Oh the bliss of waking up to some instant heat. R, up before me, switched on the blow heater and by the time I got out of bed, after R bought me a cup of tea, the cabin was warm as toast! I soon felt the cold when I remembered the clothes soaking in cold water in the bath! Squeezing out the excess water I then proceeded to spin 3 loads of washing (the drum is rather small) and hung the garments on the strings I had put up in the boat for our Christmas cards! I really appreciated our cards this year as they were our chief form of decoration. R found some of them hung in awkward places for his 6ft plus frame! Being relatively short where they were hung made no difference to me!
We met our nice new neighbours who normally spend the UK winters in Spain and the warmer weather here on their narrowboat. However now in lockdown, Spain isn’t on the agenda. They seem very cheerful and not too worried about the possibility of a cold winter ahead. I must say life in a marina is much more relaxed than travelling around, hunting for essentials. Even today we walked along the towpath to see where we might possibly be able to moor up next as we think staying a month in the marina is a bit expensive, on top of our rental costs. There are so many considerations, one being where you can turn the boat. We found an Elsan and water going on towards Leighton Buzzard and think we can turn the boat by a short reverse and come back to a mooring near where we are now. But we had to find a turning point near here so that we can change the direction of the boat to go back to the waterpoint again. Fortunately, just below the lock we are presently at, there is space to turn a boat so I think after a week or two we will go back out onto the open canal. As if turning the boat isn’t stressful enough, sometimes you also have to operate a few locks just to get to where you need to go and then operate the locks on the return journey. This little stretch of water doesn’t involve any locks between the winding holes (or turning circles). Fortunately there looked to be two or three available moorings and a Tesco, Aldi and M&S foodstore all within easy reach! Of course in a weeks time they may be full but I would be surprised as the lock behind us is now closed.
Another plus of our hookup is that I can make use of our diddy slow cooker. Not only did I manage a hearty beef stew for tomorrow, I then poached some fish for our supper tonight, and have now put the oats and water in it ready for porridge for breakfast in the morning! Nigella Lawson eat your heart out!!
The rain is pattering on the roof and it looks like we might be in for a wet week although the weather forecast does often change nearer the date. Not sure we will even make much use of our outside exercise allowance if it involves getting wet – will be interesting to see what we can manage on the boat!
One slight disadvantage of where we are moored is that the mobile signal is intermittent so I am finding it difficult to upload pictures. Sorry you will just get a dull monologue! Not a lot is happening here – it’s probably the same for you!
NarrowboatTLC 
One reply on “Monday 12th January”
Being dull, with no photographs to share, is fine when you have a warm and dry boat. What joy!
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