November 5th - Wood Lanes

Sunday November 1st – Macclesfield

Can you believe it is actually November –already!  Where did the year go for goodness sake!!!  However November started off with a rainbow – is that a good omen do you think?

November Rainbow

Apart from the fact that Clive managed to watch the Grand Prix and is now avidly looking forward to next season there is nothing else to report today!  There was no point moving after the race so we stayed put for another night.

Monday November 2nd – Macclesfield – Wood Lanes

We finally left our pretty mooring and headed off.  The next stretch was not a particularly pretty stretch of the canal, it was mainly industrial and built up as we passed through Hurdsfield however it wasn’t long before we came out into the countryside again and that was much better. Mind you there were a lot of very narrow bits where the tree branches were gently drawing little wavy lines along our paintwork to the accompaniment of screeching like nails being drawn across a blackboard!!! 

We passed through Bollington and saw Lady Galadriel on her moorings but didn’t see her occupants – they must have been at work – well somebody has to work don’t they, bless! Then it was once again out into the sticks and in the distance we spotted Alderley Edge.  This place is steeped in myth and legend and Clive really wants to take a trip up there whilst we are in the region, so we are waiting for a day with a good weather forecast to go on an expedition – watch this space!

It wasn’t long before we arrived at Wood Lanes where there is a marina with pump out facilities. We pulled over onto the right bank, turning the boat around as we did so in order to get the port side (left) of the boat up against the bank for the pump-out.   We eventually found someone at the marina to come and sort us out and Clive decided we might as well top up with diesel as well.  Once empty and full so to speak we pulled over to the opposite bank, again turning as we went, and moored up on the visitor moorings, which had a notice saying 24 hour max! 

Once we were settled in I made some sandwiches for lunch then we decided to head down to The Miners Arms for a wee drink, ostensibly to get their postcode to give to Dave Bassett who was coming to take some final measurements for the cratch board.  I was absolutely delighted to find they had mulled wine on tap – ooh I love mulled wine! We had a chat with the barmaid and I discovered that there are several hairdressers in Poynton (which is only two miles away) where I could get my hair sorted for the wedding – not sure what I’m going to do with it yet - up or down!  Whatever I decide, it desperately needs a trim.  The last time I had it trimmed was in January when were staying with Gareth and I popped down to the village salon!  Needless to say it is now quite long, which I don’t mind really but the ends need a bit of tidying up.  Clive usually trims my fringe for me every six weeks or so (often taking a chunk of eyebrow at the same time!) as otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see!

Tuesday November 3rd – Wood Lanes

Just before we left Ely at the end of September Clive ordered some computer software on line, which was delivered to our daughter Vicki a week later.  Unfortunately however when she came over to see us a couple of weeks later she forgot to bring it with her!  She was then going to bring it with her when she came to Huddersfield for Thelma’s party but then had a change of plan and didn’t come!  Clive being desperate for his software asked her to post it to Thelma who was then going to drive over to see us when it arrived.  Unfortunately, due to the postal strike, its delivery was delayed by which time Thelma was back at work again!  The soonest she could bring it over to us is another week away so Clive suddenly had the bright idea to hire a car for a day, drive over to Huddersfield, go to Thelma’s folk club with her at the Kings Head, which is right next door to Huddersfield Railway Station, stay the night and head back to the boat on Friday! Personally I thought he was being daft at first however I warmed to the idea and as hire cars are ridiculously cheap for a day (cheaper than two return tickets on the train!) we decided to go for it. So we have booked a little car for Thursday afternoon.  The car hire people will drive over from Macclesfieldand pick Clive up, take him back to the office to do all the paperwork, then he will come back to the boat to pick me and the guitar up and then we’ll head offt o Sunny Huddy!  Ooh we can be so rash sometimes!

Having checked Wood Lanes on Google Earth we can see that we are just about equidistant from the church in Poynton, where the wedding will take place and Shrigley Hall, where the reception will be so we shouldn’t have any problems getting taxis to and from the boat on the big day.

Needless to say – we haven’t moved!

Wednesday November 4th – Wood Lanes

We still haven’t moved!

Well to be honest I don’t think anybody will complain.  There are not as many boaters out during the winter months and those that are out on the cut usually have moorings somewhere.  In saying that quite a lot of boats have passed us over the last couple of days, going in both directions –but they were actually going somewhere and not mooring up.  These are quite big moorings with room for more boats besides us so its not as if we are taking up space that someone else could use.  However the strange thing is that we are just beyond a bridge, just before this bridge are more visitor moorings but they have a 48 hour max!  So we are going to reverse back through the bridge and moor up again there and that is where we will leave the boat whilst we pop over to Huddy for the night.

The other thing I need to mention is that over the months we have had a bit of a problem in the galley (kitchen).  Almost from the start of our journey we used to occasionally notice a few splashes of water in the cupboard under the sink but its origin was a mystery.  Unlike most people’s under-sink cupboards, which contain floor cloths, cleaning materials etc etc being short of storage on a boat you have to utilise it all, therefore my cupboard has Tupperware containers of dried goods on the left side, casseroles and pans etc on the right side and directly underneath the sink are plastic baskets with allsorts of paraphernalia in them.  I also have a three tier steamer pan which always seemed to be getting wet!  Recently however things have been getting very wet indeed! 

To cut a long story short(!) Clive took the tap apart this afternoon and after a telephone consultation with our engineer, Richard, it seems we need a new kitchen tap!  B & Q here we come!  In the meantime we have to leave the water pump switched off except when we need to flush the loo or fill the kettle or whatever, when it is switched back on for the shortest possible time.  The kitchen tap, still connected to its pipes, is residing in the washing up bowl so that any run off will be collect in the bowl!

Leaky tap!

Thursday November 5th – Wood Lanes

Clive reversed the boat back through the bridge this morning and we are now moored up on the 48 hour moorings!  We have just had a phonecall from the hirecar company to say they are on their way. So I have to get everything ready for when he gets back with the car. Hope the car is big enough to accommodate the guitar!

I had an email from my cousin Stephanie today (mother of the groom!) to say that they are coming over to the reception venue at Shrigley Hall on Wednesday and they are going to try and get to see us, which will be lovely.  Also we are expecting Dave Bassett with our completed cratch board on Tuesday, so we will be staying put hereabouts for the next few days at least and therefore there won’t be a lot to report.  Don’t worry – we’ll keep you posted!