Blynda ended her Christmas sojourn and went home about 11am. Spent the next few hours getting Forty Two back to rights, then did a jigsaw (cowboys). Split some logs to get the boat really warm to dry the bedding properly before putting away for another year. Washed the tea towels and D'fer's big towel. Watched Sherlock - battery was flat so had to run the engine 9-10pm, luckily no-one else was moored near to me. Sherlock a bit on the naff side. Started Stagecoach puzzle.
2nd
Assembled table trolley purchased from Argos on new years eve. Finished stagecoach puzzle. General tidy up and clear out. my travelling companion likes the new table.
Looks like I have run out of water. I think I last filled up 6th December, a month ago, not bad. Turned tap on at 12:30 to start filling tank, turned it off at 13:42, full. Turned the sheet off cuts from making the fitted sheet for my bed into hankies. Fixed the light in the wet locker cupboard. Installed led lights in the food cupboard.
Went shopping in Leek. The Farm shop proprietor offered to let me have the solar panels delivered there and said he could deliver them to my boat, I have been doing most of my grocery shopping there for the past month or so. Purchased cable clips, hinges TV cable plug for radio.
Moved 12 volt socket to RHS of fore cabin. Shopping for mushrooms. Did preparation for moving mains to RHS of fore cabin. I will need to get a double socket as a junction box halfway along the wall.
Shopping in Leek. Double socket, ordered machine screws. Richard visited after seeing hydraulic guy. Sounds as if things went really well. He has left with two old pump cases as templates. Diesel delivery, 205 Lt diesel, 4 x 25 kg coal, 1 x 13 kg gas, 4 Lt blue for Forty Two. 45 Lt diesel 2 bags coal for Olive.
Didn't use my preventer this morning - far less phlegm and hacking. Changed porta pottie cassette. Shopping in Leek for bits and pieces.
Ordered Solar Panels. Thought about water pump - I think I have found a way to re-position it with flexible tap connectors. Alternate Atakilt Wat for dinner.
Collected my travelling companion's big log on the way. CRT had cut down a large hawthorn tree and dumped it beside that towpath. We collected enough to fill the roof on Forty Two. Too tired to move on. Did a load of washing and had a shower. Cleaned and serviced the chain saw. Sat around naked as the fire was really hot by the time I settled down.
No internet, no TV, scratchy radio.
Caught the X11 bus into Leek with my travelling companion at about 10am. Forgot that my appointment was not until 1:30. Hung around the library updating apps on my smart-phone and then did the charity shops. Had a burger and chips with a can of drink for £4.00.
Moved down to Cheddleton this afternoon. no TV, no internet. DAB radio OK. Farm shop proprietor delivered the solar panels.
Prepared for the forth coming sharp snap which is promising temperatures below zero for a few days. Fired up the chain saw and cut loads of hawthorn small enough to split (if necessary). Burns really well.
Into Leek today to Travis and Perkins to get a 15mm x½ in flexible tap connector (500mm) so that I can move the (domestic) water pump. After asking almost everybody that I came across where I could get some 12mm x M6 countersunk screws I was eventually directed to Leek Tools at Leekbrook Junction. When at last I actually fond them, they were closed. I will need to try them again tomorrow.
Up late cogitating about how to beat implement the installation of the solar panels. Sunshine and snow. Early in to Leekbrook to get countersunk machine screws. Continued on to Leek for milk and fruit. Back at Forty Two, lit the fire had a bacon butty and started drilling the solar panels for the hinges. Screws too short Noooo. The panels have a double skin to the sides, I was expecting a single skin, twice as thick as the ones I had on Almyne. Rushed to the bus stop just in time to get the bus to Leekbrook. Screw shop already closed Nooooo. Next bus back in 45 minutes and it's sleeting. Bus 15 minutes late. That's an hour in the freezing rain.
Leek tools and Fixings not open today so sorted the two way switch for workshop/entrance light. Mapped circuit breakers to boat locations. Long walk with D'fer and my travelling companion.
Need screws before I can do anything else so did a puzzle.
Shopping in Leek with my travelling companion. She went her way, I went mine. I stopped off at Leek Tools and Fixings and got screws long enough to do the job. Met my travelling companion on the bus back to Cheddleton. Got two panels up on the top box.
Made the frame to go over the hatch and hold a single solar panel and gave it a coat of paint. Two more panels on the top boxes. Fed all the cabling through the cable ducts and down to the controller boxes. Replaced the overhead ducting cover. Looks much better.
Finished first coat of undercoat this morning. Sawed up most of the logs on the roof. Removed the water reservoir and re-plumbed the water pump in preparation for the new steps at the front of the boat. All because the pump and it's housing protruded into the fore cabin preventing me from fitting a bed in there. All gone now so I can make a bed in there.
Second undercoat on solar panel frame. Shopping in Leek. Shopping on eBay for 2 x 5mt LED and a controller, 10 connectors, pump filter, cupboard switches, fire glass and gaskets complete with nuts and washers. First top coat of County Cream paint to the solar panel frame. Changed cassette.
Fitted the 5th of five solar panels, all up and running. checked with Farm shop to be sure it is still OK to have stuff delivered there. Back at Forty Two ordered stuff.
Changed gas bottle. Checked out next tranche of changes to make, woodworking bench, diesel gennie with electric start. Prepared to go to Froghall tomorrow. my travelling companion has checked out the ash available on the way.
Collected the ash that my travelling companion had spotted, comparatively easy but there was so much it was still hard work.
Topped up with water at Consul Forge. Surprisingly mild today, didn't need the fire on today. One load of washing.
Left Froghall at about 10am. Solar panels giving me about 2.5 amps in the sun, which soon disappeared. Pulled over for the ash at 10:30. It felt as if we had loaded a years worth of wood but viewing it from the top of a lock it doesn't look that much. It is probably twice as much as we have ever collected in one lump previously. Moored up as soon as we were off the river section for an early stop at Oakmeadowford Lock, I think we needed it. my travelling companion had a bath and I had a shower, both needed. No internet, no TV but OK DAB reception.
Set off at 10ish, no stops on the way. Shopping in Leek. Collected most of the items I had ordered and purchased some handles for the solar panels. Can't wait to get the LED lights fitted, especially the dim-able ones. Atakilt Wat for dinner.
Fitted LED's in the lounge with controller. Fitted LED's in the bathroom/shower - MAGIC. Can really see in there now. Now I can see that I need to clean the floor in the shower. Fitted new gaskets and retaining clips in fire doors. Now I will be able to see if the fire is alight once the glass is cleaned.
28th Park Lane Facilities 3 miles3 locks
Bright and sunny for the journey clouding over later. TV and phone reception.
Moved bed to the front of the boat along with the chests of drawers. Lots of re-arranging. Now I have a workshop.
Shopping in Leek. Started Pole Lathe, now I need sharp chisels, sorted a sharpening stone holder. Shopping for sandpaper.
Game pie for dinner. Started a mallet - paused because I need to sharpen a chisel. Chisel sharpening board nearly ready. Started to make a shaving horse, Hmm I need the shaving horse to shape the legs for the shaving horse!
