locks and 1 tunnel
In 2013 we travelled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks, 55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels
During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 2563.3 miles, 2227 locks, 118 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 103 tunnels
We took a day off on Sunday, Ray wasn't feeling his best and it was very windy so we stayed where we were. On Monday we carried on through the last four Curdworth locks to the junction at Fazeley where we took a slight detour by heading away from Alvecote so that we could moor within walking distance of the shops. As we approached our mooring we saw Paul(of PJ Fenders) walking Patch, he stopped to help us moor then went back to his boat to fetch Jennie. After a couple of cuppas and a natter they headed home and we got ourselves sorted to go shopping. Then on the way back from shopping we stopped for a coffee with them, it's a hard life this boating lark!
On Tuesday we headed back the way we had come as far as the junction to meet up with Ali and Lou on Da Vinci and Lowry and Sandra on Golden Boyz,so with Paul and Jennie that made five boats heading for Alvecote. On Wednesday we headed for the marina apart from Sandra who was doing some good trading where she was so she joined us yesterday.
The weather forecast is pretty good for today and tomorrow but not so good Sunday and Monday,I've spent far too much time nattering to Ali and Lou but I have got a few more bits made. Hopefully we will have a good weekend.
Since my last post we have travelled 9.3 miles and 6 locks
This year we have travelled 25.6 miles, 29 locks and 1 tunnel
In 2013 we travelled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks, 55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels
During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 2563.3 miles, 2227 locks, 118 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 103 tunnels
Saturday 12 April 2014
On the move again
I know I've been very quiet but that's because life has been mainly boring!
We have spent most of our time working round the cycle of Ray's treatments. The good news is that he is coping well with them most of the time and is now over half way through. He is still suffering some nausea and feeling the cold. On the up side he is now just above what he always considered his normal weight.
We had a nice visit from Tim, Margaret and Nicholas during half term,don't think I've already mentioned that. Then we had a visit from The Hobbins clan and the Bristol Jones for my birthday. We all went out for a meal on the Saturday night and then met up for lunch and birthday cake at the moorings on Sunday, the weather was very kind to us and we were able to spend some time outside. My wonderful son Keith bought us a fridge/freezer as a combined Christmas/birthday present to both of us to make up for the ones he missed!! It is good to have a working fridge again and even better to have a freezer again.
I've been growing some herbs from seed at the moorings and Ray has made some boxes to hold the pots on the top of the boat while we are travelling. I've some ginger beer and rhubarb wine brewing but apart from that we haven't really done a lot.
We set off from Ocker Hill on Thursday morning and are heading for Alvecote near Tamworth for Easter weekend. We are taking it slowly as Ray is still not 100% and a full day of cruising would be too taxing for him.
On Thursday we tackled the first eleven of the Perry Barr locks, then did the last two of Perry Barr and the Minworth three on Friday. Today we moved down the first seven locks of Curdworth locks.
We managed the stretch of the Tame Valley from Ocker Hill to the Perry Barr top lock without incident but then we had clear about half dozen branches before we could start down the flight. All went reasonably well until lock 11 where we picked up a collection of carrier bags and rope and chain round the prop which gave us a good reason to call it a day! The next morning I had to let water down to fill the pound between 12 and 13 because the water level was so low but apart from that the rest of our journey has been uneventful.
There aren't many boats on the move, we have only seen a couple of boats a day, well none on Thursday apart from CRT work boats but that's no surprise on the Tame Valley.
This year we have travelled 16.3 miles, 23 locks and 1 tunnel
In 2013 we travelled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks, 55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels
During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 2554 miles, 2218 locks, 118 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 103 tunnels
We have spent most of our time working round the cycle of Ray's treatments. The good news is that he is coping well with them most of the time and is now over half way through. He is still suffering some nausea and feeling the cold. On the up side he is now just above what he always considered his normal weight.
We had a nice visit from Tim, Margaret and Nicholas during half term,don't think I've already mentioned that. Then we had a visit from The Hobbins clan and the Bristol Jones for my birthday. We all went out for a meal on the Saturday night and then met up for lunch and birthday cake at the moorings on Sunday, the weather was very kind to us and we were able to spend some time outside. My wonderful son Keith bought us a fridge/freezer as a combined Christmas/birthday present to both of us to make up for the ones he missed!! It is good to have a working fridge again and even better to have a freezer again.
I've been growing some herbs from seed at the moorings and Ray has made some boxes to hold the pots on the top of the boat while we are travelling. I've some ginger beer and rhubarb wine brewing but apart from that we haven't really done a lot.
We set off from Ocker Hill on Thursday morning and are heading for Alvecote near Tamworth for Easter weekend. We are taking it slowly as Ray is still not 100% and a full day of cruising would be too taxing for him.
On Thursday we tackled the first eleven of the Perry Barr locks, then did the last two of Perry Barr and the Minworth three on Friday. Today we moved down the first seven locks of Curdworth locks.
We managed the stretch of the Tame Valley from Ocker Hill to the Perry Barr top lock without incident but then we had clear about half dozen branches before we could start down the flight. All went reasonably well until lock 11 where we picked up a collection of carrier bags and rope and chain round the prop which gave us a good reason to call it a day! The next morning I had to let water down to fill the pound between 12 and 13 because the water level was so low but apart from that the rest of our journey has been uneventful.
There aren't many boats on the move, we have only seen a couple of boats a day, well none on Thursday apart from CRT work boats but that's no surprise on the Tame Valley.
This year we have travelled 16.3 miles, 23 locks and 1 tunnel
In 2013 we travelled 459.1 miles, 434 locks, 7 swing bridges, 15 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2012 we travelled 876.9 miles, 675 locks, 55 swing bridges, 23 lift bridges and 31 tunnels
In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels
During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels
Since Ray retired we have travelled 2554 miles, 2218 locks, 118 swing bridges, 76 lift bridges and 103 tunnels
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