Monday 13th December and it’s my little brother’s birthday today. Of course I’ve sent you a card Bruv, and I’ll try to remember to phone you later today, but you probably won’t receive this blog until next week, by which time it will be gone and you’ll be looking forward to Christmas.
As for me, well, once again I am suffering with my sinuses, so much so that I’m having trouble sleeping because I simply can’t breathe through my nose. The nasal sprays usually work quite well, but I seem to be up against something worse, possibly a viral infection if the stuff I’ve seen written about it on the Internet is anything to go by. I’ll try for an appointment with my GP for this morning and see what she recommends.
Incidentally, I’m currently using a Sudafed nose spray and I’ve tried Olbas Oil, but neither of them is of any use in my present predicament.
Today is Morrison’s day but, aside from that, we have nothing of any import on the agenda. In fact it seems to be a pretty unimportant time for us at present. Thankfully the ice and snow have gone, which allowed us to make the most of a pub visit yesterday.
I’ve been looking around for a disc burning system for labelling direct to the disc surface, rather than making sticky labels, which have a tendency to peel off over time. The best I could find was an external hard drive, with Lightscribe Technology, by a company called Ativa. I can’t find an outlet for it in the UK, but the item goes for $90 in the States, plus delivery charges of course. Temporarily then, until I make my small fortune, I’ll have to use the sticky ones.
Wednesday 15th December and just nine days to go to the big day. Yes, Christmas is almost upon us and, just for a change, if the weather men are to be believed, it will be a white one.
Last week whilst searching for a pressy for Wifey, I came across a section on eBay that sold all things Jack Russell. Amongst them I found a Christmas card with a Jack Russell dressed in a Santa suit, which I thought would be a great card to send to us from Rusty. (Strange how we get such wacky ideas at this time of year.)
Anyway, I sent for the card which arrived a couple of days ago. Well, I reckon a pre-school child could have done as well, if not better. What I got for my money was a piece of card, 10” by 5” folded in half, with a cut out cardboard picture of the head of a Jack Russell, wearing a Santa suit stuck to the front, with Merry Christmas printed underneath. We have decided that our pooch would not lower herself to that level and have dis-carded it!!
Sunday 19th December and, once again, we are in the grip of more icy weather.
With the marina frozen over it’s not possible to take the boat over to the diesel pump. So, if we can’t get to the pump, we have to take a Jerry can to it for a fill up. Fortunately for us we have a can on board. Even more fortunate so do our neighbours, Chris and Josie.
With these icy pontoons I am, once again, stuck on the boat but, when we asked Chris if we could borrow his can, he offered to drive Sheila to get the cans filled and so, since it was getting dark, we decided to top the tank up this morning.
Now that was not the best idea we’ve had this winter because, when I turned on the heater this morning, it refused to start up, which means we are too low on diesel for it to run. This is the first time we have had this problem in the four years since we bought the boat.
Anyway, since I find it difficult to stay in bed past 5.30 am, I am now pounding away at this keyboard, with my cardigan on, the fire topped up, the bedroom door closed and the gas oven on. Actually it’s now getting quite cosy in here, but we must top the tank up and get that heater going at first light.
According to my diary we last topped up on November 10th, which is only five weeks ago, so we really have been hammering the heater. At that time we only had to top up with 70 litres or so, which means that we have used well over 100 litres during the past five weeks. Knowing that the heater burns about ½ a litre per hour and we have only 36 litres in the two cans, we’ll be wanting to fill up again before the marina office shuts for the Christmas break. That’s only 36 litres because, being Jerry cans and having a spout well below the carrying handles, it is not possible to put the full 20 litres in each can.
Boating ain’t that cheap in winter!!
Thursday 23rd December
After a couple of inches of snow yesterday morning and, rather than take the risk of more to come and missing out on Christmas food shopping, we decided to go while the going was good. Luckily for us not too many boaters had driven over that 2 inches of snow, and so we made it there and back without mishap, turkey and all. We are now set for the festivities, even though our neighbours won’t be around.
Today Wifey will be trotting off to Derby by bus, because there are one or two things she still needs to get. You know women, always a last minute shop!!
Having had the heater system completely serviced just three months ago, we were most surprised when it broke down again last week. Fortunately the service people here are not greedy and Linden came along and sorted it out a few days ago.
Yesterday it broke down again and we had to call him in again. It seems that this time all that was wrong was a rather touchy plug and socket. With them closing for a few days and not wanting to be frozen solid on our boat, with just the fire and cooker to keep us warm, Linden pointed out the problem so that, should it stop working again, all we have to do is wiggle a plug about and all will be well – we hope!!
This will probably be my last scribe for this year, so we would like to wish all our family and friends
“A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”
Dave, Sheila and Rusty
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Shiralee at Willington #8
Friday 19th November
The weekend is almost upon us again, where does the time go?
Not much to do today, I am still wading through all the eBooks I bought and designing the CD labels. This task is taking much longer than I expected, simply because I’m such a fussy so and so. In my ‘umble opinion, if a job is worth doing it’s worth doing well. I don’t see the point in listing a whole host of books on eBay unless the discs I send out look professional.
The eBay member I purchased the information from has a really good looking listing, but this was spoilt by the fact that the discs had the name simply scrawled across them in marker pen. He had taken no time in designing and attaching a decent label.
I have just remembered what I told you in the last blog about the British Red Cross and their attitude towards me with regard to the toilet frame. I really am annoyed about that and am hoping to receive an email from them later today. If I don’t I will be telephoning them, so there!!
Wednesday 24th November.
I have to confess to being so busy organising my language courses for eBay, that I’ve lost track of time. However, since nothing else of any serious interest has happened to us since last Friday, you haven’t missed much.
Yesterday was shopping day at Morrison’s and today we are popping over to the Chandlery in Shardlow for some stuff to put in our new cassette loo to keep it fresh. Gone are the days of the smelly old privy at the end of the garden and that horrid smelling Jayes Blue, although a similar product is still available.
Next Tuesday we will be meeting up with Alan and Chris again, this time at their place when they will be taking us to an ‘up-market’ McDonald’s. Their description, not ours.
Thursday 15th November
Yesterday started out a bit frosty, but no so much as to give any cause for concern. So, off we went to Shardlow and the chandlery there to pick up some stuff for our new cassette loo.
Between the marina and the village of Willington there is a railway level crossing – well, they call them ‘level’, but they are anything but. Anyway, yesterday was the day that those nice railway people decide to shut off the road, leaving us with no alternative than to go the long way round, through Findern and onto the A38, then south to the A50. Still, it made a nice change I suppose, and we were back before midday.
I don’t feel too safe when walking on the wet timber pontoon and have to take it very gently. One slip and bang go my new knees. We do have a very thoughtful neighbour though, who goes out quite early and spreads sand along our stretch of pontoon, which does make it somewhat easier, for me at least. I have no idea who he or she is, but they have my thanks.
Today, if it doesn’t snow and the car defrosts easily, we’re off to Burton. I have managed to sell a few of my old books on eBay and need some more big, padded envelopes. Even in Burton at Ryman’s they cost £4.95 for 5, which I have to pass on in p&p to my buyers, but the alternative is to buy a big pack of them on eBay, which means I would be stuck with a whole load of envelopes that I probably won’t use. Still, nobody has complained about p&p so far and I now have about £38 in my Paypal account and can make more purchases without digging into our account.
Friday 26th November and it is much colder this morning; snow is on the way, according to those weather people. We took ourselves off to Burton yesterday for a bit of shopping and posted another three books. Having sold and posted several books now, I have about £30 in my Paypal account.
This is not a true representation of my wealth because we have had to pay for all that postage, my actual profit is quite small, but it does mean I have a few quid with which to buy stuff on eBay or elsewhere. Naturally Christmas presents come to mind, but I’m sure I can find other things I need/want.
Today Wifey will be taking the bus into Derby, probably to look around for decent birthday and Christmas cards, hopefully for a pressy for me!! As for me while she is out, well I have lots to do on the laptop.
Wednesday 1st December
Very much like virtually everybody else in the U.K., we have been inundated with snow; only about 2 inches or so, but it certainly put paid to me going out. It’s bad enough when it’s just wet pontoons, but when the snow turns to ice, watch out Dave.
It’s funny how things sometimes happen that cost you money but, at the end of the day – yeah! I hate that expression too – turns out to be in your favour. Having decided to get rid of our troublesome pump-out toilet unit and replace it with a cassette, here we are, with no hope of taking the boat to the pump-out station, and we don’t need to. Every cloud has a silver lining I suppose.
Now, with all this snow about and the state of the roads, we had to call off our lunch with Alan and Chris and, even more worrying, unless we can get out to Morrison’s or Tesco; which is somewhat nearer; Sheila will have to trudge into Willington for necessary victuals, or take the bus into Burton or Derby on Friday. We’re not desperate yet, but………
The other problem with not being able to get out and about, is that I have very little to write into the blog. I mean, I don’t have a lot to say as it is, but at least when we get out and, if something interesting occurs, I can report it.
My American friends; whom I have reported to you as Public Domain Pirates; have now come across with some information about how to set up a Recipe Blog. I am following this with interest and, if I feel it is a viable proposition, I might just follow it through. Goodness knows I have more than enough of my own to get going with. Could be interesting.
Saturday 4th December and finally, the rain has come to start washing away the snow. Wifey tells me it is still a wee bit slippery in places, but unless it freezes again overnight, I’ll be able to get off the boat for the first time since Monday. It’s been a long week!
Getting back to my ‘American Friends’, it seems they are now down to just the one. Debra is still running the ‘Pirates’ site, but it seems her partner has now left, for whatever reason we have not been made privy to. I think they were only business partners and it may be that Logan has gone off in a different direction. Now though, since Debra is a woman, the site does seem to be drifting towards womanly things, such as weight loss and diets and recipes etc. However, she is still maintaining the original theme of the site, which is Public Domain information, and that’s OK by me.
Thursday 9th December and it seems I will be a prisoner on this boat for another day at least. I blame the Wife of course, she is, after all, OIC weather and has been since we met. This position was agreed upon when we first went on holiday together. I distinctly remember looking out of our cottage window one morning and, seeing those heavy clouds, remarked that it looked like rain. “No,” she said, “It won’t rain today”.
She was quite adamant about it and, sure enough, the clouds passed over and we had a glorious sunny day. Ever since then, if the weather is bad and we are going out, I have to ask why this is so. Naturally, being a woman, she’ll find some excuse.
Anyway, she has kept me prisoner on Shiralee since Monday of last week and, what makes it worse, she hasn’t relented for my Sunday drink, of which I have now missed two. She had better not make it a third!!!!
We had planned to go shopping today, but it looks like Wifey will have to take the bus into Derby instead. Serves her right too.
Well, looking back on this blog, nothing much of interest has happened, apart from this foul weather. Even so, with five pages written, I might just as well post it.
I do believe I missed out on a recipe last time, so here’s another for you.
This one is a delightful sweet from Helston in Cornwall.
Helston Pudding
Helston (Cornish: Hellys or Henlys) is a town and civil parish at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula. It is the most southerly town in the UK, being around 1.5 miles further south than Penzance.
Ingredients:
3 oz shredded Suet
2 oz self raising Flour
2 oz ground Rice
2 oz fresh breadcrumbs
2 oz chopped dried apricots
2 oz soft brown sugar
2 oz currants
2 oz raisins or sultanas
1 tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Milk
Method:
Sieve the flour into a large bowl
Add all the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly
Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture drops off a knife blade
Butter the inside of a 2 pint pudding basin
Spoon the mixture into the basin
Cover the basin with kitchen foil and tie off tightly with string
Steam in a large pan for about 2 hours adding more boiling water as required
Serve with clotted cream
Cheers for now
Dave, Sheila and Rusty.
The weekend is almost upon us again, where does the time go?
Not much to do today, I am still wading through all the eBooks I bought and designing the CD labels. This task is taking much longer than I expected, simply because I’m such a fussy so and so. In my ‘umble opinion, if a job is worth doing it’s worth doing well. I don’t see the point in listing a whole host of books on eBay unless the discs I send out look professional.
The eBay member I purchased the information from has a really good looking listing, but this was spoilt by the fact that the discs had the name simply scrawled across them in marker pen. He had taken no time in designing and attaching a decent label.
I have just remembered what I told you in the last blog about the British Red Cross and their attitude towards me with regard to the toilet frame. I really am annoyed about that and am hoping to receive an email from them later today. If I don’t I will be telephoning them, so there!!
Wednesday 24th November.
I have to confess to being so busy organising my language courses for eBay, that I’ve lost track of time. However, since nothing else of any serious interest has happened to us since last Friday, you haven’t missed much.
Yesterday was shopping day at Morrison’s and today we are popping over to the Chandlery in Shardlow for some stuff to put in our new cassette loo to keep it fresh. Gone are the days of the smelly old privy at the end of the garden and that horrid smelling Jayes Blue, although a similar product is still available.
Next Tuesday we will be meeting up with Alan and Chris again, this time at their place when they will be taking us to an ‘up-market’ McDonald’s. Their description, not ours.
Thursday 15th November
Yesterday started out a bit frosty, but no so much as to give any cause for concern. So, off we went to Shardlow and the chandlery there to pick up some stuff for our new cassette loo.
Between the marina and the village of Willington there is a railway level crossing – well, they call them ‘level’, but they are anything but. Anyway, yesterday was the day that those nice railway people decide to shut off the road, leaving us with no alternative than to go the long way round, through Findern and onto the A38, then south to the A50. Still, it made a nice change I suppose, and we were back before midday.
I don’t feel too safe when walking on the wet timber pontoon and have to take it very gently. One slip and bang go my new knees. We do have a very thoughtful neighbour though, who goes out quite early and spreads sand along our stretch of pontoon, which does make it somewhat easier, for me at least. I have no idea who he or she is, but they have my thanks.
Today, if it doesn’t snow and the car defrosts easily, we’re off to Burton. I have managed to sell a few of my old books on eBay and need some more big, padded envelopes. Even in Burton at Ryman’s they cost £4.95 for 5, which I have to pass on in p&p to my buyers, but the alternative is to buy a big pack of them on eBay, which means I would be stuck with a whole load of envelopes that I probably won’t use. Still, nobody has complained about p&p so far and I now have about £38 in my Paypal account and can make more purchases without digging into our account.
Friday 26th November and it is much colder this morning; snow is on the way, according to those weather people. We took ourselves off to Burton yesterday for a bit of shopping and posted another three books. Having sold and posted several books now, I have about £30 in my Paypal account.
This is not a true representation of my wealth because we have had to pay for all that postage, my actual profit is quite small, but it does mean I have a few quid with which to buy stuff on eBay or elsewhere. Naturally Christmas presents come to mind, but I’m sure I can find other things I need/want.
Today Wifey will be taking the bus into Derby, probably to look around for decent birthday and Christmas cards, hopefully for a pressy for me!! As for me while she is out, well I have lots to do on the laptop.
Wednesday 1st December
Very much like virtually everybody else in the U.K., we have been inundated with snow; only about 2 inches or so, but it certainly put paid to me going out. It’s bad enough when it’s just wet pontoons, but when the snow turns to ice, watch out Dave.
It’s funny how things sometimes happen that cost you money but, at the end of the day – yeah! I hate that expression too – turns out to be in your favour. Having decided to get rid of our troublesome pump-out toilet unit and replace it with a cassette, here we are, with no hope of taking the boat to the pump-out station, and we don’t need to. Every cloud has a silver lining I suppose.
Now, with all this snow about and the state of the roads, we had to call off our lunch with Alan and Chris and, even more worrying, unless we can get out to Morrison’s or Tesco; which is somewhat nearer; Sheila will have to trudge into Willington for necessary victuals, or take the bus into Burton or Derby on Friday. We’re not desperate yet, but………
The other problem with not being able to get out and about, is that I have very little to write into the blog. I mean, I don’t have a lot to say as it is, but at least when we get out and, if something interesting occurs, I can report it.
My American friends; whom I have reported to you as Public Domain Pirates; have now come across with some information about how to set up a Recipe Blog. I am following this with interest and, if I feel it is a viable proposition, I might just follow it through. Goodness knows I have more than enough of my own to get going with. Could be interesting.
Saturday 4th December and finally, the rain has come to start washing away the snow. Wifey tells me it is still a wee bit slippery in places, but unless it freezes again overnight, I’ll be able to get off the boat for the first time since Monday. It’s been a long week!
Getting back to my ‘American Friends’, it seems they are now down to just the one. Debra is still running the ‘Pirates’ site, but it seems her partner has now left, for whatever reason we have not been made privy to. I think they were only business partners and it may be that Logan has gone off in a different direction. Now though, since Debra is a woman, the site does seem to be drifting towards womanly things, such as weight loss and diets and recipes etc. However, she is still maintaining the original theme of the site, which is Public Domain information, and that’s OK by me.
Thursday 9th December and it seems I will be a prisoner on this boat for another day at least. I blame the Wife of course, she is, after all, OIC weather and has been since we met. This position was agreed upon when we first went on holiday together. I distinctly remember looking out of our cottage window one morning and, seeing those heavy clouds, remarked that it looked like rain. “No,” she said, “It won’t rain today”.
She was quite adamant about it and, sure enough, the clouds passed over and we had a glorious sunny day. Ever since then, if the weather is bad and we are going out, I have to ask why this is so. Naturally, being a woman, she’ll find some excuse.
Anyway, she has kept me prisoner on Shiralee since Monday of last week and, what makes it worse, she hasn’t relented for my Sunday drink, of which I have now missed two. She had better not make it a third!!!!
We had planned to go shopping today, but it looks like Wifey will have to take the bus into Derby instead. Serves her right too.
Well, looking back on this blog, nothing much of interest has happened, apart from this foul weather. Even so, with five pages written, I might just as well post it.
I do believe I missed out on a recipe last time, so here’s another for you.
This one is a delightful sweet from Helston in Cornwall.
Helston Pudding
Helston (Cornish: Hellys or Henlys) is a town and civil parish at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula. It is the most southerly town in the UK, being around 1.5 miles further south than Penzance.
Ingredients:
3 oz shredded Suet
2 oz self raising Flour
2 oz ground Rice
2 oz fresh breadcrumbs
2 oz chopped dried apricots
2 oz soft brown sugar
2 oz currants
2 oz raisins or sultanas
1 tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Milk
Method:
Sieve the flour into a large bowl
Add all the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly
Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture drops off a knife blade
Butter the inside of a 2 pint pudding basin
Spoon the mixture into the basin
Cover the basin with kitchen foil and tie off tightly with string
Steam in a large pan for about 2 hours adding more boiling water as required
Serve with clotted cream
Cheers for now
Dave, Sheila and Rusty.
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