Home sweet home

We are still hoping to see our boat some time this year. Just cannot believe we are in the sixth month back on land.

 While walking through the woods with Molly the blue bells are in profusion.

Spring time near where we live.

Sounds of Spring

As we walked through the local woods, the birds were talking to each other.  My phone recorded the sound. (*.amr)  Unfortunately I cannot up load the sound file here!  I will have to do a video next time just to get the sound!

Another day we drove out in the New Forest, this time past Ipley River which was in flood again after a few days of rain.  While walking among the bracken a Sky Lark was chirping high up in the blue.

Easter

A celebration of Spring and renewall.

We decorate our natural eggs.

Ann's Birthday

Tracy and the boys have been busy cooking and making balloon fruit.

Sunshine garden

Both Ann and I are now able to enjoy a bit of gardening while the sun is shining.

I know it is early days but the is potential there.  Ann has her Native Cowslips and I have my Roses.

We were even able to go for a short walk together with Molly just round the local woodland.

Ann has started to do a bit of cooking again but when we came to dish it up it was a bit cool. Our old electric oven had gone faulty!  Never mind, it all got heated up on the gas hob.  Chris came by and took the cooker to the dump.  It was in a bit of a state anyway after mistreatment by various previous tenants!

Next day Ann had planned a pizza with our own choice of topping.  Suddenly realising that it needs the oven to heat up I suggested asking our friends next door.  They obliged us by allowing our use of their oven.  That is what friends and neighbours are for.

Eulogy by a Great Grandson

Jeanne Brodnax Moore, better known to me as Granny Jeanne.

She was a caring, loving person who lived a full and interesting long life.

We were extremely lucky to have her for such a long time.

She always listened to what I had to say and encouraged me in everything I did. She especially loved the fact that both Ben and I were creative and always had pens and paper ready for our next masterpiece!

She loved to go on small day trips and short breaks with us; going to Longdown dairy farm to see Billy the shire horse and all the other animals; visiting Boomer the kangaroo in Weymouth and enjoying the train ride round Paultons park.

I also remember getting excited when we drove into the drive of number 2 to visit her in Winchester. Granny Jeanne always had her own particular way of doing things, one of which was having a bowl of sugar cubes ready for afternoon tea. They proved too irresistible and found their way secretly to my mouth on many occasions.

I will always love Granny Jeanne and remember her with a smile. Sweet dreams our lovely Granny Jeanne.

Josh Moore

For The Good Times

Don't look so sad

I know it's over

But life goes on

And this old world

Will Keep on turning

Kris  Kristofferson

1919-2014

Mum, Jeanne, Granny, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday 19 th March at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham a long way from family and friends. Despite that she had several visitors during her short time there.

Mum was the matriarch for her family of three boys. Family gatherings were always enjoyed at the family home. Her 90 th birthday was celebrated with family and friends at Chawton House where she and the Knight family once lived.

The spark of life is a wonderful thing, for Mum it has gone from wence it came.

Ten years earlier when visiting California.

Another space to watch

Lovely sunshine to get out and dig some more!

It was all covered in weed, ivy n brambles.  Next major job is to get that fence replaced!  The ornamental pear tree got trimmed back a few weeks ago.  The birds and squirrels love the nuts n seeds.

Watch this space

The sun has got his hat on and I have got my gardening boots on.  Just love bein outside landscapin.  This is wot I'm up against.  Just nothing much but dirt and a few shrubs. No colour.  It was just a mess with odd stuff I did not like so dug it all out to start again.

See wot I mean!

Roll on spring after I have been to the garden centre!  I will get some shrubs, some bulbs, some boarder plants and some roses.  I just love roses.  Super Star, a lovely red one was a favourite of mine many years ago.

My only problem is that I forget my age and need a day off after all that digging!  While travelling on the boat I did so enjoy seeing other peoples gardens.

Loft space or attic?

Fifty square meters, that is our floor space at our bungalow. When we downsized from our house in the 1990's much of our possessions were boxed up for the move. Some of it never came out of those boxes and got put up in the loft!

Then we went to live in a Narrowboat and more stuff was packed in boxes again and put up there. Now we are back in the bungalow and need to sort it all out! A lifetime of pictures and memorabilia. We had learnt while on the boat that if we had not used something for a year we did not need it and it got 'lost'.

It is more difficult when family history is concerned. Must keep that family tree info to pass on down the generations for that is where it came from.

Our loft or attic is part boarded out so stuff could be stored there. The insulation is about 3 or 4 inches thick and the latest recommended thickness is 11 inches! So another layer is to be put on top. The cost is not substantial and government handout rules changed so if you are not on benefit you get no help at all.

DIY flood prevention

Being off our boat and living on firm ground does not mean there is nothing to do. Each day presents us with a choice depending on the weather. I have jobs lined up to keep me occupied inside or out. Even this early in the year I have things to do in the garden. Put the washing out when it is dry, windy and sunny. Bring it in when it is wet.

Our bungalow is on the side of a hill near the top. The rain water runs down the drive heading for the front door. I have now dug a channel and filled it with pebbles to direct the flow to a drain. We can all do our bit locally to help reduce the risk of flooding. Covering our gardens with a hard standing is not the way to go.

We know that water heads down hill to the sea eventually, it just needs some encouragement. Get your spade out and clear those ditches. Pull out things like shopping trollies. It is a wonder how they get there, being so far from where the came from!

EA and CRT will have to change their approach to water control. The local lock keepers knew how, so why are they in decline? So called experts making rules and regulations has not helped, nor does paying higher insurance premiums.

So what has caused that jet stream to head our way?

Boaters blogs enable us to keep track of our friends on the cut so we know how you are coping with so much water about. It is a wonder that you can move at all, just don't get stuck in a remote situation. At least when the water rises the boat should go up with it! Houses do not.

A TV Licence ?

There was a knock on the door the other night. (we don't have a door bell). The man said that this property did not have a TV licence. In fact not since soon after we left to live on our boat!

I was however able to show him my licence having only just had the address changed. I have had it ever since we left. We originally changed the address to our boat name but that was rejected. Then we used our postal address.

It would seem that only one of our tenants had bothered to have a licence while staying at our property.

A normal life?

The majority of people live in buildings and get about in cars so I guess that makes it normal. For fourteen or so years we lived in a narrowboat on the waterways of England. It may not have been normal but it was certainly natural.

Now that we are back on land and living in a building we also have a car to get about. The post lady, who we knew before we left on our adventures, brings our letters and bills to our door. Fuel for light, cooking and heat come to us through pipes and wires. Our phone and internet connect by wire and even the TV is connected and becomes a monitor to see movies and programs off air or on the wire.

Sorting out paying for the bills, change of address and medical centre has been a challenge. Before we left it was normal to pay British Gas for gas and Southern Electric for power. Now it is a free market with a multitude of choices. The internet provided much confusing information about different power suppliers and price comparisons. One supplier can even be paid for both gas and electric. We also pay for water and rates for our local services. Most of our rubbish is collected, all sorted into different bags and a box for glass.

Several dry sunny days enabled us to get out into our garden. Our shed now contains a selection of tools, old and new. Over the years our tenants were obliged to keep it all tidy but nature seems to have taken over. We now have a pile of wood and bags of cuttings to get rid of at the local recycling centre. None of the wood was big enough to call it 'boaters gold'.

Life on land

Off the boat and onto dry land! Dry? We all know it has rained most days since we abandoned ship. M2L is safe in a marina and god willing we will see her when it gets warmer.

Our little bungalow with all that space has now got more room with most furniture now delivered. Boxes of stuff off the boat put away in different rooms. Problem now is remembering where things are!

Our neighbours were helpful by lending things like a radio, chairs and a ladder to get into the attic. Some stuff has come down from there but we had to condemn the kettle and toaster!

Been exploring more of our old haunts around Dibden and rediscovered a few ponds in the woodland.

Just like on a boat there seems much to do in the property and the garden.  One dry day we got out in the garden to do some tidying up.

More Space Less Room

We have left our 'Moore 2 Life' and moved back into our bungalow near the New Forest. Preparations before and after have taken some time.
It all started back in November when we were obliged to 'call it a day'. We have both have some health issues being investigated requiring many visits to local hospitals.

We have had to sort out the contents of M2L taking off about 90% so we can continue summer cruising, god willing.

Our home was left clean n tidy by the last tenant and unfurnished. We sleep on an air bed with our belongings packed in boxes! It is amazing how much came out of the boat, with less space but more room to store it all. The bungalow presents a problem with all its space but no room!

Furniture has been ordered and some has arrived. Argos delivered the Fridge freezer and next week promise to deliver more next week. Beds have been promised next week. More from Ikea promised before Christmas may be available before the New Year.

Mean while we enjoy our walks to Tesco half an hour through the woods.

We wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and another good cruising year to come.

Boat life on hold

We are down south preparing to move in to our bungalow.  The tenant should move out soon.  We are looking for furniture and a car.  Been sorting contents of boat to bring back for our second home.

We have left the boat at Cropredy Marina for the winter months.  Just hope that we can get back when we have that car and start moving our stuff.  We do hope to be able to get to use Moore 2 Life in the summer.

Meanwhile we are helping with our younger family getting them to school.

Visiting friends

Sue n Vic moved up to Cropredy so we could go see them. The walk took half an hour boat to boat with Molly and a goodie bag. Ann had made Christmas puddings for family and friends so one was delivered to No Problem.

We went late after observing the silence with our poppies. Molly and the girls were the first to greet each other as we arrived. Then we were welcomed on board with drinks at the ready. Time to relax before Vic & Sue served up Sunday roast. Thanks you two.

Life on a boat in a marina is comfortable enough in the winter but we do miss the activity on the cut. Some ducks have found their way in to the marina if they fly as the stop planks are still preventing boats moving. It is unfortunate that Cropredy lock is closed otherwise we may well have escaped for a few days!

The water level has nearly come up to normal so we hope that the stop planks will be lifted soon. The other half of the marina will then be open and many boats are sure to move there. We hope to move to another location nearer the facilities and more grass for Molly!

More time and effort is being spent sorting our contents in the boat. If you have not used it for a while you do not need it!

A bus ride

We have registered with the County Connect bus service. It is a new type of bus service in Northampton. We can book a trip up to a week ahead on the internet.

We took advantage of this service to go from outside the marina entrance to Banbury. We met Sue n Vic there and had a snack in Weatherspoons. Then we wandered round the town's market to get our veg.

We had booked the day before and found that the return trip was not available so we got the 277 back at 2 o'clock. That was the last of the day and dropped us at the Brassnose pub. Just 20 minutes from the boat.

Cropredy lock and marina

The lock is closed with a safety cage round it. Apparently there is a need to lower the water by a few feet to enable inspection of the brickwork. The pound between Cropredy and Broadmoor locks will be affected and the marina entrance will have stop planks inserted. Boats will not be able to move in or out of the marina!

The large diggers and earth movers will soon move leave the site having finished creating the north basin. Then the access road will be much improved with tarmac and stone. While that is being done cars will not be able to move in or out of the marina!

Now in a marina

Before we moved in we enjoyed an evening out with Del n Al when we all went to the Red Lion pub. Live loud folk music on Friday night. Thanks for getting us out you two!
We moved in before that expected storm over the weekend. Got our tank filled with diesel at 79 pence a litre! Then moved to our temporally allocated mooring. (If we are not happy with it we can put in for a transfer).

Finished with the engine for now. At least it has fresh oil in it after that major service. We will be using that diesel to keep warm while in the marina.

We were obliged to purchase an electric meter to measure the power we use. The electric to be paid each quarter. While connected our Victron Combi will charge the batteries but we will not leave them permanently on float charge. We have an immersion heater in the chlorifier (hot water tank) but if the power goes off there is a risk to the batteries because the inverter will take the power from them! Must remember to turn off the immersion heater after about an hour!

Perhaps the best plan is to connect to the land line during the day when we need it, like running the engine, and disconnect at night.

The marina has been dug out of a farmers field of cabbages! They are growing among the freshly sown grass! We went for a walk to explore the area but the field and access road are still wet n muddy!

Banbury to Cropredy

With our engine fixed after that major service we are able to to continue normal life on board. Hot water is back on tap, we enjoyed a shower each and got the washing machine working overtime.

Although we were plugged into a shoreline from Tooly's yard we only used it in the evenings. Our solar panels did their best during the day.

Banbury is a very busy noisy town and quite bright at night. It provided us with vegetables from the market and Ann went off early to shop at Morrisson's. We had a good chat with Malcolm and Barbara on Pilgrim before leaving.

We set off down to the turning point and back up through the town after dumping rubbish and filling our water tank. Then it was 'full steam ahead' in sunshine going up to Cropredy. Most of the locks were set in our favour making a pleasant journey.

There above the lock was Derwent 6 with Del n Al on board. What a cheerful couple they are. Al had put the kettle on and once we had tied up we went round for tea and a chat.

Next day we got up late because it was so quiet and dark. Practicing to stay under the covers for that extra hour we get over the weekend.

The new pump fits!

A big relief to finally get the correct water pump direct from Kubota.  Our thanks to John who fixed it and Mat who organised it at Tooly's in Banbury.  Adrian at Beta helped to sort out the confusion.

Listen to your engine with the covers off every now and then.  Mine was telling me something and it was John who told me what it was saying!  We are lucky the water pump never actually leaked.  With the new pump fitted the engine purrs quietly.

Still waiting!

Before the weekend another water pump was delivered.  It was the wrong one again!  John the engineer was busy on another boat anyway.  Now it is Monday and the yard is locked and it is raining. John is working on yet another boat!

We have the fire going for a short time mornings and evenings with a kettle of water keeping hot for drinks and washing.

At least we are better off than the fella asleep most nights snoring underneath the shopping centre.

Still hanging around Banbury

Banbury town centre turned into a fairground last week. Just so noisy but fun to watch people on the rides.

Once you know about a problem you are obliged to get it sorted. It was just a major engine service that was needed. All things done that should be done after a years cruising.

 We even had the diesel polished after suffering dirty fuel last month.

On start up the engine rattled a bit. John the engineer at Toolys listened intensely then turned off the engine. "It is the water pump, look the pulley moves in and out!"

When the first replacement pump arrived it did not fit! The design of the engine had been changed. We are still waiting for a new water pump!

We are now hooked up to mains power with the engine in bits. We are not waisting time here though. Got to do something positive. So we set about getting rid of all those things we have not used during the year. Some for charity and some for the bin.

With so many phone shops here we were able to downgrade one of our smarties at the end of its contract. Ann kept her phone intact with Memory Map installed by Sue and got a new battery for it.

Another walk round the park to push away the blues.

A walk in the park

While hanging around Banbury we went for a walk in Spiceball Park.

Over the top

We climbed up the Napton locks and continued on that winding road to the 'mast'.

One lock keeper was at the bottom lock while another came up most of the way. The going was slow at the top as usual with a shallow canal.

Next day we continued to Claydon top lock and stayed the night. We followed several boats down the next day with some also behind us. Plenty of crew to help. We stopped just past the bottom lock being one of our favourite moorings.

We have been lucky with mainly sunny dry days and have usually moored in time for a late lunch. Keeping warm with the occasional use of the radiators. After some washing we needed the fire on. It is oil fed but the oil did not flow when it was turned on. I had to dismantle the Toby control to restore the flow.

It was back at the beginning of September that the engine coughed and spluttered. We were near Autherley junction so we called into Oxley Marine. They discovered contaminated diesel in the tank, water separator and fuel filter! It was not the bug and thankfully the injectors were not harmed this time.

When we were in Banbury last year when that happened. We needed reconditioned injectors, the tank of fuel polished and filter changed. Now Matilda Rose has suffered from contaminated fuel. It does seem that we are being supplied with dirty fuel these days. That Fuel Purifiner from MLS is worth getting.

Postal uncertainty

We moved on to Napton in search of post. We had rang the Post Office and got the agreement to send poste restante. (to be collected). Later we had confirmation that the envelopes had arrived.

Having found a mooring we walked to the shop. At first we were shocked to find that the Post Office inside the shop had closed a few weeks earlier. So who had I spoken to and where is our post?

The shop keeper then asked if we were looking for poste restante. There it was under the counter! Apparently the Post Office is to reopen soon after some local protests. Uncertainty has got to me.

It is worth calling into the Folly Shop.

Staying on the Oxford

One night at the top of Calcutt where we walked round the reservoir.  Time now to slow down a bit.  During a calm sunny day we moved on up the Grand Union / Oxford canal to Braunston.  Often considered by us to be the start and end of our journeys.  It has been almost a year since we were here on our way north.  This winter we will be staying on the south Oxford canal.

Braunston and its company has changed during the year.  The Plough has changed hands and the local shop is under new management.  At least the Post Office is still there.  The butcher is still operating and a hair dresser has opened.  The bus service has been altered much to the annoyance of the locals.  Bus stops have moved so we were not sure where to get on for Daventry!  So we never went.

When we saw Tim in the marina the first thing he asked was did we want a winter mooring!   It seems that many boaters are moving down to Cropredy!   We stayed a few nights, visited friends or friends visited us, got full and empty and moved south.

During the month of September we broke a few records.  The number of lock miles in a day and the number of hours travelled in a day.  We have done 224 lock miles that month.

On our way up

We stopped near the Saltisford Arm for a few days. Brod came up to visit and stayed a night. The Saltisford Canal Centre is much improved and provided a secure park for his car.

When Brod had left we decended the two locks going through Warwick and Leamington Spa. Five miles on we start the climb at Fosse locks. By now we were joined by another boat with a happy crew.

 Having got past the staircase locks at Bascote we stopped near bridge 27.

Long Itchington

Next day while the sun continued to shine we progressed up to Stockton Top lock. We had waited a while at the bottom for another boat to join us. Then we saw Hadar going down to Saltisford.

The boat that had joined us is to be sold at Braunston. Arabella was unusual in that it was driven by an electric motor. The 240v ac power was generated by a diesel engine purring quietly below the boards. A true Diesel Electric system. A small bank of domestic batteries provided the usual 12 v power while an inverter converted the dc to ac mains power when the engine was not running.

Going down Hatton

We set off after breakfast to stop at the top lock for water, elsan and rubbish disposal. Four boats passed in quick succession and went down two by two as you should.

The Cafe at the top

But when we were ready to go down there was no other boat to join us. Two boats eventually started down but by then we were three locks down. It was quite a struggle with these huge double locks so we usually only used the paddle and gate on one side.

Ugly bridge with decoration

The boats and crew soon caught us up and started to help us. It took us four hours to get to the bottom  the twenty one locks. We found a mooring near the Satisford Arm. Thankfully all done during a dry day.

The Saltisford Canal Centre is much improved with new facilities but almost full of boats. Beyond our mooring the canal edge is all concrete with nothing to tie to if you want to stop.

Lapworth, Kingswod and Hatton

We got diesel and gas at Swallow Cruisers before moving down the Lapworth locks. 

Partway down volunteers started to help us.

It was a cool damp day with the sun trying to brighten up the sky.

The volunteers were happy to get us down fifteen locks. By then we had had enough and made tea for two of our helpers.

Next day we travelled down some more locks to Kingswood Junction.

We joined the Grand Union canal that seemed like a motorway being wide and deep. But then the trees closed in and reduced the width.

Yet another tunnel to pass through before getting to the Hatton flight.

Fish n Chips

We continued to Hockley Heath, last visited back in 2010.  The shop was closed but potatoes were being delivered and later, cooking oil!  After shopping we got the fish n chips!

After the locks, tunnels!

We have gone through Tardebigge and Shortwood tunnel and stopped at Hopwood for the night. Then it was on through Wast Hill tunnel, all on the Worcester & Birmingham canal. They were all wide enough to pass boats going the other way despite this being a narrow canal. Only one boat in front and behind going the same way.

It was not long before we turned right at Kings Norton and on to the northern end of the Stratford canal and through yet another tunnel. We got quite depressed with the damp dark conditions and when it actually rained we stopped.

Ann made hot soup while I setup the TV and lit the fire.

Tardebigge

It took another day to get to Stoke Pound at the bottom lock. A very good friend had offered to help us up the next thirty locks. Colin arrived after breakfast and after refreshments we set off at ten.
We were extremely lucky to find most locks empty for us. A boat was following so we opened a paddle to empty the lock once we had gone up.

Progress was rapid to say the least. We got to the top in three hours, an average of ten locks an hour or one every six minutes. 

Colin stayed a while as we discussed our future plans and news of a previous life while consuming Ann's home made soup.

Thank you Colin, we did well and enjoyed you visit.  He then cycled back down to his car at Stoke Pound and drove home.

Droitwich

The Droitwich canal is one of two halves. The southern section is the barge canal with wide locks and the northern section is the Junction canal with new narrow locks.

Another salt town is Droitwich but this one was lucky enough to have a brine spring.
On a walk about we found Vine Park where Molly could run about.

The M5 crosses over north of Droitwich and although quite high the tunnel is very low for boats. One boat is known to have got stuck when the next lock up was emptied, raising the water level! With much removed from our roof we rushed through at speed.

The building of the motorway paid for the restoration of the canal so why did they make the tunnel so low?

There are six locks to get up to Hanbury Wharf at the junction with the Worcester & Birmingham canal. We met Jim at the local pub for a drink and chat. He is the brother of a previous neighbour of ours.

A nine to five trip

We got to Stourport and did some shopping.
Then had a look round the basins. The river Severn was low and slow ready for our trip down.

We set off at nine to go down into the basin for water and elsan dump before doing the four locks down to the river.

A narrowboat called Brief Encounter followed us down to the first lock. As it turned out the crew intended to head the same way as us.

There is just nowhere to stop on the river and after the second lock we soon found the Droitwich canal entrance.

A convenient landing stage enabled both boats to stop and operate the wide Hawford lock. There was already one smart motor boat in the lock but the owner had lost his windlass and was waiting for help. We managed to get both our boats in and went up. 

The locks are all wide up to Droitwich because of the salt barges that used to travel down to the river.

But the canal is now narrowed by reeds although quite deep enough.

Each lock had a new landing stage.

All eight wide locks were completed and a few miles on we found the secure visitor moorings by five o'clock! 30 lock miles in one day is a record for us.

Forgotten canal?

As we travel down this canal we enjoy its beauty forgotten by us since we came this way ten years ago. What wonderful days in sunshine with other boaters helping at the locks.

Down we go through the tree lined canal into the valley and on to Worcestershire.

Down past the sandstone cuttings.

We went shopping in Kinver.

Debdale lock with its horse cave cut into the sandstone.

Then it was on past Kidderminster.

Heading down to Stourport

The river Severn is 294 feet lower than the canal here at Autherley. We have only once been this way in 2003. So often, over the years, we turned north here.

The engine coughed and spluttered on startup but soon ran OK. We called in to Oxley Marine near the junction to have the fuel line and tank cleaned out. The water trap was dirty with grit but not the dreaded bug. Some had got to the fuel filter which stopped it there. A certain amount of dirty fuel was sucked out of the tank. Having replaced the filter and with fresh diesel in the tank the engine ran smoothly again.

I do not know where the grit or dirty fuel came from. Is there a case for the diesel suppliers to ensure clean fuel is put in our tanks. High turnover suppliers should be safer.

Going down the locks

A trip off the boat

I went off on my own from Gailey on a bus n train to Fareham. When the train arrived at Stafford the doors opened but I could not get in. There were so many people with their luggage blocking the entrance! I was obliged to stand for an hour once I had got in. At each station some got off but yet more got on. Roll on more track and rolling stock.

I went to see my brother for his 70 th birthday party. A gathering of friends at the Pig followed by a picnic in the New Forest.

Lunch at Zizzi
I stayed with Brod in his pad at Gosport and enjoyed rediscovering some of our old haunts. A chance to sample life on land and boy, was it buzzing over in Pompy and Southsea.