Making it our own

Danger, working party on board. We had bought the boat to Cropredy marina in December. An ex hire craft we have to make our own. The 'to do' list grew as we traveled and while getting through the end of year festivities. 

Winter visits are a basic existence on board with no hot or cold running water on board. Water is collected in containers from the local tap. We do have mains electricity via the landline so we are able to use our fan heater to keep warm. We have a battery charger so there is no need to run the engine.

On the day we arrived a storm had traveled over from the USA. It was very wet and windy, despite that our fan heater managed to get the temperature up to a comfortable level. We stayed two nights but had to run the diesel heater as well first thing in the mornings.

We managed to tick many jobs off that list so the accommodation has improved. We left the batteries being trickle charged by our solar panel.

Must recommend this 'Moonraker' digital aerial for the TV. It worked well back home when tested inside next to the TV. On the boat it sticks on a smooth surface outside and gets its 12v power via the lead. It stayed put even through that windy storm!

N F P's

 

 

New Forest Ponies

After those frosty days the sun made the winter month of January almost spring like.  So off we went for a walk after driving to 'Deer Leap' not far from home.

Fantasy, Myth or Legend?

Fantasy
the faculty or activity of imagining impossible or improbable things.

Myth
a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.

Legend
a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.

Are we all in a fantasy, myth or legend?

The date is counting the years from a time long ago when our own fantasy, myth or legend was created.

Different cultures in this world seem to need to maintain their own fantasy, myth or legend. Often resulting in war and destruction.

We pass the time at home watching films of fantasy, myth and legend. At the same time we are being creative thinking about improvements to our boat and bungalow. Going for walks and wishing we could spend more time in the garden or even on the boat! No snow here but it is cold now.

Strange to see the Spring arriving so early.  The natural world is changing.  Can we change with it or for it?

Space work

On Friday 15 th January an English man went into space to work.  Tim Peake was staying on the International Space Station (ISS) with a team from America and Russia.

One of the power systems had failed so a Shunt Unit needed replacing.  That device regulates the energy made by the solar panels.

Tim Peake and Tim Cobra put on their space suits and went out into the vacuum of space.  Taking with them all the tools and equipment required.  Everything is tethered to the station using clips and straps as they move to the failed Shunt Unit.  Even though they are weight less they still have mass.  Heavy items with more mass are more difficult to move.

It took an hour to get to the Unit.  Once there Tim Cobra, the American, slackened the bolt holding the unit to the ISS.  They had to wait until the ISS was in the dark side of earth.   This is when the solar power reduces to zero.  Only then is it safe to change the Shunt Unit and avoid sparks!

Ten turns of the bolt released the unit and Tim Peake examined the connections that proved to be clean and undamaged.  The new unit was lined up and safely bolted in place.  As the space men packed up and moved back to the air lock the ISS returned to sunshine.  The power system was working again.

Every so often the space men were required to check each others suits for any damage caused as they worked.

I was able to watch the whole procedure on my computer transmitted from the ISS via the ESA website.  How amazing is that!

A responce from CART

Stella Ridgeway is one of our boater reps.  I told her about our problems before Christmas and this is the statement she got from the Trust.

The local team have advised me they are currently carrying out their lift maintenance program which is carried out twice yearly.

The winter works commenced from bridge 141 last week (Monday 28 December) heading south and is continuing over the next 2 weeks.

So it is worth passing on problems to our boater reps.