Naughty Mr Cyril

Still at Wheaton Aston pointing north.    Nothing moving yet because of ice still ---- starting to thaw now but guessing it’ll take until at least the weekend before its gone enough and that’s only if we don’t get any more freezing temperatures.    Feeling positively barmy today and last night we got soooo hot inside the boat that we had to open the outside door for a bit of draught!!    Crazy eh.


Had pheasant for Christmas dinner which was delicious and made a change from the old turkey!


I’ve been on bird watch - we hung up some fat balls, peanuts and seeds on the tree branches outside the boat and been entertained by antics of blue tits, long tailed tits and one robin in the main.     Mr Cyril very naughty though as he has now wrecked the peanut hanger for 2nd time after I had spent ages one night mending it with pink cotton and we think it was him who kept hanging on the seed hanger which has now also broken.   Although I did spot some moorhens up in the tree and a couple of fat pigeons have been waddling about.     When I go into Stafford again (hoo wee, my weekly day trip out !!) I’ll get some stronger hangers - not having a squirrel beat me !!   (wonder how many other people have said that)

Amy bought us a Nitendo DS for Christmas - all I can say is that my brain age is slightly better than Dai’s !!    


Since last blog we have done …  0 miles and 0 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks


these wintry scenes took the other day just before the thaw started

Dai having to pick out ice balls from between Foxxie's toes

Merry Christmas

This week we have done …   nothing !!    Yep, nothing again and yet again .   Still at Wheaton Aston pointing north.  

Not really got much to tell you about.---- still frozen over everywhere, snow lying on top of snow and ice.

I did get to meet up with Amy yesterday which was lovely ---- I got the local bus to Stafford and then train to Birmingham and Amy came from Nottingham to Birmingham.    We only had a few hours because my last bus back to the village is early evening and then, of course, there are loads of problems on trains.    Luckily we both got there and back with only very few delays.     Amy has a Christmas temp job which means she has to work Christmas Eve so no way can she get to us on public transport.    It will be the first Christmas that me and Amy have not spent together so |I feeling a bit weepie about that but - hey ho - that’s life and at least we did have our meet-up this week.

Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday time - keep warm and safe.

Since last blog we have done …  0 miles and 0 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks

the obligatory fairy lights

Dai worried how he's going to get his Black Sheep Ale !!

holly, holly everywhere

meat trek

This week we have done …   nothing !!    Yep, nothing again.   Still at Wheaton Aston pointing north.    We are resigned to the fact that we’ll be here for another couple of weeks.   The ice is gone but starting tomorrow the plunging temperatures, ice and snow is due back.     So, we’re better off staying put.

So, what are we doing ??    Well, there’s the water fill-up run every day; loo emptying run about every 3 days.   We walk every day ---- up and down the towpath!     Most days we walk to the shops (ha ha, shops, all 3 of them!!) just to see if any reduced bargains in Spar!      I crochet, read, listen to radio, do crosswords.   Dai reads and does sudoki.    We watch telly in evenings and occasionally go to the pub.    Dai cooks and I bake.     Fire mending takes a remarkable time up for Dai and washing up for me!!      About every 3rd day we look like a Chinese laundry inside the boat with clothes drying ………….. And I just don’t know where the time is going to !!     Mind you, I don’t like having to put lights on earlier and earlier in the evenings.     


We changed all our light bulbs to LED this weekend - some warm white and some cool white.    Ordered them off internet and delivered to the Post Office in the village the very next day.     They are so much better for battery consumption - a fraction of the power it took before with the halogen lights.


Holly run done this week down in the woods, so I have been able to construct a holly wreath which is now hanging on the front of Jandai (as you can see in photo above) - I am really rather chuffed with it as they were selling in the village for around £15  !!!


Had surprise visitors last Sunday ---- we were doing the water run before taking Foxxie for a walk when who should shout hello from the bridge??     Glyn (Dai’s brother) and Linda who decided to pay us a visit while we were in the “ice gone but its coming back with a vengeance“ stage.    It was lovely to see them 


Today we decided on a different destination for our daily towpath walk - 3 miles up to next village - Brewood - to go to the butcher there.    A round trek of 6 miles to get some meat is nothing when you think how far some people in the world have to walk every day for water.


Since last blog we have done …  0 miles and 0 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks

last week's ice bergs floating by

Peck-Athon and Ash Patrol

beautiful winter wonderland

This week we have done …   nothing !!    Still at Wheaton Aston pointing north.


Thing is - ice, ice and more ice !!    Where we are, the canal hasn’t frozen but a few yards either way, then it is solid.   Some days we get icebergs floating by where it has started to thaw further up but then, it all freezes solid again.    We are on ash patrol every day - emptying ash onto the towpath and around the water point as otherwise it gets lethal to try and walk on.   We still have water running most days - just a couple when some dimwit has turned the water off despite a big notice on it saying “please leave water dribbling so that it doesn’t freeze up”.


Have you ever heard the noise of 99 ducks all pecking at the boat at same time??   Well, I can tell you that it’s horrendous!     They started last night about 9 pm and were still at it when we went to bed about 11 pm.    We know they are pecking at the weed growth just below the water line but why oh why did they start in the evening?   We were expecting to see a big sign in duck muck on towpath this morning ----- please turn around so we can clean the other side.    No way !!


Somehow don’t think we are going to be moving this week either.   Apparently there’s going to be a thaw over this weekend and then it’ll start freezing again.    We know from other blogs that the ice is as thick as 5 inches about 5 miles northwards - it’ll take more than a couple of “warmer” days to make that much disappear.    We are warm enough, can get water, food, drink, coal, diesel, gas easily so if we have to stay here then no problem.     Of course we are now more than 14 days on a 48 hour mooring but apparently British Waterways have suspended the time limits in one place while the Big Freeze is on.


Since last blog we have done …  0 miles and 0 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks

please form an orderly queue to sign up for the Peck-Athon

in flower already??   Naw - hoar frost outside Jandai

igloos built on the canal

---- well, not really - but it's icy enough .................... 


This week we have done …   Cross Green then turned at Autherley Junction onto the Shropshire Union and now moored at Wheaton Aston pointing north.


We got to Wheaton Aston last Thursday and can’t move because of the ice.   We are not actually iced in ourselves but a few yards going north, then the canal is frozen over once  you get out of the cutting onto the embankment.    We are ok.    Water point has kept open and flowing as we have (or rather someone has) fastened a short piece of hose and keeping the water on during evening/night.    Elsan open although the water has frozen to it off and on but we can empty the loo and then flush with water from the tap outside.   We have diesel and coal right opposite where we are over the bridge where there is also the pub “Hartley Arms”.    There is a Spar in the village and another newsagent type shop ---- so, to be honest, we have everything we need.


I caught a bus yesterday into Stafford and, as well as a wander round, filled my wheelie bag with stuff from the Sainsburys across the road from the bus-stop.


Keeping warm inside Jandai with the fire full whack ---- but we haven’t had to turn the central heating on as well  ---- I dread to think how cold it will have to be for us to need central heating on as well as the fire !


Not much snowfall here - today about an inch on the ground.   We have only had snow flurries off and on for last few days.


Since last blog we have done …  11 miles and 12 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks

is it warmer on here ??   is it??   is it ??

bet you wish you had a coat like mine today !

one cold and frosty morning ........

squatters build igloos on the cut

---- well, we are expecting them any time now!!    ice, ice and more ice !!

This week we have done …   Cross Green then turned at Autherley Junction onto the Shropshire Union and now moored at Wheaton Aston pointing north.

We got to Wheaton Aston last Thursday and can’t move because of the ice.   We are not actually iced in ourselves but a few yards going north, then the canal is frozen over once  you get out of the cutting onto the embankment.    We are ok.    Water point has kept open and flowing as we have (or rather someone has) fastened a short piece of hose and keeping the water on during evening/night.    Elsan open although the water has frozen to it off and on but we can empty the loo and then flush with water from the tap outside.   We have diesel and coal right opposite where we are over the bridge where there is also the pub “Hartley Arms”.    There is a Spar in the village and another newsagent type shop ---- so, to be honest, we have everything we need.


I caught a bus yesterday into Stafford and, as well as a wander round, filled my wheelie bag with stuff from the Sainsburys across the road from the bus-stop.

Keeping warm inside Jandai with the fire full whack ---- but we haven’t had to turn the central heating on as well  ---- I dread to think how cold it will have to be for us to need central heating on as well as the fire !

Not much snowfall here - today about an inch on the ground.   We have only had snow flurries off and on for last few days.

Hope everyone reading this blog is warm and safe ----- roll on summer!

Since last blog we have done …  11 miles and 2 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 887 miles and  850 locks

running repair

This week we have done …  Gailey to Penkridge, turn around, back to Gailey and currently at Cross Green.

Oh boy - its getting colder outside and forecast to get worser for the weekend and into beginning  of next week!   Gotta get the thermals out.    Not inside though - plenty warm enough in here.   The fire is kept in all the while now and during the day we burn a mixture of wood and house coal, then to keep it in overnight have to pile it up with smokeless coal.   Wood is free, picked up as we travel about --- Dai always manages to find some lying on the towpath or thereabouts; house coal not too bad at around £6 for 20 kg (and it seems to last ages) although it smokes like crazy when a new lot goes on; and …. Of course …. Smokeless has now increased to winter prices so last lot we bought was about £12 a bag.

Had to replace the water pump this week so gone for a different brand - Jabasco which seems to be the one most recommended as we have asked around.   I was dreading it as most technical jobs on the boat seem to get Dai cussing …. But no, it went like a dream !    And yes, the water pump is working too - so, a result and hoping this pump lasts longer than the other one which we only had new last March because the one installed when we first had the boat had broken.  

Penkridge is quite a nice village - a great butcher and baker; quite a big Co-op; woolshop; couple of banks; and a outdoor/indoor market on Weds and again on Saturday.    Usual array of clothing, footwear, stuff like black bags, dodgy wash powder, unheard of cosmetics.    Couple of fruit/veg stalls; cheese; bacon; big van with chappie shouting such as “10lbs mince for only £1”, etc. etc.     I did buy some (supposedly) thermal socks in anticipation of the freeze this week and a box of Christmas cards for a pound!  

Nothing at Gailey except a Viking hireboat base (now closed for winter) and then just down the dual carriageway a garage; huge pub, 2 garden centres and a funny little shop selling bags of potatoes, carrots, onions, coal and logs - but they also had milk thank goodness!     One garden centre more a plant nursery and the other one, one of these huge places which, ok, sell a few plants, but a huge selection of expensive kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, outdoor clothing, wellies, pet foods/gear, etc etc.    you know the sort of place.    Loads of Christmas decs, trees, lights - but we did miss Santa as he isn’t arriving until next weekend !    I did get rather a nice little plant arrangement as the basil  we have had since the summer finally gave up the ghost!    It had served us well, especially as it was only £1.50 from Morrisons.    I missed having a bit of living greenery so hopefully this will last a few months.

Since last blog we have done …  11 miles and 12 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 876 miles and  848 locks

Anyone for a Baked Potato?

Lunch!   2 hours in the ashpan is all it takes.

This week we have done …  to end of  Shroppie at Autherley Junction and turned left onto Staffs and Worcs canal going north to Cross Green and currently at Gailey.


Jack Frost starting to visit us now but not lasting long as we have had some gloriously sunny day times (except for today - we woke up to rain and it’s not stopped all day).   I even sat outside on a tree stump yesterday reading my book for an hour or so, until the sun sank behind some trees.  


I caught the bus into Wolverhampton while we were at Brewood - only a 25 minute ride.    Dai stayed at home as he used to live in Wolverhampton and didn’t wish to rediscover these “bright lights“.    Actually the town centre is like a million others with same stores in a massive indoor shopping centre.   I enjoyed poddling around and at least without Dai, I could window shop and wander at leisure.    Bought a replacement telephoto lens (don’t know how or why the original just stopped working).     Also some long hiking socks as I realised I only had short “summer” socks that I couldn’t tuck my jeans into when on the often now muddy towpaths!   Socks are easier to wash/dry than jeans any day.    Must admit though, one day in a busy city is enough to last me some weeks ….. I was very happy to get back to the towpath!


Been thinking about how we’re going to decorate the boat for Christmas and while in Wolverhampton picked up a few bits-and-bods including some different coloured LED lights - obviously I’ll post pictures when we’re all Christmassy!!     Going to also look out for some holly and fir cones to make a Christmas wreath we can fix to front outside somehow.

rather suspect this Christmas Tree been there for a number of years

Since last blog we have done …  13 miles and 1 lock
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 865 miles and  836 locks

Glad we went under it (2x in one day) instead of on it !

Desperate Dan Pie Mark II

This week we have done …  still on the Shroppie :  Norbury Junction to Gnosall to Wheaton Aston to Brewood.

Quiet week after all the excitement of last week …..

It was my birthday last Thursday (but kindof felt like I had celebrated it on the Saturday before when we had our Very Important Visitors.    We were still moored at Norbury Junction and so went to the Junction Inn for a meal.    It was really delicious --- okay so pub food but there was a big choice.   We were going to have starters until we saw size of main course going to the next table!    I had the Junction Steak Pie which was way way too big - bigger than the Desperate Dan Pie we had earlier in the year.    I did eat all the meat though which was chunky without any fat or gristle but had to give up on all the pastry.   Dai had their special of Thai Green Curry which he really enjoyed.    By the time we felt ready for pudding it was too late, the kitchen was closed !    Beer was excellent and, all in all, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this pub.

Made the Christmas Cake this week which is now maturing ready in the back food cupboard to be fed at regular intervals with a touch of the brandy.

Had a really excellent beef joint from the butcher in Gnosall - in fact, I would go as far as to say it was the best beef we have had in the last 7 months.     We always have a full Sunday roast dinner and more often than not there is meat left for at least one more day and often two days.

Foxxie has had a good time this week with all the squirrels …… now that the trees are getting bare, they are much more spottable!    She sits with eyes glued upwards, every now and again making this strange strangled type of bark.    No way can she catch one of course but its fun watching her try.    We only have to say squirrel now and she’s off !!

Since last blog we have done …  11 miles and 1 lock
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 852 miles and  835 locks   (made mistake last week and told you totals for week before!!)

cutting a route through the autumn leaves

A Most Excellent Day

(late again as no reception Wed and Thurs - this is a notorious stretch for no reception for phones or internet but think we are out of it now.)

This week we have done …  still on the Shroppie :  Adderley to Market Drayton to Goldstone Wharf to Norbury Junction.

who's that peeping ? It's Millie Mop

Fantastic day last Saturday when Amy and her boyfriend Hayan plus my brother Shaunie with Mand, Sam and Millie came to see us.   We were moored at Market Drayton so winded and took a leisurely cruise back to Adderley Locks and returned to Market Drayton.     Sausage cobs / my homemade cake and mince pies / beer and red wine …. And then a meal at the pub in the evening.    The weather was wonderful - sunny and warm.     It was just great to see them all - it’s the one thing I really do miss, not being able to see my family often and whenever.    

the bestest nephew and niece in the world - Sam and Millie

Amy had been to a Halloween party the night before and didn’t get home till just before Hayan picked her up for the journey to see us - her hair was even more pink and wild than ever !!    At least she had taken out the white contact lenses so didn’t scare Sam and Millie too much - ha ha !!

doesn't she look like her mother - err, no !!!!

Must admit I got a little tearful after they had gone …. But not too long before Christmas when we will be meeting up again somehow, somewhere !!

Freerange eggs at Adderley Top Lock --- some hens are even roaming around the lock - and they are the best eggs we have had since the duck eggs on the Oxford Canal last spring.    Huge and so yellow yoked.   We ended up with 3 trays ----- 90 eggs.      Well, unfortunately Dai fell down the boat steps with first tray so we lost about 20, then I baked some quiche and egg custard and then lots of cake ready for my family visiting.    Then we have scrambled eggs every morning Mon to Fri  (Sat and Sun being egg and bacon days as our weekend treat).    Still got some left but won’t last much longer!!!

On our trip from Market Drayton to Goldstone Wharf last Tuesday guess what?    We saw 3, yes 3, kingfishers.    Sightings this year have been very low, so 3 in  3 hours was just amazing.

Loads and loads of leaves on the canal now which is not good news when you’re cruising as they get caught round the prop in like a kindof wad and slow us down …. And we go slow enough anyway.

Since last blog we have done …  3 miles and 18 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 822 miles and  829 locks

my pink with shades of purple haired Amy with Hayan

my fab sister - Mand 

new crew on lookout duty - brother Shaunie

Sam taking lessons !

Fastest Sawer in the West - not me !

(late post this week as no signal where we moored Wed and Thursday.)

This week we have done …  Audlem to Adderley ---- all of 3 miles but 18 locks!

Yes, slightly more boats out this week - (a) because its half term and (b) the weather ---- lots of sunshine with a couple of frosty mornings.  

Nothing much to report this week ----- no excitement to call any and we haven’t been very far !    One thing we have noticed this week though is lots of owls a-hooting in the evenings.    In fact one night at Audlem they were obviously having a big party !

Got a brilliant wood haul today ---- Dai went off with Foxxie (routine thing that Foxxie has to have a walk along towpath when we first moor up somewhere) and discovered a mega branch which had fallen.    It took us 2 trips to carry it back and then hours to saw it up.    I do try to do my share of sawing but won’t win any prizes for Fastest Sawer in the West.

Since last blog we have done …  3 miles and 18 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 822 miles and  829 locks

Dai taking a minute

did the axe slip Dai ??    Naw - its a lamb neck bone (guess what we had for dinner that night??)

Good haul of ash

of no fixed abode !

spot the hot air balloon !!

This week we have done …  Nantwich  to Audlem ---- all of 7 miles and 4 locks!

We are now officially “of no fixed abode” --- I won’t say homeless cos that’s not true as Jandai is our home.   Sale of the house was completed last Friday.     Mixed feelings ---- I am relieved it has gone before winter kicks in, but at same time, didn’t really feel like celebrating.    Not that I have any second thoughts, it’s just that the house was built just over 100 yrs ago by my family and has been in the family ever since.   Still, we can now say that we are true boaters !!!

First frost this week when we woke up on Sunday and this morning.     It was Sod’s Law Sunday morning though.   For a while we have been looking out for some paint for the fire to do some touching up and found some.   So Sat evening was cloudy when we went to bed so decided to let fire go out as it obviously needs to be cold to paint and so we get the first frost !     Fire had to stay in since Sunday though and will probably be in now until next spring !!  

I have just today finished crocheting my second Christmas blanket so now Samuel and Millie (nephew and neice) have one each ready to send to Santa.    Sam’s is in blues and Millie’s in purples and yellow --- or rather, gold, as Millie told me that gold is her favourite colour (ha ha, week before it was purple).    Gotta decide on my next project now, maybe I’ll start a new craft for me ---- a rag rug.    I have the special tool, just need to get some “rags” now which think will mean a visit to charity shops at our next town stop which will be Market Drayton.  

Still lots of boats around but number is definitely going down now --- expect to see a few more hire boats out next week as it’s school half-term.


Since last blog we have done …  7 miles and 4 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 819 miles and  811 locks

taken on Oct 17 - wonder how many more days I'll be able to dry washing outside this year ?!

here's that balloon getting a bit closer (you can even see the flames if you look closely!)

200 Days Today

This week we have done … Quoisley Lock, Wrenbury, Hurleston Locks on Llangollen. Then turned south on Shroppie and are now moored at Nantwich.


We spent a total of 26 days on the Llangollen Canal. Last year when we did same canal during a 2 week holiday we spent the grand total of 5 days …. We are definitely slowing down !!!

Just can’t believe the weather this last week. It is October isn’t it ---- yet I’ve been sitting topping up my tan every afternoon since last Saturday!!! Mornings are misty and the evenings cold cos we now have to have a fire every evening ---- but afternoons - well, could it last a bit longer please!!!!

This week we have had a battery management system fitted to Jandai. I won’t go into all the technical details (ha ha ---- cos I can’t) but do understand that it means the batteries charge up quicker therefore our fuel consumption will be lower. Dai has worked it out that in theory, it should pay for itself in around a year and give the batteries an extra year of use before we have to replace them, so that’s all good news. We have six leisure batteries as we are running a fridge, freezer and washing machine as well as usual things like a telly, charging up laptop, phones, toothbrushes, etc. Then there is an additional battery for the engine start up. So that’s about as “technical” as I can get !!

I had my hair cut yesterday ---- about 4 inches off and thinned out, so my balance was a bit wobbly for a while until I got used to not having so much weight on my head. It was getting a bit wild I must admit. Still growing out the blonde - looks a bit like I’m wearing a brown with streaking silver coloured cap. Ar well, another six months and the blonde should be all gone.

Talking about 6 months ---- today is Day 200 of our New Life - think we’ll have to celebrate that tonight don’t you ?

Since last blog we have done … 14 miles and 10 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 812 miles and 807 locks.------ miles now more than locks for first time for ages and ages.

misty october 11 sunrise at nantwich on shropshire union canal

misty october 11 morning at Nantwich on the Shropshire Union Canal looking north

Foxxie and an invisible Janice sunbathing that same 11 october afternoon

Yorkshire Puds - Yeah!

This week we have done … Ellesmere Arm, Prees Branch, Grindley Brook and today moored just through Quoisley Lock.


Seems to have quietened down a bit from last week although boats were in and out of the Ellesmere Arm while we were there for several days. One of the hireboat companies told us the other day as we passed that all their boats were out until the end of October. BW’s winter moorings (1 Nov to end March) have been announced this week which for first time this year you have to book on the internet. We are planning on continuously cruising though and not holing up somewhere for the winter. If it gets too bad then we will go into a marina but counting on the fact that we can’t have two extreme winters in a row !!

We’ve had some very warm and sunny days this week - in fact, better than most of August!

Dai had a fun day out last Friday - went to the pub with Keith off Diamond Jack at lunchtime and staggered back 5 pints and 4 hours later!! I was invited but find I just can’t drink at lunchtimes - I need to sleep afterwards and then feel groggy rest of day so just not worth it.

Adam - a fellow blogger from NB Debdale - introduced himself to us when we were in Ellesmere. It’s always good to know who’s reading your blog !

For first time since living on the boat, Dai did Yorkshire puddings with our Sunday roast this week. He’s not tried them before cos cooking with calor gas is different to house gas as the oven doesn’t get so hot. Anyway, we bought a lovely piece of beef from the butcher in Ellesmere so he decided to risk the Yorkshires. Yes - they worked so expect Toad in the Hole will be on the dinner menu one day soon now.

Managed a bit of “yellow pencil” this week ------ that is, cruised a new bit of canal for Jandai ---- the Prees Branch, as we were on the lookout for diesel and saw an advert by the canalside for Whixall Marine selling at 72p a litre. As it turned out it was actually 68p without any tax, so we filled up. Good diversion then for 2 good reasons.

Nearly got total miles and locks equal this week - if we’d gone through Marbury Lock about a mile from where we are moored then we would have. Hang on, no we wouldn’t cos then we’d have had another mile done! Aw well, this is about the closest we have been to equal !

Since last blog we have done … 17 miles and 9 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 798 miles and 797 locks.


Saturn is a unique canal narrowboat. She is the last horse-drawn Shropshire Union Canal Fly-boat in the World – originally built to travel non-stop, day and night, carrying perishable goods. Over 100 years old, she has been fully restored to her former glory; not only to preserve her for posterity but to educate present and future generations about our waterways, narrowboats and horse-boating.   Here she is moored at Ellesmere.



Here I am being supervised by Foxxie operating Allman's Lift Bridge on the Prees Branch which was mightily hard going!

Our mooring today just after Quoisley Lock - in the middle of nowhere with the sun shining.



Original warehouse at end of Ellesmere Arm - there are development plans for the end so hope they are going to do something with this building and not knock it down.   The only building so far developed is a new Tesco which is very handy for boaters even though we don't like the fact that Tescos have world-domination in sight.