Narrowboat Independence: Freeze a Jolly Good Fellow

Monday 25th
My first thoughts since returning down south are that it's much colder than in Scotland
re-emphasising how lucky I was last week. I have been staying on my narrowboat and popping down to feed the cat. Pam is away in Uganda until Good Friday. I've been getting the "And where do you think you've been?" treatment from the cat but we were never that close anyway.

The heating on the boat is going full bore and given that I returned to a diesel bill of 130 quid just for last month aboard I for one wont be sorry when the bloody climate shows some of this global warming they keep banging on about.

My boat neighbour, Roy and I were planning some Easter painting of the outside of our boats but I suspect it will be a weekend of curry and logging..
Independence is looking a bit sorry for herself and I had hoped to get her toshed up ready for a sign writer in the Spring.

Talking of Uganda I notice that at the only Race meeting being held in this God-forsaken terrain is a horse called Uganda Glory in the 4.10 at Lingfield all-weather track. Got to be done-fiver each way and watch this space. Might win enough to treat the returnee to a fish and chip supper.
I am very confident although form suggests I am sans marbles.

And talking of the weather this picture shows icicles that were hanging from the bottom of the car since yesterday morning and despite driving about over the last two days on Berkhamsted roads where the potholes are now officially regarded as traffic calming measures they are still there. It's a sure sign it's Arctic when you have icicles hanging from your bottom.

Surprisingly the canal isn't frozen but it does seem to have curtailed the amorous activities of the ducks etc. Thinking back we have had only had one complete freeze-up this Winter which given how harsh it has been is a blessing. I had my bottom painted last year (my boat-not the one with icicles hanging therefrom) so I don't welcome ice removing the paint before I've finished paying for it.Last year was much worse for frozen canals and coincided with the introduction of drought measures.

The ice-breakers had to be used to assist overstaying moorers to move on.

They look so different when they are all dressed up at a party introducing total strangers.........

Apart from the outside of the boat I am still working on the inside. Or rather I am not. I need to finish refurbing the loo and shower area but it is too cold to work outside doig the necessary cutting so that's on hold till my bottom defrosts.

In the meantime stay calm and keep your heron.

Oh Dear.
My fears as to my marble collection were well founded. Uganda Glory came 4th which would normally be regarded as creditable if not profitable. Sadly there were only 4 runners.

To more pressing matters. It has occurred to me today that the St George's Celebration that we hold on the mooring is just a month away. A quick email to the usual suspects to get things rolling for 27th April being the weekend after the Feast of St George. It is a source of regret to me that the English are so crappy at celebrating these things-not necessarily St G- but the fact that no matter how we are perceived by others we have a lot to be thankful about being born English. I have always made a fuss about 23rd April and usually organise some sort of knees-up. I should have started a fortnight ago. Nay bother.

For tonight a special treat. A pork stir fry, which modesty shunned, I do rather well, The Lavender Hill Mob DVD and a glass of Barolo (or maybe two). Bliss.

5. 40 a.m. Tuesday and England are fighting for a draw against New Zealand in the cricket. There are few things more cosy than lying in bed on a warm boat listening to cricket from a warmer clime
and they managed to get the draw against all the odds and run of play.

There are few things less cosy than waking on a cold boat at 9.15, having overslept because of the stupid cricket, remembering that somewhere in Berkhamsted there is a cat who already has the hump and is now starving to death because of you. And the gas has run out so no tea!
And the gas locker is frozen shut. And you can't boil a kettle to thaw it because you have no gas.
The ying and yang of boating.

Arrive Berkhamsted tealess and unwashed to find cat fast asleep and blissfully unaware that he hadn't been fed. Ridiculous-I am 66 and I am worried that a bloomin' cat might form a bad opinion of me.

All because the saintly Monty Panesar and magnificent Matt Prior had managed to protect their wickets and save the day.

On the mooring today