Almyne 2011

Wed, 6 Apr 2011
2 miles 2 locks repeat Woke this morning to a thick mist, so decided that it would be a good idea to go shopping. Well, I thought it would be a good idea but after trudging over two miles along the tow path and across the fields I was not so sure. Got some basics and trudged back. D'fer enjoyed it well enough though. Early afternoon the sun came out with a vengeance, so did my engine checks and set off towards 'The Jolly Boatman'. Bumped in to ScottishRob and his brother at Roundham Lock, so got a free ride through that one. Carried on to Langham Lane moorings where I emptied my porta pottie and got rid of the accumulation of rubbish. Arrived at 'The Jolly Boatman' by five and immediately threw a ball in the canal for D'fer, otherwise he would be likely to race back along the tow path to meet up with Rob's dogs, not a good idea. Kept D'fer occupied while I moored up, hoping that he would not decide to dry off on my bed, had a cup of tea, a sandwich and settled in for the evening.

Wed, 13 Apr 2011
Couldn't resist taking a piccie of this and later on I found out where it lives.

What A Neat Boat And This Is Where It Lives

Sat, 30 Apr 2011

Yellow Field

Gondoliers
Doctors, dentist, hospital.
Fiddle farting about, waiting in a hurry.
Chimneys. There's a subject for discussion. The chimney on Almyne rotted out in just under two years of use. At thirty to forty pounds a time that is expensive, especially when you are on a budget.
My solution is to use dog food tins. I have tried other tins, but the dog food tins fit the bill to a 'T'. These are the large tins. Principle benefits are that they fit the spigot of my flue, but another consideration of equal, if not more importance, is that they stack.
My flue pipe now terminates in a dog food tin, with another dog food tin slotted on to the top of it, and, yes, you've guessed it, another stacked on top of that.
The longer the flue pipe, the better the fire drawers, but the longer the flue pipe, the more likely you are to lose it in a tunnel. Mind you, if I lose the top of my flue pipe it is no longer a great worry as a replacement is a matter of a pound or so, and D'fer

enjoys the contents anyway.
I have also discovered that the dog food tins will rot out after a year, but in the process will protect my costly, elegant, politically correct, pretty, bog standard narrow boat chimney almost indefinitely.
Spent the whole month just waiting.

Sun, 1 May 2011

Growth

Dressings

Stitches

Stitches out
36 miles 24 locks 6 lift bridges
Well, that's a whole month gone by and I haven't written anything. Not really anything to write about as I have been hanging around waiting for this or that appointment.
What have I been doing with myself? Doctors, to get an appointment at the hospital to get the growth on the ear sorted out.
The doctor was great but I had to make this practice in Kidlington my home practice so that he could refer me to the hospital. The growth is a Molluscum Contagiosum (sounds a bit like a Harry Potter spell for catching whelks) and the doctor said that I should take a picture of it as it is the largest he has ever seen.
Then, off to the dentist to get my teeth sorted out. It is the same practice that I used in Hungerford but they don't share records so I had to register with them as well. At this rate it makes sense to keep my medical services based in Kidlington and return here each winter for a whole body service.
The appointment to go to the hospital arrived the following day and written confirmation was sent to Thrupp Canal and Cruising Club. I know this because one of their members came along to Almyne asking me who I was and then told me that a letter was waiting for me. Later on that day she delivered the letter to me on Almyne.
Registered with the dentist in the morning and about half an hour later I got a text message to say that I could call in between two and four that afternoon to make an appointment for a check up. Called in at two and was given an appointment for four o'clock. That's quick work.
Went for the appointment and got the news, seven extractions. I knew that I would need some as my teeth have been getting worse over the past couple of years without visiting the dentist. Explained to the dentist how nervous I was of dental appointment and he sent me to the doctor to get some happy pills.
Off to the doctor again, and got the prescription for the happy pills.
Time passed.
Anyway, off to the hospital where I was given a visual body scan for any form of skin cancer by the consultant and then straight downstairs for removal of the lump. The consultant said that my lump was 'Quite impressive'.
The doctor doing the procedure told me she was going to draw a little circle around the lump and a slightly larger circle around that, where they would be making the cut. Now in my judgement this meant a circle about the size of a five pence piece
Actually the second circle that she drew was nearer the size of a fifty pence piece. Try wrapping a fifty pence piece around your ear and see how far it goes in all directions! After the first two or three injections of local anaesthetic I could not feel the needle going in but was still aware of loads of manipulation of my ear. I could not see anything as I had a big sheet thing wrapped around my head with only a small hole for my ear to poke through.
The consultant came along and checked the doctors work. While she was cutting away I could hear the consultant saying 'Right down to the cartilage, right down to the cartilage'. Fortunately I could not feel anything apart from a little pulling here and there.
Once the consultant was happy with the removal he told the doctor to go ahead and sew it up. I can honestly say that it felt as if she was darning a sock the number of stitches that went in to closing up the gap. When I said this to her she said that she was trying to make a really neat job of it.
Sorted, and back to the doctor at Kidlington to make an appointment to have the stitches out in a weeks time.
One week later, off to the nurse to have the stitches out. I asked her to take a picture of the stitches before they came out, which she kindly did with my camera. She remarked that there were a lot of stitches but the doctor had made a really good job of sewing me up and that there would probably be no scarring.
The following day was dentist day, and not nice. I took my happy pill two hours before the appointment and another an hour before the appointment. Still did not feel at all relaxed when I got there. Open up, just a few jabs. More than a few and it still hurt when he pulled the teeth. He was good about it and did keep checking, asking if it hurt or if I could just feel the sensation of pulling. It still hurt, and I still did not feel relaxed with the happy pills.
He got on with his job and I pretended I was not there at all, but it was difficult.
Jelly and cold soup for lunch. Cold soup and cranberry juice for tea. Pain killers and a slice of bread and butter, with the crusts cut off for supper.
Hooray. It's over for a while, no more appointments for two weeks. As soon as I can eat something solid I'm off.
Went up to Somerton lock for a few days, just to get a break from Kidlington, which is where the mileage and locks comes in. I was really not in the mood for detailed reporting, what with all the appointments going on but I will try to relate some of the slightly more interesting things that I saw and that happened on this little journey in the next few posts.

Wed, 4 May 2011

Cygnets

Cygnets
4½ miles 6 locks 2 lift bridges
Just motored down to Dukes Cut and back again, all that way, just to turn around. I want to be heading towards Banbury for Thursday, just in case I feel like travelling after having another three teeth out, including one at the front middle. Reminds me of that old, old song, 'All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth'.
I've seen loads of new born ducklings but today was my first cygnets of the year, and for good measure, new born moorhens.
Bumped in to the guy who was moored behind me at Kidlington on the way back. Apparently he has built his own boat from the bottom up, including welding it together, got to admire him for that.
I think it was yesterday that I made my first attempt at making charcoal. I had seen an article on the web about small scale charcoal making and thought I would give it a try. The instruction talk about a big tin, maybe eighteen across, filled with wood. Put another even bigger tin (with lots of slits cut in it at the bottom for ventilation) over it and turn the whole lot upside down.
Now fill the gap between the two tins with wood and then light it. When it is all burnt out you should have charcoal in the smaller inner tin.
Well, I haven't got any tins that big, and to be perfectly honest wouldn't want to have tins that big on board clogging up my limited space. Did not know if the process would scale down, but thought it might be worth a try.
A five litre paint tin (which I have been trying to find now for over a month) with slots cut on the bottom (which I made with an angle grinder) for the larger of the two and a large dog food tine (like the ones I use for my chimney) for the smaller inner tin.
Filled the dog food tin with chunky bits of wood as tightly as I could, put the paint tin over and turned the whole lot upside down. Filled the gap between the two with little bits of twig and other bits of dried up old wood, such as litters the tow path everywhere. Lit the top of the pile and waited. The wood caught fire, the paint left in the tin caught fire, the grass around the tin caught fire, well singed a bit anyway. All the wood burnt away after about forty minutes leaving a residue of ash at the bottom of the two tins. Impatient as I was I did not remove the smaller inner tin yet, it was still too hot! After another twenty minutes or so I upended the whole caboodle and was pleasantly surprised to see charcoal in the inner tin. One small piece was glowing and that meant that if I just left it the whole lot would burn. Covered the smaller tin with the larger to exclude air. An hour later - charcoal, well pleased.

Thu, 5 May 2011

Pretty

New Born Chicks

Sunrise

Lambs
7 miles 4 locks 1 lift bridge
So good to be on the move at last
Dentist at ten this morning, three extractions, including a front upper, now I look like a redneck hillbilly.
Up at six forty-five, happy pill at seven. Fished for an hour, and good fishing it was too, perhaps because I have been throwing in a hand full of maggots three times a day for over a week. Some perch up to a pound and a half, roach up to a pound and also gudgeon and pope, with the odd rudd thrown in.
Another happy pill at half eight, more fishing and then off to the dentist.
Happy pills didn't work, I was still tense and nervous, but hey ho, had to be done.
Got another pint of maggots on the way back to Almyne just by pointing, couldn't open my mouth or make intelligible remarks due to local anaesthetic and having to bite on the wad of packing in the hole where my teeth used to be.
Back to Almyne with instructions not to smoke or drink alcohol for 24 hours. Who does he think I am Superman! I suppose the mixture of things in tobacco smoke could infect an open wound in the mouth, but by this time the bleeding had stopped, so I discounted that. Alcohol does thin the blood and promulgates bleeding, but again, the bleeding had stopped, so go for it.
As soon as my lips had gained enough sensation to hold a cigarette I had one, just to relax me a little, and fished some more.
Couldn't contemplate travelling just yet, and anyway I needed some bread before setting off and I wasn't going shopping with my lip like it was. Waited till I could make halfway intelligible remarks to myself and went shopping.
Got some bread, a joint of beef!! (wishful thinking) that was reduced and some mixers, I don't drink my spirits straight very often.
Back to Almyne, and realised how hungry I was. What to eat with all those teeth missing, especially as I was not allowed anything hot. Pilchards, warmed up in a saucepan with four slices of bread and butter with the crusts cut off. Went down a treat.
Engine checks and set off just after two, engine throbbing in time to my gums, now that the local had worn off. Quick, some pain killers, might work if I catch it in time.
A very pleasant trip, collecting small pieces of wood for making charcoal while waiting for locks to fill and empty, ending up at the best mooring site on the south Oxford canal and promptly had a coffee with brandy in it. Clear views on both sides so I could watch the sun go down this evening and, if up early enough in the morning, watch it come up again. Had an evening meal of chicken korma (out of a tin) with rice as only I can cook it and another coffee brandy. The meal is one of those that could be eaten with a straw if necessary. Watched the sun go down as I ate dinner.
One of the good things about living on the canal is that if you don't like your neighbours you can move on. Well I think that the boat that was moored up at this lovely spot decided that they didn't like me, can't think why, unless it was because five minutes after stopping I had my charcoal maker on the go.
Anyway, they moved off, even though it was half past six. So here I am, in the middle of nowhere, at the best mooring on the south Oxford canal enjoying a quiet evening of the best sunset I have seen for ages and making more charcoal.
Where I was moored up at Kidlington there were trees either side and although the sun comes up at about five, I didn't get any of it till about ten and it was gone by about four in the afternoon, hence this spot is bliss.
So, what could have been a fairly bad day turned into one of the best days I have had for ages.

Fri, 6 May 2011

Long Horned Cows

More Long Horned Cows

Clouds

Clouds
12 miles 8 locks 2 lift bridges
What a wonderful day today, sunshine, clear skies, warm breeze, ideal for travelling. Didn't make the sunrise (what a surprise!) but I was moving by half seven. Rob

rang me yesterday and asked me where I was as he was at Banbury , having sent Neil home, and heading off towards Rugby . He wondered if I was heading in the same direction. Told him yes and I would meet him in Banbury when I got there.
Ever since I can remember I have started the day with a good breakfast. Always before I went to school I cooked eggs on toast, in one form or another, or beans on toast or something, always a cooked breakfast. Lately, for about two months I haven't fancied anything to eat early in the morning so set off after only a cup of tea.
Not surprisingly by eleven thirty I was getting hungry. Stopped off just above Somerton lock (where I had moored up previously) and had eggs, bacon, fried bread (cooked in beef dripping) tomatoes and a couple of slices of bread and butter. That set me up for the afternoon.
Set of again just after twelve and continued on till I got to Grants Lock, just south of Banbury. Rang Rob to ask him where he was moored up. Only about a mile away, so I expected to be with him in about ten minutes. Murphy's law kicked in. Something around my propeller, so best speed about one mile per hour.
Eventually arrived where Rob was moored up and pulled over. First things first, cleared the rear deck and checked the propeller. Yes, a whole bunch of weed. Cleared that so ready to move on again as and when.
Caught up on Rob's news. His boat is now looking really good after a fresh paint job, and D'fer

went bananas seeing Ax and Bostic again.
Rob explained that he was down to just two cans of beer and needed to go shopping and would I like to go with him. A little reluctantly I agreed as I had already had a long day. Anyway, walked into Banbury, only a mile and a half, stopping off on the way to chat to a friend of his. I was regaled with stories of shoplifting in France and the way to get away with is using their laws in your favour! not that I ever expect to need this information.
Got to the supermarket and I wandered around looking for essential purchases. Four blocks of beef dripping, a couple of packets of hot cross buns and that was about it for me. Got to the self service checkout (all the normal checkouts were full to busting) and started putting the items through.
The beef dripping was charged at 79p and I was sure that on the price display it was marked at 68p. Asked the girl supervising the self service checkouts to verify this and she called a manager over. He said to let me have the goods at 68p. Now the fun began. She needed a supervisor to make the changes. Not that I am an impatient person, but after five minutes waiting for this no-existent supervisor to turn up I told the woman that I would leave the goods and try again tomorrow, so left making no purchases.
Rob was all sorted out so off we went to return to our respective boats.
All the dogs had been exemplary waiting outside the supermarket and were complimented by several passers-by. Set off up the tow path. D'fer, inquisitive as usual, popped along to the first boat, stuck his head in the cratch and obviously decided that the interior deserved further investigation. He leapt on and the next thing I knew was that the owner was shouting at D'fer to get of his boat. D'fer did, with a whole cooked chicken in his mouth. He ran about ten yards up the tow path, put it down and ripped off a breast. Ax and Bostic saw their opportunity and attacked the rest of the carcass. Couldn't have been more that five seconds and the whole thing was totally demolished.
Rob and I had to walk past the owner of the boat, trying so hard not to laugh and making apologetic remarks at the same time.
Stopped of with the friend of Rob for a beer and a chat again and eventually arrived back at Almyne sometime after seven. Set my charcoal maker going, had a bite to eat and settled down to bed. Another interesting, but tiring day.

Sat, 7 May 2011

Clouds

What a Sky
5 miles 4 locks
Woke up, fully refreshed by half seven. The sound of rain bouncing off the waxed canvas of the cratch cover was comforting and I decided that we would probably not be travelling too early today. Got up and decided that breakfast would be a good idea. Eggs, bacon, fried slices of leek and celery, toast and a couple of slices of bread and butter. Thankfully I can cope with this even though I have so many teeth missing, it just means I have to move the food around my mouth to appropriate places to get a good bite on it. No fried bread as I only had enough dripping to cook the eggs.
I think that D'fer

is showing off to Ax and Bostic as he takes every opportunity he can to find somewhere to get into the canal and go swimming, knowing that Ax and Bostic will not follow him, or perhaps he is trying to persuade them to try swimming because he enjoys it so much. I'm not so keen as he then jumps on Almyne and makes everything wet.
I spend hours fighting a losing battle against the mud splattered on all the galley cabinets and it is not helped when Ax and Bostic join in.
Eventually set of just after eleven, but only travelled as far as the supermarket. Rob

needed to stock up on enough beer to last him a week (about 9 dozen cans) and I really wanted some beef dripping.
Moored up by the boat that D'fer had nicked the chicken from.
This time I managed to get the shopping I wanted, but they still tried to charge me 79p for the 68p dripping. Got that sorted out and then I realised that I had left my wallet in my other trousers. The nice girl on the self checkout tills put my shopping on one side while I returned to Almyne to get my money. Once that was sorted we set off properly.
I quite enjoy travelling with Rob as he is willing, if not too clued up on working locks single handed, but tries hard to pull his weight.
With the weather being quite normal for Britain , i.e.. changeable, we made an early stop just before five to try and avoid the impending rain.
Murphy's law again, as soon as we moored up the sun came out and it turned into a glorious evening, which I spent doing a little fishing, drinking a few evening coffees and recovering from a generally muggy day.
Sometimes I feel just like the weather. All day the air had been heavy and humid and I felt the same way, heavy and humid. I was glad to be able to stop and rest, wearing only my underpants while sitting on the stern enjoying another beautiful evening.

Tue, 31 May 2011
138 miles 69 locks 6 lift bridges
From Banbury we travelled to Coventry , just or a look and then headed back towards Oxford. Just after Braunston Rob

decided that he had been to Oxford too many times already and wanted to head off to pastures new, so he turned around and headed off towards Middlewich, while I returned to Oxford to complete my trips to the dentist.