Thursday, February 18, 2016
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Worth a try ?
A friend told me that if your partner does not use all their tax allowance the unused bit can be transferred to the higher earner. Go to gov.uk/marriage-allowance to apply. It is the lower earner that applies for the transfer to the higher earner. If it works the higher earner pays less tax!
Thursday, January 28, 2016
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.
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!
Thursday, January 21, 2016
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.
Monday, January 18, 2016
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?
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?
Saturday, January 16, 2016
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!
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!
Monday, January 04, 2016
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 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.
Monday, December 28, 2015
And now the floods
We are so relieved to have been able to get Moore 2 Life safe to Cropredy Marina. It was such a difficult trip and now we know that the river Cherwell is in flood. That would have stopped us in our tracks and seriously spoiled our Christmas.
I have reported our difficulties to CRT and NABO. The charity are more likely to respond when us boaters report problems, or so I have been told. So lets all try that tactic and see what happens. We could also make contact with our 'boater' reps in CRT !
As it was we were able to have Christmas Lunch cooked by Tracy when we went to play with our grand children. They are growing up fast with their technical toys. The next party was at our place a few days later when my brother Brod with Annie, Chris Tracy and the boys came round. Ann and I provided a buffet for them all.
I have reported our difficulties to CRT and NABO. The charity are more likely to respond when us boaters report problems, or so I have been told. So lets all try that tactic and see what happens. We could also make contact with our 'boater' reps in CRT !
As it was we were able to have Christmas Lunch cooked by Tracy when we went to play with our grand children. They are growing up fast with their technical toys. The next party was at our place a few days later when my brother Brod with Annie, Chris Tracy and the boys came round. Ann and I provided a buffet for them all.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Driving home for Christmas
We got back to the boat on the Sunday before Christmas. Another car load of stuff to find space on the boat. Once unpacked we went to the cafe at the boat yard for a relaxing tea n cake. Ann decided to bring ready meals for our first trip.
It was cool in the boat so on went the rads to warm up while the engine charged the batteries. We wondered how much diesel we had in the tank. Ann found a ready made dipstick which indicated more than half full, that should be enough for the trip. There was not much water in the tank up front when we dipped our own stick in. We had decided to use a couple of jerry cans for water. At the end of the trip it has to be all pumped out for the winter months.
Next day we took the car up to Cropredy marina and got a taxi back. That plan went well in the warm comfortable taxi. Our first problem was getting the boat away from the boat yard mooring! There were so many boats in the way. It took a gradual process of push an shove to get us on our way.
The lift bridges down this way presented the next problem. Many had blown down in the wind. Normally held up with chains anchored to the ground. The chains had broken and were too short to reach. I was obliged to fetch the boat hook to reach up to the chain. By now the wind and rain was testing our resolve to carry on. Then we entered that deep lock at Somerton. Ann was doing her best to shut the large single heavy bottom gate. I had to use the boat hook to help prise the gate shut while down on the boat. It was quite a struggle.
This was Hell on earth but we battled on determined to get at least half way just past Nell Bridge. At least the wind had calmed down and there was some blue sky. We were cold, wet and tired. On again with the rads to get warm n dry. We consumed one of those handy ready meals, what joy!
On Tuesday we set off after breakfast under a cloudy sky. Please don't rain. There were two more locks before Banbury with those heavy single bottom gates and one of them demanded the use of our boat hook again.
We met Maffi in Banbury and he kindly lifted the bridge for us. He is the first boater we know to see our Moore to Life. Thanks to him for lending us a third mooring rope.
Continuing on to Cropredy was relatively uneventful. Once in the marina we got the diesel tank filled for the winter months. They had kept our original mooring empty for us and we moved the boat there and tied up.
Next day it took a while to shut all the boat systems down for winter. The water tank pumped out in ten minutes so it was just as well we had those jerry cans! I plugged in the land line and were thankful that the charger put energy back in the batteries! After packing the car, emptying the cassette, turning off the gas and electric we were on our way home.
Happy Christmas to all our readers.
It was cool in the boat so on went the rads to warm up while the engine charged the batteries. We wondered how much diesel we had in the tank. Ann found a ready made dipstick which indicated more than half full, that should be enough for the trip. There was not much water in the tank up front when we dipped our own stick in. We had decided to use a couple of jerry cans for water. At the end of the trip it has to be all pumped out for the winter months.
Next day we took the car up to Cropredy marina and got a taxi back. That plan went well in the warm comfortable taxi. Our first problem was getting the boat away from the boat yard mooring! There were so many boats in the way. It took a gradual process of push an shove to get us on our way.
Ann at Allen's Lock
The lift bridges down this way presented the next problem. Many had blown down in the wind. Normally held up with chains anchored to the ground. The chains had broken and were too short to reach. I was obliged to fetch the boat hook to reach up to the chain. By now the wind and rain was testing our resolve to carry on. Then we entered that deep lock at Somerton. Ann was doing her best to shut the large single heavy bottom gate. I had to use the boat hook to help prise the gate shut while down on the boat. It was quite a struggle.
This was Hell on earth but we battled on determined to get at least half way just past Nell Bridge. At least the wind had calmed down and there was some blue sky. We were cold, wet and tired. On again with the rads to get warm n dry. We consumed one of those handy ready meals, what joy!
On Tuesday we set off after breakfast under a cloudy sky. Please don't rain. There were two more locks before Banbury with those heavy single bottom gates and one of them demanded the use of our boat hook again.
Chas at Slat Mill Lock
We met Maffi in Banbury and he kindly lifted the bridge for us. He is the first boater we know to see our Moore to Life. Thanks to him for lending us a third mooring rope.
Continuing on to Cropredy was relatively uneventful. Once in the marina we got the diesel tank filled for the winter months. They had kept our original mooring empty for us and we moved the boat there and tied up.
Next day it took a while to shut all the boat systems down for winter. The water tank pumped out in ten minutes so it was just as well we had those jerry cans! I plugged in the land line and were thankful that the charger put energy back in the batteries! After packing the car, emptying the cassette, turning off the gas and electric we were on our way home.
Happy Christmas to all our readers.
Wednesday, December 09, 2015
Back on a boat
It has been at least four months without a boat for us. All our stuff came off Moore 2 Life in August when she got sold. It was all stored in boxes at home.
At last we arrived at Oxford Narrowboats to see and inspect our next Moore to Life. Our grandson Ben suggested having the 'smiley'. A car full of our stuff was then transferred to the boat. Now at least it is back in the right place. But during the following hours and days things moved around to try different situations.
The new Beta engine and batteries were exercised for a few hours to provide hot water and a charge. The Eberspacher heated up the saloon and cabin. All the boat systems were checked out intermately. Being an 'ex hire', pumps were made easy to get at and change quickly. The majority of lights are LEDs. A simple switch panel enabled the switching on and off power to the lights, pumps, fridge and inverter / charger.
Next day we decided to set off to Banbury in the car. Most of the parking spaces were full and we were about to give up when we found one space.
The public were able to to go down inside and were told about the canal history and how a lock works.
Banbury lock had been fully emptied for inspection and cleaned out. Many items were recovered including a pile of mobile phones!
Chris, Tracy and our grand children came up on the Sunday to see the boat. Chris installed a volt meter next to that simple switch panel. Previously I was checking the power at a light fitting! A cafe at the boat yard provided a good menu for lunch.
We returned home on Tuesday in order to prepare for the Christmas season and write this blog! The mobile signal was non existent at the boat yard! Now we plan to go back to Lower Heyford on Sunday 20 th December with another load of stuff, take the car to Cropredy and get a lift back to the boat yard. Setting off on a trip to move the boat back to Cropredy on the Monday.
At last we arrived at Oxford Narrowboats to see and inspect our next Moore to Life. Our grandson Ben suggested having the 'smiley'. A car full of our stuff was then transferred to the boat. Now at least it is back in the right place. But during the following hours and days things moved around to try different situations.
The new Beta engine and batteries were exercised for a few hours to provide hot water and a charge. The Eberspacher heated up the saloon and cabin. All the boat systems were checked out intermately. Being an 'ex hire', pumps were made easy to get at and change quickly. The majority of lights are LEDs. A simple switch panel enabled the switching on and off power to the lights, pumps, fridge and inverter / charger.
Next day we decided to set off to Banbury in the car. Most of the parking spaces were full and we were about to give up when we found one space.
The public were able to to go down inside and were told about the canal history and how a lock works.
Banbury lock had been fully emptied for inspection and cleaned out. Many items were recovered including a pile of mobile phones!
Chris, Tracy and our grand children came up on the Sunday to see the boat. Chris installed a volt meter next to that simple switch panel. Previously I was checking the power at a light fitting! A cafe at the boat yard provided a good menu for lunch.
We returned home on Tuesday in order to prepare for the Christmas season and write this blog! The mobile signal was non existent at the boat yard! Now we plan to go back to Lower Heyford on Sunday 20 th December with another load of stuff, take the car to Cropredy and get a lift back to the boat yard. Setting off on a trip to move the boat back to Cropredy on the Monday.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Changed plans
No chance now of moving Moore to Life to Cropredy marina before Christmas.
Canal and River Trust have changed their stoppage plans. Originally 3 locks were having work done in November/ December. We had a plan to get through early in December. Originally there was a 3 day open gap. But now as one lock opens the next closes on the same day!
We hope to get up to Oxford Narrowboats next Friday and stay over the weekend. Taking a car load of our stuff to make Moore to Life our second home.
I have just read the latest Boater's Update from CART. It seems to say that you can stay for up to 14 days without a permit! You only need the permit if you plan to stay longer.
Canal and River Trust have changed their stoppage plans. Originally 3 locks were having work done in November/ December. We had a plan to get through early in December. Originally there was a 3 day open gap. But now as one lock opens the next closes on the same day!
We hope to get up to Oxford Narrowboats next Friday and stay over the weekend. Taking a car load of our stuff to make Moore to Life our second home.
I have just read the latest Boater's Update from CART. It seems to say that you can stay for up to 14 days without a permit! You only need the permit if you plan to stay longer.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Moorings for Christmas?
We saw that these winter moorings were empty at Lower Heyford. Not much extra income there for CART!
Ann made the cake and several puddings for next month!
Friday, November 13, 2015
C R T Elections ?
I have done my duty and voted. Before voting I was able to read about all the candidates in the various groups.
However I was only able to vote for the private candidates. There were eight of them. I had to put them in order of preference. Stella Ridgway is supported by NABO. I know of Andrew Tidy who wanted to be elected last time but he was not in the private list.
We must now wait and see if things improve or not over the next few years.
Our next boat is in the process of being painted, renamed and refitted.
However I was only able to vote for the private candidates. There were eight of them. I had to put them in order of preference. Stella Ridgway is supported by NABO. I know of Andrew Tidy who wanted to be elected last time but he was not in the private list.
We must now wait and see if things improve or not over the next few years.
Our next boat is in the process of being painted, renamed and refitted.
Thursday, November 05, 2015
The next boat for us
We went to see the boat this week at Oxford Narrowboats. Only the second viewing, we like it and are committed. Some work to be done to make it ours.
We are to name her Moore to Life. Note the 'to' rather than '2'. It is back to the name of our previous boat as '3' is not right! When we started boating we never imagined that we would have possessed so many. Our first was shared with with friends and used at weekends and holidays a long time ago. So that is a total of four since the 1990's!
Monday, October 05, 2015
Wild life breakfast
Our ornamental pear tree is one focal point in the corner of our garden. There are pea nuts and bird seed feeders hung from the branches.
We can watch our visitors from the window. They range from a family of squirrels, pigeons, song birds, magpies and occasionally a Jay or two!
The squirrels arrive first and chase each other over the tree having come along the fence from the local wood. They take their turn to hang down from the branch to get the nuts.
The song birds arrive for the seed and scatter them over the ground. The fat pigeons try to get either the nuts or seeds by flapping their wing to hover by the feeders but give up and sweep the ground for the seeds.
We can watch our visitors from the window. They range from a family of squirrels, pigeons, song birds, magpies and occasionally a Jay or two!
The squirrels arrive first and chase each other over the tree having come along the fence from the local wood. They take their turn to hang down from the branch to get the nuts.
The song birds arrive for the seed and scatter them over the ground. The fat pigeons try to get either the nuts or seeds by flapping their wing to hover by the feeders but give up and sweep the ground for the seeds.
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Do we still need it?
Living 'on the bank' is the new era for now. Our bungalow is occupied by all our stuff off the boat. We have several large plastic containers with the contents now sorted for various parts of the new boat.
The boat we hope to get will be ten feet shorter than M2L so a fair proportion of our stuff will have to go. When on a boat if you have not used it for a year then it has to go. The same applies when you are 'on the bank'! We have decided to call the new boat 'Moore To Life'.
Even our massive collection of pictures taken during our explorations of the waterways are getting the 'thinning' treatment. Do have a look at our web site to see them. They may be just pictures but they do provoke a memory. Just reducing their capacity to put them on a memory stick so our TV can display the pictures.
It is good for us to be able to track all our boating friends by reading their blogs and making occasional comments, so keep blogging!
The boat we hope to get will be ten feet shorter than M2L so a fair proportion of our stuff will have to go. When on a boat if you have not used it for a year then it has to go. The same applies when you are 'on the bank'! We have decided to call the new boat 'Moore To Life'.
Even our massive collection of pictures taken during our explorations of the waterways are getting the 'thinning' treatment. Do have a look at our web site to see them. They may be just pictures but they do provoke a memory. Just reducing their capacity to put them on a memory stick so our TV can display the pictures.
It is good for us to be able to track all our boating friends by reading their blogs and making occasional comments, so keep blogging!
Wednesday, September 09, 2015
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
A bittersweeet journey
Moore 2 Life at Cropredy marina
Back in January we decided to have our boat painted but the arrangement fell on stony ground. Then we considered the implications of down sizing to a shorter boat for 'summer cruising' and started to look at the market. A cruiser or semi trad stern less than 50 feet would suit us now.
Our son suggested that selling now and buying later would get the best value. Could we face up to the idea of not having a boat for a while? ABNB gave us a valuation just based on our description. If they had created a brochure they would want to put the boat on the market before we had found another boat and charged us 6%!
It was while we were looking at boats for sale when we met Dave and Chris who were looking for a 'live aboard' boat. Perhaps it was fate, being in the right place and the right time. They came to see Moore 2 Life and liked what they saw. Eventually an offer was accepted subject to a survey. That in its self is the binding contract!
They were happy to hand over a 10% deposit after a trial run. We all then signed an agreement to sell and buy describing what was for sale. A witness also signed the document. Dave and Chris have been lucky to be able to see all our boat documentation and have us as owners to provide an in depth demonstration.
Our buyers arranged for a survey to be carried out at the marina. There were a few things that needed fixing before a 'pass' could be obtained. Every thing except the gas bottles had to be removed from the gas locker. We had anchor and concrete ballast in there! These were relocated in the well deck store space. The gas locker floor had to be painted and the bottles made secure away from the regulator. The shower pump out pipe had to be looped up higher than the outlet to ensure water could not get in when on a river. Our solar panel feed although fused was connected to the wrong side of the battery isolator and should be direct to the batteries.
It is so annoying when so-called experts carrying out work on boats do not seem to know the rules. A boat survey is so much more involved than the safety test!
During the six weeks it took from start to finish we had traveled up and down five times to remove all our personal belongings. The new owners are to rename the boat 'Morning Mist'. That was her original name when we bought her as described on the CE plate.
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