Domestic Chores

It’s not all sitting around drinking coffee, tea, G&T/Beer (depending on the time of day) there are always domestic chores to be do, for example this week:

Monday 

There are weekly checks on the engine to be done, which we do on a Monday, two dip sticks to check, which sounds very quick and easy, which it is really, but we do have to take up the floor and step in the engine compartment, just to get to the engine, then check the dip sticks, one is easy to get to, the other one is slightly more challenging. 

Also need to check the coolant reservoirs and top up as required, again relatively easy to do. 

Make sure the bilges are ok, not collecting more water/oil/grot

Emptied one of the two loo cassettes.

A shopping trip to the local Aldi, about 1 mile from the canal along Watling Street, the A5 a rucksack each to carry back all the shopping, deserved a beer in the Lime Kilns pub beer garden, being the first day of lockdown lifting.

Tuesday

As we have been onboard a month, and the Ashby Canal had quite a lot of floating debris on it, thought it best to check the weed hatch to make sure the propeller is running free and not collected stuff. To reach, the floor hatch is lifted, a large safety bracket removed (basically the weed hatch is a big hole in the bottom of the boat, and if the propeller is used whilst the weed hatch is not secure the boat sinks!! ). 

Two options to check the propeller, climb in to the engine compartment, or a good contorted stretch, Rog managed the latter, and hand down to feel the propeller, not to bad, no weeds … hang on there is something, wrapped around the propeller …… hand turn the propeller and a good yank …. A pair of black frilly knickers (we kid you not !) – the glamorous life of boaters

After 10 mins of cruising had a paranoid check the weed hatch, to make sure we’d put it back in place properly, thankfully all ok. 

Wednesday

Emptied a loo cassette, as we were passing a sanitary station.

Filled up with water at the old British Waterways Board (Now Canal & River Trust)  Hartshill Yard.

Did 11 locks today in Atherstone, using our new ratchet windlass, thanks to Ant and Camilla for this useful gift!…  which worked well. Had help from Canal & River Trust volunteer lock keepers, a great help most of the locks were set in our favour. 

Flagged down the Fuel Boat (another first for us) and bought coal for the fire. 

Walked into Polesworth to buy some milk

Rog had a haircut and beard trim sat on the tow path, thankfully with nobody walking past.

Thursday

Rog swept and washed the gullies on the roof and one side of the boat (the side on the tow path) the other side can wait until we moor on that side. 

Nic made a batch of granola. 

Friday

A laundrette in Tamworth!

Cruised on to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal (our fourth canal).

Despite lockdown lifting, it has still been relatively quiet on the canals, not that many boats moving.

Saturday

On to a bit of the Coventry canal, which is separated from the other bit of the Coventry Canal by the Birmingham & Fazeley canal, something to do with Coventry Canal company running out of money whilst building it.  Just to add confusion there are two junctions, the Fazeley Junction and the Fradley Junction. 

Our 1^st swing bridge at the top of the Coventry then a left turn on to the Trent & Mersey Canal (5^th Canal) 

Water and Sanitary stop again 

A good walk to the local village to buy more milk (not quite sure what Nic is going to do with the 4 litres of milk we now have).

Sunday 

Cycled to Lichfield, lovely Medieval city, saw the cathedral, had an ice cream, a picnic in Beacon Park, the cycled back, some of the way on the canal tow path. 

	This Week	Total
Locks	16	20
Miles Cruised (approx.)	45.5 – no covid restrictions on cruising !	103.5