Work lawns tiling , repeat .....plus locking info

It's my record to look back on of course, but that is what I have been doing. The lawns bit is a boating lawn - or grass on a mooring that saw me over to Percy to clear off this job.

I picked up some interesting info from NB Valerie - the C&RT locking report. Click here  

It shows how busy my stretch of the canal is  - with Woodend lock being the 6th busiest on the system. However it also shows the impact of the ceasing of the Shakespeare fleet out of Mercia and the running down of the CanalTime out of Sawley that both targeted Fradley as a destination. Locks such as Wychnor  and Stenson are down 8% on use showing the reduction in holiday boating in my areas.

This time last year of course I was resident on the boat and planning for an imminent return to bricks and mortar prior to taking Percy to be painted.... where did that year go ? Now I am planning the reverse move .... even got my rod license sorted.

Hard slog....stove and CART complain updates

Missing the boat at the moment. Not helped by reading all of your blogging adventures. A combination of extreme studying and lots of work on the house to get it ready for someone else.... means at the moment there is little Percy Action.

I will be there next week as the grass will need a cut and this weekend sees me back on Watery Lane  - literally. Boy did it rain on Friday.

A real contrast to last Sunday morning when I did get out on the Pan for a coffee and a wander around all sorts of P&J's at the bike shop in Chesterfield.

I have drawn a blank on my stove search.... I have an option, someone in the railway 'scene' who may know someone .... And the CART complaint is still ongoing... I'll update on that in a separate email as once again it is getting tedious.

Keep the blogs coming I need my canal fix for the next few weeks  !  

Back on the boat is getting closer - one back four away

The target is the Middle of May, which will be about 6 weeks earlier that the year before when I recall it was the beginning of July that I took residency of the boat for 10 months whilst my son and his wife took residency of the house. The publishable plans are very loose at the moment for numerous reasons.

As to this weekend it has been down south but not before a stop by the boat to pass on a card and drink for my neighbour Mandy who is off on her adventure of an early retirement cruise of the system. Other moorers Jan and Graham have returned to land after 11 years living afloat. Two more boats have or will be moving on shortly - watch the mooring auctions for some decent moorings if you want an off grid off line mooring with some great cruising routes?

Back to this weekend I was spannering on the bike mainly then 'test riding'  - over to Portsdown Hill

Sunday and it was a ride into the Surry hills to meet up with friends for a Sunday 'salad' of eggs, bacon sausage  - etc ! A decent 120 mile catch up with like minded bikers. 

Tomorrow is the early start and back to the work and home work  - tiling will be the evening entertainment now for the next couple weeks - joy !

That is what my bathroom looks like at the moment, good job we have an ensuite !