Welcome 2022

This time last year we were frozen in for new year, it was 14c warmer and beautifully sunny to welcome 2022. We cruised a short distance from Parbold, and I was able to spin as we went.

Once moored, we had the washing line up and the laundry dried. I was really pleased to be able to hang the two skeins I’d spun from my advent fibre swap in a tree to blow dry.

Once again covid has altered our festive plans, but all of our family that had it were quite well, with minor symptoms or none at all. Edmund had to cancel his pre-Christmas trip up to see us as he had covid, his first day back to work was Christmas Day.

Jason picked us up to go to Chorley on his way home Christmas Eve. Heather arranged for us all to go bowling midday. It’s a tiny bowling alley at Chorley, with just 6 lanes.

After bowling, it was home to prepare the vegetables for the next day.

We were up bright and early Christmas Day, which was to be expected.

We had Ada and Dale on a video call on the table for Christmas dinner as she had ‘it’.

We had moored right outside the Farmers Arms pub in Burscough in preparation for a family get together on the Monday. My sister, Samantha & her husband Paul, were calling in on their grand tour of visiting friends & family. However, we had to cancel 4 of the meals as Heather tested positive for covid too. Samantha & Paul saved the day & picked up the three kids as their tests were negative. 

 

 

Some people with their ponies and traps (not rhyming slang!) stopped at the pub for a pint.

New Year's Day we’d planned a family bonfire in a super spot at Lathom on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. The area was designated a millennium initiative, now the thicket is being left to go back to nature. Again, our plans didn’t come to fruition, as by this time Dale is covid pos, Ada’s clear & Heather was still pos!!!! So John & I had a nice time with the fire pit we’d previously rescued from a skip.

We had seen someone living in the thicket at Lathom earlier in the year, it now appeared the camp hadn’t been in habited for quite some time. There was no actual litter there, however, there was a flattened tent, lots of items and wooden pallets scattered in the woods. We spent New Year's Day afternoon tidying the area. Luckily, there is a skip for boaters rubbish nearby and the pallets were perfect for our bonfire.

We were very relived this electric swing bridge was still working. It appears a rather large vehicle had hit the barrier & it’s control box. We reported it to CRT.