Hi all, Our 4 days mini holiday started with a party to celebrate granddaughter Holly's first birthday at mid day on Saturday. A jolly affair with good food and presents galore for the star of the show. Much amusement from all assembled when the best present was the coathanger and wrapping paper, not the jumper! Party over we headed for KB arriving late afternoon. In the evening we joined Terry and Chris and Andrew and Sheila for a very good meal in the Swan at Fradley and later Brian and Sue came for a drink and added to the merriment. The weather had started to turn windy and raining. Back to LT for about 11.30 and a glass of port. Excellent.
Sunday arrived with gusty wind and rain so we decided not to venture out, but stay and relax. A few jobs needed doing like, fitting a new switch to a light in the galley but nothing too taxing. El Cid on the TV. Regular readers might remember my having trouble with shutting down the top vent on the Morso door. Much advice was given from members of this list, the bottom line being to take off the door and unscrew the bent bolt from the inside. I was all set to do this when I thought I would have one last go at screwing in from the outside. I took the fire poker and placed it between the vent two finger points. Very gently I started to turn clockwise, expecting the bolt to snap any second. It didn't and the vent now works fine. The wind was really strong and we were glad we stayed put. Nb Maude, returning from a trip could not get into her mooring, even with two of us trying to help. She was being blown sideways across the marina. Eventually she gave up and returned to the towpath and safety. Dinner on board and then at 8.30pm we joined the Perkins on Shytalk to see in the new year. Due to the weather many firework celebrations had been cancelled. Not so in London, what a display. Fireworks all over and round the London Eye, even small boats hacking up and down the Thames were letting them off. A brilliant display that was far better than the Sidney Bridge downunder. We returned to LT at 1.00 ish which fortunately was only about a 200 yard stagger and slept soundly. A gentle start today in fine sunny and much more boating friendly weather. Breakfast was bacon and fried egg baps. There goes resolution number one! The Perkins grandchildren were on board for the new year gathering and they wanted a ride on LT. We left our mooring late morning and travelled to Fradley where our guests disembarked. Weather fine, sunny, cool and slightly breezy. Locks were with us and a few boats around. Fradley was chocker. Our original destination was the other side of Whittington on the long straight bit between bridges Hademore and Tamhorn. Approaching Whittington it stated to rain and I was getting cold despite the backcabin fire being on. It looked like the rain was set in so we moored up by the bridge. It was 3.40pm and getting quite early dusk. A few boats around but all in all an uneventful and very pleasant short chugg. All systems working fine, including the Mikuni. Thanks for the servicing tips Mr Millin. Dinner on board tonight. Pies cooked in the boatman's cabin and some other stuff prepared by the catering staff in the galley. Good TV picture here,Corry twice tonight, more fireworks me thinks! Regards Andrew & Wendy from The Cut - Whittington
