All aboard

At last a window of opportunity to get on board Moore 2 Life just for the day.  Chris took the day off and was happy to take us all to Cropredy and back.

It was a grand day out with sunshine.  Dave and Lyn from Crick managed to find us 'on the cut'.  Watch this space for more pictures of the event later.

I have deactivated my Facebook account

Some of our readers know that I have terminal cancer.  It is a shock to me and all my friends and family.

That is why I have closed down my Facebook account.  Meanwhile I will try and keep up with this Blog as best I can to keep track of your boat trips.  Unfortunately Ann and I will not be going back to Moore to Life.

Windows XP ?

Why is it that so many computers are still running Windows XP? Especially in the NHS and big organisations. I would hope that our banks are not.
I have one computer still with XP and I cannot find an antivirus program that works now, even AVG! I only use it for pictures and music.
There must be an operating system that is better than Windows for the professional organisations.

Cruising The Cut

I have been looking at YouTube and discovered many canal related subscriptions.  Among them is one in particular that is very entertaining.  This one has a web site as well.  It is to be found at cruisingthecut.co.uk .  The young chap is very good at explaining all things related to narrowboat life on board and well worth a look at his VLogs.

Other subscriptions are 'Narrowboat Journeys' and 'Tugboat Jim'.

Family on board

Moore to Life has been taken up to Fenny and back.  All systems in good order after its winter rest.

Our family had a good time on board.

Ann's Birthday

Wishing Ann a happy birthday.  Cards opened and flowers delivered.

Tesco Moorings

This is what they were like in 2006.

?Is there more to life?

Well that is the question that springs to mind.  Spring brings us uncertainty and life on hold.

Our property is up for sale but as yet no offers after several months and viewings.  We decided to move up from Dibden near the New Forest to Totton or Eling to be near our son and his family.  'Right Move' and agents provide lists of properties that we consider and sometimes view but we cannot make offers for till we can get an offer for ours!  Several properties have slipped through our fingers that were worth making an offer for, but not to be.

Health issues for both of us seem to take time to resolve.  Some planned visits to hospital and others unplanned occur each month it seems.  A certain loss of freedom is the result.

We had got ready to get up to the boat before Easter and got things together to take when another health issue took the time away.  What can we do but spend time in the garden enjoying the spring and waiting for appointments that never come!  It is early days and hopefully things will improve to let us get away for a while.

It seems that our son and his family may well beat us there to wake up the boat from its winter rest.  Chris is very competent at checking batteries, engine, gas and water systems.  They may be heading north to Fenny Compton for a lunch at the Wharf.

On a more positive note Easter is a celebration of spring and the new life that it brings.

Heads n legs

My brother Brod came over for lunch.  We sat out in the garden enjoying sunshine and chat.  Ann cooked a lovely lunch.

Molly had her toys out!   That yellow duck is not dead yet!

Garden colour

Just planted some Pansies, Primroses  and Viola's to brighten up the spring garden.

 

These pictures do not show them as well as we see them!

Spring garden

It is good to get some vitamin D when the sun is not covered in clouds.  Get out in the garden to see that new life is growing.

Boat Owners Action

I have just got my National Association of Boat Owners News.  A worthwhile group of people actively representing us boaters by attending meetings with the Canal and River Trust.

Many complaints poured in last year, including my own, regarding the lack of vegetation management on the South Oxford Canal.  NABO and its members now report that action has taken place during the winter and much improvements have been made.

Problems on the Basingstoke Canal are not going away when Hampshire and Surrey Councils want  CRT to take it on.  But the councils are concerned that not enough funding is available!

Much concern involves boaters in London.  Apparently many of the boats are being rented by people who have no idea what is required to live on board.  When a boat is rented without proper insurance and or safety certificate they cannot legally have a licence!  Some boats cannot be moved due to mechanical problems.  CRT is considering a licence for boats for hire that would have to meet the trade conditions.  (Why not just insist the hired boats have a trade licence?)

Can you believe it, EA are prepared to close some navigation's in Anglia on health n safety grounds and lack of funds? That includes the River Nene and Great Ouse!

CRT is to review licencing for all craft on its waterways.  NABO are considering their response.  Home moorings or not, should there be a price difference?  Licence duration, twelve, six or one month?  Prompt payment discount?  Length and width used to calculate the charge?

 These are only a few issues being worked on by NABO.  Please consider being a member to give them even more encouragement and power.

HMS Warrior

We took the boys to see the Warrior in Portsmouth.  Despite the windy day the Gosport ferry got us across the harbour.  The day before a wartime bomb had been dredged up in the harbour and blown up safely out at sea.

The Warrior was a deterrent and never fired a shot in anger.  That ship was the most advanced of its day back in the 1860's.   The harbour is being dredged to enable the latest deterrent to arrive.  One of the biggest aircraft carrier ever built.

After a lunch of fish n chips we got on board and went below decks where Ben became a 'Powder Monkey'.

Formula - E

Last Saturday on Channel 5 at 6:30 pm I watched racing with electric cars in Argentina.  For me it was just as exciting as F 1 racing if a bit quieter!

Each driver had two fully charged cars to race for about 50 minutes on a 37 lap street circuit.  The first car did about 20 laps before the batteries got down to about a 4% charge.  Then the driver went into the pit to swap cars.  At this time most drivers were doing the same.  Obviously the leaders had used more power and were swapping earlier.  No tyres were changed, unless punctured during the race.

The second car had to do the other 17 laps without running out of power!  The leaders had got down to about 1% as they crossed the finish line.  The unlucky ones just slowed down and stopped before finishing!  Sam Bird won.

Technical:-
Each car is rated at about 250 Horse Power equivalent to 190 kW and capable of reaching 200 MPH.  The battery capacity is about 54 kW hours.

California

The Winter blues need some sunshine.

It was back in 1993 that we went to California.

 and went to Disney land.

San Diego

It was a lifetime ago, before we knew anything about boats and canals.

Time and Life

We are both so sad to read about our boating friend Les Biggs.

 2008 at Braunston

 2009 Somewhere on the 'cut'

 2011 at Braunston

2011 On board Moore 2 Life

We always stopped to chat and share our stories while moving about the waterways.

You are in our thoughts at this time, Jaq.