Thursday 20 July 2017

A White wedding

We had an exciting weekend, as Sunday was a nice day for a ‘White’ wedding. We hired a car for a couple of days (we’ve not a driven a car for 19 months) to go to Tina & Psy’s wedding at Woburn Abbey. Tina is Heather’s sister-in-law, who has become Mrs White!!! We left Higher Poynton at 05.15 and arrived at Woburn by 08.00 just as the farmers market was setting up, so we had a browse, as we were too early for the wedding. It was a wonderful day with reception at the Safari Lodge, which meant we had to drive through some of the park. The heavens opened just as the speeches were taking place. After the wedding we popped to see Ada & Dale and raid the loft before heading back. 



 



cup cake from wedding








2 hanks of wool drying
We’ve decided to spend the summer on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canals as it’s so beautiful. However, some of the views are obscured by the trees in full leaf, where as in the winter you can see through their branches. Yesterday we walked along the Middlewood Way, a disused railway into Macclesfield so John could pick up his new glasses from Specsavers. The walk took longer than we’d planned as we just had to stop to pick wild raspberries & cherry plums along the way, plus we made a note of where there are some lovely rose-hips that are almost ready for picking. It really is so good to be back where there are hills after a winter on the West Lancashire Moss!!

I have spun my first, two full bobbins of wool on my fold up spinning wheel that I've had for 3 years now.

Sheep bench - Middlewood Way















We’ve not taken many photos lately, so are including some old ones.

 
Our engineer - greasing stern gland

 
  

ICI Chemical works Northwich
Chemical works Northwich












Hazel an unpowered butty being poled out of a lock




Goyt Mill, Marple
Old rubber gloves as mooring pin covers









Sunday 9 July 2017

Bugsworth Basin Fun Day

We’ve been at Bugsworth Basin, near Whaley Bridge for 4 days now. It was the fun day yesterday & the warden asked if we’d moor along side the trade boats & demonstrate spinning/weaving. So many people asked what I had to sell that we are really considering getting a trade licence. It was a beautiful day with lots of interesting stalls, a dog show, radio operated boats and Olympic games. I’ve hardly used my spinning wheel since we moved aboard, I tend to use drop spindles, so I spun on my wheel just about all day. There was a beer stall that had the choice of two real ales. We sat out until it was dark and the huge full moon peeped over the trees. 
The three resident cygnets have grown a good bit since we were last here, their parents are very friendly and bring the family really close for a dose of porridge oats.




Two weekends ago we were at Bugsworth, this time to meet up with our friends from the Kawasaki GT Club, who were having their National Rally at Buxton. The plan was for us to all have lunch at the Navigation Inn, however, there was an hours wait for food. So I nipped back to the boat & made us sandwiches and had already made cake. As they all rode off we both wanted to hop on a bike and join them, but, once we got back to the boat we decided it’s such a lot of bother to put the tent up & down, when we can float around!!



So our boat went into the water 2 years ago last Friday and it feels like we’ve come home being at Braidbar. Plus, the luxury of ‘Alton’ the fuel narrow boat coming by like clock work every other weekend, they have supplied us with diesel, a bag of ‘just in case’ coal and gas. Most of our teething problems have been done by the Braidbar lads. It just so happened when they were going to take off our side doors it poured and they have got a lot of work on. We’re in no hurry to head south and are quite contented to potter up & down the Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canals. So we didn’t get in the lads way we caught the train to Manchester and visited the Science Museum.




 













These canals are pretty shallow with few places to moor, however, we’ve moored in some lovely spots. John fed the tiny ducklings from his hands. Last Sunday we were treated to a brass band concert when we were moored beside the ‘Ring ‘O Bells in Marple. While we were in Marple we got our solar jars out and set them up with a linen bag, water and onion skins to have a go at dying the bags in the sun.