Saturday 15th January
We have woken up to a very strong wind, but no rain as yet; since we are not planning on going anywhere today, except perhaps to pick up some coal and a bottle of gas, this will not affect us greatly.
This morning I’ve been designing labels for the discs I will, hopefully sell. The take up of language courses has been slow, having only sold three from my first listing, but it’s early days yet. Of course the beauty of eBay is the fact that, if something doesn’t sell too well, you can simply look for other markets. I’m even considering software sales through drop-shipment, or even CDs and DVDs, but I’ve been there before and received more than my share of dissatisfied customers and was forced to sack my supplier.
I’m still working on that recipe book and have been gently pushed into finishing the project and selling it on eBay. I have to confess that, up until recently, I didn’t think it was good enough. It’s a nagging feeling that something is missing and not quite right about it. Of course, since the programme I was using was simply not up to taking so many pages, I have since converted the whole thing to PDF, but I still am not quite satisfied with the end result.
Now, bearing in mind that most of the recipes are fairly old and they are all English, I am now looking for late 19th and early 20th Century pictures of food and some of the towns from which some of the recipes originated. I’ve actually found some old stuff on Project Guttenberg, which is an American based public domain site, so I’m now hoping to find more of the same. As for old photos of old English towns and villages, that’s another story.
Tuesday 18th January
I can’t say I’m doing too will with finding old food images, although I have managed to download a whole load of old recipe books from Gutenberg, some of which contain pictures, most of which I have copied to a separate folder. I’ve also picked up some interest info from Wikipedia, which will come in useful.
The weekend went quite well and we enjoyed our usual hour or so at our local oasis. Monday we didn’t do much at all except to take the boat for a fill up of diesel. We think the engine must have been running on fumes, because we managed to cram 135 litres into the tank.
Over recent weeks because of the icy weather, we’ve been taking a couple of Jerry Cans around to the diesel pump as and when we needed it. We didn’t suspect for a minute that the tank was so low. It doesn’t pay to allow the level to drop too far, especially in warmer weather, because of the fuel bug and the build up of condensation. Fortunately, at the cost of goodness knows what, we’ll be replacing our batteries and having a full engine service.
We’ve also asked Sam, our engineer, to rewire the batteries whilst he’s here. The New Boat Company, from whom we purchased the boat, do not seem to have much idea about wiring batteries, it really is like a bunch of red and black spaghetti down there. It’s so bad that I have a great deal of trouble removing the caps when it comes time to top them up. Not that it will be a problem with the new ones, because we’re having sealed batteries fitted, and we’re going back to four domestics instead of the current six.
It seems that, although he meant well by the suggestion, the engineer who added the extra two didn’t thing to suggest a more powerful alternator. Even if he had done so, with the way the engine is laid out, it’s doubtful if we could have fitted anything more powerful.
Our neighbour has four 200Ah batteries, but only a 90Ah alternator, which means he has no hope of keeping the batteries charged up when they are cruising.
In future when cruising, we plan on mooring up in a marina every two weeks or so, just in order to keep the batteries as healthy as possible.
The sales of language Courses is just about managing to cover my costs, but I’m hopeful it will pick up the longer I keep them listed.
I’m still awaiting a price for a disc from my American friend Debra – she of Pirates of the Public Domain fame –which has to do with selling recipe books via blog. This information comes on a video which, as you all know, can be a bit of a pain when downloading on slow speed Internet access. Our Debra, unfortunately, does not now have the backing of Logan, who was her partner in the ‘Pirates’ enterprise, so she’s pretty busy. Last I heard she was awaiting a price from the originators of the video for putting it on a disc and posting to me.
Thursday 20th January
I think I’m cracking up. Wifey is certain of the fact. Finding it necessary to drive over to Shardlow for a new water filter this morning, we popped out to the car and grabbed the scraper for de-icing the windows. One side was clear because it had the sun on it, so I left Sheila to clear the other side.
I was about to climb in and start the engine when I noticed some gravel on the carpet. I hate it when I’m driving and can feel something under my feet that shouldn’t be there. Anyway, I quickly pulled the carpet out, gave it a quick shake to dislodge the offending article and replaced the carpet.
I then started the engine and had the surprise of my life when the revs shot up to 3000!! After a bit of stamping on the throttle it soon came down and I sat there waiting for the automatic choke to cut out. Well, it did so eventually, but it still continued speeding up all on its own.
Not to be beaten by a silly old engine, we continued on our way, with me cursing and swearing all the way to Shardlow and threatening to put the damn car up for sale at the earliest opportunity. I swore blind I would never, ever buy another Alfa.
That was, until we arrived at the chandlery in Shardlow, when, upon climbing out of the car, I noticed that the corner of the carpet was sitting on the throttle. What a plonker!!
Needless to say I am not now getting rid of my lovely little Alfa.
Saturday 22nd January and I have another stinking cold and cough. I really must get out more, I’m convinced that being cooped up in this boat during the icy weather is doing nothing good for my health. So, from today, regardless of the weather, I am going for a walk around the marina, or part of it, every day.
Now, I’m not one for reading my daily Horoscope. However, when we but the Daily Mail on Saturdays, Wifey does read Mr Cainer’s offerings and this Saturday was no different. Anyone reading his column on a regular basis will be aware that he has a sense of humour and so, without more ado, I give you Sheila’s horoscope for today.
Cancer June 23 – July 23.
“They say that what counts is not what you know but who you know. Yet what matters most is neither what you know nor who you know, nor even what who you know, knows. It is all down to who you know knows! With me so far? OK. This is where it gets tricky. If who you know knows what you know, they can tell what you know to who they know. But you want who they know to know you! So, don’t tell all you know to you-know-who. Just get them to tell you what they know about who they know! Remember that and this will yet be a surprisingly straightforward and satisfying week.”
I leave you to ponder!!
Thursday 27th January.
My, doesn’t time fly? As you all know, I’m an early bird, usually falling out of the pit at around 5 am. This means I’m on the laptop before 5.30 and have lots of time to investigate eBay and any sales I may have made with my Language Courses. It’s a bit slow I must confess, but I’m making a few bob.
Anyway, there was I burning French and Swahili to disc, when it suddenly occurred to me that it had been a while since I last posted a blog. In fact, looking at the start date of this one, which is already five pages long, it’s almost a fortnight ago.
But, five pages is not really that long and so, since it will only be a few minutes before Wifey rises from the murky depths and I have labels to print before I get breakfast ready, I will leave this until tomorrow or, just to make it the full 14 days, do it on Saturday morning.
We’re off to Burton again today, just to have a mooch around and possibly call in to B&Q for a Yale lock for the front door. We already have a lock on the inside, but that forces us to use the back door when we go out. With a proper lock on the outside front, we can slip out that way, which is more convenient whilst we are moored bow first in the marina.
I’m sure there are other things Wifey needs, otherwise we probably wouldn’t bother today. Besides, I do like Burton, and it makes a pleasant break for us both.
Monday 31st January
Well, so much for promises, it’s now Monday, the weekend has gone and I still haven’t posted this blog. No matter, the weekend went smoothly for us, as I hope it did for you lot.
Wifey received an email from Wee McSis up there in Haggisland to the effect that the family soiree will be on Friday 25th march. Why Friday I ask myself, and I think I’m cracking up.
Hey, I’m kidding, it’s really Sunday 27th. OK? Looking forward to it too. Mind you it doesn’t give us much leeway, only four days before we set off on our cruise to who knows where. Probably the Llangollen and Montgemery Canals to start with and then make our way south to the Rivers Severn and Avon, which we failed to complete way back when.
Our usual Sunday visit to our local went very well this week, being inundated as it was with yompers. They had walked from the other side of Repton – which was once the capital of the old kingdom of Mercia – and were staying for lunch. Mind you, I don’t think they were really serious about their walking as they were catching the bus back. Still, they were a happy bunch and certainly livened the place up for a change. The pub is normally quite quiet but they really had it buzzing.
Today is a chill-out day for us. We have nothing in particular that we want or need to do, so we’ll just toddle over to the shop for the paper and settle down for a lazy day.
Now, I’ll get this thing posted. But first another recipe.
As it is still showing signs of being winter, we have a quite heavy frost here, I offer you a warming meal from Devon.
Exeter Stew with Parsley Dumplings
A typical beef stew from Exeter in Devon
Ingredients:
2 lb braising steak, cut into bite size pieces
2 heaped tbsp flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper
4 tbsp dripping
2 large onions, peeled and sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 pints beef stock
1 tsp vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
For the dumplings:
6 oz plain flour
3 oz shredded suet
¾ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¾ tsp dried mixed herbs
2½ tbsp chopped parsley
Milk to mix dumpling ingredients
Method:
Toss the beef in the seasoned flour and brown in the dripping in a large frying pan
Add the onions and carrots and cook gently until the onions begin to soften
Stir in the remaining seasoned flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously
Whilst still stirring add the stock
Add the vinegar and bring to the boil
Cover and simmer for about 1¾ hours over a very low heat
Mix the dumpling ingredients together and make into balls of size preferred
Add the dumplings and simmer until done
And there you have it, another blog complete and ready to go. Enjoy your week folks.
Luv and Stuff from
Dave, Sheila and Rusty, our faithful but belligerent pooch.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Friday, 14 January 2011
Shiralee at Willington #10
Sunday December 26th
A good day yesterday, managed to get to the pub which, as you would expect for Christmas day, was very busy. Being sneaky of course, we arrived early so as to grab a seat.
We would like to thank everybody who sent us a card. Sadly some of you didn’t have our new address, which is strange because Sheila texted everybody with it quite some time ago. Also, some cards are ay Alan’s house and he will forward them just as soon as he can get to the Post Office.
Wifey, as usual, was very good to me; my presents consisted of a new waterproof cap, the latest book by Stephen King, a hone twizzler and a double egg cup. This last item because I have two boiled eggs for my Sunday breakfast and the twizzler because I also like hone and cinnamon on my toast and crumpets. For my sins and because I have found it rather difficult to get to the shops without her in tow, I settled for some CD’s, two by Chris De Burgh and one by Michael Buble.
For Christmas dinner the usual Turkey with trimmings, except that this time, as per instructions from the Hairy Bikers, steamed the carrots and sprouts in butter and oil. Whilst this method retained the flavour of both vegetables, it seemed to leave the sprouts less than crunchy. An excellent meal all the same and we have plenty of turkey left for today’s cold meat and pickle with bubble and squeek. This time Wifey will cook the b and s in a couple of chef’s rings. Sounds good to meee!
Having managed to get to the pub yesterday, despite the sheet of ice covering the marina perimeter road, we’ll probably do so again today. Well, it is Sunday and I’ve missed a couple of late.
Now that the shortest day has passed we’re looking forward to daylight lasting a wee bit longer and, once the ice and snow have gone which, hopefully, will be later in the week, I’m getting out there for some walks around the marina. Got to get myself ready for cruising in April; haven’t decided where we’re going yet, but we still have three months in which to do so.
Thursday 30th December and we are just two days away from another year.
I find it difficult to believe that 2010 has passed us by so quickly. Not only that, when you consider our arrival at Pillings Lock Marina in September 2009 and we only have another three months before we’ll be off cruising again, the time has raced by.
So much has happened in the intervening space of time. The main thing was having my knees sorted out. At times, I have to confess, I’ve wondered if it was worth the effort but, after just five months, I’m getting around much easier, sleeping better and no longer spending time in the armchair. Alright, so my time in bed is still not as comfortable as I would like, but I’m sleeping longer and not getting up so often, except for the usual old man’s problem.
Of course we’ve had our problems, not least of which has been the pump-out unit, the motor of which finally gave up the ghost. However, even that cloud had its silver lining.
Had it not been for our decision to remove the existing unit and replace it with a cassette loo, we would have been in serious trouble during the recent weeks of really cold weather.
We would have been forced to use our electric pump-out pump, empty some of the tank content into a plastic, 5 gallon drum, trundle it to the disposal unit, trundle it back and repeat the operation several times in a row.
Monday 3rd January 2011
So, what do you think of it so far? Apart from the change in TV programmes this year seems much the same as last. It’s still miserable weather wise and I’m still up and down like the proverbial bridge during the night. If it’s not my legs giving me trouble, it’s mother nature waking me up for a pee.
I’m still out of bed by 5.15 am on most days and I’m still pounding away at the laptop. Today I listed 16 language courses on eBay and they only cost me £0.20p each to list.
Today, in advance of the usual broody time of Spring, we had a bit of a clear out of the storage space under the dinette. We filled two carrier bags of stuff to take to the charity shop in Derby tomorrow and we filled a black sack with rubbish.
When the ice finally disappears from the marina, we’ll take the boat for a final pump-out of the now defunct tank. Then perhaps we’ll be able to remove the tank and create some more storage space.
My dearly beloved keeps a check on what books she reads. This morning after consulting her diary for 2009, she discovered she had waded her way through 70 books. Now, since I am a much faster reader than she is, I must have read at least 100 but, since I don’t keep count, I have no idea how many I have read. So, from now on I will be listing my finished books in my own diary. Watch this space for the end of the year.
Tomorrow Derby, to get rid of our junk to the charity shop.
Thursday 6th January and we didn’t get to Derby yesterday, instead we drove into Burton. The plan for Tuesday was to catch the bus in to town but, as the perimeter road was icy, we decided to leave it another day. By the time Tuesday morning came around, we had decided on Burton and managed to dispose of two shopping bags full of our junk. No doubt somebody else will find a use for it all.
Whilst in Burton we popped into the local Primark shop because I really could do with some new jeans. I have had to bow to the inevitable and go up a size to 38 inch waist. Anyway, at just £16 for two pairs – cheap and cheerful, that’s me – I thought they would do for sculling around the boat in. How wrong can you be? One pair, although labelled up as 38, were actually a very small 36, whilst the other pair were button up fly, which I hate.
Having missed out on Derby yesterday, Wifey will be catching the bus there this morning, when she will also return my jeans to the Derby branch of Primark. I don’t think I’ll bother shopping there again.
I won’t be accompanying Wifey to Derby today because I have a lot to do on the computer, mostly listing eBooks on eBay and catching up on emails. Talking about which, I’m having problems sending emails these days. There are times when they simply refuse to go and I get the nag screen at top left.
This morning I had the same problem and I had only just logged on. I have a feeling it’s an internal problem and so, just for a change, I’ve attached the modem to a different USB port and, so fat it seems to be working OK.
Friday 7th January and, lucky old me, I have a cold. Strangely my lungs have been feeling a wee bit congested of late and I was thinking of going to the doctor’s. But I suddenly realised that I had the beginnings of a cold, and so I grabbed the Beecham’s Powders and set to. I also am not too sparing with the Vick’s Vapour Rub on these occasions. In the past I have, on these occasions, suffered quite badly with breathing problems due to Asthma and now, if the quacks are right, COPD or Chronic Obstructed Pulmonary Disease.
Personally I think they are wrong on that diagnosis because, as has happened in the past, I have almost grown out of the Asthma. Indeed, it is now many years since I have suffered an attack, and that was prior to our buying the shop in Kent back in the late 80’s. Anyway, I am now fighting off a cold, not Man Flu, I hasten to add, just a simple snot-nosed cold with the accompanying cough. Lucky old Alan, he’s coming to visit tomorrow for a couple of days!!
Shopping today at Morrison’s.
Wednesday 12th January and I have to ask where the week has gone. Is it really five days since I pounded out my last missive on this blog?
Mind you, the cold didn’t give me much incentive for blogging and we had my kid brother down at the weekend. Naturally we took him to our local watering-hole and fed him with a rather delightful stew and dumplings.
That was on Saturday. On Sunday, without too much persuasion, Wifey agreed to a return visit. Bless her little cotton socks, all she has is a coffee then sits there watching me guzzle the Guinness.
On Monday we emptied out the storage box underneath Wifey’s side of the dinette and split it up into stuff for charity shop and rubbish. Thus far, since starting this clear out we’ve taken five full shopping bags to charity shops and three black sacks to the tip.
Alan kindly replaced a leaky radiator for us on Sunday morning, which we took to the Burton amenities site. The only thing left to get rid of is the waste tank from our defunct pump-out unit, but we can’t do that until we empty it out. All that’s in it now is water, which we’ll probably pump out just as soon as we can get to the pump-out unit. Once that job is done we can try removing the tank from under our bed and taking it to the tip. This will give us a huge amount of extra storage space.
Our next job is to sort through our CDs and dispose of the ones we no longer need, which means listing them on eBay, darned if I’ll see them go to a charity shop. Actually, since we tend to call in on them each time we go to Burton, we’ve noticed how much more expensive they have become. It’s nothing now to find ourselves [paying £2.00 or more for a paper back book. At other times we can still find them for as little as 99p.
I now have 16 foreign language courses listed on eBay, all for the princely sum of £2.25 each, with free post and packing. Thus far, for my first listing, I have sold three, but it’s early days yet. These courses originated from the Foreign Services Institute of America and were designed to teach their diplomats proficiency in the language of the country they were being posted to.
They were originally used in a classroom under the tutelage of a speaker of the language concerned and had student notes and audio tapes. These have been converted now into MP3 audio and include Student Notes in .pdf. You could pay hundreds of pounds for similar courses but, if you are looking for a good, basic grounding in the language, these courses really are ideal.
I also have a mass of other audio books that I’m almost ready to list, hopefully before the weekend.
Friday 14th January
Went to see the nurse yesterday for my annual COPD check up but, since I still had some congestion on my lungs from the recent cold, the obligatory flow meter effort was deemed superfluous. I now have to return in a couple of weeks. That will be another two weeks closer to getting some cruising in.
We’ve just read an article in one of the boating magazines, which has an eight page pull-out about the Chesterfield Canal. For those of you with a Waterways Map, you’ll find it running west off the River Trent at West Stockwith. We’re not normally too keen on tidal stretches of river because they can be somewhat unpredictable, but we might just give it a shot.
Alternatively, and if we’re feeling really brave, we might venture up to the Lancaster. Most boaters who have done this stretch of water, will tell you that it is a really pleasant run. However, there is the small matter of the Ribble Link. This is a stretch of tidal water on the River Ribble that joins the north and south stretches of the Lancaster Canal.
Passage along this part of the Ribble is limited to just once per day and it is necessary to book passage. Boaters are required to go in convoy and have a reliable means of communication, just in case of a disaster or two. A good anchor is also a necessity.
Of course, we could decide against either of these options, and we do have a rather good reason to consider this, because we may want to try finding next winters mooring a wee bit further south. It would be nice to be able to visit with family for a change. What with having my knees replaced, it took some considerable time before I could drive again and, even now, I’m rather reluctant to take long drives and Harlow is at least two hours away from here.
There’s also the matter of fuel costs to consider. We topped up today and, even though we still had a quarter of a tank full, it cost us just over £60, £40 of which would be used up driving down to Harlow.
We are also considering selling the car before we go cruising in April. Apart from the fact that it needs a little work carried out on it, such as brakes and transmission, there’s Road Tax, MOT and Insurance costs, not to mention depreciation. We think we’ll probably save over £500 if we sell it and keep the money until next winter, when we can look around for another one at a reasonable price.
Anyway, the weekend is now upon us and so I’m going to post this, the first blog of 2011.
Cheers for now.
Oh! Before I go, here’s a very nice little recipe from my own book.
Colne Chicken
A grilled chicken dish from the villages in the Colne Valley near Colchester in Essex.
The Colne Valley has a flood plain which spans approximately 385 ft by the time it enters Colchester. This area is used as pasture, as the river at this stage has no safeguards against it rising the two feet it needs to burst its banks, although it is split between two pasture areas in Spring Lane, Old Lexden. Roughly to the south of Colchester North Station, the river passes under a bridge and into a concrete-lined area that was used as an open-air bathing facility until the 1960s, and is now used by canoeists.
Ingredients:
Serves: 4
4 chicken breasts (boned and skinned)
8 rashers of streaky bacon
juice of one lemon
½ tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
grated rind of one lemon
Method:
Set the grill to hot.
Flatten the chicken breast with a wet knife and cut in half lengthways.
Brush the chicken pieces with lemon juice.
Mix together all the herbs and sprinkle each piece of chicken with the herbs and lemon rind.
Wrap a rasher of streaky bacon around each piece of chicken and grill until cooked.
Serve two pieces of chicken to each person with roast or sauté potatoes and a green vegetable.
A good day yesterday, managed to get to the pub which, as you would expect for Christmas day, was very busy. Being sneaky of course, we arrived early so as to grab a seat.
We would like to thank everybody who sent us a card. Sadly some of you didn’t have our new address, which is strange because Sheila texted everybody with it quite some time ago. Also, some cards are ay Alan’s house and he will forward them just as soon as he can get to the Post Office.
Wifey, as usual, was very good to me; my presents consisted of a new waterproof cap, the latest book by Stephen King, a hone twizzler and a double egg cup. This last item because I have two boiled eggs for my Sunday breakfast and the twizzler because I also like hone and cinnamon on my toast and crumpets. For my sins and because I have found it rather difficult to get to the shops without her in tow, I settled for some CD’s, two by Chris De Burgh and one by Michael Buble.
For Christmas dinner the usual Turkey with trimmings, except that this time, as per instructions from the Hairy Bikers, steamed the carrots and sprouts in butter and oil. Whilst this method retained the flavour of both vegetables, it seemed to leave the sprouts less than crunchy. An excellent meal all the same and we have plenty of turkey left for today’s cold meat and pickle with bubble and squeek. This time Wifey will cook the b and s in a couple of chef’s rings. Sounds good to meee!
Having managed to get to the pub yesterday, despite the sheet of ice covering the marina perimeter road, we’ll probably do so again today. Well, it is Sunday and I’ve missed a couple of late.
Now that the shortest day has passed we’re looking forward to daylight lasting a wee bit longer and, once the ice and snow have gone which, hopefully, will be later in the week, I’m getting out there for some walks around the marina. Got to get myself ready for cruising in April; haven’t decided where we’re going yet, but we still have three months in which to do so.
Thursday 30th December and we are just two days away from another year.
I find it difficult to believe that 2010 has passed us by so quickly. Not only that, when you consider our arrival at Pillings Lock Marina in September 2009 and we only have another three months before we’ll be off cruising again, the time has raced by.
So much has happened in the intervening space of time. The main thing was having my knees sorted out. At times, I have to confess, I’ve wondered if it was worth the effort but, after just five months, I’m getting around much easier, sleeping better and no longer spending time in the armchair. Alright, so my time in bed is still not as comfortable as I would like, but I’m sleeping longer and not getting up so often, except for the usual old man’s problem.
Of course we’ve had our problems, not least of which has been the pump-out unit, the motor of which finally gave up the ghost. However, even that cloud had its silver lining.
Had it not been for our decision to remove the existing unit and replace it with a cassette loo, we would have been in serious trouble during the recent weeks of really cold weather.
We would have been forced to use our electric pump-out pump, empty some of the tank content into a plastic, 5 gallon drum, trundle it to the disposal unit, trundle it back and repeat the operation several times in a row.
Monday 3rd January 2011
So, what do you think of it so far? Apart from the change in TV programmes this year seems much the same as last. It’s still miserable weather wise and I’m still up and down like the proverbial bridge during the night. If it’s not my legs giving me trouble, it’s mother nature waking me up for a pee.
I’m still out of bed by 5.15 am on most days and I’m still pounding away at the laptop. Today I listed 16 language courses on eBay and they only cost me £0.20p each to list.
Today, in advance of the usual broody time of Spring, we had a bit of a clear out of the storage space under the dinette. We filled two carrier bags of stuff to take to the charity shop in Derby tomorrow and we filled a black sack with rubbish.
When the ice finally disappears from the marina, we’ll take the boat for a final pump-out of the now defunct tank. Then perhaps we’ll be able to remove the tank and create some more storage space.
My dearly beloved keeps a check on what books she reads. This morning after consulting her diary for 2009, she discovered she had waded her way through 70 books. Now, since I am a much faster reader than she is, I must have read at least 100 but, since I don’t keep count, I have no idea how many I have read. So, from now on I will be listing my finished books in my own diary. Watch this space for the end of the year.
Tomorrow Derby, to get rid of our junk to the charity shop.
Thursday 6th January and we didn’t get to Derby yesterday, instead we drove into Burton. The plan for Tuesday was to catch the bus in to town but, as the perimeter road was icy, we decided to leave it another day. By the time Tuesday morning came around, we had decided on Burton and managed to dispose of two shopping bags full of our junk. No doubt somebody else will find a use for it all.
Whilst in Burton we popped into the local Primark shop because I really could do with some new jeans. I have had to bow to the inevitable and go up a size to 38 inch waist. Anyway, at just £16 for two pairs – cheap and cheerful, that’s me – I thought they would do for sculling around the boat in. How wrong can you be? One pair, although labelled up as 38, were actually a very small 36, whilst the other pair were button up fly, which I hate.
Having missed out on Derby yesterday, Wifey will be catching the bus there this morning, when she will also return my jeans to the Derby branch of Primark. I don’t think I’ll bother shopping there again.
I won’t be accompanying Wifey to Derby today because I have a lot to do on the computer, mostly listing eBooks on eBay and catching up on emails. Talking about which, I’m having problems sending emails these days. There are times when they simply refuse to go and I get the nag screen at top left.
This morning I had the same problem and I had only just logged on. I have a feeling it’s an internal problem and so, just for a change, I’ve attached the modem to a different USB port and, so fat it seems to be working OK.
Friday 7th January and, lucky old me, I have a cold. Strangely my lungs have been feeling a wee bit congested of late and I was thinking of going to the doctor’s. But I suddenly realised that I had the beginnings of a cold, and so I grabbed the Beecham’s Powders and set to. I also am not too sparing with the Vick’s Vapour Rub on these occasions. In the past I have, on these occasions, suffered quite badly with breathing problems due to Asthma and now, if the quacks are right, COPD or Chronic Obstructed Pulmonary Disease.
Personally I think they are wrong on that diagnosis because, as has happened in the past, I have almost grown out of the Asthma. Indeed, it is now many years since I have suffered an attack, and that was prior to our buying the shop in Kent back in the late 80’s. Anyway, I am now fighting off a cold, not Man Flu, I hasten to add, just a simple snot-nosed cold with the accompanying cough. Lucky old Alan, he’s coming to visit tomorrow for a couple of days!!
Shopping today at Morrison’s.
Wednesday 12th January and I have to ask where the week has gone. Is it really five days since I pounded out my last missive on this blog?
Mind you, the cold didn’t give me much incentive for blogging and we had my kid brother down at the weekend. Naturally we took him to our local watering-hole and fed him with a rather delightful stew and dumplings.
That was on Saturday. On Sunday, without too much persuasion, Wifey agreed to a return visit. Bless her little cotton socks, all she has is a coffee then sits there watching me guzzle the Guinness.
On Monday we emptied out the storage box underneath Wifey’s side of the dinette and split it up into stuff for charity shop and rubbish. Thus far, since starting this clear out we’ve taken five full shopping bags to charity shops and three black sacks to the tip.
Alan kindly replaced a leaky radiator for us on Sunday morning, which we took to the Burton amenities site. The only thing left to get rid of is the waste tank from our defunct pump-out unit, but we can’t do that until we empty it out. All that’s in it now is water, which we’ll probably pump out just as soon as we can get to the pump-out unit. Once that job is done we can try removing the tank from under our bed and taking it to the tip. This will give us a huge amount of extra storage space.
Our next job is to sort through our CDs and dispose of the ones we no longer need, which means listing them on eBay, darned if I’ll see them go to a charity shop. Actually, since we tend to call in on them each time we go to Burton, we’ve noticed how much more expensive they have become. It’s nothing now to find ourselves [paying £2.00 or more for a paper back book. At other times we can still find them for as little as 99p.
I now have 16 foreign language courses listed on eBay, all for the princely sum of £2.25 each, with free post and packing. Thus far, for my first listing, I have sold three, but it’s early days yet. These courses originated from the Foreign Services Institute of America and were designed to teach their diplomats proficiency in the language of the country they were being posted to.
They were originally used in a classroom under the tutelage of a speaker of the language concerned and had student notes and audio tapes. These have been converted now into MP3 audio and include Student Notes in .pdf. You could pay hundreds of pounds for similar courses but, if you are looking for a good, basic grounding in the language, these courses really are ideal.
I also have a mass of other audio books that I’m almost ready to list, hopefully before the weekend.
Friday 14th January
Went to see the nurse yesterday for my annual COPD check up but, since I still had some congestion on my lungs from the recent cold, the obligatory flow meter effort was deemed superfluous. I now have to return in a couple of weeks. That will be another two weeks closer to getting some cruising in.
We’ve just read an article in one of the boating magazines, which has an eight page pull-out about the Chesterfield Canal. For those of you with a Waterways Map, you’ll find it running west off the River Trent at West Stockwith. We’re not normally too keen on tidal stretches of river because they can be somewhat unpredictable, but we might just give it a shot.
Alternatively, and if we’re feeling really brave, we might venture up to the Lancaster. Most boaters who have done this stretch of water, will tell you that it is a really pleasant run. However, there is the small matter of the Ribble Link. This is a stretch of tidal water on the River Ribble that joins the north and south stretches of the Lancaster Canal.
Passage along this part of the Ribble is limited to just once per day and it is necessary to book passage. Boaters are required to go in convoy and have a reliable means of communication, just in case of a disaster or two. A good anchor is also a necessity.
Of course, we could decide against either of these options, and we do have a rather good reason to consider this, because we may want to try finding next winters mooring a wee bit further south. It would be nice to be able to visit with family for a change. What with having my knees replaced, it took some considerable time before I could drive again and, even now, I’m rather reluctant to take long drives and Harlow is at least two hours away from here.
There’s also the matter of fuel costs to consider. We topped up today and, even though we still had a quarter of a tank full, it cost us just over £60, £40 of which would be used up driving down to Harlow.
We are also considering selling the car before we go cruising in April. Apart from the fact that it needs a little work carried out on it, such as brakes and transmission, there’s Road Tax, MOT and Insurance costs, not to mention depreciation. We think we’ll probably save over £500 if we sell it and keep the money until next winter, when we can look around for another one at a reasonable price.
Anyway, the weekend is now upon us and so I’m going to post this, the first blog of 2011.
Cheers for now.
Oh! Before I go, here’s a very nice little recipe from my own book.
Colne Chicken
A grilled chicken dish from the villages in the Colne Valley near Colchester in Essex.
The Colne Valley has a flood plain which spans approximately 385 ft by the time it enters Colchester. This area is used as pasture, as the river at this stage has no safeguards against it rising the two feet it needs to burst its banks, although it is split between two pasture areas in Spring Lane, Old Lexden. Roughly to the south of Colchester North Station, the river passes under a bridge and into a concrete-lined area that was used as an open-air bathing facility until the 1960s, and is now used by canoeists.
Ingredients:
Serves: 4
4 chicken breasts (boned and skinned)
8 rashers of streaky bacon
juice of one lemon
½ tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
grated rind of one lemon
Method:
Set the grill to hot.
Flatten the chicken breast with a wet knife and cut in half lengthways.
Brush the chicken pieces with lemon juice.
Mix together all the herbs and sprinkle each piece of chicken with the herbs and lemon rind.
Wrap a rasher of streaky bacon around each piece of chicken and grill until cooked.
Serve two pieces of chicken to each person with roast or sauté potatoes and a green vegetable.
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