Hudds Lad

It's even trickier to install on a home NAS running in a container, especially if you're a linux command line noob But it clashed with the better half's WFH security software and didn't do what we wanted so it had to go. SmartTUBE is, so far, ticking all the boxes and is very tweakable. It will even skip video intro's/outro's for you if you so desire.

Most viewing is done on an Amazon FireTV, just trialling SmartTUBE which i've sideloaded on, so far so good

Slip me your bank details then buddy, i'll happily let you pay for the better half to watch her chateau restoration, offgrid idiots and house decluttering videos ad-free

Yup, and they recently stepped up their game so you can no longer skip them with the info button, now it only blocks them for next time and you have to sit through the lot

Probably worth pointing out that PiHole will NOT block YouTube ads

Ahh yes, whither the Nitromors of yesteryear

Stoke-on-Trent's finest...

You know the bit, between Brinklow and Rose Narrowboats. Just a heads-up. Came through today and some scrote has dumped what looks like kitchen cabinet parts in the canal, i’d say an entire kitchens-worth of panels are floating about and other things submerged (didnt see any but the cyclist who warned us said it looked like small oil drums). Dodge the floating stuff and stay near the offside to avoid. Apparently CRT aware according to the tug we passed just after Rose Narrowboats.

This is us. Trains calmed down a bit now. Bonus! Saw my first Swallow of the year!

Set off from marina this morning thinking we'd stop in Rugby, got there just after 12 and it was completely rammed, so there goes my pub tea. Maybe about ten boats passed us going Braunston way, only seen one heading same way as us as he pinged off the water point by the Barley Mow just as we approached and was soon lost into the distance (plainly on a mission). Have ended up on a piece of quality armco just by Bridge 42A (we don't mind the train noise) and obviously about an hour after we moored two of the boats we passed in Rugby came by Still a lovely warm, not windy day for a pootle with the odd can of cider to keep me lubricated. Cheers!

Been for the last two years, first time to see what the fuss was about, second because we were down at the marina anyway and it was only a ten min drive away (hahahaha, stuck in traffic, more like 40mins). It's very much aimed, i would say, at prospective boaters/YouTubers/day out for the curious. Like a modern agricultural show just with less animals. After an hour we were struggling to find anything to look at. How anyone stays for the full duration i'll never know, unless of course they are there self-promoting

Perhaps it's just my Yorkshire bonhomie that's too much for them, but when you make the effort to say hello and ask how their day is you at least expect a grunt in return, no? Other than ducking under the bridges coming down, Foxton is a doddle on the tiller, it almost does itself.

You very much have to be aware of the opening times for the flight though and allow a good margin. We arrived at the bottom last time an hour before closing, and due to it being all boats coming down we were still waiting with five minutes to go. If J hadn't walked up again and mucked in with the lockies working the boats down i think we'd have had it until the next day, even then they were loathe to let us up. Also it can be super busy with gawpers, so not great if you're uncomfortable about being watched by folk. Most are no bother and chatty, some will flat ignore you like you're an animatronic museum exhibit. Ice creams bought from the office at the top are a welcome reward.

Sand it, Danish Oil it, that way you can visually have a clue if it starts to fail. I'll get round to ours this year, honest. Currently lives under the gunwhales out of the way-ish until needed.

What's the Black Lion like nowadays? Only went in the once and that was enough. Had to listen to overly dramatic bar manager complaining to anyone that would listen about how hungover he was and how he "couldn't even", and then his afternoon cover rang in sick so he was trying to wheedle the only other member of staff into remaining for the afternoon which she was having none of. Luckily by this point we were settling the bill

Oooooh, so cheeky. We only have 10mm And the loft is at home in the Victorian mansion, stupidly high ceilings require getting the 3-section ladder out of the cellar to gain access and then fighting off Shelob and her offspring. 😩 (i'm not keen on spiders)

Your own paint (bored) Someone else's paint (reeeeeally bored) Sounds nearly as exciting as my chores today, laundry and putting stuff in the loft 😩

Jasper Carrott would have sorted it

Exactly how they should be, anything else is just beans in thin tomato soup Hendo's i just don't get, to my palette its just inferior Worcestershire Sauce. J however, being Sheffield born, loves it. So sadly it's in the cupboard next to the Lea & Perrins Brown sauce is also not for me, Ketchup all the way, or perhaps some Sriracha, Frank's Red Hot (it's not) or Red's Unholy BBQ. @IanD i'd go Bacon, Egg & Mushroom Piccalilli anyone?

You were capering about with no shirt on?

Coot, black bird with white beaky bit and white or grey legs (or as daughter calls them, Goth Ducks) Moorhen, black bird with yellow and red beaky bit and very yellow legs. Simples.

https://bridgewatercanal.co.uk/latest-news/bridgewater-canal-breach-update-april-2025/ Bridgewater Canal Breach Update – April 2025 April 17, 2025 Since the breach at Little Bollington in early January, the Bridgewater Canal team has worked hard to protect the canal and surrounding infrastructure. With emergency measures now in place – including stoplogs, an earth dam and temporary Portadams. We’re pleased to share that procurement work is now underway for a more robust medium-term solution, involving new timber stoplogs and a permanent earth dam on either side of the breach. This will allow us to safely remove the temporary Portadams and maintain canal integrity while long-term repairs progress. This will further reduce the unnavigable section to half a mile. Although it’s still early days, we’re currently aiming to have the canal fully reopened to navigation – including the Cheshire Ring – by December 2026. Initial consultations on repair design have begun, and we hope to appoint an engineering consultancy in the coming months. To date, around £300,000 has been invested in stabilising and protecting the canal following the breach. We remain committed to keeping the community, our boating customers and all interested parties updated as plans develop. We’re also in early discussions with the local Inland Waterways Association (IWA) branch about supporting a potential event in Lymm this August, where we’d look to showcase plans, graphics and a repair timeline. For questions or more information, please visit the Bridgewater Canal website or email bridgewatercanal@peel.co.uk. Thank you again to everyone for your ongoing patience and support, Peter Parkinson Managing Director – Bridgewater Canal