Athy

We use carpet tiles to cover the floor. They look like carpet [because they are] but can be easily cut to shape with a craft knife. If they get damp or mucky we take them up, dry them on the roof and brush them clean.

Welcome to the forum, Ching. I wish my Chinese was as good as your English! What particular aspects of our canals do you seek help with?

It's not the NB 'Solomon Grundy', is it?

Nothing that a 12 bore wouldn't cure. Recent visitors to our garden include chaffinches, tits both great and blue, and a goldfinch. I love birds, but for swans I'll ake an exception.

I never got that far! For quite a while, three of us handled moddy duties - self, Magpie Patrick and the former Buccaneer. The arrival of two new ones, Jen and Ade, was succour indeed [as in, only a succour would do this job]/ Midway through last year I was, as Nicj Noeman says, beset by a truly exciting cocktail of eye conditions which made long spells of reading irksome. These are mow controlled by medicayion, and my eyes are not deteria...er, daterior...er, getting worse. I'm still taking part in moddy duties, but more in behind the scenes discussions than dront of house. Thanks!

Why 'Spud'? Does he give other dogs a frite?

We have mootrd kn the area for some years and Have seen these signs many times. I thonk, though I can; be sure. that they have been there longer than we have.

Ian, unless you take great pains to enhance the neaiuy of your engine. you may have,meany 'dipsstick' rather than ''lipsticl'.

A member has reorted this topic as 'drivel'. Drivel is not against our rules as long as it is expressed in a civilised manner. So please keep your posts civil.

Yes, it's sorting the wheat from the chaff which is tricky for a tyro. May I suggest that the O.P. looks at the ABNB web site - they are reeputable brokers whose prices normally reflect a boat's market value.

We uave moored on lock landings, but only in France where the electric locks are not switched on until nine in the morning - by which time we were ready to go. If another boat had turned up, we would have invited them to moor alongside us.

I've never been to the Pocklin gton Canal. Is it abandoned or under restoration?

They have diesel, gas and water available, but no maintenance or workshop facilities on site as far as I'm aware. When we, who moor in the village, approached them a few years ago to fix a problem, they gave us the number of a local independent fellow who was so curmudgeonly on the phone that we went elsewhere. They may have formed an alliance with Tooley's since then, I don't know.

I remember the city, wwhere I was brout up, as very hilly, soif some bits are under water, there will still be peaks to cling to. Meanwhile, here in the Fens, it's rained all night and all day, but the Old River Nene doesn't appear to have risen at all - well done, Middle Levels.

Yes, we called into the Bure Valleyterminus station en passant last year, Fifteen inch gauge or thereabouts, isn't it? By the time we got there, the steam loco had finished its duties for the day and gone back to the shed, so all there was to look at was a neat little diesel and some coaches. File under 'tourist attration'. I'd say. The actual station did 'feel'right despite the tiny tracks within.

shackerstone station is right by the Ashby Canal. From memory, if you moor near the hackaduck you'll be very adjacent. I see that the trendy phrase 'heritage railway' has reached CWSF, which is a pity, perhaps even a pita. What's wrong with 'preserved railways', as they have been called for half a century and more? Compare and contrast 'craft beer' v. 'real ale'.

Yes, I've heard that term too, but I'm a polite fellow- or at least I was six years ago when I made thjat post.