Jennifer McM

Cheer up, garden centres will be allowed to open this time round, that's be great to pick up a Christmas tree ....... errr 🤔

Maybe so, but it doesn't stop people getting excited. 😉 Reading the twitter thread, it says Art 61 has been invoked 5 times, which sort of gives it credence. I guess some people who's life long business is about to go down the drain would clutch any straw.

Presently I'm reading a lot about Article 61 of the Magna Carta, there's a FB group on it https://www.facebook.com/groups/754338414949984/?ref=share It's above my head, but..... BIG BUT.... if I were told to close down my business of which I've funded it through mortgaging my home, and knowing the lockdown would kill it, think I'd be looking closely into Article 61.

Hi Sue, and welcome! Some people use a bike between locks, although there are (in the main) lock landings where 'mates' can hop off the boat, and back on again when the boat's gone through the lock. Though many lock landings are not really designed for 'older bones'. Lock beams/gates can be awkward and heavy, not all of the beams are perfectly balanced - this is one area where carrying a bit of weight could be useful! Some lock gates are a bit of a challenge, afterall, we're talking about 17th, 18th century 'technology' - and sweet it is too . If you're lucky, on some of the double locks, you could pal up with another boat going through the lock, sharing the work and enjoying a bit of a chat! There are long stretches where there are no locks, such as the Ashby Canal. https://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi is brilliant and a 'must' for planning canal journeys, it allows you to set your personal criteria.

Thank you! Absolutely agree about concentrating on something, I've been storing and gathering material for things we've been wanting to do for probably years. Eg: got loads of different paint and a good instruction book for having a go at canal art. This lockdown is different, longer/darker nights, and maybe not so much good weather - just got to keep our minds occupied 😄

Totally expected, it's just confirmation. My husband goes to ozzy to have a pacemaker fitted on Wednesday, and he's got to take it easy for 3 or 4 weeks, so the lockdown works just fine for us.

Just noticed this article... apologies if it's already been posted https://canalrivertrust.org. uk/enjoy-the-waterways/safety-on-our-waterways/coronavirus

Midland Chandlers stock them https://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/products/star-mobil-basic-bed-kit-40310 The material doesn't mind a good spin in the washing machine either. A great product.

Why your 'Mrs' of course, absolutely NO contest!

Lock's now open....

Just quoting the CRT man - don't believe it's kids either, kids usually want instant gratification when creating mischief, if it was vandals then it was preconceived.

We were moored at the top lock, last Friday a CRT man tapped on our boat to explain what CRT intend to do; eg bring a crane from the flat's car park that's alongside the locks (obv removing the wrought iron fence) to lift the gate. A bridge will be erected to take the crane over to the towpath side. The CRT man said they suspect the vandals were kids - but then again I suspect CRT will be insured for vandalism and perhaps not for maintenance issues. We turned our boat around and left the area. Yesterday we got an email from CRT complaining we'd overstayed the Atherstone mooring ☹️ It would be great while they've got a crane in the area, CRT will use it to yank the now sinking abandoned cruiser out of the water by the Wharf - think it's been an eyesore there for over a year - looking to the positives.

When did the ducks get feet on the Coventry? We'll be able to see the fish zooming about soon.

Personal Log – Jennifer Log Time Started – 1818 hrs, 1918 Mrs Bob is struggling to keep her fingers and needles supplied with wool. Therefore serious times call for serious actions, this is why the SWOT team which included Mrs Bob; was deployed to replenish woollen socks stocks. Amazing the lengths our crack team will go when the prospect of cold feet threatens. It took a fair bit of the morning to hunt for the perfect sheep that are endowed with just the right type of 3 ply wool. Eventually after several gruelling hours of snaking through towpath mud on our svelte yet muscular six-packs, our elite SWOT team came across a group of sheep who were closely flocking together. There was one (well there always is....) who raised her head above the flock and looked towards our tremendous troop 'our troop's absolutely tremendous', obviously disturbed by the noise the duck accidentally (so he said) made. The wool on the sheep's back was white fluffy, and our eyes widened with the prospect of warm cosy toes. “How many sheep are there in this field” Mrs Bob said, as she mentally calculated how many stitches she could knit from each sheep's wool. “I've counted 27” said I squinting through the sun at the sheep. Rusty, who's always the first to volunteer when there's a job to be done, rushed into the field; “I'll round them up”, he said and with a nod of his head he whispered “that'll be about 30”! The sheep were expertly and with a certain amount of aplomb from Taff the professionally trained sheepdog, quickly corralled the sheep into a corner making it super easy for Mrs Bob to strip the sheep of their coats.... sheer brilliance! Note: In the interests of being PC, no dogs (cept Taff) were involved in this exercise... well at least not in the end! Log ends 1918 hrs 1918