Last post for a while

The last few days have been spent preparing for an eight week work stint. I am due to fly to the other side of the world for work committments on Friday so am making the most of the autumn weather while I am here. As usual we have had some spectacular sunsets:

 Even during the day the canal is so attractive:

 I have been sorting out all my produce before I go. The pickled onions are ready, but I am leaving most of the plum gin, damson brandy and blackberry whisky to mature until I return from my trip. I did decant one or two jars though and they are already tasting very promising.

I was walking through the market the other day and the fruit stall was trying to get rid of its overripe bananas. I got about 20 bananas for 50p, so today I made a big batch of banana bread:

   

As a result of all this T and I have done a great trade in produce - she brought me several jars of green and red tomato chutney in exchange for some plum gin, strawberry vodka and banana bread. A on the boat next door brought some sausages round, in exchange for meals we have cooked for him during the week so we all fed on sausage, mash and onion gravy for tea. I love the currency on the Marina!!

We had our last trip away together a couple of weeks ago. Whenever I travel to foreign parts I always have to have a 'top up' of English scenery before I go. We stayed at our favourite hotel at Haweswater, which is our most loved lakeland valley. We were not disappointed with the scenery or the weather:

The reflection of the hills and vegetation on the water was stunning!!  It was difficult to tell where the hills stopped and the water started:

 The view from the hotel was gorgeous too:

We decided to do quite a high level walk, but nothing dodgy, only a little bit of mild scrambling:

We walked up past this lovely tarn ......

 .... and the views from the top were fantastic:

I probably won't be posting for a while as I fly out on Friday and am straight into work mode, but I will be back just in time for Christmas. We have booked a canal side hotel for a few days over Christmas so that we have the space to all spend time together as a family, so I will be back posting again in a few weeks.

I am going to miss all my friends and family so much while I'm away, but especially Jack the Whippet. He paid us a visit last night and you can see by the grin on his face and his body language that he enjoyed his visit!

That may be something to do with the long walk I took him for, followed by some left over scraps of pork (including crackling) that he scrounged from our tea left overs and finally a good doss on the bed which is the warmest place on the boat due to the eco fan throwing the heat of the fire to that end of the boat.

Al ;)

A short trip north

At last the weather is fine and despite both being full of cold, we felt we needed to get out, so cast off early for the two hour cruise up to town. Here is the boat nearly ready to leave:

We had a lovely quiet trip up and the canal was peaceful, sunny and leafy:

 

 

There are some lovely open stretches too:

 



 

 

As we were coming into the city I was at the tiller and a lady was walking her dog along the tow path. She stopped and scanned boat as we slid by and as I came abreast of her she said 'That is stunning!' I felt very proud and thanked her and said that we thought so too! Our boat is very striking with the Osprey painting on the side which a good friend of mine did and it is lovely when people comment on it.

  

We arrived at the basin without incident and moored up close to the pub. It so happens that a boater friend of ours is moored next to us and we will probably fall into the pub later for a drink with her:

 



The only problem with being on the tow path,(apart from the mud), is the way people peer in at your windows as they walk past. Many boaters close their curtains on the tow path side and just leave the canal side curtains open, but I think this makes the boat too dark.

Anyway, it is great to be out and about and to spend a night on battery power rather than having the luxury of electric hook up . We are due to sail back to the marina tomorrow, because I have a lot of work to do in preparation for a work trip to Malaysia in November, but for now the fire is lit and we are warm, relaxed and cosy. It doesn't get much better!

Al :)