Frozen

This is our 6^th winter living aboard and haven’t been really frozen in for a couple of years and we’re so enjoying being stuck solid for approaching a fortnight. In previous years the fuel boats have chugged by and broken the ice. However, there aren’t any boats offering such a service on this stretch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal above Wigan. Our wonderfully kind neighbours, whose gardens we’re moored at the bottom of, have offered us water & to take us to get diesel, but with our two daughters so near we haven’t needed to accept their offers.

 

 

 

The towpath users have been throwing all sorts of debris onto the ice, just behind where we're moored are loads of rocks and in other places branches & general rubbish.  All ready to get caught around the propeller once we get moving.

 

 

 

 

  The grandchildren have really enjoyed breaking the ice, which is a good couple of inches thick.

We have had the play ground to ourselves most days.

Marci their cat just loves to go to the park with the kids.

We have broken the ice around the boat every day as we managed to snap a photo of a kingfisher looking for his dinner from our gunwale.

It’s amazing to give a blast on the accelerator & watch the ice smash and crack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We can hear the ice cracking when we get out of bed in the mornings as the boat starts to rock. 

 

 

 

We had a super Christmas at Heather & Jason’s, with Ada & Dale coming too, which made our three family gathering that was ‘allowed’.

Edmund had planned to come up from London for a few days between Christmas and New Year, but sadly that couldn’t happen. So he did over time, as the London Ambulance Service experienced some of their busiest days ever!!

Samantha & Paul were going to drop by for a family gathering in the park opposite Heather’s on the 27^th, but they weren’t allowed to leave Scotland.

We’ve had some wonderful family gatherings on Zoom though. Yesterday we had a 'bake off' style gathering with 7 lots of people logged on with lots of cakes, for Nikita’s birthday.

In addition, we had a great time seeing in the New Year with several of us gathered on the screen!!

So it’s back to nan & grandad school again. This time around we’re only a few minutes walk from the house, which means we don’t need to have a boat boarding school.

Marci is our new teaching assistant.

Next week the school lessons start full on, with most via the internet on a strict timetable - not to be missed. We won’t be able to spend hours walking to school & having fun like during the first lock down!!!