A wintery update to let everyone know we are still alive and busy!
We had a day of snow and it was beautiful, except Richard had to work.
But the boys enjoyed it!
I've been doing lots of painting, trying to build up stock for this season. I don't really have time in the summer to do largish jobs like these, so on the hit list have been milk churns, watercans, post boxes, teapots and .......
....I taught myself how to do candy striping for brooms, poles and boat hooks. I was pleased with the results, just need to tackle the rest on the roofs!
We managed to get the new motor out for blacking earlier this month. Normally we take it to Paul Barber on the Erewash, but that was not practical this year with my husband's job and time available to get there.
Coming out in a sling by a huge crane was a new experience for us, usually we drag the boats out of the water with a tractor and trailor. Here the boat is guided out gently and lowered onto the sleepers at the side of the canal wharf.
The propeller is larger than the old boat and the difference in handling is measurable.
Safely seated on the sleepers, Eclipse awaits her spruce up
I tackled repainting the back tunnel bands, whilst Richard skimmed around the boat putting the final coat of blacking on. We wanted to use up all that was in the tin, as it is messy stuff!
The boys have been out running several times, as is my resolution to do a 10k this summer, come hell or high water! I haven't entered any races for around 7 years! Just small trips out, as Reilly (greyhound) gets tired on a longer run, being a short sprint dog, but I think they enjoy the adventure of a new trail to sniff out!
And finally, we returned to Stoke Bruerne for the 'Open Lock' weekend. This is where members of the public may descend into the empty lock and view the structure and engineering works going on within.
Saturday was nearly a washout, but still people ventured out, but Sunday was great drawing many to the museum, pubs and of course ourselves and the Cheese Boat next door, once they had surveyed the lock.
So now we have moved on back up north a bit, to enable the journey to work for Richard to be a little less, and I continue the ever present list of stock replenishment.....
