Life Changing Events

as has been over a year since I last updated the blog; this will change. It has been eventful - after a year of engine trouble, leaking gaskets etc, we finally got the gaskets replaced and the water pump repaired and cruised the Cheshire Ring in September (after the Ring reopened due to the Bridgewater Canal being closed all summer in Manchester, when a mill collapsed). It was a lovely cruise, the sun shone and we found going round anticlockwise was a completely different  experience; locks behave differently; you see the landscape from a different angle.
Coming up Bosley Locks though, Chris had to set the last two Locks and we were both exhausted. Winter and we had a little holiday just before Christmas, but both had colds and over Christmas as well. Stella returned to work on the 29th December, but  we were both ill with a chest infection and so we rang and got an appointment with a local surgery in Marple (who subsequently took us on as permanent patients).  Stella explained the cramps she was getting and the doctor asked her to go for blood tests and signed her off for s fortnight. The blood tests showed her to be anaemic and she had to go for a further test, but went back to see the GP on the 18th January, as she still felt exhausted, breathless and generally unwell. The GP said he would get her kidney function tested in the further blood test and that was, we thought that.
Later that evening, the phone rang, Stella answered and it was the duty doctor saying the blood test results were showing renal failure and to go to hospital at once. Stella explained that she had a kidney infection some 32 years ago but nothing since. The doctor said she would phone the hospital and get back to us. Half an hour later, another phone call to say that another 12 hours wouldn't make that much difference but go to A&E the next morning.
So, at 9,am, on 19'January, 2016, Stella arrived at Stepping Hill with a small suitcase (as they had said she would be admitted), little did we know that this would then involve a three week stay in hospital and be completely life changing.
Once in Stepping Hill, the tests started and she was placed under the care of the Renal Unit at Manchester Royal Infirmary. Her kidney function is 6% and the Renal doctors explained that this means that as her kidney function had fallen below 10&, the likelihood of it returning to what it should be (60-65%) was slim to none and this would be life changing. Still in Stepping Hill awaiting a bed in the Renal Unit at MRI, she had loads of tests to discover where the 1,5 litres of iron given in transfusion had gone, endoscopies, ultrasounds, VC scans showed no bleeding and finally after 2 weeks, she was transferred to the MRI. This is where it became truly bizarre. The MRI had been able to get Stella's records from her treatment for glaucoma at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, part of the same Trust, and had written to the GP listed on those records, our previous GP in Altrincham; who duly sent the blood test results over. The consultant saw Stella the following day and asked her if she was aware her kidney function was 21% in 2009 and 14% in 2014. The answer was no and so we have asked for an explanation for the non referral.
She was seen by the pre-dialysis team and was given the option of either hemodialysis and peritonealdialysis, which  remove wastes and excess water from the blood in different ways. Hemodialysis removes wastes and water by circulating blood outside the body through an external filter, called a dialyzer, that contains a semipermeable membrane. The peritonealdialysis is usually done at home but this was discarded as the boat wouldn't be big enough to take either the machine or the fluids, so it would be haemodialysis done three times a week for four hours at a time in the unit at Stockport. They thought about doing a biopsy, but the kidneys were so small and so calcified that it was felt nothing of value would be gained, but that they would build a fistula so the dialysis could be done there. However, the nephrologist determined that they couldn't wait for the fistula to be done and that a Tasio line would be fitted into her heart and tubes so that dialysis could start straight away. Date set for this the following Thursday, the 11 February and then she was told that she could go home. The joy, after three weeks to finally be back on Gracie.
The Tasio line was duly fitted and on Saturday the 13th February, she started dialysis. After 6 weeks, she returned to work on phased return, going to dialysis Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, off Friday and dialysis Saturdays. Actually, you set off at 12noon, wait for your bed to become available, you get on between 1-2.pm, then 4 hours and then you come off and get home about 6.30pm, so a part time job you never get a holiday from.
Then the date for the fistula to be done, a further fortnight off as I can't use my wrist and then a week's holiday to make three weeks off. Finally,, after 15 weeks and a further litre of iron her blood tests are normal, hurrah.
Meanwhile, our cruising pattern is severely limited due to dialysis and renal transport, but we have kept in touch with Canal and River Trust and they have been lovely, we have a notice to stay in an area for the foreseeable future and things are looking up. Now, Chris has severe pain, kidney stones have made a reappearance and so they are now investigating and hopefully will refer him for lithotripsy to remove them.
Our thanks go out to all our family and friends who have supported us, and if you see us about the Upper Peak Forest Canal, give us a wave.

Gracie Update

Remiss of me, we now have a State of Gracie Facebook page and so this tends to be updated rather than the blog. So much has and hasn't happened since last posting.

Gracie has now been out of the water, in dry dock; we have to have some welding done; painting the exterior has started and interior is starting to take shape.

We blacked her ourselves at Portland Basin Marina at the end of the Peak Forest Canal. It was reopened in 2000 as part of the Huddersfield Canal reopening. Lovely people, can recommend it as an excellent place to have work done.

The gas locker floor needs replacing, combination of water underneath in the water tank, a slight lip where the water should drain and gas bottles grinding into metal meant a small hole developed. So we are getting a new floor welded in, the lip removed and some hardwood strips to rest the bottles on. The welder says it has happened previously, so a design fault.

The dogs continue to love this life. We are travelling along the entire Peak Forest Canal and going down into Manchester, via Stalybridge, or StalyVegas, as it is known locally!

We are slowly getting to know boaters and organisations, we have joined the National Association of Boat Owners and Stella has attended the boater's meeting in Birmingham and the Manchester and Peninne  AGM. We have also put our money where our mouth is and become Friends of CRT; meaning that we are sponsoring CRT as well as paying a licence.

Have a good summer everyone

Middlewich

We travelled down to Middlewich today, a glorious day and only six locks to do. One bridge coming into Middlewich has suffered damage from a boat - bet they felt that! We took the advice of Bob Cadawaller, (who came to do the BSS and passed Gracie, now the wiring in the engine room is done and the vents cleaned, meaning the pilot light finally works properly on the water heater!) and came through Kings Lock, turned left up Wardle Lock and found a lovely 48 hour mooring just before Bridge 31.
We arrived just before the showers and so didn't need to cruise in the rain!
Middlewich is where Stella's Mum was born and where her great grandfather, Josiah Preston, was born on a narrowboat. Her grandfather, Wilfred Faulkner, was Mayor of Middlewich in the 1970's and apparently has a street named after him. We are going into the Town Hall to meet the Town Clerk, who will be able to fill in family history.
Tomorrow,  a friend is picking Stella's daughter up from the airport and bringing her here and then we will continue our cruise to the Llangollen Canal.
The boys are really enjoying themselves,  supervising the locks and enjoying lying by the boat on the towpath,  which would have been difficult on the moorings up to Kings Lock, due to its proximity to the main road. Kings Lock Inn is,in the process of being refurbished, but people were still sat enjoying a drink in the sun.
There are also a big number of swans,  so will try to get a photo tomorrow. We are now sat in the dry, I am going to the water point to get the animals drinking water - a good day.

Finally Cruising

So, as Stella's eldest is in Spain for a few days, we thought we would get some of the journey out of the way, as the plan is to travel up the Llangollen Canal and do the other half of the Cheshire Ring through Manchester.
So, yesterday,  we travelled from Bollington to the top of Bosley Locks and moored up at the services. They are solar powered and have showers, toilets, Elsan disposal and a washing machine and tumble drier. You can get the cards from Nb Alton and each use of whichever is Four units and you get 25 units on a card.
So, managed to do four loads of washing and two dried, but I wish all services were as good.
So today, Bosley Locks and down onto the Trent & Mersey Canal
The bottom of the Macclesfield Canal is pretty and although the moorings in Congleton are OK, none of the towpaths have been strummed, so the nettles have taken hold and of course every place is 48 hours, so not encouraging to visitors.
There are some lovely views though and some of the gardens are gorgeous as well as wild flower banks
We found ourselves sadly out of practice for locks, although the Bosley Locks were good and all set up, so we were through in less than three hours,  stopped and had lunch and chatted to an Australian couple here in the UK on holiday and then set off, getting through the first three locks of Heartbreak Hill, as it is known.
Now, moored up ahead of the next five locks out of 44, curry on ready for tea tomorrow night.

The Story So Far

Check Well, after a month of doing very little due to my sprained wrist; we thought we'd get going and start cruising slowly down the Macclesfield Canal after Easter. We had a couple of nights in Poynton,  while Stella went for physio for her wrist and then got to Bollington, where we arranged for our Boat Safety Cert to be done. It was a busy day, sorting out banks etc as well and then the inspector found the wires to the relay were melting. So a fail and a call out to get the engine sorted once and for all, as it's not been right since the new starter motor was installed at the end of November last year.
The result was the solenoid had burnt out and so it had to go back to Stoke to be rebuilt and we had a week with no electricity or water. Fortunately,  there was a tap at Clarence Mill we could use and finally on Friday they came to mend it. Stella went off to the airport to meet her eldest daughter, whom she hadn't seen in 7 years and so a short family reunion was had before she flew out to Spain to see her Dad.

Easter on the cut

It's been about a month since I posted this blog and quite a bit has happened, since the last post. The wrist turned out to be a suspected scaphoid fracture (tiny bone on the inside of the wrist). So, signed off work til Easter and back to the Orthopaedic Outpatients for a check up on the 7th April. They were reasonably confident that although it wasn't broken, I had sprained it, torn tendons and damaged ligaments and advised me to stay off work until the next time they saw me and to have some physio in the meantime. So, back to hospital on the 29th April and signed off until May 1st, as I have holiday booked from 1st-28th May. So, I have been relaxing,  taking dogs out and generally pottering about. We are currently moored about a mile outside Marple,  very quiet and in a shady spot, good for keeping the boat cool in the sun, although there have been cool winds. 

We moved down here from Whaley Bridge a fortnight ago. The dogs have enjoyed the move although we have to watch them in Whaley Bridge,  Simba, in particular tends to wander round the picnic tables (middle name is Yogi Bear) and one day they got themselves completely lost when I was walking to Furness Vale to change the stop cord for a longer one and ended up on the bypass. Fortunately,  they have tags on with Boat name and Chris's mobile number and someone grabbed them and phoned. The same thing happened in Marple - sure sign we need to move on! 

We have a Boat Safety Survey to organise before 10th May, so will phone round on Tuesday to book someone and eldest arrives in less than a fortnight from New Zealand,  so once Easter is over,  we will be moving down the Macclesfield Canal towards Congleton ti be there for the 2nd May and then on round to Nantwich for the 7th May, when she joins us for our cruise down the Llangollen Canal.

I have to say, having this time off work has allowed me finally get rid of the virus that has haunted me since last November and we have also realised how much weight we have lost, both as a result of the flu, but also a complete change of diet (and correspondingly smaller portions). We tend to only have meat once or twice a week and therefore are eating more fresh vegetables and lentils, pulses etc. One of our favourite meals is baked potato done in the ash can and sautéed onions, garlic, sweet peppers and whatever other veg we have; delicious!  We find shop made dishes both very salty and sugary, actually quite a shock the other day when we had pizza and garlic bread and were still hungry afterwards. I reckon this shows that a ready meal diet is designed to make you eat more, not less!

So a cruise to look forward to - have a lovely Easter, wherever you are and whoever you are with.

. 

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! 

Seven months Onboard and our sixth wedding anniversary

We are coming to the end of our seventh month Onboard - a steep learning curve in engines - we have had to get a new starter motor and when fitted it must have loosened the wires connecting the batteries to the alternator - apart from a valve perishing and so water was coming into the bilge. Gracie doesn't like the cold but last week it was twice we just couldn't get a charge into the batteries and had to get a neighbour to jump start her.
Of course as soon as anyone sees an engine cover off - advice is given, tea is drunk and finally on Sunday - a lovely day - we thought, up early, water up and off to New Mills; Gracie, however, had different ideas and decided she wasn't starting. We had had this before and she had started eventually once the air temp warmed up, so I took dogs, Elsan and water bottles to Marple and met Kit & Mike on Here be Dragons, who had helped us earlier and Mike went off to check heaters etc - I went off and got water and on the way back saw two other friends on their boats; who told me the engine was now going.
Turns out there were three wires loose to the alternator and once fixed, she has started like a dream and is charging the batteries up in 2.5 hours again rather than the six it was taking! Also, Chris topped the starter battery up, so that obviously helped.
So the landlubbers, now narrowboaters, learnt another lesson and a big shout out to Wayne and Mike who fixed Gracie's engine and a heartfelt thank you
It is our sixth wedding anniversary on Friday and on the 17th March 2012 we got a nine week old black Labrador, whom we named Shiva, it seems longer than that, we have had a ball really and roll on the next 56 years!

Life Onboard

Had to get my phone mended as it stopped charging and wouldn't turn on. So, no phone for three weeks - well, not strictly speaking, as I bought a basic one. Anyway, they phoned to say it was ready to collect and when I went to collect it, they had replaced it with a new one. So, have spent the last two days getting apps back (including this one!). Well impressed with SONY as the play store remembered what I had previously downloaded, so haven't had to search.

What a funny day - we were supposed to be cruising down to New Mills this morning; but Gracie had other ideas and decided she wasn't going to start! So I went and did the shopping - bones for puppy dogs was the top of the list. We had heard about a marine  electrician based in Marple - retired; so,Chris said he'd go and find him - i got back and he had finished emptying the bilge and said he'd have one last go at starting the engine and Gracie decided she would start!

Then off to find the electrician - lovely man - but can't walk far; so back to Gracie; wind and up to Marple to empty rubbish & get water. He arrived; checked wiring; fixed the horn and will,bring,a meter tomorrow to check the batteries and is replacing 2 fuses that have blown.

I am off to buy a bicycle tomorrow. This should enable us to moor a little easier, particularly in the summer and will keep fitness levels up. Both Chris and I have lost weight (a good thing) and for me I am back (virtually) to where I was when we got married six years ago (anniversary 14 March and 7th month of living Onboard NB Gracie) ;-)

We do so love this life - not saying it is easy - changing Elsan cassettes; getting drinking water falls mainly on Chris's shoulders as I am at work Monday through Thursday; but the dogs get lots of walks (and swims) and his health has improved as well as fitness levels.
So all in all the main lesson we learnt today was that Nb Gracie knows best - but also that you meet the nicest people living this life!

NB Gracie - Our First Christmas Aboard

Five weeks - where has the time gone? 

Our turn from the Macclesfield Canal onto the Peak Forest Canal, six weeks ago - since then, we had 10 days without power due to the starter motor breaking down and it having to go to Stoke to be mended in a specialist machine shop - we joined RCR (the AA of the canal) who managed to fix it for us but of course it still cost money! We had 2 weeks in Strines, about a mile outside Marple; which meant we weren't too far from the Elsan Point)to empty the toilet) and water. The downside was no electricity and therefore no pump to pump water out of the tank, so we (well mainly Chris) had to walk to Marple every two days for water). Once fixed, we winded and went to Marple for the weekend, whilst there, Father Christmas arrived

On the Sunday, the coalboat, NB Alton arrived and we got coal; after which, we set off for Furness Vale (about a four hour trip) - to get there, you do two lift bridges and 2 swing bridges.  We went through the first lift bridge OK, the coal boat had gone through not an hour before and it wouldn't lift! I shifted some leaves and mud from around the hinge, but it still wouldn't move - by now, Chris had arrived on Gracie and another boater arrived and gave me the number for CaRT (Canal and River Trust) for them to come; we moored up; Chris made tea and we waited. Then someone else arrived and we walked to see if there was anything we missed. One of the chains was a bit loose, so Chris jumped up and down on the bridge and lo and behold, it started to move! So after half an hour, we were once again on our way - I spent five minutes getting a huge dollop of mud out of the hinge though. So onwards; by now it was starting to get late and there was the most glorious sunset; but we were not quite at Furness Vale Marina nor at the last swing bridge at the start. Just before, are some good moorings and there was a space, but Chris said we'd keep going - I was walking the towpath with the dogs; we did the last swing bridge and by now the sun had set. We have a favourite mooring quite near Furness Vale Train Station (About a five minute walk away) and we got there as it was going dark; in fact Chris couldn't see me it was so dark. We moored up and I started to make tea when NB Alton passed us - Nightboating on the coallboat!

We decided that if we could, we would go up to Whaley Bridge for Christmas and New Year (Bugsworth isn't open this year as they have drained it for repairs) and all week, Chris had been walking up to the Basin to check (taken at the beginning of November)

SO we set off on Friday - the dogs love cruising

and we do too. 

We winded and got water and slotted in right behind a friend's boat; who is away for Christmas and so it is good we are here - we are debating getting a mooring along here and will investigate that.

We have been trying to get to Stockport all weekend to deliver cards etc; however, wahing in a twin tub takes time and then the coal boat arrived just as we were getting ready to go on the train, ne and Ann-Marie McGuigan from NB Alton gunnel dancing with the coal and a bottle of ale called "Gunnel Dancer"!

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So may we take the opportunity to wish all a very Merry Christmas, Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year and we haven't a tree - just a Spacey Gracie

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Three Month Anniversary

Yesterday marked three months since we moved aboard Gracie - it seems much longer in some ways and in others a short time. We have learnt a lot and are now moving into late autumn - we haven't experienced a true frost yet, although there was one when we moored in Furness Vale on the Peak Forest canal.

Originally, we had planned on a marina life but this felt too much like a horizontal towerblock and they didn't like dogs - moral of story - if you have a dog don't moor at Macclesfield Marina (next to Hovis Mill). 

We have had an invertor fitted to generate 240 volt electricity and if you want work done; we can certainly recommend that marina. We will get solar panels fitted early next year; which will mean we don't have to run the engine when we run the washing machine (finally purchased last week - a twin tub). We have had a cratch cover out on the bow and a dodger and tonneau on the stern; which gives us a dining room/porch and a storage area when not cruising. 

We get coal, diesel and pretty much everything else from the coal boat, NB Alton, fortnightly and although during the winter we will use a lot of coal; next summer we hope to be able to get some wood and this will save that cost. We have to get Gracie blacked and get a licence. We are joining the association of Continuous Cruisers as well as the National Boat Owners Association. 

We are now meeting other liveaboards that live on these canals; old travellers - canals now being the only place left you can legally travel and stop for 14 days before moving on. Some are, like us, relatively new to canal life; but others have lived and worked on here for years. The canals are pretty empty now and peaceful - it is the start of the long winter nights and we are going to enjoy our first winter aboard.

It should be interesting over the coming weeks as it appears we might experience our first ice and snow - bring it on! 

As we are moored in Marple; I took a walk up to Marple Ridge today - what a lovely view - if you get a chance - walk up to the church from the Brick Bridge just past Marple Marina and walk the Apprentices Walk through and up to the church

Bonfire Night

Here we are between Halloween and Guy Fawkes. - All Saint's Day seems to pass people by and the weather is truly autumnal. Took the dogs shopping today ; there are lovely local shops in Whaley Bridge and their favourite has to be Wild's Butchers- they sit nicely outside because they know there'll be bones and they'll get a treat - today a sheep heart between them and a huge bone each to take home! Got dome lovely steak for braising which is on the stove marinating for dinner tomorrow.
Now; it's blowing a gale with rain and we're toasty warm with the cratch cover and stove!
Bought a pair of sheepskin boots each from the tannery in Pandora, Napier; New Zealand - brilliant for on the boat . We are getting there slowly!_

Living in the State of Gracie

We enter our third week of official continuous Cruising; having spent a lovely week in Whaley Bridge and continuing our  theme of shopping locally where we can; found the most fabulous butchers and pet shop. We notice that people are more relaxed out of the cities - do they have more time?  I don't think so; they just use it in a different way - we are so lucky to be living this life, it is so much more gentle - canal time!

The Cratch Cover

This week they are coming to fit the cover/board/Dodger & tonneau in stone - cannot wait as we will finally have cover on the bow & a cover for the stern. We're travelling pinto Whaley Bridge so Chris can move Gracie to Bugsworth Basin on Wednesday so they can get close with the van - it'll be nice to be able to have our meals at a proper table again as they are also fitting a drop down table to the cratch board.

Continuously Cruising

We have decided to give notice at Macclesfield Canal Centre and continuously cruise - this is comparatively easy to do around here & still enable me to go to work four days a week,  we came up to Marple on Friday and decided that we won't be returning to Macclesfield any time soon - moral of story - listen to  Chris's inner voice and buy a PO Box number. We are currently moored on the Peak Forest Canal just down from Marple Canal Basin

Bollington on the Macclesfield Canal

Since moving onto Gracie, we have made a conscious effort to buy locally and use the shops and services "on the cut" - we came up to Bollington last night because there is a Fish & Chip restaurant /takeaway - The Plaice, which comes highly recommended - if you get the chance to go = do try the Bollington Pudding - it is divine. Anyway, as I said we are trying to shop locally and therefore I went into Bollington and bought meat & veg from the butchers and then went into the bakery. The smell of freshly made vanilla/custard slices meant I had to purchase some - they were divine. However, no-one;s tills were working, so no chip & pin for those with cards. Then this afternoon, NB Alton (coal boat) came down the canal, sp we bought coal and her chip & pin wouldn't work properly either - it did the second time as I held it over my head - however, is Bollington in a dead spot? (it's an extremely pretty town with lovely shops though)
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On 16th August 1819, 15 people were killed and up to 700 injured when troops waded into a demo calling for the vote at St Peter's Field in Manchester. On the anniversary this year, there's an event being held at the Radisson Hotel on Peter Street, featuring speakers, poets and bands, including Salford rap collective Class Actions, recently returned from a tour of Austria.

Amongst those events in history that are ingrained into consciousness from school or elsewhere is the Peterloo Massacre which happened almost around the corner in Manchester.

It's now 194 years since around 80,000 people meeting at St Peter's Field, to demand Parliamentary reform and the vote, were attacked by the cavalry, leaving 15 dead and up to 700 injured. The massacre was named after the Battle of Waterloo which had happened four years earlier.

The community and trade unions have been determined that this horrid event in working class history is never to be forgotten, and in recent years there's been an annual event to show respect. This year's Peterloo Massacre Anniversary Event looks set to be the biggest yet.

On stage at the Radisson Hotel on Peter Street in Manchester will be speakers plus ace radical singer songwriter, Claire Mooney, political poet Dave Puller and Salford rap collective Class Actions.

Class Actions have recently completed a debut European tour, which took in Austriaand Germany, playing venues in Vienna, Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Graz, taking the Salford attitude to new audiences supported by radical publisher, Bahoe Books, and on stage by The Unknown Hip Hop Artist from Budapest.

.In Munich, Class Actions' Aslan AK and Mike F posed with an Anti-Fascist Action flag inside the very beer hall where Hitler attempted the Munich Putsch in 1923, and in Austria their shows featured a localised variation of their trade mark song Rip Up the Sun, which involved the audience burning copies of Austria's two most infamous tabloids the Kronen Zeitung and the Österreich.
Friday 16th August 7:30pm £3/£1
Radisson Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester

"It was an honour to be invited to tour such a beautiful country as well as play a bonus show in Munich" says frontman Aslan AK "I felt proud to export the radical socialist and anarchist tradition of Class Actions' adopted city to a continental audience. I hope our legacy is that more people in Austria will show the red card to the tabloids we used as firewood, I wish more venues in England would let us burn the Sun!"

Mike F, Class Actions' producer adds "It was a brilliant feeling to play in front of our first international audiences and the support from Bahoe Books was incredible. We've been lucky enough to meet some really great people and perform with some inspiring artists. It was an amazing experience."

You can see Class Actions closer to home on August 16th, along with guests Andy Carrington and Freddie Engels, plus some other top artists, at the Peterloo Massacre Anniversary…

Peterloo Massacre Anniversary Event 

http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=1901


On the 16 August 2013 - we start a new life aboard Gracie - we remember those that died to give us the freedom which this present government is fast taking away from people; when will people wake up? Your rights at work are being stripped away - did the people at Peterloo die in vain - I fear so, as people sleep-walk into a fascist state 

and so the count down begins - Chris has flown to Norway today (photos WILL be posted!) to be at his youngest daughter's wedding tomorrow - I am off to see our moorings in Macclesfield tomorrow and I have the house buyers coming Saturday - so am hoping to get a provisional completion date from them. 
The weather is still hot and sunny - I am on leave today to dog-sit! We are going out again shortly to take the afternoon air and for the dogs to have a dip in the Bridgewater Canal
Chris is back Sunday and then it is one appointment after another with hospital, ATOS etc

G (gracie) minus 3

Monday morning - the bookcase went to its new home last night - we have packed a small box of books to take aboard - the rest are going into crates and will be stored - I hate getting rid of books; however, I will go through them today and earmark those that i will take to the charity shop. Clothes are going to the bin for Francis House and we are selling some. I have started to pack the kitchen up. Sold the wardrobe, but the person picking up didn't read the advert properly and wanted to pick up over Easter (answer, no; either today or tomorrow). 

Took the rugs and the wall hanging to a friend's last night - Washing machine, computer table, computer, double bed & dining table go tonight - house slowly emptying - trips to the tip today and youngest is coming round to help (how to tell I found more photos!)

So busy washing the last few things ahead of no washing machine. Will get a MiFi unit today and a new phone for Chris - then there is the rest of the clothes to clear and sort as well as the last of the books. Then the dining room cupboard plus the bedroom to finish packing - entire life now in boxes - will seem strange to leave this house after 30 years - all the children left home.

A new adventure beginning - the weather here is sunny and we haven't the snow, although I believe where Gracie is moored they have had quite a bit - that should make our first days interesting - there were lots of boats on the Bridgewater Canal yesterday - I think, hat, coat, gloves and scarves are going to be essential - the wind is a piercing lazy northerly, so bitterly cold although not frosty. Wind chill is about -6C - great for getting rest of washing dry!
 

Saturday - took the coffee table, curio table and the dragon hanging to Salford this morning - a lovely young lady giving them a new home - Filled the car up, so all ready to drive to the boat - we have also arranged to sell the wahing machine, the computer and table and the bookshelf in the lounge. The house is slowly emptying - its funny the things you find, that you had forgotten about - old photos are the best things - next on the shopping list is a scanner to scan all in so we have a record.
It is still trying to snow here - going to Stockport Market later - this will be the thing - we won't have a freezer (although the weather outside means we can probably store things outside and they'll freeze anyway!)
A shot of Shiva posing to finish