Monday 7 December 2009

That was Sat and then we met Serendipity ...

Saturday morning I spent a couple of hours shovelling Caxton out and then got down to writing a letter to my Mum - Joe had gone into Macclesfield with Graham.  When the men returned Jill and I left them to wield a chain saw and convert the ash logs we had gathered into precoius firewood whilst we took the four dogs to Macclesfield Forest.   The forest is near a village called Langley and is spread over high ground and around a series of reservoirs; mainly conifer but there has been an increasing amount of native broadleaf planted. 
The dogs had a serious rummage, we were not mown down by cyclists and it made a pleasant change. 

Sunday we pulled pins and headed towards the locks at Bosley. 
At the moment we still have Graham and Jill's Pajero with us which means that one of us has to move it in the general direction of our journey.   As the two boats set of in watery sunshine, Jill and I set off to retrieve the car. 
About 100yds back from Caxton was a moored boat called Serendipity and the owner popped his head out of the offside side hatch and commented on what a fine morning it was - we, naturally, responded in an equally pleasant way and agreed.  Casting his eyes down the cut the boat owner  spots the sterns of Matilda Rose and Caxton as they set off , 'I am glad to see those two boats are going' he says 'they have done nothing but run engines since they have been here.'
'Oh dear.' says I, 'Surely they didn't run their engines late at night or early in the morning?'
'No, no, not that, but I can't see why they have to run their engines for so long, all these new boats are the same, boating is meant to be simple, I built my boat 22 years ago and my life has been blighted in the last fifteen by people running their engines!'
OK, time to fess up I thinks...
'Well goodbye mate, those two boats are ours and we now need to catch up with them.'
A bit of bluster from the 'lucky' boater ensued but have no fear, he was soon back into his stride.
'Why do you have to bring your homes on board a boat?' he enquires.
Jill at this point has had enough and tells him that she isn't prepared to do her washing in the cut.
'Use a launderette' is he response
'What launderette, there are hardly any of them'. says Jill
'There are three in Macclesfield' he replies
'I don't live in Macclesfield' says Jill 'I live on the boat.'

Time to go me thinks....
'Come on, why are we wasting our time arguing, lets go..' says I, ushering four dogs towards the car - I think I might have asked him where he kept his boat horse at this point,which perhaps wasn't helpful but I had had enough as well by now.
I am surprised that this boater has continued this lifestyle given that he claims to have had his life blighted by selfish engine running boaters for at least fifteen years - he must be a very stoic fellow indeed - and he obvoiusly has strong views on how everybody else should run there lives!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

He's right though.....

Unknown said...

very interesting this blog.
many interesting things, worth watching. Congratulations, all the best for you!
a kiss directly from Romania. :)

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Dyeve
Thank you - keep watching Romania!!
Lesley

Nb Yarwood said...

Hello Anonymous
Is he?
Just to clarify - we do NOT run our engines ALL day, why would we? We do run them or the generator when the batteries need to be charged but that is exactly the same as this boater did each day with his raw water cooled engine.
Lesley

Anonymous said...

Cor, it's really a week for the (anonymous) opinionated - if we all had horse- drawn boats there'd be someone who complained about the manure on the towpath and the CO2 from their belching and whatnot) - you just can't win with some people.

I'm sure that you'd have behaved perfectly reasonably - no-one can live a totally static and silent life, and quite frankly, why would we want to....

Sue, Indigo Dream

ps. Good pub in Scholar Green.....

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Sue
We don't walk on water, well Joe doesn't, and I am sure that we have erred some times but we do make an effort to be considerate to other people. It is the nature of the life out here that one needs to change batteries when you are not cruising...
The Rising Sun at Scholar Green is OK, we have used it before but the meal we had there last night was not up to scratch and we wouldn't choose to dine there again for sure.
Lesley

Anonymous said...

Oops, sorry, I was thinking of the Bleeding Wolf - is that not Scholar Green? It may be the next village down - somewhere around there anyway! Alas, Richard's not the only one having senior moments....

Sue, Indigo Dream

Andy Tidy said...

I have concluded that you just cant please all the people (on the cut) all the time. I am known for my consideration to others but even so, every now and again, I seem to come up against someone who I inadvertently annoy. I would just love to see the faces of some of these moaners if they tried to share the canal with 'proper' working boats travelling at full speed day and night.

Nb Yarwood said...

Sue
What 'bleedin dwarf' is that then? That's a Joe funny....
We know Bleeding Wolf but it is further down and just off the cut.
Lesley

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Ahab
I suspect that some of the etiquette about today on the cut has grown up since the war and the loss of commercial traffic. Having just read 'Idle Women' where bottom gates were left open and boat crews raced about a break neck speed to earn a living at all hours can you see them slowing down for moored boats etc.? I think not.
There's now't so strange as us folk is there?
Lesley

Anonymous said...

We have eaten in both the Bleeding Wolf (once) and the Rising Sun (3 times I think). At least 2 of the meals in the Rising Sun were good, nothing wrong with the Bleeding Wolf apart from not being able to moor outside it. Neither has the character of the Old Kings Head - that was a great pub to introduce us to.

I must admit I don't understand why you need to run your engines for a washing machine. We just have a magic basket. You put your clothes in it, once the pile is at head height or so and threatening to fall on stray dogs, it just vanishes. Magic. And then it re-appears downstairs all clean.

Richard

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Richard
The 'magic basket' - is that really anyway to speak of your delightful wife?
Lesley

NB Alton said...

I see you have met Terry on Serendipity. Looks like he may have got out of the wrong side of the bed that day. If you get to know him he really is a very friendly chap who has a heart of gold and goes out of his way to help others on the cut. His wash day is a sight to behold (like stepping back in time) with a wonderful old mangle that fixes on the side of the boat! He also bakes some fantastic bread in his arga. He's just an old fashioned sort of chap

Best wishe, Brian (NB Alton)

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Brian
I am sure that Terry is all you say and the best of luck to him. He perhaps needs to rein in his desire to preach to the rest of us though..?
regards
Lesley