We have been on the boat honest....

After the trip back from Kinver I had a few more days that I spent on the boat sorting out the water gauge. It is a Midland Chandlers one and I had installed it incorrectly so the gauge was too high compared to the tank. I dropped it onto a leg that is equal to the bottom of the tank. It should now be a lot more accurate. I also put in a 360 onmimax aerial. It comes with a booster so no more messing around when we moor up, we either get a signal or not. Last Saturday night we were back on board after Rachel's 25 years in the NHS awards. While I filled the water tank Rachel vacced the boat using the Dyson and the inverter, drains the batteries but better than getting the genny out. Then a lovely meal and a walk into the twilight finished the day. Sunday was mowing the grass and a general tidy up outside. Sticks in my throat a bit having to pay BW or CArT over £1200 then having to tend their bank! One for the blog record really, Scotland on the bike next weekend.

Every little job

Another couple of jobs done on Waterlily today. I fitted a water gauge some while back and it has not proven to be very useful, mainly due to the fact I had not fitted the sensor low enough to record an empty tank. So I stripped it all out and relocated it so it is next to the bottom of the tank, when there is no pressure of water it will show empty.... I also fitted a 360 ariel. I was fed up with twiddling about with the old ariel trying to get a signal, and we had to put it pmand take it down whenever we moored up. Tis one comes with a booster so hopefully no more messing when we moor up or set off, plus it looks tidier. I also spent some considerable time strimming the jungle that is up mooring. I opted out of BW doing after the broke two windows. Bloody frustrating to have just paid over £1200 fore mooring then have to mow it myself ! Every time I do another little job/improvement it makes me less likely to part with e boat.

...and the dog rescue cruise

It was nothing if not eventful our cruise to Stourport. Apart from the breakdown we rescued two dogs.

You may recall we rescued and rehomed in a couple of days this little chap last year on our Ashby cruise.

He is now called Bosun and lives on Ghosty Hill.

Dog one....

We were prepping Compton lock when a fella with a largish long haired Alsatian walked past. As we were rising in the lock he came running back shouting his dogs name and asked if it had run past. It has not so he went off back up the canal. As Waterlily was coming out of the lock said dog appears running back to me with his owner in chase but well behind. A fella moored up tried to stop the dog which ran past him and despite my common sense alerts sounding (I was badly bitten by an Alsatian when I was a kid, so have a fear of large dogs) I grabbed hold as she came by, she was exhausted so gave in easily. As the bloke approached she decided the canal was a good option and despite me trying to hang on went in. The boat behind us had now thankfully opened the top paddles. By now the owner arrived and was trying to persuade the dog to swim to him, whch it would not do. Eventually I think it decided it was going to go under so it swam to the side. The owner got hold of its front legs and I got it around its middle and hauled her up on to the lock side. She was utterly exhausted. She just lay there and could not get up. Very sad. Waterlily was well down the cut by this time so I left him to it. As we went out of site I saw the dog up on all fours thankfully. However I feared for why she was so reluctant to come to her owner....

Dog two...

As it the case no boats were moving on Friday morning as we moored about half a mile from Deptmore lock. As we go ready to go three boats appeared.... I try not to 'nip out' so we waited and when we got to the lock we were four boats down the queue. As we got to two boats in front of us I went forward to help at the lock. The boat going down said they thought the do sitting patiently by the lock had been left behind by the boat in front on them. They had all been working the lock (six people on the boat) when it was down on the lock landing they had all boarded and cruised on.... I got involved (yep I seem to do that a lot, if there ever was a big disaster I'd be the one walking towards it !) The lovely dog was sitting so patiently... it was quite sad, he was obviously well cared for and luckily had a collar and tag  - with a mobile number on it. I said it they had not returned for him before we went into the lock I'd call... they did not so I did.

...."Hello, do you happen to own a black Labrador and are on a canal boat near Deptmore lock?"

"Why yes we do and yes we are....?"

"Well I think you have left him benind at the lock.."

"O my goodness, SUSAN....click...." the phone went dead.

We locked down and no sign of the returning crew so I rang back and offered to take him aboard and cruise down to the returning party.

They gratefully received him and his tail started to wag. They had a fair walk back and as I passed boat  the owner very kindly popped a bottle of wine on the boat for us and we shook hands.

It is not only David Cameron who looses something special to him.

So we are up to a three dog total for rescued dogs whilst out cruising.