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.