Reflections

The ending of the year is a time for looking back and remembering the past weeks and months as the year draws to a close. We have enjoyed spending 2012 on board Tacet and over the year have travelled 2014 miles, worked 1581 locks and thoroughly enjoyed our travels up and down the country taking time to visit the villages, towns and cities as we pass by.  We have met and made new friends along the way too.

Here's a look back at our year. How many places do you recognise?
January

 

February

March

April

May

June

July

 August

September

October

November

December

We hope you have enjoyed travelling with us, thanks for your comments and taking time to read of our adventures. We enjoy your company. 

This Is Christmas

                               Wishing you all a very 
                                   Happy Christmas 
                                     and a peaceful
                                         New Year.


Thanks for visiting us here and taking time to read my rambling posts as we travel around the canals and rivers of our lovely country.  We love hearing from you from time to time.
On the way we have picked up many new friends, along the cut and from blogland, as well as keeping family and friends up to date with where we are.

If we've not met yet, do stop and say 'Hi' if our ways cross in 2013.

Enjoy the Christmas Celebrations

Ian and Karen

Feeling more Christmassy

Yesterday we had another look around Leamington Spa, bought nothing but a paper, but that was ok.  Then a quick visit to the Co-op before we pulled pins and set off cruising again. 
Then once we were settled in a quiet and remote spot below the Bascote locks, and settled inside in the warm and soon the boat was filled with the lovely smells of our Christmas dinner cooking.  
We are of course looking forward to being with our families over the Festive period but a little part of us would like to have Christmas on Tacet, so a turkey crown was bought and all the vegetables to go with it, plus the traditional trimmings along with a very fruity pudding and cream. Our plates were piled high, it was all delicious.

We shall not forget the ending of the day either.  At bedtime as usual we let Jumble out, just opening the door for him to go and do his business.........he hopped out and over the side, making a huge splash, oops!  wrong side!

Rather late in the day for a swim, but a quick rub down with a towel before he was allowed back on board and given his supper, he was not bothered by it at all.

Today we have been working off our Christmas dinner by working locks up to the top of the Stockton flight. The forecast was for rain this afternoon so we had got going by 9.30 and we nearly made it, the rain started just as we reached the last two locks.  It didn't last very long and we have been for a walk to the village of Stockton across the footpaths this afternoon.

Tuesday
4 miles, 5 locks

Wednesday
4 miles, 15 locks

Two more hats made for those who showed an interest. Amy, Jill and Linda, another will get started tonight.

Locking Again!

We've had an absolutely brilliant day.  Brilliant sunshine, brilliant breakfast,  brilliant flight of locks, brilliant cruising day.

Jumble and I were out just as the sun was rising, sounds good doesn't it but that's not so early these days. 

Before we set off down the locks we enjoyed a full cooked breakfast at the Hatton Locks Cafe, to give us fuel for the work ahead you understand.

The views from the top of the locks were clear, with blue skies all around, looking down to Warwick.

 On the way down the glistening dragonfly sat watching our progress.

 We took turns with working the locks, it was warm enough for coats off whilst locking, all that winding on all those paddle gears.  But we like this flight, you only need to work the towpath side, one paddle empties the lock quickly, and even with locks against you and walking on to prepare the next, the timing is just right.  No other boats on the move, and no wind to blow us off course, perfect cruising. 

About half-way down and then the locks spread out a bit. By 2.30 we were into Warwick, passing nb Futurest, sadly Old Salt was not at home.  Sorry we missed you. 
We wanted to get to Leamington, where we had just a few bits of Christmas shopping to do. By now it was feeling chilly as the sun dipped low. Great to be on the move again.  A brilliant day, did I just say that?

6 miles, 23 locks

Leaving Lapworth

This morning we made our 4th visit to the Lees Chapel for their Sunday Morning service, they have made us very welcome over the past weeks and we were given lunch last week too. It has been good to meet with them and worship together. 

taken from village website
But we were glad to be able to be on our way again.  We have missed the travelling, working locks and tying up in different places.   It also was good to get the washing machine on, two weeks since I was last able to run a load, pheww, we must have been getting a bit smelly! 
We made our way down to the top of the Hatton flight of 21 locks this afternoon, and so I guess by tomorrow we shall have had our fill of locks again!
Some Lapworth sunsets to finish this chapter of our travels.

4 miles

We've Moved!

After spending 3 weeks here below lock 24 on the South Stratford Canal at Lapworth, we have finally made our getaway.

Yesterday the CRT guys came along at 10am and said we were free to go up the locks, they were all finished bar a bit of tidying up.  Only trouble was we couldn't.  Richard had been having trouble getting all the bits of engine back together again, and he was on his way back to have another go.  It was horrid out there for him, warmer than Thursday but wet, and after several hours he still had no joy, so it was another night there and he came back today.

All was done and dusted by 3pm this afternoon and although the sun was just setting, we were soon undoing the chains, letting go the ropes and opening the lock gate and escaping up the 3 locks to Kingswood Junction. 
The new lock gates are complete with new their new plaques......

First stop the services to empty the loo and fill up the water tank oh and pick up some bags of coal waiting for us there too. All set and we crawled through the Lapworth link and onto the Grand Union Canal towards Hatton. Now it was dark, so pins in and we were tied up again just across the field from where we have been, a bit closer to the railway, but we shall not be here long........

0.5 miles, 3 locks

Jus' Chillin'

Well we don't have much choice actually. 
We can't move, and the temperature has got to no more than 2'C today.  It has been another beautiful white frosty day, the fog lifted and a weak wintry sun shone through for a bit this morning. 

There was frost inside Tacet too this morning!

Jumble and I enjoyed a good walk to the shop and back along the old unclassified County road, collecting ivy and holly on the way.  There are not many berries and any I did see I left for the birds.

So now I have added some more Christmas decorations around Tacet. We got a little Christmas tree in Sainsbury's yesterday (it was the shopping bus day), and with bits of gold and red ribbon purchased from the market on Saturday, plus the lights we had last year and a few holographic stars and baubles(actually present labels)hanging from the greenery we are now feeling very festive.

The smell of homemade mince pies is adding the pleasure of being in our little Christmas Idyll.

Richard and his helper have been back doing 'things' to the engine, but have not finished and will be back tomorrow.  It was so cold for them out there today, we did our best providing hot drinks and hot dogs to keep them going. 
Tomorrow we should find out if the work is finished on the locks, but with the amount of ice on the canal we may still be staying put. Hey ho!