Two celebrations this week which, by pure co-incidence, were on the same day - Monday 5 July. It was Dai’s birthday and we have lived on the boat for 100 days !! To celebrate I baked a cake and we went out for a meal at The Vine in Kinver which was super ….. and the cake was pretty good too !
On Sunday Glyn and Linda came over and took us to Bridgnorth …… ohmigod ….. riding in a car !! Too fast, too fast !! We had a meander round the Low Town; High Town; steam train station; castle remains and rode the Bridgnorth Cliffside Railway see http://visitbridgnorth.co.uk/attractiondetails.php?estid=743 for photos and info about this Victorian treasure. Bridgnorth is a lovely town on the River Severn with a fantastic cheese shop another others (yes, had to succomb to their Shropshire Blue).
This week we have spent the longest time ever at one mooring - 5 days! We are still trying to get out of the “holiday hire boat” mentality - ie, we do not have a timetable to get from A to B. This actually has been quite difficult but we are trying - honest!
Tried out our new toy this week - the SatMap which is a GPS gadget specifically for walkers. It uses Ordance Survey maps (unlike other walkers’ GPS systems) and is really easy to use. So I programmed in a walk by marking waypoints on the map before we set off so you can see your route. As you walk, then your position is marked by a blue dot leaving behind a trail of little red dots. We went wrong twice but you can see that straightaway so just change your direction to get back onto the route. It also tells you how long you’ve been walking; how long you stop for; how far; average speed; how far up hill and down dale in feet (must have some fancy name for that !!) and that is also shown as a graph-type-thingy - it’s dead good ! Only prob is that I kept walking into nettles and other vegetation as I was looking at the screen rather than where I was going ! But, yes - excellent gadget for walking in unknown territory and means we don’t have to carry zillions of OS maps on the boat.
Dai done quite a bit of fishing this week as he managed to get some maggots in Stourport - and caught fish bigger than the usual perchling and baby other fish! More adult size perch and roach too - still nothing big enough to get me rushing out to the nearest chip shop mind !
Been warm this week with some sunny spells but lots of grey/black cloud but still no rain ! Some of the canals are now getting seriously low on water but hasn’t affected us yet.
Anyone got a good recipe for cooking couscous? Dai tried again to cook it this week and honestly, it was just horrid. He manfully ate his but I just couldn’t swallow one single mouthful - to me it was like soggy semolina, completely tasteless and that yucky texture. Even Foxxie wouldn’t clear it up so we started to throw it into the canal but it sank before even the quickest duck could wolf it down!
Should be on the Shroppie by the time I post the next blog …. unless we break our record and stay here for 6 days!!
Since last blog we have done … 21 miles and 24 locks (includes a 2 lock and a 3 lock staircase).
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 559 miles and 624 locks.
Birthday Boy
Stourport Basin with funfair in background
going up the Bratch 3 lock staircase
birthday treat
Cous Cous.... just dont bother, its ok as a side dish. its is horrible !
ReplyDeleteAlan B
This is what I do, to serve 2:
ReplyDeleteput 100g of cous cous in a bowl;
add 125ml of boiling water (use the right amount, or it will go soggy);
add a knob of butter;
cover and leave for 5 mins;
use a fork to fluff it up before serving.
You can also add raisins or seeds at the start, to add a bit more texture or flavour.
It's great if you need a side dish quickly.
Though i do not know the best way to make cous cous - it is great to read up on your travels and good to know that you and Dai are enjoying life on the narrowboat !
ReplyDeleteThe best way to make cous cous is to let Ainsley Harriot or whatever his name is do it for you, put it into a packet, and then you add hot water then eat. YUM - Amy xx
ReplyDelete