Rain!

My timing this evening was perfect! I actually got home relatively early and decided on a take-away as I really couldn't be bothered to cook. This meant that I was finished with dinner and actually ready to start the evening at around 6.45pm. I decided to go out for a cycle ride and so left. I enjoyed a good ride and returned at 7.20. By 7.30 the heavens had opened and the rain is still lashing down outside as I type - phew! The weather is set again to get rough over the next few days with even the faintest possibility of snow at the end of the week. It is now raining and blowing so hard that my satellite is breaking up!

I was only thinking this evening how nice it was that the evenings are drawing out and it's not truly dark until around 5,00 now, in fact the last couple of evenings have been so mild, I have driven home from work with the car windows open - almost spring-like! Just about on the verge of the end of the first month of 2008. One twelfth of the year gone already!

Chimney and mist - take 2!

Thanks to T-Mobile that suddenly decided to just drop all signal connection from having a steady 2 bars of Umts at just the point that I clicked the 'publish' button, I am trying again but this time with Orange!

Firstly I have published a picture of my new chimney and you can just see the exhaust lagging sticking out at the bottom! Next weekend I hope to get an angle grinder so that I can do the job properly.

With the first signs of long awaited sunshine today, I felt enthusiastic and began spring cleaning! Managed to wash all my curtains as well as mats and anything else that moved. Another 5 loads of washing but the curtains do look good. With the absence of wind this evening, my mist display at the front of the boat looks as if the boats on fire. Here is a picture of the display earlier today:

I also managed to get out for my first canoe of the year today! Although the water was jolly cold and my hands lost feeling pretty soon after starting out but I thoroughly enjoyed it and must go out more often at weekends and leave the cycling to the weekday evenings as it's quicker!

Weekend so far.....

OK, so what have I achieved today?

I've marked some tests, bought 3 bags of coal, marked a few more tests, fixed my chimney, marked some more tests, changed my front display on the boat, marked a few more tests, did 3 loads of washing and marked a few more tests!

Why oh why do Liverpool Boats produce odd size chimneys? As my Hawker Siddly wing has died a complete death, I ended up buying a chimney today which was too big and have packed exhaust lagging round the deck flange to make it fit. Just to be sure, I also fixed a nice brass clip on the roof of the boat and fastened a length of brass chain round it to make sure it doesn't blow, vibrate or get knocked off. hopefully, John is going to bring home a grinder with a cutting disc on from work and I will cut off a few inched from the bottom to make it a better and tighter fit.

I think I've probably drained out my water tank this week as I've had to do around 5 washing loads! What with my new found cycling - I get more washing to do each week and the towels and mats etc. needed doing as well. Next week will be a repeat as I'll need to do the bedding and at some point, the curtains too. It's great having a washing machine on board but a larger one would have been even better!

My cheap and somewhat tacky fountain experiment that I reported on last week didn't really work as it sprayed water everywhere and needed constant topping up. I now have an ornamental water pump on the front gas locker with a fountain coming from it and mist along with lights! I have planted some winter pansies in it and it looks very good but can only be run when there is little wind blowing!

Tomorrow - more test marking and a thorough boat clean inside.

Stove Glow is my coal of the moment. It even beats Excel. Although every bag is different, I get so little ash, it burns really well in the grate and is even a pound cheaper per bag- fantastic stuff!

Moon and K2!

A couple of opening shots this evening taken last night of an exquisite moon and reflection over the marina. A bit dark but the best I could do with my tripod being in school! It was a lovely evening and the rippling water was a real sight to be seen.

I notice this evening that Andrew Denny from Granny Buttons has caught up with my brothers blog relating to the plans for his build of K2. He quotes:

But Steve also happens to be the brother of Andy of Khayamanzi (note the K)
so - as the blog name K2 hints - there's perhaps a competitive brotherly spirit.

Competitive brotherly spirit maybe but it's all friendly and not really surprising given that Steve was part of the same family upbringing that started early life as a 'regular' canal holidayer as me. He just went wayward and delved into the sailing world before finally coming to his senses with steel!!

Got home from work this evening at around 8.00 as I stayed to do the work that I was going in to do over the weekend. It does mean that I don't have to go in tomorrow now but unfortunately I've still had to bring 3 sets of tests home to mark over the weekend!

Roll on 11th Feb!

More than ever, I am getting frustrated with my lack of consistent broadband at the moment. T Mobile is, at best, sporadic and my latest bill from Orange was around the ninety pound mark! I have just spent 25 minutes in a queue trying to get through to an Orange human being to see if there is a better price plan that suits my needs, finally got through and suddenly got cut off in mid flow - thanks a bunch useless Orange!

11th February my BT landline should be activated. The phone line then works approx. 5 days later at which point I can phone and order my broadband package, That should srrive some time later so I expect to be up and running with BT oooooh, around November!!



I need to book my car into the garage for a service during half term week - that should be interesting!

9.45pm - I've just finished marking test papers in readiness for class times tomorrow and finally sat down to browse and clear some emails etc. This weekend, I need to go into school to move some cupboards and help build shelves!

Well, I have been very good with the bike. I've been out every evening this week except tonight. I knew I had a lot of work this evening so gave it a miss but I'm really enjoying it which is getting quite a worry, I'm a tad concerned I might end up buying the lycra soon, (don't panic - I simply jest; be gone that thought!) I do have an interesting conundrum. My red LED rear light won't go off! There appears to be 2 LED's in it and the switch switches the main one on or off but the second, less bright one, stays continually on - most bizarre!!

My chimney has also finally given up the ghost, (again,) The current one, made from a Hawker Siddley wing, has last almost 2 years. I have an odd size flange, (oo err missus,) typical of Liverpool Boats, and find it a heck of a job to get relatively cheap and long lasting chimneys that fit - anyone any contacts?

Apparently, someone told me that I have it wrong, (again!) The Snecklifters aren't going to the Cotswolds. They are going to Matlock, Derbyshire - equally as lovely!

I leave you this evening with my picture for January from my calender - Khayamanzi cruising through Birmingham centre last summer.

People come, people go.....

So, I read from Andrew Denny that Snecklifter is for sale. Mike and Liz are heading ashore and settling down in the Cotswolds. You can read the story on their website. I have posted a picture above of the Launch of Snecklifter as a momento of the occasion, (I'm sure Mike and Liz won't mind my cheek.) Mike and Liz were a 'friend to many boaters' and always cherfuland ready with the kettle when someone met them - they will be sadly missed on the cut but we wish them the very best in their retirement from boating!

Certainly Snecklifter comes with pedigree and could be yours for £56,000! You can see the boat at Barton Turns Marina or contact Mike and Liz through their site.

First bike ride!

Finally managed to get out for my first bike ride today! It was great, no really - I thoroughly enjoyed it. It took me right back to my youth and I am now fully motivated to go again and more often. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture so you'll have to put up with this one of the bike, front wheel removed, stored in the engine room!Another busy day but I'm not quite sure why as I haven't done anything if you get what I mean!!??

Took on water, did he ironing, hoovered, did some housework, chopped up a few more logs to burn, emptied the ash bucket, went for a bike ride and that's about it. I have a picture below of my new mysterious wall fountain illuminated by the orange LED's and with mist tumbling out from the dish.

Anyway, all is well with the world as a new series of 'Wild at Heart' is back on ITV later this evening!

Busy but useful!

The title sums up today! It's been an extremely busy day but I have achieved quite a lot. Went to pick up my bike this morning although haven't yet had chance to try it out. Hopefully tomorrow, not only will I try it out but I'll get a picture for the blog. At the moment, it's sitting peacefully in my engine room parted from its front wheel so that it fits, and waiting some action!

Went shopping, got some coal and bits I needed from Rose Narrowboats and popped up to A5 Aquatics near Hinckley to get a misting unit and some lights for a water feature we have in the reception area at school. Ended up buying myself an immitation stone wall fountain! Not as tacky as it sounds and it actually looks quite good hanging in the cratch with my mister unit installed and the yellow LED lights glowing and lighting it up. Went into school to fit and install the lights and unit there and returned home in time to chat to a few prospective customers in the marina and get dinner.

My knee seems to be a lot better today. I took a tablet when I first got up and managed to get right through the day without another one which is good so maybe it's on the mend.

That's about it really, and now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to settle down and read Waterways World magazine!!

BT, new boats, bikes and bruises!

An interesting week with a few developments. I have decided to explore the option of getting a BT landline activated. The infrastructure is in place here in the marina and BT have been booked to activate my line on 11th February. I really want to get a high speed broadband connection and wireless hub on board but the phone line would also be a bonus, particularly for incoming calls - I even now have a Rugby phone number!

Some friends of mine, Derek and Sheila Mills are having their boat finally built. I first met Derek and Sheila on the Battlefield moorings up the Ashby when they were in the first early stages of planning. We had a lovely afternoon together and now they are watching their 'baby' develop from a lump of steel to a beautiful Jonathan Wilson/Darren Aldridge creation called Clarence. It's amazing how an early folded lump of metal like this.....

will eventually turn into a vessel with lines like this.......

Certainly Clarence is going to turn out as a beautiful craft. Derek comments on his new boat by saying,

You might notice that the swim is S shaped, this is a Jonathan Wilson speciality
on his Josher replicas apparently - looks interesting, it apparently greatly
reduces wash and makes reversing a bit more predictable, we'll see in a few
months.
Other unique/ new bit it seems is the weed hatch "funnel" which
totally isolates the hatch from the rest of the boat and allows a larger fuel
tank.

I shall post a few updates on Clarence as the build progresses as this is clearly an interesting project close to my heart so watch this space....

Tomorrow, I collect my new bike. I have a lot to do this weekend but obviously would like to try out the bike and see how I get on with it - hopefully no sprained ankles!

Which leads me on to the 'bruises'! My knee is still playing up. I am heavily dosed on Ibuprofen tablets and gel still and it's difficult to know if it is getting better or if I'm just getting better at controlling the pain. When the tablets wear off, it is very painful and still keeps me awake at night on occasions but I am trying not to limp so much in the hope that it will ease off soon.

Smile!!

What a great shot! Actually, I saw it the other week in the BBC Focus science magazine but my father forwarded it to me today from a friend of his in Holland who sent it to him. Sometimes, you just have to be in the right place, at the right time and with the right gear - I guess this person was, (or knew how to use Photoshop very well!!) Either way, it's clearly a very artistic shot - the kind that makes me very jealous!

I'm enjoying a lazy evening at home tonight. Tomorrow we have our staff Christmas social! We never get round to it before Christmas and everyone is simply too tired anyway so we do it in January.

Went to see the doctor this morning with my knee, (well, I could hardly leave it behind now could I?) He ruled out all the sinister things I was worried about - cartilage, arthritis etc etc and is fairly sure I have simply pulled a ligament over compensating since spraining my ankle. Plenty of Ibuprofen gel and tablets to keep the pain in check.

10.30 last night saw me and John wandering around the marina in the pouring rain loosening off mooring lines! With the surrounding roads flooded and waters rising, we needed to check and loosen off some of the boats lines just to give us a sound nights sleep without worrying. This morning, the surrounding farmland looks like an estuary and some roads are almost impassable - thank goodness for a diesel car but I increasingly see the need for a 4X4 at some point.

We have a bird box camera system in school and are soon to be plugging it in again ready for the Spring. Today, I ordered around a hundred and fifty pounds worth of bird feeders, seeds and nuts to start feeding them in readiness - I hope they appreciate it!

Internet update!
I seem to be getting one or 2 bars of 3G from T-Mobile tonight; amazing! May be they've sorted themselves out or may be it's just because it's not windy tonight!!

Internet!!

Now I'm getting cross!
Everyone else is getting an excellent internet signal and I'm not!! T-Mobile has been worse than useless over the last few days fluctuating from 2 bars of 3G, (which seem to suddenly stop and freeze for no apparent reason,) to absolutely no network whatsoever. Not sure if it is wind related or just a useless connection. Orange seems to be marginally better. I currently have 2 bars of 3G service with the phone in the window but even that service seems to stop occasionally for no reason and leave me stranded with no connection.

I bought a car charger for my PDA phone a few weeks back and the connector on it kept breaking! No amount of Araldite solved the issue and so this evening I bit the bullet and bought a new and better unit. After placing the order I decided to take another look at my old charger designed for my previous HP unit and blow me - with a bit of jiggery pokery it seems to work! I have now banged out an email to see if I can cancel my order.

I have booked a doctors appointment at 8.40am on Wednesday to get my knee checked out as it still needs a regular dose of Ibuprofen to keep it in check. I'm just a tad concerned now that it's a cartilage issue but hopefully the doc. will tell me.

2 evening meetings/engagements this week see me hardly at home this week! Still looking forward to Saturday and the collection of my bike - I just hope that I can ride it now!!

When's it gonna stop?

Had to post this - how about it for a forecast for the week ahead - pretty dismal I'd say!? I know it's winter and I think we could all put up with it if it was just the winter but after having the same weather all summer as well......

Anyway the swelling on my ankle has gone down. Not sure why but my right knee now hurts and has been doing so for the last couple of days. Can't quite work it out but I have a deep thudding pain on the left hand side of right knee controlled only by good 'ole Ibuprofen. It's probably just a muscle ache but hey, it's jolly annoying and even keeps me awake at night!

Hopefully I've re-sealed my window today that has started leaking - only time will tell. Updated Journal bar on my PDA to the latest version and it seems not to be freezing the unit now so I'll watch and see.

Done the housework and ironing and now all set for Heartbeat tonight and a glass of wine in front of the log fire. Still burning the Ash that John and I chopped up the other week but almost through it so need to look for another fallen tree soon!!

Another busy week with evening parents association meetings etc. Still, I have next weekend to look forward to when I get my bike, (except that I had committed next Saturday to school for moving some shelves and cupboards around!!)

Bike and barrel

OK, so I bought a bike! I haven't got it yet as they're going to build it for me and I'll collect it next Saturday. It's a Carrera Vulcan. One hundred quid off and I bought a helmet, a good lock that fixes to the bike, a set of LED lights where apparently the front one is 500 candle power bright, a cycle computer, (which they threw in free,) and a helmet. A little disappointed that I have to wait for next weekend to get it and try it but I guess that will allow my ankle another week to get better. As well as ticking all the boxes of what I wanted, it has sealed cartridge bearings, (something someone suggested to stop the mud getting in,) front shocks but not rear ones, (my brothers suggestion,) and quick release on both front and rear wheel making it easy to store, (my suggestion!)

I also topped up my diesel today ready for another week of central heating, (now 64p/litre!!) and bought a larger half barrel for my new tree on the gas locker; I was even able to get a few winter primroses to put round it!

Managed to get the new glass shade for my oil lamp but still the wick hadn't arrived in stock so I will try again next week and hopefully, I've repaired my car charger/cradle for my new phone which, within a week of buying, had broken as the connector on the bottom pushed through the case and wouldn't connect to charge the phone - extra Araldite and the problem seems solved, (for now....)

I bought some replacement bulbs for my lamp and a tube of sealant which tomorrowI need to use to attempt to seal my window that has developed a leak right over my lap-top desk!!

A lovely day today - dry, crisp, bright and sunny but the forecast is lousy for the rest of the week starting tomorrow - here we go again!!

Work, winds and wain!

OK - not another of my classic typos! Just an attempt at alliteration!

Nothing much to report really but a huge thank you to everyone who has commented and given advice both on this site and through private email regarding my impending bike purchase! My ankle is still a little swollen but the pain has subsided and I am able to put weight on it. Only one day off and then back to work hobbling around.

Now to the wind and wain. What on earth is going on with the weather?? Temperatures so warm lately I have had to switch off the central heating and shut the stove down as much as possible but then we had last night....

......a fierce intensifying wind all evening heralded a storm on the way and it arrived at about 9.30. Rain and hailstones so hard the satellite shut down and I couldn't hear a thing. I had a little layer of white that had bounced into the mushy vents and settled on the dining room table and my bed.

One more day tomorrow and then the weekend.......

On yer bike!!

Woke up this morning and couldn't even put my foot to the floor! I hopped to the bathroom and back, noticed that the ankle was still extremely swollen and made the executive decision that I needed to take a day to get the swelling down. Apart from a minor operation, this is the first day off I've had to take in over 6 years of teaching so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad - I just hate not being there especially on the first day back!

Sitting here with my foot in an elevated, (but not very comfortable!) position as per the doctors orders, my thoughts have turned to exercise again! I am still determined to get my fitness back and loose weight. Sure I have slimmed down the diet and, (very unusually for me,) still have several boxes of chocolates still sitting here untouched from Christmas but clearly the impact of running is not going to be such a good idea, especially on dark nights, around country lanes and with a weak ankle. Now to bikes....

.....I think I'll go cycling! I feel a little like 'Toad of Toad Hall' in 'The Wind in the Willows'. I half expect to be seen driving around the country lanes in an old open top sports car going 'poop - poop'! I think cycling will have less impact on my ankle yet still have the same effect so long as I still get my heart into my training zone. I can use towpaths in the summer months and stick to the road in the winter and can also use it more for genuine purposes such as popping into the village etc. so has an added environmental benefit too. I used to do a lot of mountain biking as a kid and young teenager so rekindling part of my past sounds good, (oh dear, I sound as if I'm having a mid life crisis and I'm nowhere near old enough for that yet!)

I want to find a mountain bike with quick release front wheels so that I can fit it comfortably in my cratch, (I don't want one of those expensive and horrid looking folding ones,) but I also fancy suspension as this was never around in my days and I quite fancy the luxury of it and I don't want to spend a small fortune! I think Halfords beckons at the weekend! Watch this space....

Exercise is bad for your health!

It's official - excercise can be bad for your health! No more running for me for a while! I have a weak left ankle since breaking it as a teenager and several times since, I have twisted it and sprained it - well tonight I did it proper as this picture shows.

I know it looks like a bottom but I can assure you it is a very swollen ankle! Two and a half hours later, (pretty good for casualty at St. Cross Hospital!) and The diagnosis is a severely torn ligament. The hardest part was persuading the doctor that there was no way I could be signed off for a few days! Of course typically one of the pupils from my year group was also waiting in casualty. It all happened as I jogged along quite happily enjoying the lengthening daylight hours and didn't see a large hole in the towpath! I fell down it - fortunately into the bank not the cut!! Of course in this rediculous day, some might say I have a case against BW - tosh!! I simply have a case against my own lack of concentration!

Ah well, maybe another form of excercise is required - back to the drawing board. Shame as I was genuinely getting into it and enjoying the running.

Flying time!

Here we are at the end of another holiday and staring down the barrel of the next 4 weeks! Back to work tomorrow after an interesting Christmas break. Somehow yesterday I managed to get a splinter lodged just in the folds of skin between thumb and first finger of my left hand - boy does it hurt and stubbornly refuses to be poked out!

Still running! Managed to pop out for a jog this afternoon and have now worked out a nice little route that only takes around 20-30 mins. A good route that starts on a bit of road and then ends in a nice soft towpath jog. It's good to feel the initial impact lessoning and my average heart rate gradually dropping - hopefully soon I'll see the weight dropping off too!!

I leave you today with a couple of little changes to Khayamanzi! The brown and scraggy looking conifer tree I had on the front gas locker in a wooden barrel has now been replaced by a much more pleasing and shapely box tree!

I have also finally taken the plunge and got rid of my fish tank.

It used to live where the clay pot now is as demonstrated on closerexamination by the brownmark on the shelf from water spillages! That's one reason I got rid of it. The second was the diminishing stocks of fish coupled with cloudiness of the water and ongoing maintenance. The third reason was that I was fed up with sitting in the evenings listening to the constant buzzing of the pumps! It has helped to open up the boat a lot more and also helped trim her a little more!

I guess, as usual, when I'm back at work, postings here will become slightly more infrequent depending on time and the general interest, (or lack of,) of my life over the next few weeks!!

Logs!

It better get cold again! The snow warning amounted to nothing - just as I thought but today a 40 foot odd tree fell down outside the marina jutting out into the road. John and I went and cut it up and split the logs and now I have a roof full of logs just waiting to be burnt. A lazy day all in all. Went to B & Q and bought a new chain for the chain saw and some oil as well as a set of 2 axes that they currently have on offer for ten squid - a jolly good deal!!

Ah well, not much else really. Tomorrow I need to prepare for school again on Monday and back to the grind-stone!

Still alive....just!

OK, just returned from my first jog! Down to All Oak's Wood via the road and then back via the towpath. It's actually not very muddy as the ground is so hard and I have survived to tell the story...just!! I even have the vital statistics in my log and on my heart rate monitor to prove it but I'm certainly not going to publish them here!

Spent the day tidying up and sorting out the boat. Started to de-clutter it and been quite ruthless already, bought a very smart box shrub for my barrel tub on the front gas locker and even got rid of the fish tank as I was fed up with it buzzing in my ear and slopping around - it's also helped to trim the boat a bit straighter!

My brother may not now be coming down as there is forecast to be quite a lot of snow in the Lakes and he wants to stay there and catch it - big kid! Still no snow here although it is getting quite grey - no wait, it's just getting dark sorry!

Well done to Don for spotting my interesting mistake in yesterdays post! Of course a jetty you moor a boat to is called a berth not a birth! The wind blowing me away from my birth was quite an interesting concept and yes Don, the Lancet probably would be interested!

It was good to get a virtual visit from Lisa off the Narrow Shop. A great concept and idea and the possibility to rival Tesco perhaps. How about a chain of paired working boats that visit town to town providing fresh local produce in each area. Seems to tick all the boxes to me, food miles, fresh food, lack of packaging, environmentally friendly transport and convenience to peoples doorsteps.

Back home.

It's good to be back, especially when you've spent the day cruising in what has felt like the Arctic! Set off this morning at around 9.30 ish and arrived back at Brinklow at around 3.00. The wind got steadily harder and the temperatures dropped as we continued the journey and round the bottom of Nettle Hill and past Les Wilson, it was perishing! A good fire kept my father and I in shifts and it was very welcome when we got back in. The return was interesting as the wind was blowing North Easterly instead of the usual South West. A South Westerly wind is actually helpful but today it didn't want tooblige and kept blowing me away from my birth instead of onto it!

Had time to go shopping, spent half an hour trying to line up the jolly satellite dish in the wind and even managed to get to the sports hop to get a hi vis vest for my proposed jogging. I think the first run will be tomorrow - have St. John's on standby and if there are no more posts after this one; you'll know why!!

All the Christmas decorations are now down on board, one load of washing is completed and the carpets are hoovered - just about getting back to routine. Tomorrow my brother is planning to visit on his way back from a few days walking in the Lake District and then back to school on Monday still, only 4 weeks 'till half term!!

Apparently a few flurries of snow is expected tomorrow, that will be fun but unfortunately it's not expected to be too much. I know the temperature has dropped and the wind is still bitingly cold out there but another log on the stove should sort that out....

Penultimate day!

Set off this morning from the Battlefield moorings with a lovely mist enveloping all around us. A very pleasant cruise down to bridge 3 at the end of the Ashby passing many people out and about enjoying the first cruise of 2008 - everyone wishing each other happy new year as we pass. A short stop just after Hinkley to take on diesel and coal from Iain and Allison on Gosty Hill. A further stop in the cutting allowed us to collect a few good logs for cutting up.

Moored up at around 4.00pm which allowed us time to cut up and split the logs giving me a good supply on the roof for the forecasted drop in temperatures over the next few days. Apparently a light dusting of snow is even on the cards for Thursday!

This evening I plan to settle down and enjoy a new series of Midsomer Murders - fantastic!! Just had to un-install a little bit of software on my PDA called Journal Bar. I loved this bit of kit as it delivered weather forecasts and news headlines right to my desktop each day. Unfortunately, it constantly freezes up the device!

Tomorrow, the plan is to push through back home so that my father can 'jump ship' and travel back to London for business. Thursday, I plan to visit a garden centre to buy a small box tree to put in my wooden tub on the gas locker and replace the now browning conifer as well as visit JJB sports who have a sale on. I think I'm going to start jogging! A reflective band or jacket should ensure that I am seen to motorists and I can take Simba with me on his lead as I jog down the end of Cathiron Lane and back every couple of days. Will it work? Will I keep it up? Who knows but it's got to be cheaper than anything else and worth a try and I quite fancy the idea!!

....oops, I shouldn't have published this - I am going to be heckled with the chorus of 'how's the jogging?' everywhere I go now. Actually, that might be the incentive I need!

Even score tonight in the battleof the networks! I have given one point to both making it 4-2 to Orange as I have 3 bars of 3g service with both T-mobile and Orange. I guess this is the final score for this trip as tomorrow night I'll be back in home territory. This means the first trip and Orange wins - congratulations to Orange and we'll watch to see the scores on the next trip away.