and all the best for the new year!
(This is the card we sent out this year.)
Lest you forget
10 hours ago
Friday, 25 December 2009
To all our readers...
Wishing you a very
and all the best for the new year!
(This is the card we sent out this year.)
and all the best for the new year!
(This is the card we sent out this year.)
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Deepest Darkest Devon
We have been staying with my mother, her partner and my sister since Saturday, for a long, lovely Christmas break in Devon. It has been very relaxing, and good to spend time with family. It is cold and icy here, but there is no snow, just rain. After Christmas, we will go to James family too.
We are VERY thankful to John and Jackie on Pippin, and Bree, who are looking after Lyra while we are away. We miss her!
We are VERY thankful to John and Jackie on Pippin, and Bree, who are looking after Lyra while we are away. We miss her!
Friday, 18 December 2009
Snow Joke
We were in Cambridge last night when it began to snow heavily. At first it was magical, but then the wind picked up. Bu the time we were walking to the boat along the floodbank, it was imposssible to see as well as walk forwards! We struggled home through the blizzard, and arrived looking like we'd just come back from the Antarctic. We warmed up aboard Pippin first, with sherry and tea, while James set the fire going on the Duck.
This morning dawned clear and beautiful. We were excited about showing Lyra her first snow. She didn't like it at all. But we encouraged her to come out and play for a bit, and Tom Kitten joined in the fun. Lyra just miaowed constantly ("my paws are cold!, my paws are cold!") and Tom was a little more adventurous. In places, the snow was 6 inches deep, and watching the cats walking through it was quite hilarious! I took lots of photos of them both, including a lovely one of them nose to nose 'kissing' in the snow, but I'm afraid you'll just have to imagine them because my stupid phone on which I took them has somehow managed to delete all this morning's images. I've called James and asked him to take a few more while its still snowy though. This one was part of the snow series this morning, some of which (the dull ones) weren't deleted for some odd reason!
One of James' later photos, but the snow had started to melt by this point, it seems.
A determined Lyra makes her way through snow up to her 'armpits'!
The Ginger one
This morning dawned clear and beautiful. We were excited about showing Lyra her first snow. She didn't like it at all. But we encouraged her to come out and play for a bit, and Tom Kitten joined in the fun. Lyra just miaowed constantly ("my paws are cold!, my paws are cold!") and Tom was a little more adventurous. In places, the snow was 6 inches deep, and watching the cats walking through it was quite hilarious! I took lots of photos of them both, including a lovely one of them nose to nose 'kissing' in the snow, but I'm afraid you'll just have to imagine them because my stupid phone on which I took them has somehow managed to delete all this morning's images. I've called James and asked him to take a few more while its still snowy though. This one was part of the snow series this morning, some of which (the dull ones) weren't deleted for some odd reason!
One of James' later photos, but the snow had started to melt by this point, it seems.
A determined Lyra makes her way through snow up to her 'armpits'!
The Ginger one
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Pipe Dreaming
A good friend of mine lives in Marsden, at one end of the Standedge tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow. Ever since I started to get excited about boating and canals, it has been a dream of mine to visit her there by boat. So I decided to do a little search on Canalplan AC, just to see what the time scales are like.
First, I just let it choose the route, which would take us up to the BCN, along the Trent and Mersey, the Macclesfield, the Peak Forest and then the Hudderfield Narrow. It would take us about two weeks. But when I selected 'quickest route' it suggested that we cross the Wash, follow the Witham, cross the Fossdyke to the Trent, then go along the Aire and Calder Navigation, the Huddersfield Broad, and then the Huddersfield Narrow. Canalplan reckons that would take 9 days. Wouldn't that make a fantastically varied and exciting ring? Maybe one day...
First, I just let it choose the route, which would take us up to the BCN, along the Trent and Mersey, the Macclesfield, the Peak Forest and then the Hudderfield Narrow. It would take us about two weeks. But when I selected 'quickest route' it suggested that we cross the Wash, follow the Witham, cross the Fossdyke to the Trent, then go along the Aire and Calder Navigation, the Huddersfield Broad, and then the Huddersfield Narrow. Canalplan reckons that would take 9 days. Wouldn't that make a fantastically varied and exciting ring? Maybe one day...
Monday, 14 December 2009
Fenland Fog, and a Winning Weekend
A dense swirling fog prevented us from carrying out our plan to drive the boat into town on Friday night. It was quite fantastic to wander about in, and make incredible jets of light with our torches, but it would have been foolish to try and navigate.
So we stayed in, warm by the fire, with Lyra playing outside. Presently we heard her come into the weldeck, but she was not alone, for another bell was jingling, and another set of slightly differently coloured (more green to Lyra's turquoise) shiny eyes greeted us. Tom Kitten had come to say hello. He is a very sociable cat, and with both his owners out, had been attracted by the noises and lights of the Duck. He looked a little lonely, so rather than shutting him out in the welldeck (after giving him a quick cuddle) as I normally do, I opened the door to let him in and see what would happen. Lyra was by the door, so I assumed that if she had a problem with him coming in, she would let him know, probably by giving him a biff! But she let him come past, and the two were quite happy chase each other up and down the boat.
A Ginger cat and a Jamaica Ginger Cake cat (John's wonderful description of Lyra)
After a while he started pawing at the door so we let him out, and shortly after, John returned. We had a neighbourly cup of tea, while recounting his errant cat's exploits.
The next morning, the fog had lifted, and we enjoyed a very pleasant cruise into town.
Sunrise near Clayhithe
City IV under the newly painted A14 bridge (Queens' College won the Fairbairns race)
It was the day of the Christmas Head race, in which James' mens VIII won their category, and were presented with some very tinny medals. They were very pleased with this win, however, the first since the squad's training regime began in earnest.
The Duck opposite Peterhouse, with James' Chesterton VIII on the opposite bank getting out of their decrepit wooden boat.
On Saturday night, a Chesterton contingent went over to the Elm Tree for celebratory beer. It was a really enjoyable evening. I had some delicious Belgian honey beer, but not enough to meake me feel at all ill in the morning thankfully! On Sunday, we did a few chores, James coached some new additions to the mens' club, and after tea with a friend, we made our way home.
P.S Christmas cards are all in the post now, but I still have plent left if anyone would like one! The link to my email address in the the Welcome section at the tope of the page now.
So we stayed in, warm by the fire, with Lyra playing outside. Presently we heard her come into the weldeck, but she was not alone, for another bell was jingling, and another set of slightly differently coloured (more green to Lyra's turquoise) shiny eyes greeted us. Tom Kitten had come to say hello. He is a very sociable cat, and with both his owners out, had been attracted by the noises and lights of the Duck. He looked a little lonely, so rather than shutting him out in the welldeck (after giving him a quick cuddle) as I normally do, I opened the door to let him in and see what would happen. Lyra was by the door, so I assumed that if she had a problem with him coming in, she would let him know, probably by giving him a biff! But she let him come past, and the two were quite happy chase each other up and down the boat.
A Ginger cat and a Jamaica Ginger Cake cat (John's wonderful description of Lyra)
After a while he started pawing at the door so we let him out, and shortly after, John returned. We had a neighbourly cup of tea, while recounting his errant cat's exploits.
The next morning, the fog had lifted, and we enjoyed a very pleasant cruise into town.
Sunrise near Clayhithe
City IV under the newly painted A14 bridge (Queens' College won the Fairbairns race)
It was the day of the Christmas Head race, in which James' mens VIII won their category, and were presented with some very tinny medals. They were very pleased with this win, however, the first since the squad's training regime began in earnest.
The Duck opposite Peterhouse, with James' Chesterton VIII on the opposite bank getting out of their decrepit wooden boat.
On Saturday night, a Chesterton contingent went over to the Elm Tree for celebratory beer. It was a really enjoyable evening. I had some delicious Belgian honey beer, but not enough to meake me feel at all ill in the morning thankfully! On Sunday, we did a few chores, James coached some new additions to the mens' club, and after tea with a friend, we made our way home.
P.S Christmas cards are all in the post now, but I still have plent left if anyone would like one! The link to my email address in the the Welcome section at the tope of the page now.
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