Gracie Update - August 2016

We celebrated our third anniversary of living aboard this month and are finally, painting the rest of Gracie. Waiting for both fitness and the weather to paint meant we only got the roof done last year to undercoat. We haven't quite decided on the final colour scheme,  although cream with burgundy trim is at the top of the list.
Stella finishes work this week,  so we will have more time to do things on Gracie; our cruising pattern is severely limited due to haemodialysis three times a week. She is now training to self dialyse at Altrincham Hospital, although the challenge of a machine on a boat might be a step too far; we will see. She can self dialyse at Shaw Heath Unit in Stockport,  whilst not ideal is better than being on a slot forever and try for transplant asap. Chris is due at Wythenshawe Hospital on Friday to have a CT Scan to investigate the kidney stone, resurfaced after four years, but with additional pain around the bladder. 

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

Winter has arrived

https://plus.google.com/photos/100664934354907504597/albums/6111404332655217841

Winter 2015

Apologies folks, we have been remiss. we have started a Facebook page - The State of Gracie. 
Christmas & New Year spent in Whaley Bridge and it snowed Boxing Day. 

Due to The Peak Forest Canal being closed to a lift-bridge being broken; we have been moored in Furness Vale waiting for it to reopen since. It finally snowed properly today and we took the boys to the Torrs in New Mills, a fabulous Labrador heaven.
Both our cats died

over the Christmas period; Roddy on the 12th December and Joseph on the 2nd January. we had them 15 years; the dogs lay with them both as they died in front of the fire. There will be a little area of the Peak Forest Canal that will be the cats playground. Run Free both of you
Happy 2015 to everyone

Upper Peak Forest and Early Winter Cruising

Another fortnight and we had a bit of bad news after our last cruise when we went to top up the diesel; tank filled a fortnight ago and when we checked, we had just less then a quarter of a tank, so someone had siphoned about 120 litres of diesel - a sad sign of the times.

We have moored near woodland adjacent to Swizzells Matlow sweet factory this week, in order to stock up on wood - Chris has been hard at work collecting logs all week and we now have at least three weeks supply - will go back there this week and get some more. It helps the coal consumption as we burn wood during the day and put coal on to keep the stove in overnight.

We cruised up to Bugsworth Basin today; there are two views of New Mills, Derbyshire above - the Upper Peak Forest Canal is probably our favourite - the views over the Peak District are spectacular and then you get to the end at Whaley Bridge  and get views like these.

 Upper Peak Forest Canal

 Sunset over the Basin

 Teapot cottages on the way into the basin

Whaley Bridge Basin.

We have worked out to be back up here for Christmas, when I have 10 days off and if it's OK, we might even go cruising - if it isn't raining or icy!

Have a good one everyone - Christmas will be here soon enough  

Late summer again in October

Half- Term for most  schools and my last week's annual leave before Christmas. The last of the holiday boats; some zooming by; some having lost the three day madness rule, ambling along. Then you have the boat movers, who seem to zoom allong anyways; especially between marinas. 

The weather has been glorious - we gently cruised down from New Mills to Marple, where we spent four days and then onto Bosley Services, where we got to at 4,30 pm and I finished all bar one load of washing by 4 am! 

The next day, we wtook the rest of the settee base out of the boat; scrubbed ad polished the floor with inseed oil. Looking at photos of gracie when we first moved aboard, you can see what last winter's rain and mud have done to the floor. WE did consider sanding and putting a seal on it; however, the dogs would slip, we would slip and the boat rocks - not an ideal combination, so scrubbing and polishing it is, until we find a good non-lip solution we like. This maybe when we redo the kitchen - We need another two cupboards, so are now looking for ideas on things we would like. 
We spent two nights at Gurnett Aqueduct. Catching up with Simba's friend Nanook,  an Alaskan malamute and then cruised down to Bollington, another favourite location for the boys. 

Off to Poynton and then Marple ready for work again Monday! 

Autumn Cruising

We have left the Peak Forest Canal for a while; we spent a lovely weekend at Bugsworth Basin and then returned to near Swizzells Matlow factory in New Mills to collect wood.

A hard week, due to an unexpected fee to recover Simba from the pound, but unexpected surprise via our ever present coalboat, NB Alton and meeting a FB friend for the first time helped.

We gently cruised down to Marple at the weekend and will stop a few days whilst Stella attends a training course in Manchester and then a cruise to Bosley Services awaits!

World Inequality Day

On the day, millions are blogging about equality; here are my thoughts.
The elite thrive on inequality; they always have. These people don't know what it's like to work, but not have enough money for heating and food. Yet, if they spent just a little; it would make things better.
The UK changed in the 1980's; up until then, you could, if you chose to, be in a household with one wage because you could afford it. The Thatcher government changed all that. There will be those who remember the British Gas, the water companies,  the Electricity Boards being sold off - to whom? Hedge funds mostly for massive profits. Then of course, the council house selling; but not being able to reinvest. Housing bubble created in the 1980's meaning negative equity for many when the market fell.
Of course, there was also the idea the UK could be a service economy, when any economics textbook will tell you that a balanced economy is a thrd each of agriculture,  manufacturing and service. However,  this was the start of the money is God society; comedians made fun, "loadsamoney" was the catchphrase,  talk was of how much property had gone up, adverts telling you that you had to have the latest gadget. Communities decimated by the closure of mines, factories were the first victims; but all the government of the day would say was "Get on your bike"! Of course, there weren't that many cars, so they split all integrated transport up.outside London and in order to be able to get to work; you needed a car, especially if you lived outside the metropolitan areas.
The last new Labour government started the minimum wage, but  didn't repeal any of the anti-union laws; began PFI in the NHS and continued the inequality.
It is time for the inequality to end, fair wages and equal pay for work if equal value would enable this country to prosper. I wonder if any of the current political parties have the will to make it happen?

Summer into Autumn

We haven't gone far this summer. Due to failed engines, we were stuck in Whaley Bridge/Furness Vale for eight weeks,  including Stella's two weeks summer (well, that was advisory, summer doesn't happen in August anymore) holiday, spent on a marina awaiting a new engine.
Anyway, that is all sorted now and we are back cruising. 
We had a lovely weekend last week at the Steam Fair at Bugsworth,  meeting old friends,  catching up with gossip.  Simba had an unplanned overnight stay at Cheshire Dogs Home after going missing and being handed in. My phone had no signal, as I was in Glasgow, so phoned warden when I got back and a very chastened Simba was returned the following morning, after us paying a £91.40 fine.
That's the only problem with being on one wage; we don't have contingency money just at present, with an engine to pay for. However,  things will get better and we are getting set for winter, mooring near woodland, to collect fallen logs for the stove.
Still loving this life; even being without electricity had its own charm. The cats have a new lease of life and the dogs really enjoy going to new places, returning to old haunts. Just have to keep Simba near the boat!
A few photos and shout out to our coalboat, Nb Alton. The lifeblood of the canal, lovely people and have a special.place in everyones lives.
Will try and do this weekly from.now on!

Happy Anniversary Gracie

This weekend marks a year since we moved aboard Gracie.

Reorganisation on NB Gracie

After a fortnight in Strines,; time to move onto Whaley Bridge. We haven't been here since before aster, apart from the brief interlude for the Whaley Water Weekend, when we moored in Bugsworth.

We all like it here, we called into Bugsworth Basin to water up, change Eklsan and remove rubbish.
A glorious afternoon, Shiva in and out of eh cut, Simba shading himself and the cats enjoying hte sun.Then round to Whaley Bridge Basin,.

Next month is the anniversary of us moving aboard NBGracie and we always felt the settee was too big, so today, I moved it to vacuum behind and then decided to try and take it apart. Three hours later, all complete - another  foot or more of floor space and the ability to have a conversation circle. 
Next job is to get a single pine bed (or similar) and have boxes underneath for storage as well as resealing the floor, which took a battering t in the winter with all the rain.

The Peak Forest Canal

We continued our journey down to New Mills on Sunday, where we will moor for the next fortnight. Stella returned to work (horror) and straight back into the thick of it!

We do like it here - we are moored adjacent to the Torrs Country park, a great place for the dogs to run around and generally enjoy themselves - the River Goyt is at the bottom, so an added bonus - a quiet week - working and catching up on much needed sleep!

Today was the New Mills Festival and Parade - great to see all the local schools and organisations taking part, although I noted the general lack of floats (liability insurance means that it  becomes too expensive) but two Brass Bands and a Pipe Band - then off to the River for a much needed swim for the dogs!

Fiona is now back in New Zealand and also back at work, so have purloined her photos for the one of me, Chris and her outside Gracie on her last day here. An emotional day for all of us (I actually managed not to cry, although she admits to crying as she went through passport control!)

Yesterday, I washed Gracie's curtains as well as washing the windows, so she looks quite tidy - I have to do a video for Fiona as well. However, I think that might be a before and after video as we are going to take the sofa out and redo the floor - a wet and muddy winter means the wooden floor is in desperate need of resealing now and we wnat to do the whole floor. Also, clean the carpet and maybe see if we can get a few offcuts to replace as that also took a hammering. We are also exploring getting a fitted automatic washing machine - make life a lot easier. Although, we have decided that taking sheets/towels to the laundrette once a month is reasonably cost effective. 

We seem to follow festivals around - the time of year - it is the Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival as well this weekend, a date for the diary next year and we are also thinking about doing the BCN (Birmingham Canal Society) Challenge on the second Bank Holiday in May 2015 - planning to get there and back will be needed to fit around working, but we reckon we can do it.

Just realised it is coming up to a year ago that we accepted the offer on the house and then reinstated the offer on Nb Gracie - that year has flown by!

Whaley Bridge Water Weekend first weekend in June

What an eventful two weeks; Fiona left us on the last weekend she was here, but came out to see us on her last day in England. We thoroughly enjoyed the time we had with her, travellers together.
Then it was time for her to leave and for Stella to return to work after ten weeks off. Mixed emotions on this, enjoy the job, but at the same time wanting to be on the cut all the time and travelling. But after two days, moved up to Whaley Bridge; we do like it up here. Lovely town,  friendly locals and for that weekend, a boat village opposite the towpath - bonfire and eating together on the Friday night and then mixing all weekend with that spirit was lovely. Seven boats, eight adults, five dogs and four children, a nice impromptu gathering.
Onto Stella's second week back at work, cycling to New Mills to get the bus is a peaceful way to start and finish your day; it's the bit in the middle that's manic!
But Friday came and as it was a lovely day, washing and housework. With not being on the towpath, the dogs potter up and down near the boat and it wasn't until tea time that I.realised Simba was missing. Those that know him, know what a friendly dog he is, like a big teddy bear; but has been known to take himself (normally,  with Shiva tagging along) for a walk. Anyway, called along the towpath into Whaley Bridge and asked everyone we met, but no sign. I have them registered on the dog lost site, but couldn't remember my password,  so posted his Photos on every group I could think.of and a FB friend, who is a volunteer with dogs lost put it up on.the site and posted, as I had done, on the Whaley Water Festival FB page. I tweeted to every contact I could think of and we kept searching with Shiva. He was especially interested around the vets, but I couldn't get through as they were closed. Finally,  attempted to go to bed about 2am, Chris saw dawn breaking and I was up at 7.30 to continue searching. Then my phone exploded with messages and phonecalls. It appeared someone had posted on a local page that they had found a chocolate Labrador in Tesco car park and had handed him into the local vets and the photo matched. Of course, we had to wait until 9am to phone the vets and sure enough, he was there. So off to the vets to get the errant Labrador. Then discovered,  he had lost his tag which had Nb Gracie & Chris's mobile number on it and although chipped our information was out of date.
In all the excitement,  we forgot to put the batteries on leisure use only and had the inverter (which converts 12volt to 240volt) on all night and managed to drain the batteries. Fortunately,  Nb Alton, the coalboat, came to the rescue last evening and along with coal & gas delivery gave us a jump start. We then.left the engine running all evening deciding that as we are on.our own and overlooking Tesco car park that it wouldn't annoy anyone and we could get the batteries charged up. However,  a new starter battery is required as well as a battery starter pack.
We then went into the Basin to listen to a free concert by a Pink Floyd tribute band - Roger Floyd, an enjoyable evening spent chatting and listening to the band and of course Simba, the local celebrity,  loads of people said they had shared the post and glad we were reunited.
So today, do a bit more washing and then off to the Canal & River Trust stand in the terminus building at the Basin as they are consulting on its future use. Off to get water, empty Elsan and cruise down to New Mills later.

Bollington Festival - working boats

We have had a lovely couple of days cruising down the Peak Forest Canal and onto the Macclesfield Canal. We moored just outside the village of Bollington and Fiona experienced the Bollington Pudding! (try it at the Plaice Restaurant on the main road to Pot Shrigley, past Clarence Mill).
Bollington has a festival for a fortnight,  this weekend was the Working Boat display and Nb Alton, Maria, Badger, Swallow, Joel were all there. Our followers will know Nb Alton is our coalboat and it was nice to see the working tradition still going.
It was also our goodbye to Fiona, who has gone to stay near her Dad's family til she goes back to NZ on Tuesday. We didn't get a photo, so a job for Tuesday (hopefully, Stella will have shifted the summer cold she developed overnight!) as Stella has to go back to hospital for them to check her wrist over.
We have enjoyed having Fiona with us and hope it is not another nine years until we see her again.

Day off in the sun

Fiona and I took ourselves off to meet her other sister, Zoe, today. A lovely day catching up on family news and a very nice lunch at The King's Ransom in Sale. Then we went into Manchester and walked to the Northern Quarter, sat and watched the world go by!
Yesterday, we travelled down from Bugsworth Basin to another favourite location at New Mills and went into Stockport to the market and to visit Chris's nephew and the fairy Garden!
Tonight, we had a salad and a serious chocolate cake for dessert!