Red light, spells danger! Family, friends (new and 'old'), frugality and a false economy …

"It's good to have money, and the things that money can buy, but it's good too to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven't lost the things that money can't buy."  George Lorimer

We continue to be blessed with an abundance of lovely people – mostly expected, but also a few surprises!

 A statue of James Brindley stands justifiably proudly, overlooking the junction of the Trent and Mersey and Caldon Canals - he did after all build the T & M!

Last Sunday, as arranged, Kath, Viv and Ray met us at The Holly Bush on the Caldon Canal – spookily enough the feature photo on page three of August’s ‘Canal Boat’ magazine which I splashed out on a few days ago – sadly just days too late for our trip on the delightful waterway.  Lucky it was though, as we forgot to take a photo of the pub!

The kilns used to dominate the skyline of Stoke-on-Trent when the pottery industry was blooming - some still stand majestically, though sadly many are quite derelict and run-down

The sharp right turn to the Caldon Canal

Etruria Junction - there's a museum here on the left, but we've yet to find it open!

Up the Etruria Staircase Locks on another sunny day

Past the dilapidated but still delightful factory buildings

The kilns, daubed with graffiti, stand side-by-side with modern-day canalside developments

Kath stayed overnight on Sunday after kindly bringing Ray and Viv to us. We had a trip up the Leek Branch and back on Monday, then dropped her off mid-afternoon at the Holly Bush, to drive back to Lichfield, and we meandered on Consall Forge.

Snug in the cratch and spreading across the towpath!

Ray takes the Captain's spot at the stern - he looks very comfortable there!

The first of three locks on the Leek Branch - Kath jumps ship to lend a hand

The three locking ladies - Kath, Viv and Sandra - dressed for the warm weather

Ray practices his portrait pose 

 And here's the finished product

Loving the colours here at Hazlehurst Locks!

Stunning in black and white too when the master's in charge

We continued up to the Black Lion at Consall Forge, where we moored in 2009 (click here to read about it) and watched the boat behind us catch buckets full of Signal Crayfish. This time we planned to dine there for Ray’s birthday – if only we’d known previously (i.e. if I’d done a bit of research!), that booking a table in advance would've scored us a 20% discount!  

So for anyone who may be heading that way – phone and book in to save money.  Makes sense really as they then have an idea of how many to cater for.  Maybe they need to publicise it a bit more though, as they said they’d only taken two booking but done around 35 meals by the time we got there around 7.30pm.  Such a unique setting, and absolutely packed out on a Monday night - the pub isn’t even on a road.

The Black Lion

A rare photo of the two us us - at The Black Lion.  Cheers Ray!

We managed to get all the way to Froghall Basin on Tuesday - though chose not to attempt the very low tunnel.  You'll understand why below (the red and white plastic gauge the height of your boat for the tunnel) ... 

I don't think so!

The water's so clear in the basin and there's an abundance of marine life to be seen - instead of the usual murkiness of the canal water with the occasional splash to show there's a fish under the water.  

How clear is this?!

Stunning shot of a dragonfly - by Mr Ray Burns

Sadly we couldn't linger, as we needed to get Viv and Ray back to Stoke for their train home on Wednesday afternoon, but we're pleased we returned here, it's such a pleasant place to walk around.  And we saw something you rarely see on the canal - the launch of a frigate!

Slowly does it ...

Off she goes!

Returning to to our mooring, I spotted a boat called 'Waitangi'.  There seems to be a lot of New Zealand/Maori named boats around, and this one intrigued me.  I asked the nice man if he was from New Zealand.  The tale he told amused me.  February, as those who live in UK are aware, is a rather bleak month here, and he and a few friends decided some years ago to brighten it up a bit by travelling to different places each year. Looking around for a suitable memorable date in February, they happened upon Waitangi Day - the founding (often controversially) document of present-day New Zealand, celebrated on 6th February. So they called themselves 'The Waitangi Day Wanderers'.  Well fancy that!  He even had a t-shirt on with the name on the back and the dates and places they'd visited - one of which, though I forget which year, was actually Aotearoa herself.  What a small world.

Heading back, Ray and Barry jumped ship to shoot the very photogenic buildings, and waterwheel,  around Cheddleton Flint Mill ...

Mooring up at Stockton Brook on our way back to Stoke-on-Trent, I heard a lady calling to ask “Are you Barry?”  Lesley and Howard hailed from Melbourne, and have been reading our blog for some time.  We didn’t get to chat to them very much as it was late when we stopped, then had dinner, and by the time we were up and about the following morning they’d already pulled their pins.  We hope to meet you again on the cut sometime, as we know you’re here for a while.

Sadly Wednesday was back to Stoke and farewell to Viv and Ray - what a jam-packed full few days and a great way to celebrate Ray's birthday ...

Spot the odd one out

Viv gets stranded at the lift bridge!

Thank you for coming! Do come again next year ...

Despite not bagging the 20% off at The Black Lion, we did manage to grab a bargain with the cheapest diesel this year at Stoke Boat services – 85p a litre.  We’d stopped at the boatyard before (no names mentioned), and when Barry told me the price I suggested we move on – luckily they were just breaking for lunch so we were able to slink away quietly, once I’d phoned Stoke and discovered there’s was so much cheaper.

We were then delighted to discover it was even less at 82p/litre, as we needed (well) over 100 gallons! This may sound girly, but why don’t they have a fuel gauge on narrowboats? I know Barry puts a stick down the hole to check on the level – but isn’t that a terribly crude way of monitoring, and prone to disasters?  I find myself wondering how frequently boaters don’t quite guess the levels timely and correctly, run out at an inconvenient place, and have to walk to the nearest place can in hand as one would on the road?

Saving money has become a bit of a passion of mine now we have extremely limited incomings, but our my recent attempt at frugality was almost disastrous. Whilst filling up with diesel, Barry suggested we also pump out the toilet.  We hadn’t yet got a ‘red light’ to show a full toilet tank, so I suggested we could wait and last another day or so – not taking the time or trouble (or even thinking about it to be fair!) to ask where the next available pump out would be found.  That night, moored at Westport Lake, Longport, guess what happened?  Well it doesn’t take a genius to work it out really.  Looking at the Nicholson’s Guide (bit late really!), we discovered there wasn’t another one for many miles – and in between was a rather large number of locks known as ‘Heartbreak Hill’!  So the next day we sheepishly went to the next winding hole, turned around (just before the Harecastle Tunnel), and returned to Stoke. 

It was around 1500hrs on a Friday afternoon when we arrived – we’d started out late because Barry had travelled to visit the home brew store for supplies in Stoke that morning, unfortunately got a puncture, hadn’t taken the repair kit, and had to walk back!  Then we were aghast to be informed by the lovely lady at the boatyard, that there was no-one to perform said pump out as he’d already gone home – it is Friday she said!  Our hearts sunk at the challenge ahead.  She assured us there was another pump out at Etruria, which we knew, but it’s a BW card operated one and of course it’s nigh on impossible to buy those anywhere – actually you can buy them on-line!  Hilarious!  As a live-aboard, how are you supposed to buy them on line and get them delivered?

Thankfully, there was a young man hanging around the boatyard who used to work there are she persuaded him to do the dirty deed for us.  He vocalised how unhappy he was, informing us how much it made him heave to do it (bless him!), consequently we weren’t convinced he did the best job of emptying the tank.  We’ll see how long it lasts.  Our halfway light bulb has gone, so it’s either green for empty or red for full with little warning of the impending predicament!

 Barry the bird man after our stroll around the lake

We travelled back to the lovely lake, whereupon that evening we hooked up with a couple of fairly novice hire boaters from Lewes, not far from my daughter in Brighton.  Katie, David and Lucas had just collected the boat from Stoke-on-Trent Boatbuilding at Longport Wharf and Barry helped them moor up.  We soon got chatting and ended up frequenting a very friendly and homely pub called 'The Pack Horse Inn'.  Just a couple of rounds, our budget doesn’t run to much more than that once a week sadly, but the drinks were very cheap and the company was delightful.  Great to meet you all and enjoy your holiday up the Macclesfield.

Our next guests will be Kerry and Tony from Gisborne, New Zealand, who arrive on Wednesday evening for six or seven nights.  Actually, that’s a lie!  We heard today we have an extra to itinerary visitor on Tuesday evening, from Sheffield.  Fred visited us a few times in 2009 (twice) and 2010, and he’s been trying to get to see us since we’ve been back without success – until now we hope.

Once Kerry and Tony leave, we have two more lovely kiwis coming for two nights initially.  Rivka and Richard have been touring around USA and Europe for the past couple of months so it’ll be fabulous to hear about all their adventures.

And then, we may have another surprise guest from Gisborne.  But I shan’t mention whom until/unless I hear from them, as it may not eventuate.

So, although this is a boating blog, featured on the ‘Waterways Ranking Site’, I have to admit it’s often a challenge to write anything terribly ‘boaty’! But how wonderful that our beautiful ‘AreandAre’ is, and has been, very much a ‘Rest and Relaxation’ retreat for lots of people we’re proud to have the pleasure and privilege of knowing.

However, ending on a positive note, we may have an opportunity to get our writing and photography in print in the near future - and with it the possibility of a bit of extra income (we hope!).

Awesome, as they’d say in New Zealand.

Breaking through the barriers, catching up on photos and carrying on up the Caldon ...

“WHEN you are old and grey and full of sleep, 

And nodding by the fire, take down this book, 

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look 

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.” 

W.B.Yeats

Breaking through the barriers

I find myself currently torn between gratitude my father is still alive, and sadness he's changed, and continues to, so much from the man I've known all my life. My mother is understandably finding it even more challenging, and wants back the man she married to look after her - rather than the other way around!  However, he's thankfully still there much of the time, with a cheeky sparkle in his eye and a wicked grin, even though he mistakenly introduced me as 'Sheila' to someone in their local pub.  Now that's a first!  He's often confused his four daughters names over the years, but I have no idea where Sheila came from.

Anyway, I digress. I had a very successful stay last weekend, culminating (I hope!) in succeeding to discover and start the wheels in motion for an array of possibilities to support them both. I was impressed by the General Practitioner and his patient, caring nature, along with the suggestions for assistance he made.  I'd written down a summary of concerns I have for my parents, especially my dad, and gave it to the receptionist prior to us going in to give to the GP - I didn't want to embarrass my father any more than he already would've been. I wanted the GP to have as much information as possible in the short appointment time, to help them the most.

My dad about ten years ago - a prize winning photo (of a photo) taken by a family friend

Before the appointment I discovered that my mum can register as his 'carer', and be supported in various ways due to this recognition - so we did!  I believe now my dad can now apply for 'Attendance Allowance', and my mum for some form of 'Carer's Allowance' depending upon what she already gets, which will help with all sorts of necessary expenses.

The diversity of opportunities and support packages I'm finding for people over 50 (I know, how can that be seen as old?!) through the GP, local council and Age UK are immense and most impressive. I'm slowly reading my way through Age UK's exhaustive list of publications to ensure everything possible is in place. I'm thankful Barry and I chose to return to UK at this time to enable me to share the support of my parents with my three sisters.

Catching up on photos

I promised on a previous blog I'd show the photo of the photo (!) that Barry and Gav were taking a couple of weeks ago. I've also managed to persuade Barry to edit some more shots of our time in Kinver with Jenny, and the 24 hours with Gav and Helen. So here they are ...

Jenny and I, on her final day's locking, at the cave by the side of a lock on the approach to Kinver

Barry can make even an old lock paddle look stunning

Barry and Jenny visited the Kinver Rock Houses while I was Life Coaching with a client via Skype on the boat.  Sadly the houses weren't open that day, but they still managed to be mesmerised by a look around the outside ...

And a beautiful black and white building in Kinver village

 This is the photo of the photo - note the heron and its reflection

The towpath BBQ!

Helen takes a turn to steer

A last drink before they leave for their holiday frantic but fabulous tour visiting family and friends!

Carrying on up the Caldon

So now it's back to AreandAre and the past week.  I returned by train Tuesday afternoon to Stafford, where Barry met me at the station.  It's a long walk to the canal from the railway there, and we diverted to B & Q to buy some MDF to subdivide the cupboard under the bed - just before the heavens opened!  So we were soaked through by the time we finally got to the boat, using a scarf I'd been wearing to cover it.

We also visited a lovely, thatched roof, fruit and veg shop so I could stock up and cure Barry of the scurvy he'd supposedly 'caught' since I'd been away.  Black pudding and beans I think was part of his staple diet - the salad I'd left remained intact, no surprise there.  What is it about most men that they avoid fruit and veg at all costs unless it's put in front of them?

Since then we've moved through Stone (what a delightful place that is), which was tremendously busy and lacking in moorings, and up to Stoke-on-Trent turning right onto the Caldon Canal.  

Barry's taken quite a few photos since Kinver - but they'll be on a future blog!

The first of our pre-booked July visitors join us tomorrow.  Two of my sisters and an almost brother-in-law will join us in the evening, at The Holly Bush.  It'll take them about one and a half hours to drive up from Lichfield, whereas it'll have taken us about twelve to travel a similar distance.  Don't you just love the slow pace of life on the waterways? We most certainly do.

Kath will come for a tootle with us up and down the three-mile Leek Branch, and enjoy a well-deserved chillax (I know, it's a made up word), before returning to the pub and her car to drive back for work on Tuesday.  Viv and Ray will stay until Wednesday. We'll travel along the canal to Froghall, with a pit-stop at The Black Lion at Consall Forge.  Ray's birthday is on Tuesday - and I suspect there'll be a celebration with a few drinks on board.  Last time Ray was with us in 2010 ( see here and here to read the gory details), he went a little overboard with the home brew and a 'lock-in' at The Great Western Arms, Aynho, that he retired fully clothed, never moving position all night, despite his phone and wallet being in his pocket.  We don't have nearly as much 'home brew' on the boat this time, so I'm hopeful there won't be a repeat performance!  We shall see ...

Back to Droitwich!

No, not by boat, by train again!

I'm spending a few days with my elderly parents, whilst aiming to negotiate the minefield of what support could be available to them via the NHS/their GP/Age Concern, etc.  It's certainly not simple, and I suspect there's been a lot of budget cuts since I last worked clinically in the NHS in 2001. Fingers crossed though I've armed myself with a few possibilities to discuss with my dad's GP tomorrow.  We shall see ...

Barry meanwhile is 'boat alone' again - and I suspect loving the peace and quiet! He's moved from Penkridge, where I left him on Friday morning, to Stafford.  So if anyone's around the area, do go and say hi to him.  I'll be back on board before he gets scurvy (he always jokes this happens when I leave him for any length of time and he has to rely on his own cooking skills), which I hope will be Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

Last Wednesday meanwhile we both had a very special treat - Helen, from Wandr'ing Bark and Wild Side fame, scooped us up (as she'd been to their boat at Calf Heath) and took us to her and Andy's home in Sutton Coldfield.  We were supplied with gin and tonics, a beef casserole, then Eaton Mess.  Marvellous and utterly delicious! Though the kitchen did sway a little (and we only had one gin and tonic, honest!) - it's unnerving when that happens due to your balance centres mistaken belief that you're still in a floating home.

Helen featured in this months 'Waterways World'.  Disappointingly she didn't get a write up for being the ONLY narrowboat trader at the St Richard's Festival, but did get the kudos of a photo - and if you look very closely you'll see Barry and I lingering at her delicious jams and preserves stall too ...

Helen and Andy's house was teaming with jars and bottles of produce for their business - it has rather taken over I think!  But in a good way.  Business is booming, and if you want to know more read the 'Canal Boat' article - they generously gave her more than just a photo!

It's difficult to believe tomorrow we're already into July, the seventh month of the year - incredible!  We have a few more lovely visitors coming to spend time with us, so I'm hoping this beautiful warm weather (27 degrees apparently at Heathrow airport registered today, warmest day of the year) is going to last ...

From Worcester to Calf Heath - BBQs, mayhem, blessings and cards!

It's been ten days since I wrote a blog - primarily due to our continuing stream of vibrant, vivacious visitors!  In that ten days we've travelled back up (or was it down - I'm never quite sure on the rivers!) the Severn, turned into the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal and moored at Stourport then Kidderminster, spent a couple of nights in Kinver, then tootled up to Tettenhall just outside Wolverhampton, and arrived at our current mooring just past Calf Heath yesterday.

So apologies for the length of this blog which catches up with where we are, who we've spent time with and where we've been.

During this time period we welcomed: 

• My mum and dad, and mum's Sunderland school-girl chum Jo who lives in Florida but spends a few months each summer in UK to get away from the heat and hurricanes there.  Amazing to get my dad back on the boat, but I suspect, sadly, that was the last time he'll be able to manage it.

• Barry's sister back to the boat for two nights - she'd been visiting Bath and Cornwall for a few days.  Jenny left us on Tuesday morning last week and headed to London and then back 'down under' to her home in Gladstone, Australia after her European tour - it was very magical to have Jenny on board with us as we don't see her often and now it's likely we won't see her for many years.  Good luck with all your artistic endeavours Jenny (see her incredible Fimo creation below).

• Gavin and Helen - friends from Gisborne, originally from UK, who were over visiting family arrived Tuesday afternoon for 24 hours. We were humbled and honoured they found time in their busy schedule to fit us in.

• Lisa and our gorgeous grandson gave us the enormous pleasure of a day in their company on Friday for some marvellous mayhem and madness.

• Finally, for this blog, we were blessed with a chance meeting with Leonie and Ray, who'd been in touch with Barry a couple of time before we came here - and live in Napier, New Zealand, one of our closest neighbouring towns (just a short three hour winding road trip away!).

I've scheduled in time to build a few more foundations for my Life Coaching business, in between visitors, and we've also enjoyed a few days where just the two of us have been able to amble at a leisurely pace, or sit still for a while. 

More and more, I'm recognising the main reason for me/us being back in England - to experience and appreciate the importance of people, rather than things, stuff, or money.  Don't get me wrong, money is important, but we can and will find ways to earn more in the coming months and years, but we know we can never make more time.

Below are a mixture of mine and Barry's photography overview of the past week and a half ...

 Jenny's amazing artwork - we couldn't bring my our seven year-old cat Suki with us, so she lovingly made us a Fimo model for xmas to pack in our suitcase

Holt Fleet Lock on the River Severn

A charming, chocolate-box cottage spotted along the river

Sharing one of the big river locks

Interesting rocks beside the Severn, close to Stourport

Coming into Stourport Basin

Sandra pontificating on something while waiting for the lock to fill

The back of the Chandlery at Stourport - very picturesque ...

... but not as much as the historic fairground close tot he canal and river

Stourport was built around the canal

Stourport has five basins and houses almost 100 boats, and has five locks and a dry dock.  We were told a few years ago that Bewdley chose not to embrace the canals, however I found this information on the Stourport Town Website which put me right:

"Popular legend has it that James Brindley chose Stourport rather than Bewdley for his canal because the citizens of Bewdley did not want his ‘stinking ditch’ passing through their town. The reality is that Stourport made far more sense from a topographical point of view. A canal joining the River Severn at Bewdley would have needed to cross several hills. Joining the Severn at Stourport it could follow the Stour valley and this obviously made construction much cheaper."

The Fairground

We were most impressed by the fair - it's so well-kept, has REAL flowers dotted around everywhere rather than being spoilt by plastic/artificial versions, and have put down some turf - which is plastic, but looks fine as it's underfoot and clean.  The rides are all shining and classic examples of the rides you remember as a child.  Well worth a trip if you have children of any age.

Areandare moored at the same prime spot we secured for 24 hours in May, 2009

Then it was on to Kidderminster, and more visitors ...

                                           

                                           Dad, mum, Jo and Sandra on board Areandare

Kidderminster is a town dear to my heart as I resided there to do my Registered General Nurse training, from 1978 to 1981.  There's some fabulous moorings stone's throw from either Tesco or Sainsbury's (take your pick!), and a short walk to the town centre.  I do have to admit that Kidderminster is pretty characterless - though Barry has managed to spice it up a little with some fabulous camera work ...

Very clever - the boaters clothing matches the colours on the boat!

A walk to Kidderminster General Hospital revealed significant changes since 1981 - the staff residence has been demolished and a Primary Care Centre built in its place!

Jenny returned from Cornwall by train, which is a bit of a walk away from the canal - and meant on our way to meet her we saw the effects of a large fire at a recycling plant, with smoke billowing high into the sky.  It apparently took 80 firefighters to bring the blaze under control over a few days, and there were concerns the water they'd been using could contain toxins that would contaminate the canal.  

Meanwhile Barry saw it as a fantastic opportunity to take some dramatic shots (I've super-sized them as they're worth seeing more of) ...

Jenny stayed for two nights, had a short journey northwards and left us at Kinver, where Gavin and Helen met us in their hire car.

Gav and Barry shooting something special - picture to follow!

Barry and Gav practicing with the good old British Charcoal BBQ - in NZ it's not such a chore as they generally take the simpler, safer and quicker gas BBQ method

Possibly got the meat on a little too early - but managed to cook it and it did taste lovely and smoked!






























We had travelled a little way up the canal with Gav and Helen, then moved further the following day arriving at Tettenhall and moored opposite the Multiple Sclerosis Society - so we had a postcode to give to Lisa who was arriving the following day.  Fortuitously we were right by some shops, and when Lisa parked up on Friday, discovered a great little children's park too.  Barry and I had great fun climbing up and sliding down the slide with our grandson, and then taking them for a little round trip.  You can't take your eyes off young children for a second on a narrowboat, and we were shattered that evening - I slept for 12 hours!

We've decided not to go up the Shropshire Union due to the poor internet coverage - and also because we've found we have more time to meander before Barry heads back to NZ in August.  So on Saturday we had a quieter stop for two nights in Coven - right outside the Hope and Anchor pub which I'm amazed to report we didn't frequent at all having blown our alcohol/socialising budget enough last week!

Arriving at our next night's stop last evening, just after Calf Heath, we heard a tapping on the boat and at first I wondered if we'd moored somewhere they were going to charge us.  A friendly, smiling face was waiting as I emerged from the cratch and introduced herself saying they were the couple who'd been in touch with Barry and couple of times before we came here. How special to find they've been inspired by our blog to venture here to spend some time on the waterways.  Leonie and Ray bought their boat 'Firefly', and arrived here in April for they're not sure how long. 

Leonie's paternal grandmother was born in UK, so she's fortunate to be eligible for an initial four-year UK residency visa, and is able to work - she was able to 'sponsor' Ray to have the same rights.  We found ourselves extremely puzzled and perplexed as to how it appears so much simpler for them to gain entrance, than Barry who's married to a British citizen? Who knows the answer to British bureaucracy, but good on you both for taking the plunge and being so adventurous.

Not the most flattering of photos, sorry (Sandra's of course!) -  the obligatory home-brew tasting challenge and a game of six-handed rummy - we look forward to a return match sometime soon!