Still in Pershore ?

Well we did say we were going to travel to Tewkesbury today Sunday, but it was far too windy, we thought it was bad, but our fellow experienced boaters said they would not travel either in this wind, so we had another lovely day and night in Pershore which really is lovely anyway so it was nice to stay, and then we had some more visitors, we had the usuals Joe and Jayne which is always lovely, but they brought Andria and Mia along with them which was even lovlier as I hadn’t seen them since Christmas and for Richard it was longer,so we had our first little child on board, Richard had spent the morning enticing the birds over  "no the feathered ones ducks swans and their babies" so that Mia would see it all, and she just loved feeding all our birds.

Today Monday the wind was gone and we were setting off for an early start down to Tewkesbury after getting up at 8ish we eventually got away after all our long goodbyes to all the neighbours, who all have an interesting and helpful tip to give us,at about 12, its just so hard to get away but it is lovely and friendly you wouldn’t want it any other way.

The journey to Tewkesbury was as pretty as the previous journey and the weather was perfect hot and sunny with a gentle breeze we had another few river locks,and swing bridges, and we managed them all on our own so we are improving already, and my steering is a whole lot better, I think all my training is coming back to me now,which Richard is pleased about anyway.We are moored in Tewkesbury marina for tonight and we are next to a boat that is stuck here  as a Moorhen has nested and had some eggs some of the chicks have  hatched, but she is still sitting on some eggs, I saw the babies today I will put the pictures on the gallery when I get a moment, its turning out to be just as lovely as I had imagined,just don’t leave the boat for too long other wise someone else will move in and then your stuck !!!

We left Evesham Marina        

Well folks we did it we cut the long cord that was tying us to Evesham marina so that we could venture further afield on a big cruising adventure, Evesham was a beautiful little market town that we thought was as pretty as a picture, but then after 4 hours hard cruising and some big locks, we realized that all the boat training we had had been forgotten, so it was quite an adventure coming to the locks, but we managed them and lived to tell the tale, however fortunately we did have help in all of the locks, which just helped to bring back the training we had. We left for Evesham to navigate down to Tewkesbury stopping of along the way at Pershore, when we arrived there our friends that we met on one of our other kind of cruises were there to meet us as they had been to Tewekesbury as Paul was on business there,its always lovely to see a familiar face and we had a lovely afternoon.

We spent the night here in Pershore and today we went to see the sights which are gorgeous such lovely old buildings, we walked about 40 miles this morning which led us to Wyre Piddle the prettiest little village I ever saw, “note to myself must take camera next time” poor giggsy is just about sick of all this walking, however we can then leave them in their little boxes whilst we go out as they are absolutley cream crackered ! I am too but you gotta see the sights.

This afternoon we were invited along to one of our fellow boaters boat nb Unicorn that he used to run as a hotel boat he is an American and he signed his book that he has written (Innocents Afloat A Yank Discovers the Cut) Jeremy Scanlon a very interesting man with lots of tales to tell, and his lovely wife Dorothy, who just happens to be related to Owen Roberts and his wife who live in Tywyn (where I used to live) he used to run the pottery gift shop,and his son Peter used to make the pottery, what a small world this is !! see our latest pictures in the gallery.

We will venture down to Tewkesbury tomorrow when we will have more tales to tell.

Love

Chrissie & Richard xx

As predicted earlier we are now afloat on Digitalis, thanks  to Amber Boats who Built us a wonderful boat just as we had imagined her to be, we took over on the 12^th and we have been so cosy at the Marina it’s scary to leave, I can only describe it as when you leave hospital with a new baby and you wonder if they ought to have let you out with it, not knowing how to look after one on your own, it’s ok when it’s not your own, boat I mean not baby, as with a holiday on one you don’t mind bumping and scratching a hire boat but its different with your own, any way we didn’t well Richard didn’t, I’ve just had a little go just to say I did, I’m to busy keeping it ship shape and Bristol fashion.

We had our first official visitors Joey and Jayne came down to collect the van they had borrowed us to bring all our stuff down, and they let us keep it until they came on Saturday, which was really kind of them, so thanks both, We took them on a little jaunt up the river and we stopped and had lunch which I made with my own fair hands, ready cooked chicken and salad, “I did boil the new potatoes though”!! and then we came back just a little trip but our first with us in charge, when we got back we were having tea in the diner when we heard a splooshing in the water outside, we wondered for a while what it could be so I went to check, it was poor Giggsy, he must have thought the ducks were walking in front of him so he thought he would have one, but unfortunately for giggsy they were not taking a stroll by his bed they were swimming, but how would he know that, “they were very close he thought, any way he won’t be doing that again” luckily he had his harness on and I was able to scoop him out a little wet and bedraggled but he’s fine now. Sorry I have been slow in writing but it’s so busy doing nothing that the time just goes, meeting fellow boaters, drinking until late in the barmy warm evenings we have been having since Thursday, today we have ventured out the other way down stream, and have come to rest at the River Front in Evesham, where we were when I saved that boat that was drowning,(you will know what I mean if you have been reading all I have written previously)but the weather is totally different, it’s absolutely gorgeous, will catch up with you soon see the latest pictures that I have added of the boat and our visitors, oh we also had Linda who was out having a few days away with a friend and she popped in too, and thanks to Elite Furnishings in Tamworth for making us some beautiful covers for our dinette, finishing and fitting them at such short notice and so quickly thanks Chris and Denz, everyone seems to be so quick and efficient at everything we have requested.

Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Hi There to all our avid readers

we have a boat and its almost ready for us they said it would be ready for the 13th but they said as that was not a good omen they are having it ready for lunchtime tomorrow the 12th now in this age of worrying boat builders Amber Boats of Evesham in Worcestershire "our boat builders" have gone above and beyond the call of duty and created for us a wonderful well fitted 58" cruiser in the time that they said they would, now how  good is that (marvellous we say) I am writing this today because we are taking over tomorrow 12th and we have a lot to take in, learning to use everything, putting our possessions in place and generally being excited, we then have to pick up Giggsy and Rio who are staying in a lovely country retreat Holborn Boarding kennels two miles up the road at shinehill, however with giggsy's past record of running away, he may have been better in the High Security Prison that is exactly opposite(Long Lartin).

I will try and put some pictures on for you tommorrow of us in situ, until then speak to you soon, when I will add a very big thanks to all of the lads at Amber Boats.

Love Chrissie & Richard xx

 The end of an era for Richard

So After 38 years Working for ABP Richard finished work

With a wonderful send off from all at the Dock, he was presented with some wonderful gifts, which we will both be

Very grateful for when we move on to the boat, we were both so pleased with the very special gift from David and Joy Franklin which was a beautifully turned piece of Oak

Which was actually a piece of wooden fendering that David had salvaged from the dock, and had fashioned it in to a beautiful mount for a small brass clock, and from another piece he had turned a beautiful polished oak dish that will hold the red nuts that he knew Richard loves to eat.

We would both like to thank every one for their generosity and thoughtfulness and Richard is going to miss them all,but not the Stress!!!

to see the photos please go to

      J C Barrett photo's kings lynn

ports (Latest News)

  www.jcbarrettphotographic.co.uk

Hello to you all again

Even more readers “well one anyway” it amazes me that people are finding and reading this Website, but they are

Thanks for our latest comment from John Clarke

Message: Hi, I love your site, I will be following it every step, We have met Mike & Liz of Snecklifter, We met a few times in Bakewell, I read their  Diary from start to Finish, Loved every minute of it, Two very nice people,
good luck,  Regards John Clarke,   ps,  our house is on the market, When it gets sold we will be on a Narrow Boat

It’s always nice to hear from someone new and we hope that everything works out for John and maybe we will bump in to him on the cut someday “not literally of course”.

I am adding some more pictures from our walk along the towpath in Tamworth on the Coventry Canal we walked from

Hopwas to Fazeley absolutely glorious weather and wildlife,

Hello again

Thought I’d better write something new for our new readers, “Yes we have people that we don’t even know reading us”

I did say that I wasn’t going to write until we get on to the cut, but I am getting too exited not to, Amber Boats tell us the boat is still on schedule for the middle of May so

It’s not long to go, busy at home emptying the house and getting rid of clothes and shoes that I won’t be able to wear on board Digitalis they just won’t be practical, I don’t think

stilettos and locks go, but don’t worry I’ve managed to keep Some, well you never know when there will be an emergency night out/party.

Well reading the comments, we have an entry from our new reader Jo Edwards,re the name of the boat digitalis, which is Latin for foxglove, from which the heart slowing drug digoxin is derived, which is what the pace on the canals will be doing for us which can only be a good thing, "I knew the name was right" !!!

Hello to you all out there

I did say to you’s two, “you know who you are”  Joey, Pauline, there would

Not be too much updating until we actually take off on the canals in early May, unless of course something amazing happens, i.e. we hear that the boat has come in to the country

Or that it’s finished well ahead of schedule and we are leaving

Early, I don’t think that will happen, as Richie doesn’t finish

Work until the end of April.

I don’t want to bore you too much, well not until we get

Going anyway and then I’ll bore for England.

Anyway nothing new has happened, well not unless you

Care that Giggsy and Rio had a makeover yesterday at

The dog beauty parlour, they look absolutely gorgeous,

Just getting them glammed up for the spring coming, although

Giggsy did say he was feeling the cold over the common this

Evening, maybe we did it to early? Who knows? Check out the Gallery for the latest pictures.