The Approach to Blisworth Canal Festival 2012

Stoke Bruerne on Friday Evening

OMG we have just had the most fantastic weekend at Blisworth Canal Festival. Loads of stalls, food and craft demonstrations there is just so much to tell you I really don't know where to start!!
We moored up in Blisworth a few days before the festival started, it wasn't clear where we were allowed to more in the town so we ended up going through to Stoke Bruerne and overnighting there.  We headed back the next day after phoning the organisers and finding out visitor moorings were between bridges 49 & 50 just outside the town. 

Blisworth 

It was only about a 10 minute walk to the centre, up a very steep hill. Luckily for us there is a well placed pub right at the top The Royal Oak Its a lovely oldie worldie c1600 pub that serves a rather spiffing All Day Breakfast.  The ceilings covered in beams some so low even I had to duck!!. So we just had to sample that didn't we, and we did, more than once ;)   We also visited the only shop/post office there to get some essentials.  We did have a bit of a nightmare in there, as none of their card machines were working and we had no cash. So they ended up having to open the post office specially to enable me to get some cash out. Not sure if it was for my benefit or theirs to be honest, as I did get the feeling I wouldn't be leaving the shop empty handed and shopkeeper was going to make sure he got hold of some of my cash.
After eating, we headed back down the hill to the canal. 

Blisworth Village

The village is really pretty, very small and very well kept i wouldn't be surprised if it hadn't won a best kept village award in the past and if it hadn't, it should have. There is a definite sense of history here and you can feel the pride the locals have for their village. You can see it everywhere, in the stunning cottage gardens, or the quaint little church with well kept greens, the tidy hedges that enclose peoples gardens whilst lining the lanes through the village and the complete lack of litter anywhere. 

Each time we returned to Rae we chatted to different boaters who were also moored up waiting for the festival to start. Everyone was really friendly and chatty and we felt quite at home. For each day that passed, more and more boats arrived. All shapes and sizes, ages and conditions. Thursday things started to feel more festive. There was still the lovely friendly atmosphere but now something new was being added, it was colour. All were outside tinkering with their boats, including Yog. There was polishing, essential maintenance and decorating starting to happen. Bunting was starting to appear. All shapes sizes and shades. Made me really wish We had some too. 
Gazebo's, umbrellas and comfy chairs were popping up apx every 50 feet and by the evening, most of the boats were wearing their festival finery, lining towpath all the way down into the village. Their solar lights leading the way. Next time I'm going to be part of it. Part of the boat decorating day!!
We did manage to find our Jolly Rodger though which is now flying defiantly above us.  As well as Yogs severed arm, which is hanging on for dear life to the back button fender.  So what with that, and Rae having Captain Nasty at the bow, we deffo have a theme going on already!

Me making fenders in the sun

Speaking of themes, One chap had arranged a mammoth collection of rubber ducks on the roof of his boat. They looked as if they were swimming down the centre of his roof!!  I really wish I had a picture to show you, it had to be seen to be believed.
Another chap, who, had told me was a Santa at Christmas time and I'm not at all surprised, even without the red suit and reindeer he obviously was Santa. Anyway, he was doing demonstrations with rope. Showing people how to make different knots and weaves and offering advice and help on all things ropey. He and his wife had a wonderful working pair that was bright and obviously most loved as well as covered with rope accessories. His padlocks were even decorated with Turks Heads!! He very kindly showed me how to tie West Country Whipping so I can finish the fenders I am making for Rae off nicely.

Midland Chandlers are Like Grey Sludge on your dipstick

The Leicester Arm of the GU

As we have got a few days off while waiting for the festival at Blisworth this weekend, here's some other stuff that has happened this week including Yogs exploits with the engine.   
Before we went to collect our freezer on the Leicester Arm we had to stop at Braunston for a couple of reasons.  First and foremost, to get a new loo.  'Bucket and Chuck It' is not for me and definitely not when you need a poo!! 
The reason for this is the dismal service we got from Midland Chandlers the day we picked up Rae. 

Bucket of Poo AKA Midland Chandlers

It was 5.10pm and we had just realised we had left our Thetford on Viking and were loo-less!! No problem I thought, Midland Chandlers is just round the corner. So I phoned them, explained the situation to them and asked if they could wait for us to get there, which would be apx 15 mins. They said that was fine and they would be there waiting so we sped down there as quick as we could. We arrived at 5.35pm 5 minutes past closing time. To be told we could only pay cash as they had already cashed up for the night. As I didn't have £95 cash on me I asked if there was a cash machine nearby. 'Yes',they said, in the pub next door. 'Cool' I said, 'I'll just nip over there and grab the cash for you then'. 'No' they said 'the manager doesn't want to wait that long'.  (Manager was standing by the door letting assistant talk to me). 'But I rang you to let you know I was on my way and didn't have a toilet!' I pleaded 'It will take me 5 minutes to get the cash'. Assistant walks to manager to see if that would be ok for me to do this, who basically just shrugged his shoulders at him, shook his head and walked towards his car leaving the poor assistant to explain that unfortunately, that was too long for the manager  to wait!! I was fuming, he had stood there and watched us moor up etc and didn't have the guts to do his own dirty work. In  fact he had no intention of offering any kind of decent service to a boater in distress at all!!!!  So, because of that I had to poo in a bucket for the first time in my life!! I am still cross about it now!!  

After Midland Chandlers let us down so badly we decided to go to Wharf House  Narrowboats at Braunston instead.  Midland Chandlers are a bunch of idiots and I will never spend another penny with them for as long as I live.  And I spend a LOT during the course of a year, the amount of boats I get through in a year lol.   

Braunston Pump House

Second reason and just as important if not more. Try and find anyone to help with the issues we have been having with the engine.  It smokes more than Yog does and it is BAD, what with Yog having emphysema as well it needs to be sorted yesterday.  While we were at the chandlers that is NOT Midland spending loads of money.  (Over £150  and saved £20 on the cost of the loo too!!),  we picked the really helpful ladies brains on who may be able to help us with the engine. She recommended a chap she called Jonno.  
He runs a hire fleet and is a Lister man and the man to ask apparently, we had heard his name mentioned to us before and he seemed the best place to start.  His website is here and he is quite a character and apparently not a very busy man which he made a point of advising Yog when he interrupted him whilst he was refurbishing an injector pump in his workshop which is a converted pump house.  Even though he obviously was up to his neck in work, he still managed to find the time to have a look at our antique lump of metal.  He was a sarcastic smart alecy man but pleasant with it and Yog warmed to him pretty much straight away lol.  He spent nearly an hour tinkering, tightening and sniffing the chimney for some unknown reason till he announced that it could be anything, from clogged injectors to full engine rebuild.  Great. 
His phone rang for the umpteenth time and he went back into his workshop to his injectors and left Yog in the engine bay prodding and pulling things with that concentrating face on that men get when they get near engines.  

Currently Known as That Poxy Engine

Then there was blue outburst of swearing and Yog appeared at the hatch with a dipstick in his hand.  'Look at this!!' he snarled showing me the dipstick.  It was what I can only describe as grey sludge covering it, Yog used the much more wonderful description of 'monkey spunk'. I don't know much, but I do know engine oil should NOT look like that!! 
We bought 3 gallons for an immediate oil change.  Yog drained out 4.5 gallons from an engine that should have held only 3!. Which immediately told us the Head Gasget has gone.  Double Great.  Lucky for us, after scouring the net with no luck, emailing countless people and getting close to giving up and throwing toys about instead Yog phoned Jonno for help and he managed to find a replacement and has agreed to do the work required!! What a releif,  Yog will soon be able to breath when he is driving the boat.  

Other stuff he has found whilst grunting in the engine room are that its got dripping injectors, a leaking water pump which he tried to fill up with grease but it still insists on leaking out of the seal.  We had an issue with diesel  being sprayed around the engine room by the fly wheel, this was found to be the fuel filter which had a tiny hole in the bottom of it.   Yog attempted a fix with chemical metal, which has improved it a lot but it does still seep a bit but isn't any where as bad as it was so diesel consumption should be greatly improved.

New Month New Boat

Poor Puppy

Well, nearly a week has passed since the emotion of parting with Viking. We are gradually getting settled in and used to our new surroundings, unlike Buster, who was at home as soon as he realised his bed, bones and treats we're already here when he arrived. Poor little chap, he has been suffering over the last few months.  He just will NOT stop barking when we are moving the boat.  It has got so bad now that he sounds like a Yorkshire Terrier when he barks and is causing onlookers to point and laugh at him when he is trying to be 'ard!!  Which makes him worse, poor squeaky boy.  I have even resorted to giving him the odd TCP sore throat sweet to try and make him feel better.  If I cant stop him barking what else can I do?  Luckily, as Rae only has portholes and he cant tell when we are moving or not, the barking has subsided a great deal so it won't be long before his bark is back to normal.

Now comes the arduous task of working out what 'lives' where. Yogi's 'man' stuff is easy, he has a whole room with shelves and everything so all man paraphernalia ends up there. kitchen stuff the same, cupboards provided but clothes and nick knacks are another story for the moment.   They are currently living behind the sofa, under the bed and in the boatman's cabin.  When we moved on, everything was stacked in there. From floor to ceiling was boxes and bags. It's looking a lot better now and almost empty of homeless belongings. 

Can you see the smoke rings?

Yogi has been a busy bunny also, he has connected the Sterling so we have a charging system and inverter. Wired in the fridge and freezer and he's also started sorting the heating, we think the radiator may have a blockage but can't sort it just yet as Yogi broke the radiator key when he was checking it out lol.
My days have been full of emptying bags, filling cupboards, swapping said cupboards contents due to weight distribution issues then onto emptying more bags and boxes.    Each one unpacked to a rendition of 'Another one bites the dust' by Queen. With the word box or bag inserted when required.  We have also managed to travel over 50 miles this week.  Yogi spotted a Shoreline Freezer in Towpath Talk for £100!! it was up the Leicester Arm apx 20 miles from Braunston.  

So, our maiden voyage in Rae would be along the Leicester Arm, through the beautifully groomed Watford Lock Flight and via the very narrow and badly silted canal to bridge 37, our freezers location.  We had to go past it, to the Welford Branch Junction so we could turn around. The winding holes are only big enough for 60' boats and seeing as we are 68'.  They were not an option.  It was worth getting stuck on nearly every corner on the way there and back because I am now the proud owner of a Shoreline Freezer and I cannot wait to get it full of ice cream and blackberries!!