Little Ray Of Sunshine!

 

The weather is wet windy and miserable at the moment, so I thought I would share my little ray of sunshine with you all…

       Phoebe, my Grand Daughter.

It's nice to know.....

I received this lovely email the other,day rather than explain I will show you, after asking the writer's permission.

Dear Debbie,

my name is Christine, I`m 45 years old and live in Germany and four days ago my life changed because I watched a documentary on german tv about people living on narrowboats. I never heard about them before, but strangely enough it immediately felt so familiar, that I thought, that`s the way I want to spend at least some years of my life. I spent hours on the internet, trying to find out more about that way of life and then found your wonderful blog. Another new thing for me, I made my way around blogs up to now, yours is the first one I am reading and it`s like doors opening up.

I`m so touched by the open and warmhearted way you share your life with other people. I printed out the first months and read them in my bed yesterday late at night. Thank you so much! What a enrichment this is for me! So today I got to June 2, 2009, where you wrote, that people could ask you questions about your life afloat, so here I am writing to you, wishing I could just come by for a cup of tea and learn to know you. Somehow I feel like I could belong to this community, isn`t that strange?

At the moment I take care of my dad and practically spend most of my time at home and can`t go for holidays. So I am dreaming of my future life. I am very drawn to England and Ireland, I had an english boyfriend for some years, and I don`t feel like staying in Germany later.
Can you tell me, if a woman alone can handle living (and travelling) on a small narrowboat? I`m not a very courageous person and thinking of the locks and all that I already feel a bit insecure. I wish someone would just take me along for some weeks, so I could learn everything. Is it just a dream, or could this really be possible?

So this afternoon I will go on reading, thanks again so very much.
If you have a bit of time, I`d be very happy to receive an answer from you.

Lovely greetings from Germany
Christine

I replied to Christine,thanking her for her email, and telling her I would help her with any questions she may want to ask. I also encouraged her to read all the other blogs too. Seems to me here's another person bitten by the boating bug! Welcome aboard Christine!

In the Pink!

After my last post, I had a few comments about Winnie the pink wheel barrow. One was off Chris, thank you, saying I will have to get pink wellies to match! Well as you will see from the photo below, I have them already and wore them in the snow last winter. May I just add at this point the left one now lets in water! Thank you very much Lidl for your crap wellies! I had to wade into the cut when I was blacking the boat on the slipway, and that was when I very quickly  discovered the leak in the left wellie, lovely!!

My life at the minute seems to be infused with Pink. The piccy at the head of my blog, this one below                         

is the gorgeous blossom tree I sit under while I wait for the bus to work, ( when I have no pedal energy you understand)!  You don’t see many bus stops as pretty as this one do you?

A Busy Week!

Quite a hectic week. Tickety Boo now has a nice new shiny black bottom! I took the boat out on to the local slipway, she was out for four days and I managed to get four coats on, one of red oxide and three of the black stuff! I couldn’t have done it without the help of Andy, who kindly jet washed the boat for me, and Mark who used the grinder with a wire brush to rid her of any rust before the painting started. Mark then helped with a couple of the coats, invaluable help indeed, and much appreciated!

Tickety, ready for her first coat.

I actually stayed on the boat while on the slipway, quite odd walking up a hill to get to the Saloon! Even more odd, getting out of bed and promptly running towards the stern door, not my intention! I did however compensate for the slant, I wore a flat shoe on one foot and a platform on the other and walked sideways for the duration of my stay! The only mishap, was when a four pint, yes I did say FOUR pint carton of milk fell off the work top, only to explode when it hit the floor and sent a river of milk cascading down the boat. You have no idea how four pints looked like two gallons, and the speed it ran down the boat. I was horrified, and prepared myself for the Farmers cheese market smell that would surely follow this catastrophe!  I raided the under sink cupboard, and every bottle of cleaner and disinfectant I could find was thrown on the carpet after the milk was soaked up with bath towels!! I can thankfully say the “Farmers Cheese Market” smell I was dreading, didn’t last long just a slight whiff of babybel now and again!! I have since scrubbed the carpet twice with carpet cleaner, and it has actually come up quite well!

All done and dusted! Thank you Mark for all your help x

Oh and talking of Mark………After working away for a couple of days, he said in a phone call he would bring me back a present, a bar of rock maybe, bottle of red? No, this is Mark we are talking about! He was fed up with the rusty old bucket of a wheel barrow I had been using for coal, shopping etc, sooooo here is my present……..

How gorgeous is that? So I now have a new addition to the Tickety Boo family, a lilac bike called Lilly, and now a pink wheel barrow, any idea’s on a name please?? I was thinking Winnie, but I am open to suggestions! Mark, as always, you are a star!

Mrs Puddle Duck and her brood!

This is the first family of Ducklings I have seen this Spring.  I counted eighteen all together!!

Surprised there are no yellow Ducklings as mum is so white!

I think she just counted them! Quite apt for Mothers Day!

Breaking News!!

This is just to let you all know that I have ridden "Lilly" the little lilac bike all the way to work and back today. I can honestly say, hand on heart, it nearly killed me!
I have also resigned myself to the fact I will now be walking like John Wayne for the next week or so, and boy is my backside tender....ooo ouch!! On the plus side though, I have saved Bus fair, plus it will get me fit, if it doesn't see me off first!

Ready for Spring!

 

Just when you feel you have had enough of dismal days, cold, going to work in the dark and coming home the same way, you get a glimmer of hope. You start to notice the changes slowly, it’s not so black when your alarm goes off in the morning, Daffodil shoots poking defiantly through the soil. Ducks pairing up and mating, a spectacle I don’t much enjoy watching as Drakes are not exactly gentle are they? Poor Mrs Duck ends up with a baldy patch where the Drakes grab her in a vice like grip, ( every year when I see this I think how glad I am I wasn’t born a female Duck!!)

The trees start to change from a murky brown to a hint of green as the new shoots start to grow, I think this every year…when the trees are bare it’s hard to imagine them green, and when they are green it’s hard to imagine them bare? It’s a nice time of year because you know it will just get nicer and nicer each day, greener, warmer and more sun hopefully!

Looking through my photographs taken at different times of the year, the transformations created by the seasons never cease to amaze me…

      From this….

                                                              To this…

From this….

To this…

From this…

To this…

Nice to look back on, it’s nice that photo’s can bring back cherished memories, and remind you what you have to look forward to, or not as the case may be!

A Sad Goodbye...

Yesterday I was very sad to hear that one of my friends from the boating community had passed away. A man I admired for his ability to speak his mind without causing offence, and always with a twinkle in his eye. Strong in his beliefs that to say it as it was, was his right, and I admired him for that. He will be very, very sadly missed, both by his many Boating friends and his Family. Rest in Peace Norman. My thoughts go out to his lovely wife Grace and his family at this sad time...

Surrounded by Virtual Farmers!

 

Apologies straight away if I offend anybody, but this is a rant, well maybe not a full rant just a “ Rantette” (new word for small outburst)

I am a Face Booker, there I’ve said it, me and thousands of others who like nothing more than logging in to see what our friends have had for their tea?? I couldn’t wait to enrol on this site, everybody but everybody are on Fb! Well maybe not everyone. If nothing else this site has enabled me to keep tabs on what my, grown up kids are up to! If I can’t get hold of them on their mobiles, Fb comes to the rescue to let me know what they are doing with their lives on that particular day! Sorted! Not much of a “Rantette” I hear you say, but I haven’t started yet…

FARMVILLE!! What is it with Farmville?? I have friends who I thought were quite sane, totally swallowed up by this phenomenon. Rushing home from work to check their crops, even worse, keeping tabs on how their artichokes are doing, on their mobile phones during the day! They can even take snapshots of the homestead to show off to fellow farmers! Hello??

Ok, ok everyone to their own, but come on, I turn Face book on to browse only to be met with row upon row of Farmville requests, NO I don’t want a brick for my new stable block, NO I don’t want a smoker for my Bee Hive, No I don’t want to adopt a calf that’s wandered on to your farm, you should have kept your gate shut!! and NO I don’t want some unwither spray for my crops, not unless it works on my face ok?

“Rantette” over! I have recently acquired new face book mates, people I have known and admired for a while who are now on my Fb friends list, or should I say Farmers list! You know who you are, Farmer Sha, Les, Jodi, and Jordan! I love you all dearly send me one more request and I cannot be held responsible for my actions….

What do I get for all this trouble not so much as a bag of spuds!!

Right I am off, apparently my hen house is full of eggs that need collecting….

This WAS my farm, ( say nothing Jordan) I have now moved on to a Ranch in Arizona with three thousand head of cattle!! Four hundred horses and a calf that wandered on to the Ranch, yes I left the gate open!!

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I am off work this week, going to stay with my Daughter and gorgeous Grand Daughter for  a couple of days, then spend the rest of my time off doing “boaty” chores.

It’s blowing an absolute hoolie here, the boat is getting buffeted all over the place, I love it! A lot of people don’t like the wind, obviously it does cause problems when you need to sail somewhere, but I quite like the way it really makes you feel your on a boat. It also rocks you to sleep at night, providing it is blowing in the right direction. I am just thankful I don’t suffer motion sickness!

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Just before I go, BIG thank you to L and J for looking after Bobby for me, he loves his holiday in, “Doggy Pontins"!

Bobby…

 

Who couldn’t love this little face, my soul mate x

An Ooops moment!

Sitting in work on the checkout, I happened to look up and glance out the window, and spotted a dreaded Traffic Warden! As I was looking at him I shouted to my fellow cashier behind me, " hope you haven't got your car on the yellow's at the back of the shop"? Only to turn back and look straight into the eyes of the biggest female Warden I had ever seen! Well you know when your watching a cartoon and the character lets out a loud gulp!

To my total and utter surprise, she smiled at me. Was this the smile of a laughing assassin or was she actually human after all? As it turned out she was actually nice, unheard of I know, but the law of averages dictates that there must be nice ones amongst the mini Hitler's who stomp around our back streets ruining our quick dash to the shops or Bank!

We did actually end up having a good old giggle, she told me that she had a slip on the ice that morning and went flat on her back, ( yay there is a God), only for a little old lady to help her up, now obviously this little old lady didn't know about traffic wardens, they weren't about in her day were they? How many other people would help a traffic warden in distress, I can bet my bottom dollar most would have stepped over her with a wry smirk on their faces, even she agreed about that one.

Anyway the moral to this story.....don't judge a person by their uniform, oh and before you spout your warning that there is a traffic warden in the vicinity look around to make sure their partner in crime isn't standing over you!!

If by chance you are reading this Miss Traffic Warden, I think you do a wonderful job, mmmm...

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Well it's Saturday morning, my first day off in ages. I have a list as long as my arm of jobs to do, and what am I doing? Sitting in front of a lovely fire with a hot cuppa, catching up on my fellow bloggers post's....bliss. I will make a start soon, honest!

Mum’s little visitor!

 

My Mum has a lovely garden and is lucky enough to have lots of wildlife that visit on a daily basis, from Pheasants, Squirrels, numerous wild birds and occasionally a fox!

This little guy has to be the favourite!

                 After lot’s of day’s encouraging the little Robin with tasty titbits, Mum’s patience finally paid off!

  He will now, quite happily feed from your hand!

  He is getting quite cheeky now, coming right into the conservatory to have a nosey about!

                                                                                                   Trying the armchair for comfort…

Even posing in front of my Daughter’s photographs,

  looking for all the world like a little ornament, placed carefully for effect!

Missing the Snow!

I miss how the snow made everything clean and bright, and how it made everyone’s garden look just as good as their neighbours! I miss the way it lit up the dark nights, and how it twinkled in the moonlight, I miss how it crunches under your feet when you walk in your wellies. I miss watching Bobby running through the snow like an excited child, I miss the boats looking like they were covered in white fur!

I found it a real let down when the thaw set in and stripped the countryside of her luxurious white coat.

What I don’t miss is the grey brown sludge, cold toes in said wellies, my bus to work going off because the roads were not gritted, no water as the standpipe froze, the boats floor feeling hard under foot because the boat lost all animation in the solid ice it was encased in. I like a soft floor that moves with you as you walk. The ducks all forlornly stuck in a little puddle, even though they could fly away they stayed all huddled sadly together. Not being able to walk Bobby as his legs are that little he was just ears above snow level!

Last but not least I don’t miss falling flat on my arse!!

For me though, it could all come back tomorrow, I love it!

           

Bobby little legs!

Happy New Year!

    Wishing you all the love, luck and happiness you can squeeze into 2011! Oh and to all you Boaters out there, here’s to…….NO LEAKS!!

Canal Rink!

After a night of rain the canal has been transformed into an ice rink!

                          Click on image to enlarge.

I have never seen it like this before, it is the colour of skimmed milk! The sky is reflected perfectly on the white water.

I asked these walkers if I could take their photo as their reflections looked ghost like.

This picture looks upside down! Today looking out over the canal we had two skies! 

Merry Christmas!

 

To all fellow bloggers and readers, here is wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year, from the crew of Nb Tickety Boo x

White Magic!

 

At last the North West finally gets its share of the white stuff…Snow! and boy did we get it! It started at teatime last night, by ten pm it was thick, and by this morning it was amazing!This looks like a black and white photo, but the mans shopping bag is a giveaway!! 

as is the lamp in this shot, and the road signs in the shot below.

                         Click on image to enlarge.

Hello Mr Frost!

I woke this morning to my very own Narnia!

 

I didn’t even have to go through the wardrobe either. ( you will have to have read, The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe to know what I am banging on about)! When I climbed the stern steps onto the back deck this morning I was met with a wonderful site. Everything had been sprayed with frost paint! It glistened in the morning sun light and looked magical. The trees all had frost overcoats on, and the evergreen shrubs had been dusted with a light white frost.

You can just see the faint pinky cast of the sun on the white branches.

Spiders webs where transformed into white lace with a coating of frost!

                                                                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Later on in the day, I was in work when a couple of us noticed tiny ice particles falling like snow, the sun was glinting off them as they fell, they were so tiny it looked like we were being sprinkled with silver glitter. We were in our own snow globe! It was gorgeous. Yes ok it has been damn cold, but worth it for all the lovely sight's I saw today!            

Its here again…

 

Winters here with a vengeance! Woken this morning by the familiar sound of ice cracking under the boat. Made sure the fire was banked up last night so nice and cosy on waking this morning! The sun is shining on the frozen canal, the Ducks are doing their “Bambi” impressions, egged on by me throwing bread out on the ice to watch their funny antics!

I am not fazed by the Winter, I am not a fair weather boater. I love the quietness of the Winter Canal, and when its not frozen its a great time to cruise on a crisp Winter morning.

Ask me in a week how I feel about the winter, when the stand pipe freezes and I have no water, when I have to do what I did last year, scrape the snow off the roof of the boat to melt on the stove to do the dishes!

No bother….Bring it on!!

A reminder from last year what I have to look forward to! (Hopefully)!

A poem I feel the need to pass on.....

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew whereof he spoke

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For old Bob has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Soldier died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Soldier
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Someone who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Soldier,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension - small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Soldier--
His home, his country, and his kin,
Just a common Soldier,
Who would fight until the end?

He was just a common Soldier,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SOLDIER DIED TODAY."