Have had some fabulous wildlife spots recently.
We saw a water snake on the Wey, swimming its way (Wey boom boom!) along side the boat! This was the most exciting have never seen a snake in the UK. Great spot by the boss.
I then spotted a turtle type creature, not sure exactly, don't think it was a terapin, was quite big. He was just sitting there, on a big log, in the middle of the Grand Union, near Kings Langley. A duck was sitting next to him. Very cool!
A couple of days ago I was walking along the tow Path on the Grand Union, I hear a lot of rustling in the reeds on the other side. I saw something slinking in between them and thought some sort of water rodent, but as it went on realised it was in fact a fish. A gihuge one! It was flaffing around in the reeds then splashing around in the water, there may have been more than one at some point. It was the biggest fish I have ever seen, thats for sure. Not sure of it type. It had a peachy pinky fin and a copper coloured body. It must have been at least a metre long. Was in a bit of a frenzy too!
A green woodpecker flying across the meadows on the Wey navigation.
A tree creeper, funnily creeping up a tree! Never seen one of those either!
A young female Mandarin duck on the Thames.
Lots of exciting spots.
NO kingfishers though. Keeping eyes peeled.
Rxxx
Saturday, 30 June 2012
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Swim hat Swim
My liability status spiralled this week.
I awoke in beautiful Cassiobury park on Thursday morning, feeling like I was in the Amazon. Damp, misty morning, the birds singing in the trees, heard through the water drips hitting the leaves of dense trees and foliage.
A very wet night meant very wet ground and a very slippy boat. I was walking along the gunnels towards the bow to untie the ropes and I slipped. A difficult part where the gunnels are narrow and covered by material from the well deck covers. I was being uber careful and slow, still not fully confident after my last incident. The next thing I knew, was totally submerged in water, briefly opening my eyes to seeing nothing but vast amounts of green water.
The bank was high so I couldn't get out, I was pulled out by my arms and belt loops!
I was a bit spluttery from canal water going up my nose, a sore bit on my arm and a little bewildered, but apart from that was pretty ok.
After a little time to stop shaking and gather myself, I washed the Grand Union out of my hair, got into some dry clothes, and carried on with a 11 lock day. A wee bit wobbly, but quite pleased I didn't visit the land of shock, as is my usual trick. I have escaped quite well I thought to myself.
I woke the next day, realising this was a foolish, just foolish. I was sore from head to toe and could barely bend down. My arm is bruised and scraped from armpit to elbow. It is very pretty!
I was furnished with Arnica cream and it is helping immensly and feeling much better today.
I am a spud, good job I can cook!
Rxxx
p.S. I lost my hat, it floated away down the Grand Union, never to be seen again. Sob.
I awoke in beautiful Cassiobury park on Thursday morning, feeling like I was in the Amazon. Damp, misty morning, the birds singing in the trees, heard through the water drips hitting the leaves of dense trees and foliage.
A very wet night meant very wet ground and a very slippy boat. I was walking along the gunnels towards the bow to untie the ropes and I slipped. A difficult part where the gunnels are narrow and covered by material from the well deck covers. I was being uber careful and slow, still not fully confident after my last incident. The next thing I knew, was totally submerged in water, briefly opening my eyes to seeing nothing but vast amounts of green water.
The bank was high so I couldn't get out, I was pulled out by my arms and belt loops!
I was a bit spluttery from canal water going up my nose, a sore bit on my arm and a little bewildered, but apart from that was pretty ok.
After a little time to stop shaking and gather myself, I washed the Grand Union out of my hair, got into some dry clothes, and carried on with a 11 lock day. A wee bit wobbly, but quite pleased I didn't visit the land of shock, as is my usual trick. I have escaped quite well I thought to myself.
I woke the next day, realising this was a foolish, just foolish. I was sore from head to toe and could barely bend down. My arm is bruised and scraped from armpit to elbow. It is very pretty!
I was furnished with Arnica cream and it is helping immensly and feeling much better today.
I am a spud, good job I can cook!
Rxxx
Monday, 11 June 2012
Term 2
Heydo hoo, well it is term two and all is well and happy aboard the good ship.
A great week off has relaxed and recharged me and things feel right again, back into place.
Our new crew girl is doing fab and helping things settle.
The last couple of months have been a real rollercoaster but think I have finally disembarked and the nausea is subsiding!
My poor Rosies Dream has been abandoned and therefore forgotten all wildlife spots and that milarki, but there maybe a wee change of track for a while so watch this space!
We are currently sitting in a lock, near Guildford on the Wey, which is flooded and so we are stuck! Please stop raining, one week of sun out of 2 months is not enough. It just isn't.
So more smiles but more rain.
See ya ladel
Rxxx
A great week off has relaxed and recharged me and things feel right again, back into place.
Our new crew girl is doing fab and helping things settle.
The last couple of months have been a real rollercoaster but think I have finally disembarked and the nausea is subsiding!
My poor Rosies Dream has been abandoned and therefore forgotten all wildlife spots and that milarki, but there maybe a wee change of track for a while so watch this space!
We are currently sitting in a lock, near Guildford on the Wey, which is flooded and so we are stuck! Please stop raining, one week of sun out of 2 months is not enough. It just isn't.
So more smiles but more rain.
See ya ladel
Rxxx
Thursday, 3 May 2012
soggy and bleeding
Me and tools are not a good mix. I tend to avoid even the electric hand whisk if I can avoid it, so a saw, surely, alarm bells were deafening, but no one listened. Enter, disaster zone Rosie. So the story goes....
We were stuck on the K&A coming up to Crofton, a large tree had fallen and we couldn't pass, so the boys got out the saw, shimmied up the tree in the canal and started sawing bits off and dragging them away to make way for us. After I had served lunch I went to 'help' and was merrily dragging branches out the way and one particularly large pesky heavy one pushed me in the canal. I hauled myeslf back on, with a soggy bottom half, carried on and we decided there was no budging it so we need to saw it into smaller bits, great idea, me doing it, not so great. The sawing turned to my hand and without even realising, it was most odd, I just thought, ooh that looks strange whats that. As I looked more and was told oh you've cut yourself go put a plaster on it, I was looking at it blankly for ages thinking erm, not sure a plaster is gonna cut it here (good pun score!) as I could see flesh and stuff. Still no pain or blood, I then felt like I was going to throw up and faint. My boss came to the rescue, cleaned it up for me and organised a cab to pick me up to take now bleeding hand for attention.
We were of course in the middle of bloody no where, no roads and amazed he even got phone signal. I was out of it by now, laying down feeling like poo the world just whirling without me. I got bundled into a taxi after and hour or so and taken to Swindon and got seen at the health centre. They just glued me back together, stuck a hundred and two steri strips on and covered me all up. One of our lovely passengers came with me, bless her, she was great. I was a bit more with it by the time we got back but was exhausted. As I was on kitchen duty the boss decided to take everyone for the standard trauma pub dinner. Which was great as I could sleep not feeling guilty for missing work! I did eat dinner, but has big sleeps and felt better today. Just still really tired and hand sore. Managed one handed locking very well and my left hand was fashioning a very stylish (frightening) painted blue glove that belongs in a horror movie.
So all drama!
More chilled today, a slow day due to spaccy mod here and loads of birds out in the rain so loving watching them today.
Wildlife moments: lots today, seeing gosling's on the tow path,
multiple kingfishers, but the one which landed on the fence the best.
Hundreds of swallows and swifts diving around me and around the surface of the canal.
Seeing a greenfinch.
Seeing a baby Moorhen in its nest, teeny.
Smile moment: Yesterday, the kindness of everyone in my hour of need.
Today: the soldier waving at me from the door of the army helicopter, in both direction, brilliant.
Worst moment: being wobbly today on lock gates, not nice being scared of something that normally doesn't even factor.
So last day of an odd week this week. We are interviewing for a crew person tomorrow and am off out with my gorgeous sister in the evening, a dose of cuddles should make for speedy healing!
Locations for the next week are all over the place. We were meant to be heading Oxford way, but unlikely to be happening now. Floody floody flood flood. May end up staying on the K&A for a while. We shall see what happens, at the moment looks like more rain so situation may remain for a while! But other end of K&A not good either, so just up and down Caen hill for the next 5 months??!!
Night all
Rxxx
We were stuck on the K&A coming up to Crofton, a large tree had fallen and we couldn't pass, so the boys got out the saw, shimmied up the tree in the canal and started sawing bits off and dragging them away to make way for us. After I had served lunch I went to 'help' and was merrily dragging branches out the way and one particularly large pesky heavy one pushed me in the canal. I hauled myeslf back on, with a soggy bottom half, carried on and we decided there was no budging it so we need to saw it into smaller bits, great idea, me doing it, not so great. The sawing turned to my hand and without even realising, it was most odd, I just thought, ooh that looks strange whats that. As I looked more and was told oh you've cut yourself go put a plaster on it, I was looking at it blankly for ages thinking erm, not sure a plaster is gonna cut it here (good pun score!) as I could see flesh and stuff. Still no pain or blood, I then felt like I was going to throw up and faint. My boss came to the rescue, cleaned it up for me and organised a cab to pick me up to take now bleeding hand for attention.
We were of course in the middle of bloody no where, no roads and amazed he even got phone signal. I was out of it by now, laying down feeling like poo the world just whirling without me. I got bundled into a taxi after and hour or so and taken to Swindon and got seen at the health centre. They just glued me back together, stuck a hundred and two steri strips on and covered me all up. One of our lovely passengers came with me, bless her, she was great. I was a bit more with it by the time we got back but was exhausted. As I was on kitchen duty the boss decided to take everyone for the standard trauma pub dinner. Which was great as I could sleep not feeling guilty for missing work! I did eat dinner, but has big sleeps and felt better today. Just still really tired and hand sore. Managed one handed locking very well and my left hand was fashioning a very stylish (frightening) painted blue glove that belongs in a horror movie.
So all drama!
More chilled today, a slow day due to spaccy mod here and loads of birds out in the rain so loving watching them today.
Wildlife moments: lots today, seeing gosling's on the tow path,
multiple kingfishers, but the one which landed on the fence the best.
Hundreds of swallows and swifts diving around me and around the surface of the canal.
Seeing a greenfinch.
Seeing a baby Moorhen in its nest, teeny.
Smile moment: Yesterday, the kindness of everyone in my hour of need.
Today: the soldier waving at me from the door of the army helicopter, in both direction, brilliant.
Worst moment: being wobbly today on lock gates, not nice being scared of something that normally doesn't even factor.
So last day of an odd week this week. We are interviewing for a crew person tomorrow and am off out with my gorgeous sister in the evening, a dose of cuddles should make for speedy healing!
Locations for the next week are all over the place. We were meant to be heading Oxford way, but unlikely to be happening now. Floody floody flood flood. May end up staying on the K&A for a while. We shall see what happens, at the moment looks like more rain so situation may remain for a while! But other end of K&A not good either, so just up and down Caen hill for the next 5 months??!!
Night all
Rxxx
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Choppy Waters
The shine is tarnished and the clouds aren't just outside.
Things are stressy and unhappy and I can't beleive the feelings I have being here, what I thought was my happy place. Where I felt safe and me. Has wobbled me.
Don't know how things will go, but I feel too awful.
Just want to be happy.
Will see what tomorrow brings, hopefully less tears and arguments.
Rxxx
Things are stressy and unhappy and I can't beleive the feelings I have being here, what I thought was my happy place. Where I felt safe and me. Has wobbled me.
Don't know how things will go, but I feel too awful.
Just want to be happy.
Will see what tomorrow brings, hopefully less tears and arguments.
Rxxx
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Season 2
Begins........
A week of sorting and beetling down the K&A comes to an end and one of guests and trundling bakc up the K&A begins.
Our first guests of the season arrived today and my first dinner cooked. They all seemed happy and empty plates returned to the kitchen which is the best compliment.
We have been in Bradford for a few days now, it is lovely here, busy little spot. Hire boat hell though, do they ever look to the side of them, we are hard to miss. Or not in their case.
We head off in the morning, heading back to Seend for tomorrow night and back up to Newbury for next weekend. Looking forward to having the lovely Kat on board tomorrow night, for Caen hill help on Monday. My shoulder and back haven't recovered from last time yet! (of Caen hill not Kat!)
Off to bo bo's, more wild life spots next time.
This just fits, love life here, the peg and the hole are the same shape. Nice feeling.
Rxxx
A week of sorting and beetling down the K&A comes to an end and one of guests and trundling bakc up the K&A begins.
Our first guests of the season arrived today and my first dinner cooked. They all seemed happy and empty plates returned to the kitchen which is the best compliment.
We have been in Bradford for a few days now, it is lovely here, busy little spot. Hire boat hell though, do they ever look to the side of them, we are hard to miss. Or not in their case.
We head off in the morning, heading back to Seend for tomorrow night and back up to Newbury for next weekend. Looking forward to having the lovely Kat on board tomorrow night, for Caen hill help on Monday. My shoulder and back haven't recovered from last time yet! (of Caen hill not Kat!)
Off to bo bo's, more wild life spots next time.
This just fits, love life here, the peg and the hole are the same shape. Nice feeling.
Rxxx
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
Watery Rosie
Back on the water......ahhhhhh and back in the room.
It feels lovely, just fits and feels right. Back in my wee o cabin and marching down the tow paths in my new funky boots. Which are looking after gammy ankle very well I must say.
We left Newbury on Sunday morning and made our way down the K&A to Hungerford where we moored up for the night and headed off in the morning and had a very VERY wet day locking our way to Crofton. We moored overnight at Crofton top lock last night after 10 miles of walking and 20 locks. I was wet through to my panties, but due to my marvellous new boots and jacket just from my ankles to my pants were wet! Awoke to a glorious shine in the sky this morning and a busy cleaning day on board, as after a mere 4 locks it was just trundling through a slow 15 mile pound.
We are in Devizes tonight and ready to tackle the Caen Hill flight tomorrow.
We will be stopping in Seend tomorrow night and then onto Bradford on Avon on Thursday. We will be there for a few days and picking up our first passengers of the season on Saturday. Need to remember how to cook for a gaggle of people, bit rusty!
Wildlife spot: Water vole, ran onto the tow path right in front of me. I thanked her and named her Valerie.
Wildlife un-highlight: 2 dead baby birds taken from their nest in shells.
Injury Count: 1. Got wedged inbetween the moving boat and the bank, crushed into the wooden edge, only half managed to get up onto the bank to escape, one leg left behind. Ouchie graze and bruise. Close call.
Giggle: Talk of 4D 'Adult' movies!
Smile moment: Lovely couple out for an Easter walk, sitting on a bench in the pouring rain eating their sandwiches under their hoods and walking off hand in hand.
Night night from me.
Rx
It feels lovely, just fits and feels right. Back in my wee o cabin and marching down the tow paths in my new funky boots. Which are looking after gammy ankle very well I must say.
We left Newbury on Sunday morning and made our way down the K&A to Hungerford where we moored up for the night and headed off in the morning and had a very VERY wet day locking our way to Crofton. We moored overnight at Crofton top lock last night after 10 miles of walking and 20 locks. I was wet through to my panties, but due to my marvellous new boots and jacket just from my ankles to my pants were wet! Awoke to a glorious shine in the sky this morning and a busy cleaning day on board, as after a mere 4 locks it was just trundling through a slow 15 mile pound.
We are in Devizes tonight and ready to tackle the Caen Hill flight tomorrow.
We will be stopping in Seend tomorrow night and then onto Bradford on Avon on Thursday. We will be there for a few days and picking up our first passengers of the season on Saturday. Need to remember how to cook for a gaggle of people, bit rusty!
Wildlife spot: Water vole, ran onto the tow path right in front of me. I thanked her and named her Valerie.
Wildlife un-highlight: 2 dead baby birds taken from their nest in shells.
Injury Count: 1. Got wedged inbetween the moving boat and the bank, crushed into the wooden edge, only half managed to get up onto the bank to escape, one leg left behind. Ouchie graze and bruise. Close call.
Giggle: Talk of 4D 'Adult' movies!
Smile moment: Lovely couple out for an Easter walk, sitting on a bench in the pouring rain eating their sandwiches under their hoods and walking off hand in hand.
Night night from me.
Rx
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