Friday, September 29, 2017

Autumn Soddit Cruise 2017

Friday 29th September

We arrived at Jannock on Friday evening, dumped our clobber on board and headed up to the Braunston Frier to get our supper of cod and chips – excellent! Then back to the boat for 4 games of Soddit before retiring to bed.

Saturday 30th September

We cast off and headed for Hillmorton at about 11am after breakfast and a protracted session of maggot drowning. As we approached Barby we found a long procession of Southbound boats headed by Brian aboard Autarky. It appears that they were all held up because somebody had fallen into the canal and caused a queue to build up whilst being rescued.

On to Hillmorton where we moored above the locks for lunch and more fishing. Whilst the latter was happening I changed the gearbox oil on the box. I found that the oil cooler for the gearbox must have sprung a leak as there was evidence of water in the gearbox, the oil was a white emulsion rather than clear. This means I’ll have to do it again once we are back in the marina when I’ll have to fix or replace the oil cooler.

Through Hillmorton locks with a lot of traffic coming the other way. We stopped at the water point below the locks to refill the tank and it started to rain. We thought we’d be clever and stand under the oak tree to keep dry but the tap was so slow that the rain penetrated the leaves and we had to deploy an umbrella before it was full.

Once full, we continued on to moor alongside the golf course for the night. More games of Soddit played before hitting the sack at midnight,

Sunday 1st October

A short run through Rugby accompanied by rousing music through Newbold tunnel provided by Brian running the boat stereo at setting 11. We moored up in the cutting just before the entrance to Brinklow marina (No Fishing allowed within) and I fetched the car from Braunston whilst they fished.

Once I was back, we moved Jannock into the marina, tidied up and went home once Brian and Ian had fed the resident Carp with all our left-over bread.

Graham

Monday, September 18, 2017

Cutweb Rally 2017

The weather was not as good as it has been for past rallies, but the function room was available if needed. The sun did show itself during Boaters Games and general silliness on Saturday afternoon.

We had the honour of helping Lilly, nb Nuggler, celebrate her 4th birthday. Large slices of ‘Frozen Barbie’ cake all round. Thanks grandma Pat.

Much merriment during the quiz on Saturday evening especially during the infamous Cutweb speed raffle – we’ve got this down to a tee now ;^) Much jumping up and down during the Sunday evening horse racing event – Cutweb has a pony club now.

We moved Jannock back up the Stockton flight during Sunday afternoon as we needed to have her at the Bottom Lock dry dock for 11am Monday morning. The sun shone again and we had half a dozen willing helpers all determined to work off their Sunday roast dinner – great beef and loads of vegetables.

No one went hungry this weekend. As well as pub catering, we also had a ‘bring and share’ lunch and the leftovers were then consumed at the races. Home cooking is alive and well! The wild fruit harvest has been good this year so apples and blackberries featured strongly.

We walked back to the Blue Lias for the racing on Sunday evening before packing everything away and taking the car back to the boat when it was all over.

Another excellent rally. Thankyou to everyone who contributed, helped, participated and laughed the weekend away.

Early Monday morning, Graham set us off and we made our way to Braunston. We passed through Calcutt locks sharing with other boats then made our way to bottom lock for blacking.

Brenda

Sunday, September 10, 2017

On to the top of Stockton

Cap’n Jannock was up and set us off early. Yesterdays rain had cleared and no more was forecast until later this afternoon so a quick dash to the top of Stockton locks should ensure a dry trip to fetch the car from Brinklow leaving Jannock in place for a quick desent to the Blue Lias next friday.

Autumn has come quickly, the fields are brown and ploughed, the birds are flocking and our heating pump isn’t playing. It’ll work fine all evening but after sitting dormant overnight, it resuses to start shifting the hot water around the radiators until it’s been hit with something. Then it works OK until the following morning. Blankets at the ready chaps!

We moored near an apple tree and so the weekends haul of fruit was completed. Blackberries next weekend?

Brenda

Saturday, September 09, 2017

And off we go again

It’s time for the Cutweb rally so we set off from Brinklow in lovely warm sunshine – not like the afternoon a couple of weekends ago when Matt, Alice and Felicity visited us at the boat during a ‘work party’ weekend.

Felicity and I took a turn around the pond and watched a pair of kingfishers dart by, their plumage as bright and rich coloured as any jeweles ; turquoise and fire opal flashing past.

All was well until we passed Rugby. There we spotted a Pirate crew setting off. Even Tinkerbelle was dressed as a pirate. No doubt as stag do! Little did they know that their finery (and gossamer wings) was about to get drenched. At least their inflatable flamingo wouldn’t mind.

The rain eased as we entered the top lock at Hillmorton and we were able to gather Elderberries (for Elderberry vinegar) and plums for the freezer. I used the processing of fruit as an excuse to stay in the dry whilst Graham steered Jannock to Braunston. We tied up just north of the road bridge and walked through Braunston to bottom Lock chandlers and also to the dry dock to see Tim to finalise our arrival time a week next Monday.

We ate dinner in the Boat House and then returned to Jannock to prepare a mega betting spreadsheet for the horse racing game we are planning for the rally next weekend.

Brenda