Feb 2nd

Normal 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Well it�s been a funny day really!  I had set the alarm for 8.15am knowing that we had to be organised for our 500 hours service, however Clive was awake before the alarm went off, needing pain killers for his raging toothache!  Bless � he hadn�t slept well because of the pain.  When he got up he managed to arrange an emergency dental appointment for 1.30pm in Market Harborough at a dental surgery with a very interesting name � Shams Moopen!  It sounds more like an exotic takeaway than a dentist doesn�t it!  He also phoned a taxi firm and booked a car for 12.45 to ensure he got there in time.   At about 9.15am Clive walked over to the shop to find Sam, the mechanic who was going to carry out the service, to find out what we had to do.  Sam wanted the engine to run for a while, otherwise the oil would be too cold to change and he wanted the boat moving over to the mooring right outside the shop.  So we put the engine on first then had some breakfast and a cuppa then Clive moved the boat.  This service meant changing the engine and gearbox oil plus replacing the oil and diesel filters.    Sam hadn�t quite finished the service when Clive�s Taxi arrived so I waved him off hoping he would be feeling a lot better by the time he got back.   Then there I was, all alone for the first time in 5 months � sob!  I spent the time watching the snowflakes gently falling � there wasn�t much snow at all here when we woke up this morning, just a light dusting, but by this time it was snowing quite steadily.    I had saved some bread for the ducks but I had also noticed quite a few garden birds visiting the spot where we were moored so I put some bread out for them too and it wasn�t long before I had visitors and I couldn�t resist taking some photos, they were so close to the boat, I just opened the window and clicked away.   As for the robin, well I think I should go into the Christmas card business now! I did give the ducks some as well � there are so many of them here, but it is a very popular spot and people tend to feed the ducks whilst they are here, obviously word has spread!   As I mentioned, Clive went into Market Harborough by Taxi for his appointment, but Sam had told him that the number 44 bus stopped right by the locks so he decided to save money and get the bus back � big mistake!  He saw a sign for the Foxton Locks and got off � too soon, he had to walk about a mile and a half back to the boat!  Mind you, he did save money, the taxi cost a tenner the bus only a pound!  He looked like a snowman when he arrived � his beard was covered in snow!   Anyway he soon felt better with a cup of tea inside him and a nice warm stove to warm him up.  We decided to leave the boat right where it was � about 5 yards from the door to the pub!  Also there is an excellent TV signal here, we had hardly anything last night yet we were only moored at the other side of the canal!   We will have to see what tomorrow brings, beside more snow!  The canal was starting to ice over before it started getting dark.  We were laughing at one of the ducks who had gone for a wander across the basin and had left a wake through the slush, then a few minutes later he swam back down his own trail � it was really funny!   Well there isn�t really much more to tell except that I am baking potatoes wrapped in tinfoil in the stove � hope they are ok!  I have just had a feel with the tongs and they are still hard!  Oh dear!  I am afraid the first experiment with the spuds didn't work - I should have trusted to the timing of 45 minutes to an hour rather than waiting for them to feel soft (like you do in the oven).  When I took them out of the stove and unwrapped them they were totally crozzled - black - carbonized!!!  I had to quickly do cheesy beans on toast instead of lovely jhot acket potatoes oozing with butter!  Oh well, I will try it again, but next time I shall do it by the clock! I am having a lot of trouble downloading photos tonight so there won't be any in the blog, but I will try to put my lovely bird pictures in the gallery, if that doesn't work I will try again tomorrow when we have moved the boat. Bye for now!