A Long Pump Out

A lot of time over the last fortnight just tinkering about and generally getting the boat ready for the BSS and winter. One of the jobs on the list was to get the black water tank pumped out.

But as we don’t do simple round here, and the weather has been good. It was a case of load up the dogs last Wednesday and chug round to the pump out point at Pillings after which it was a gentle cruise down to Zouch for a very pleasant meal and a couple of pints in the Rose & Crown followed by another gentle cruise back the following day. The dogs love the open fields up there and wore themselves out chasing each other round and round.

A thoroughly relaxing couple of days with the only thing of note being the state of Loughborough lock.

The bottom gates were leaking so much the top gates could only be opened by opening all the paddles to overcome the flow. It’s a shame really because the damage is obviously being caused by boats rubbing along the leading edge of the gates. I know boating is a contact sport, but this seems rather unnecessary.

Today has been a bit busier down with the GCS clearing foliage from lock 12 down towards Muston after being fortified by an all you can eat breakfast at Muston Gap

An awful lot of the work hade been started on by Thursdays work party while I had been chilling out.

Getting lazy in my old age.

Those Bits and Pieces

There has not been a lot to make notes about lately. It has all been bits and bobs generally getting ready for winter around the home and garden, with the odd day down at Woolsthorpe with the GCS. The birds still don’t seem to be using the feeder yet. I hope it’s just because there are plenty of  berries and seeds about and not because I’ve not got the design wrong.

In the garden the hazel and cob nut bushes are in the process of being pruned but there are so many off cuts that I need to have a bonfire before I can cut any more and there are still the fruit trees to do as well once the last of the apples and pears are off.

Otherwise around the home it has been a case of tidying up the sheds, as over the year they have become very disorganised and cluttered.

Found a good use for T-A’s old floorboards though.

Toasting forks and crumpets at the ready.

Also went down the local scrap yard to weigh in all the old cable that had been removed from T-A. Didn’t get much though, copper has dropped from £4 to £2.50 a kilo –ah well at least I won’t keep tripping over it now.

Work on the wheelhouse is slow because by its very nature it is a series of small panels in different directions and angles, especially with me adding extras  such as drink shelves for the rear seat passengers and speakers for the radio.

On top of that there has been plenty of checking going on getting ready for the BSS on December 3^rd.

Fingers crossed that I haven’t dropped too many clangers J