The start of Spring

I haven't mentioned how we rely on NBAlton and last weekend,  we had friends Onboard when Brian and Anne Marie arrived, they were most impressed with how everything flowed we do - diesel, coal, Elsan all bought within a short time. Coalboats are a lifeline to liveaboards - use them or lose them!

It was oficially the first day of Spring on Thursday - i had booked a half day holiday and went to collect my bike - the government in the UK do a cycle to work scheme - you buy a bike and get tax relief on the cost - pay over 12 months as well. So am now the owner of a red hybrid bike and a rather natty helmet with its own rear light! Watch out on the towpath for me!

Spring has definitely sprung - daffodils are out, ewes in lamb and even the sun has made an appearance.

Finally had my leave authorised - i am not sure why it has to go up.the management line if you want more than two weeks off at a time, or why it then takes nine weeks to authorise; but am now off from the second of May until the 28th May and now the cruise and holiday planning starts - Stella's eldest is over from New Zealand for that time and wanted to go.through Manchester, so.we thought we would finish The Cheshire Ring and go up the Llangollen Canal returning up the Bridgewater Canal through Manchester - the beauty of this is that she can join us and still see family and friends whilst here.

At present we are moving up the Peak Forest Canal towards Whaley Bridge and hopefully Bugsworth Basin will be open for Easter. It is typical Spring weather, brilliant sunshine one minute and pouring with rain the next. At least here the towpath is tarmac and not a mudbath as it is in Marple unfortunately.

We had an.eventful journey to Whaley Bridge - there is a swing bridge at Furness Vale and I normally get off Gracie at the previous bridge so as to have the bridge ready. Chris slowed her down; Shiva jumped offood, but Simba wouldn't - i grabbed hold of his harness to lift him off; his back.legs went in the canal, buy I got him.up and then slipped as I was getting off and fell heavily on my right wrist. Very sore .and grazed hand, got a tubular bandage and painkillers today, which are helping, but it's amazing what makes it twinge. I cycled up.to New Mills this morning as I managed to leave my bank card in the Co-op yesterday; slight flaw in my plan on my return - a headwind and changing gear was very painful! 

This is the view at New Mills - a lovely walk down to the River Goyt and along - it is a shame there are no visitor moorings here, as it . Is a friendly town with some nice shops and an indoor market. 

Once again, though the engine is playing up and so we have.a.call into River and Canal Rescue as Gracie will not start again! 

HopeFully we will be up and started soon as the engineer Is on his way.upupdate to say that the engine now working - lever had jammed owing to a frayed cable! 

2014 - Hurricanes and Engines

Here we are eight weeks into 2014 and it has been somewhat of a learning curve again. The cratch cover is worth its weight in gold as it has rained, at some point, every day since the first of January. We have had a virus, which ended up with both of us having a severe chest infection and resulted in us having 1000mg of penicillin a day for a week to shift it. It also meant we were three weeks in Marple, as we were too weak to steer the boat. 

We moved, once we could to Hawke Green and we experienced our first Storm Force Winds aboard Gracie - interesting though, that when we came to move, the wind had pushed silt and mud against the bow - just as well boats are up and down the canal or you'd never get through. But when winding Gracie had an altercation with a tree and so we have a hole in the bow window (currently mended with gaffer tape) until weather is fit to get it repaired. 

We have had fun with NB Gracie, we ran out of diesel and so had to bleed the engine. Upon opening the cover we discovered the bilge full of water owing to a small washer, which had perished. Now she is sound and dry, but it would seem every cloud has a silver lining and missing the coal boat (the excellent NB Alton, run by Brian and Ann Marie McGuigan, was that blessing in disguise, as left she would have sunk!

Also, need the electrics sorting as the Bilge pump isn't working and bizarrely, the horn. We think that the wires have shorted due to the water coming in and so are in the process of getting an electrician to come and look (Don't mess with electric.)

I am getting a bicycle, so beware on the tow-paths, cyclist will be coming through! I aim ito cycle to New Mills and get the bus to and from work. In the summer, aiming to cycle to work if I can (and get rid of this tummy!) - the hills may defeat me!

Oh and now,just in case we forgot - it's raining again!

But her is a photo of me and Ann Marie gunwale dancing at Christmas.