Christmas and Light!

Blackbird sitting on the christmas tree
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise...


Our first christmas onboard has been well, different! It started with a hot drink, delightful presents and watching the birds. After a fried egg and bacon sarnie it had got to 3pm somehow. So we set off to collect 20 litres of water and have a wash from running taps at Leigh's mums. What a joy. After a bit of family time we set off back to the boat. It was late and the chicken hadn't even left it's plastic tray so we opted for Christmas Indian Takeaway. Leigh told me how he was as shocked as the serving staff that they were open and he was ordering on Christmas day. It sure was delicious though! And so back home, we lit the candles, threw a log on the burner and snuggled down for the late night. That reminds me, the lights!


With the ignition on the blink we couldn't run the engine at all over christmas to charge our battery system and so we were reliant on the generator. This is not as rosy as it seems. We would run the generator for two hours and charge up phones, laptops, vacuum etc and by 4.30 as the day would draw into night we would light candles around the boat (trying to conserve them as much as possible as we only had a few and the shops were now shut) and by 10pm all charged items were often starting to die off. Each day we would try to start the engine with no hope.

That was until the day before yesterday! We had done the ritual of jobs - putting away the bedding, standing up the mattress to dry out, filled up the coal, brought in the wood, collected water from the tap at the next lock, tidied up, fed the animals, brought the porta-potti through as our toilet is now ripe for emptying... then I thought I would look over the ignition.

It was a mild day, the rain overnight had washed away the snow, but there was still alot of ice and the canal was hard as stone. The electrical guys who looked over the engine had said that the cold could effect the electrical system and as our ignition is housed in an old wooden box outside I guess it had. So I inserted the key, but nothing, no volts, nowt. I unscrewed the panel but all the leads appeared to be in place, the wires all in tact. So I did a bit of wriggling, straightening out and alleviating some pressure on wires that were quite taught. I put the panel back in place and Voila! the voltage dial hit 12V. Ho-bloody-rah!

When I shouted through to Leigh who was inside the boat to 'come here quick' he was preparing to jump into the canal after me... and after the initial heart attack moment he was elated that I'd got the bloody thing working. We fired up the engine and had an entire evening of all the lights on!

If the foul weather continues we are going to have to consider some good insulation and maybe replacing the panel. That is when the money tree does actually start growing tenners. And so there we have it, as unusual as life is these days it is beautiful in every way.

Bird feeding and breaking ice

We have found this site in Atherstone locks to be wonderful for birdlife. The above photo was taken the past few days out of the window of the boat capturing a Bullfinch.


In another showering of heavy snow overnight we had 3 inches of snow covering the boat. Delia was the first to make her prints in the pristine snow, every step a deep sinking in as she made her way across the frozen canal into the wild hedgerow and disappeared.


In all this cold weather, we have been working hard to ensure the birds are kept well fed. So as our scattering of seeds from the past few days had been covered in snow...


...a new operation needed to take place.

Lets call this Operation Robin.
Take one bamboo steamer lid and some string or left over curtain header tape. Tie the tape to the lid. Fill with bird food, black sunflower seeds, insects and corn bits and using a very long barge pole push out over the ice and snow.




And here we have, the eager Robin!


And after a tussle, the Wagtail took over territory of the bird food.


The Bluetits, with all their speed, managed to get in, pick a bit and flitter off again to the bushes.



We stepped back to admire our good deed for the day and whilst relaxing there thundered an almighty crack sounding out through the hull. I though we were going under! I rushed to the stern and looked all around to see other boaters further down doing exactly the same. What on earth was going on?! Noticing at the lock further down, there were some folks in hi-visibility jackets with windlasses. This did not seem like the best time to be maneuvering a boat through the canal. As the duo wandered up the towpath our boat and the level of the ice had sunk by about 1 foot, so I asked 'What's going on then?' It was BW. 'Nothing to worry about love, the lower pond needs a top up of water.' I did explain that the 4inch thick ice was attached to our hull but they didn't seem fussed in the slightest and wondered off to the next lock with their windlasses swinging in time.


After more cracking we noticed a line appear across the canal and water spilling out.


Fortunately our boat rose as the water level came back up and since this there has been no further thunderous cracks. Here is an idea of how thick the ice was as it broke away...

Ho Ho Ho, the snow is here again!

Here at the Kite Experiment we have been getting to grips with living aboard in the harsh yet beautiful winter. When opening up the blinds in the kitchen this morning, we found a thick layer of ice on the inside of the window pane. And again we spend the night tending to the fire, sitting close to it's sunshine flames. It is quite amazing how sheltered from the elements we have been living in flats and houses. All the central heating you could dream of, baths full of hot water, enough space to swing the cat, warm, dry, carpeted... those were the days.


We seem to have gone back in time somewhat. Again we have an evening by candle light - the ignition to start the engine is on the blink and we think it's the cold, thus we cannot run the engine and charge the batteries for the indoor lighting. We have the occasional sponge bath - I am reminded of my time in India as a 17 year old and being handed a mug of hot water to wash with, somehow you just do. Leigh has acquired a ceramic hot water bottle, you know, the original before the rubbery ones came out, and we have set it in the bed to help dry out the dampness. As you can tell, fundamentals of basic survival and hygiene are at the forefront of every moment. You see boating is a somewhat like glorified camping.


And it is stunningly beautiful in all it's trials. As we watch the horses feed in the field opposite, listen to the cracking of the ice through the hull, the chirruping of the birds, feel the heat of the burner on our legs, the smell of paprika in the stew on top of the burner, the scent of candle's extinguished at night,


watch the snow flakes tumble down as we study the many birds who gather


to feed on the offerings of fat balls and sunflower seeds.


Today we had to collect water as we are again, still, frozen in. We have got down to about 20 liters over two days for the two of us and that often involves having secondary purposes for water. So today's task involved setting out into the cold with the water carrier and trolley...


taking the walk along the towpath towards the bridge...


and heading up and over this time to the car, we were visiting Leigh's mum so it made sense to fill 'er up from there.


From the bridge the view of the locks show exactly how frozen it all is even after a few days of warmer temperatures last week, it was not enough to thaw out the thick layer of ice on the canal. It looks more and more like we are staying put.


Delia has been out on the ice again, silly silly cat who will never learn! just to explore the wildlife and hassle the geese at the goose farm and then she climbed, in fear, to the top of a tree where she had a fight with a big white cat. In the darkness there were black and white balls of fluff scrambling around. Stupid cats. Don't worry though, they are fine and dandy. Now Delia Derbyshire has nudged my laptop out the way for some quality feline loving so that's it from us all today.

A cold and frosty morning

We have been busy onboard, feeding the robins and decorating our narrow home!





And Leigh has been making delicious stews on the burner!

Winter is here!

It might not be the official date of winter, but we have had more snow showers and freezing over. It's our first winter aboard and we are managing to stay warm, fed and almost clean!


If anyone fancies a visit to the Dove of Belgrade, a hamper of chocolates, baby wipes, treats for Delia and Lavatza coffee would be much appreciated, as we are staying inside all day today.


Leigh took the following photos of the geese over the other side of the canal in their frozen pool of water...

A cold Atherstone

The canal has frozen over. It's an inch thick in ice. We were woken up this morning by the owner of the goose farm across the canal bashing at the ice to allow the geese to access their pen of the canal water. It sounded like he was banging against the side of the boat, digging his way into the steel. Fortunately our hull is strong and we woke up safe and dry! We were planning on moving off from Atherstone today if the forecast was better, as we've lined up a winter mooring in Hartshill. However, we aren't moving anywhere.


As snow has fallen and iced over during the night we are buttoning down the hatches and hibernating. This morning, Leigh has fed the small birds, swept the icy leaves off the boat, ran the engine and kept the burner toasty warm. I've been trying to keep my feet from freezing and pottering about inside.


Yesterday after a day of family fun, we returned to the boat with a new gadget for the impending ice...


These rubber grips pull over the soles of your shoes and grip the edges, as you walk the metal springs grip firmly into the ice making each step safe and secure, avoiding any little slips into the icy canal water!

We are dressing for winter these days, three pairs of socks, thermals, waterproof boots, layers and layers of clothes...


And last night went out into Atherstone to find out about this advertised 'Dickens Night'. It was a great street party...


with food stalls, samba parade, games and tombola and the local shops were open for passers by to browse...


and to top off the night in amongst the christmas high-street lights was a spectacular firework display...

Arvon writing course

It has been over a week since I have returned from the Shropshire hills which was the base for the 'starting to write' Arvon course I attended. Staying at The Hurst, the late John Osborne's (playwright) abode, a group of us 16 budding writers met for the first time. Myself and several others slept in the clockhouse (pictured above) which was also the building for the kitchen, reading room and dining area. It was quite an adventure full of workshops, writing and walking the woodlands, gardens and country lanes!

The rest of the group had rooms in the house, which was John Osborne's home...


Tutored by poet Moniza Alvi and novelist Niall Griffiths we had morning workshops followed by tutorials. I spent all my time writing and rewriting poetry and working on shot pieces of prose. I explored the countryside which was delightful and particularly enjoyed the surrounding woodlands, where it is known John Osborne passed out rotten drunk during a mid-night rain storm.

I have learnt so much from this course that I can put into practice and I am working on my collection of poetry as I write this. Here is a short extract from the last piece I composed whilst away...



Silently she pushed (extract)


Silently she pushed
the wet, wooden wheelbarrow up the narrow path,

in her long brown coat - elbows poking out.
It swooped and flapped, striking hard against her legs.
A gust of wind tore her grey and raffia hair across her narrow mouth.
She spat. Curled in her stinging lips. At the bend

she stopped. A tree-tumbling thud, dropped
the cart of crops. And reached down
with a snap of her aching back - a crumpled sheet of sunburnt paper...