morrisminor

That makes some of us feel very inadequate always do, very sound advice.

Your definately not alone mate, although yes it does feel like it sometimes, hope your well on the road to recovery. Shocking but true, I was told family members smuggle the drugs in. This is also true, but they may never suffer any problem until it is triggered by something ie drug abuse. The worse place I`ve ever been in, and I felt like I`d been sectioned aswell because I didn`t want to leave him on his own. We have various teams of people visiting and they all seem very dedicated and caring and will hopefully restore my faith in the mental health system. Good luck to you zenataomm and more power to your elbow for getting involved in helping sufferers.

My eldest son { 17 } is in the middle of a mental health crisis as we speak, drug induced pychosis, stupid boy, he has spent time in our local psychiatric hospital, sectioned under the mental health act. I assumed this would be a place of safety and sanctuary for ill and vulnerable people, how wrong I was, he was assaulted and robbed on his second day with nothing being done by the staff because they didn`t want to upset the git that done it, most of the poor souls in there had no visitors as far as I could see and it was only my constant presence and harangueing that secured his early release. I`m sure some people are helped in there but in my sons case it did more harm than good and he had no chance of recovery while in there. The point of all this is that about the only thing that he`s looking forward to is our holiday in two weeks time on the Llangollen, should do the world of good.

I think geology rocks. The old ones are the best.

Brandings too good for em I say, perhaps we could torture them first, maybe extend the branding to the rest of the family, hey, sterilise them then they can`t breed any more thieving little bastards, why stop at thieves, why not........................ seig heil sieg heil

I once tied my boat up in an emptying lock, the rear end of the boat did momentarily come out of the water until the rope snapped Could`ve been nasty

You think you`ve got it bad I was born in Bournemouth { can`t get much further south } I`m a lowly holiday hirer And I like red neckerchiefs { which is as bad as being a holiday hirer as far as I can glean } Consider yourself privileged.

Thanks for all the info dhutch, very interesting, originals are a pretty rare thing by the sound of it. I took a look at your website, so that`s a dutch barge, very good, although I couldn`t find any pictures of the engine/interior, would like to see some if I`m not being too nosey. I think I may be an aspiring member of said brigade, they seem to be looked upon with pity by the rest of the community but I think like me they were just born in the wrong century, now where can I buy a red neckercheif. How many Austin Cambridges / Wolsleys and many others have been lost due to this disgusting barbaric pastime, floggings too good for em I say....... Don`t get me started. Quite a good conversion I should imagine and one I wouldn`t mind trying myself if my A series ever blows up.

Good for you stonehenge, I hate litter of any kind but boaters crapping on their own doorstep seems particularly out of order. And the culprits neither know nor care that you`ve gone to the trouble of clearing up behind them, they`ll just enjoy their lovely tidy canal next time their passing. I remember being on the avon a few years ago just after some really bad floods had subsided and the rubbish suspended on the bushes and trees was like nothing I`d ever seen before, truly shocking, why It`s so hard to put something in a bin or take it home is beyond me. Please let me buy you a virtual pint. Andy

Which vital organs can I do without again, thats awesome.

Just had a look at the President website I think I`ve found Nirvana looks like I`ll be moving to Dudley Andy

Thats sacrilage, like turning a 49 morris minor lowlight into a hotrod I`ll suspend my childrens pocket money immediately. Andy

I love narrowboats and I love steam engines so is there such a thing as a { you guessed it } steam narrowboat, if so is it still active and can I have a go pleeeaaase. Andy

Archimedes screw ?????

I holidayed with Bidford Boats between Evesham and Stratford on Avon a few years ago and loved it, they were very helpful and there were not a huge amount of locks although we did do a return journey so you would probably find a lot more if you did a ring but once you`ve done a few they`ll become second nature. When we came to the lock at stratford to exit the Avon { if my memory serves me } I was on one gate and my two young sons were struggling on the other with a large crowd standing by watching, when I suggested they might need a hand about ten blokes all obviously itching for a go ran over to them, it was really funny, never be afraid to ask for help. here`s a link http://www.bidfordboats.co.uk/ regards Andy

Thanks for the replies, I`m picking up at Ellesmere which I think is right in the middle of the Llangollen according to the map I`ve just looked at, phew !!!! Sues blog is brilliant, lots of photos of sunny novembers, things are looking up. Regards Andy

Just had a quick look at stoppages on Llangollen and I found this. Stoppage: Hurleston Lock Flight Part of the winter stoppage programme Lock maintenance Winding available downstream at Hurleston Junction, and upstream between Bridges 5 and 6 Does this mean anything to anyone. Regards Andy

Thanks for the info everyone, I will indeed try to post a cruise log. It will probably involve how much rain is falling outside various pub windows but hey, doesn`t sound too bad. Stoppages seem worrying, I`ll go and check that out now. You are indeed right about the motor museum being of interest, I might not need to go anywhere else.

What a brilliantly active forum, glad I found it, I`m not exactly new to narrow boating, took my first trip in 1983, but am relatively inexperienced. My last trip was the stourport ring in 2005, the hottest week of the year, I needed a second week at home to recover. I`m off to Llangollen first week of November which I`m not sure is the best idea I`ve ever had ie the weather { Wales isn`t renowned for it`s green green grass for nothing } but I might be pleasently surprised with all this global warming going on. Anyway wish me luck I`m off to browse the rest of the forum for useful tips for my impending holiday. Regards Andy