2024 IS A LEAP YEAR

 At this time of year I reflect on my Celticness.  Newgrange is at least as old my native language and it is within the realm of possibility that the people who enabled this magnificent monument to ancient Ireland's ingenuity sometime in a wedge of time between 4000BC and 3000BC spoke a proto- language similar to what I speak now and then six thousand years later.  Fascinating to speculate that if transported back I could talk with the architects of Bru na Boinne, understand their purpose and be understood in turn by them.  I would have much more to learn than to teach.

3rd 4th Jan: I left Peterborough 11.15 Wed. to race across country to get to the boat before dark. lugging a dolly trolley.  The X4 bus did not get into Northampton in time to catch the 96 to Long Buckby so I went for the train at 1510 and footed a mile to the boat arriving at 17.40 just as the sun went to bed.  I do not recommend the walk between the station and the wharf.   There has been massive and persistent rain in the Midlands over the holiday with Gerrit striking after Christmas and Henk on New Year's Day with the aftermath lasting 72hrs.  It only stopped as I left Peterborough. The bilge was 6" deep in water when I got to it.  The boat was damp and cold so first priority was to get the Hampshire going.  I knew from experience it would be 6hrs before the inner cabin was even vaguely comfortable.  It is not about cold: it is about dampness.  The heater did its work as always and the cabin got quite warm. I was in bed at 6.30pm but woke every two hours to stoke and make sure it could not get too hot. 8.30pm 10.30pm 12.30am ...  until 8.30am on Thursday when the fire was set up for the day.  I'm a sailor.  I can do these things.  When you know how to surf circadian rhythms you can get through the night on REM peaks as long as you know how to fall asleep afterwards.  Weather predictions for Thursday were reasonable and it so transpired.  I set up the solar and proceeded to bail out boat and butty as the sun came up.  Took the 10.05 bus to Daventry for breakfast at the "Kitchen" which has gone into my top five canal breakfast destinations ... and the only one in the Midlands.

Needing memory for my newest phone I went to Argos Daventry where ... 32gigs of SanDisk is £11 ... I paid £18 just  months ago for 8gig ... before going to the Library ... before going for the bus ... before arriving back at the boat with milk from Waitrose at 12.15pm.  The next hour was spent doing some delicate tuning of the engine which had been upset by the rain and needed tender loving care.   Which it got ... as high cloud advanced from the west to dim the sun.   About 2pm I decided to cut and run for a better mooring.  

Weather is forecast to turn colder over the weekend.  Colder [eventually] means ice which means no boats moving.  I need to be in a place with a bus stop and a grocery shop close to hand.  Weedon is three miles and six locks away.  It gets dark about 4 but I got to Whilton Wharf and tied up by Spotted Cow Lane for the night. glider.incurs.and  My pitch is nice and quiet from a lovely warm bed in a lovely warm cabin where I am tapping out this blog as my router winks quietly on the ceiling and sends this blog tout la monde ... and this being my second night on board, the fabric of the inner cabin has 'dried out' and everything feels dry and warm.  I stoke the heater every four hours though this night  20.30,  00.30,  04.30 and 8.30am.

Fri 5th ... It rained during the night ... The Midlands is awash ...  20gallons emptied out of the bilge and 4gals out of Wavy. After visiting Whilton garden centre for a look and some pink and white marshmallows I went to Bedazzled to meet Dizzie  for a strip of LED in case I find time to adapt some more rooflights.  Diz (Marie Hogan) told me there's a banter in RomanWayBrewery TONIGHT where I could meet all the locals from 7pm on.  11oc I note a northbound ready for the lock which was in his favour so I helped him and, as he departed, I swept in and down and puttered away towards Weedon.  By 1pm I was ringed up for nosh and a rest by Weedon Motors. curly.waggled.disco and later symphonic.predict.eased

It can freeze all it wants now because my boats will be here for [at least] a fortnight. Shop and bus (to Daventry and Northampton) 3minutes away ... I have walked to the village for my sourdough and separately found RomanWay Brewery ... Sam and Drew, David and Dan, Nic and Rocky aka ... next week is a burger-fest ... and later is Burns Night

Sat 6th and the first sun for weeks falls on the solar. After more bailing and stoking I am off to Daventry on the D2  for a Kitchen breakfast and Waitrose sausages for tomorrows dinner and ... later I take the D2 to Northhampton and the D3 back before going down to clean out Tesco's bargain shelf.  £35 of cut-price for £15.50.  I mean smoked salmon, scallions, Ginster pasties, best coleslaw, Mout ciders and a couple of comfort calories for the weekend that's in it. Next charcoal bag is open and sorted. Fire is stoked. Cabin is warm. Sky is clouded so no frost tonight ...

SUNDAY 7th A lazy day with service on the radio, a bit of housekeeping, a stroll around the antique shops for which Weedon is renowned. Home cooking, keep the fire up and plan to be away tomorrow on the 10.45 to Northampton which will get me the 1032 to Peterborough and land me in Lynch park at 2.15 to do a quick shop in Orton Tesco and fetch up at the flat by 2.30 lugging my dolly trolley full of laundry ,,, but I am racing ahead a bit ...

Mon 8th  Up early to prepare the boat for leaving.  Walk away at 10.35 to catch 10.45 to Northampton which will get me the 1032 to Peterborough and land me in Lynch Park by 2.15 for a quick shop in Orton Tesco and fetch up at the flat by 2.30 lugging my dolly trolley full of laundry and grub ,,,  I am racing ahead a bit ... but I need to finish out the first blog of the year so I can start the next one on schedule ...