Talking turkey

Well talking the end of the turkey - last meal today, creamy turkey risotto and that will put an end to the Christmas feasting here in Caxton it's back to bread and dripping next week.  Smiley faces today though, rain last night and a thaw has set in, could we be moving some time soon? Please...

With your permission..

With your permission cousin Daphne, I am publishing your lovely bespoke Christmas card showing Caxton moored here in Birmingham and using it to wish all of our readers, fellow boaters, prospective boaters and land lubbers a very happy Christmas from the Caxton Crew.

Back to Brum's icy embrace

BCN Main line - Vincent St. Bridge

As I was about to return the hire car early yesterday morning, the gas supply failed at my Mother's home leaving her without heat... I fixed up some temporary heating with electric fan heaters, insisted that she put more clothing on and then call her gas supplier and tell them that she was 80, alone and COLD!!  Off I went to deliver the car back to the hirer and get to the station. I called my brother to alert him to the situation with Mum and then called her when I got to London.  The gas company had promptly got someone out to her and he had fixed the problem by replacing the regulator so all was well - thankfully.  I got myself London to Euston and managed to get on an earlier train.  One hold up when we approached Berkhampstead because someone had collided with a bridge but we were soon on the move again.  Snow was falling again as I reached New Street station Birmingham and there was plenty lying about as I walked back towards Caxton's mooring.

BCN mainline

 
And here we are, our wintery mooring in Brum, Caxton to the left (front of the queue) MR behind us.  Four inches of snow on the roof, showing how effective sprayform insulation is!

Happy Birthday Mum!!

Cathy, Me and Mum

My Mother reached the age of 79 on Friday last.  Her close friend Cathy had arranged to take her out to lunch and I arrived just in time to play taxi driver. We often go to lunch together when I am visiting but this was a bit special as Cathy has been house-bound following a hip replacement that didn't quite go to plan.

I knew you would..

I knew you would come up trumps with suggestions for a suitable drydock so this is by way of a thank you.  I will be going through the list of possibilities when I get back to Brum - currently in Essex visiting my mother as I won't be with her for the Christmas.

Dry dock required for liveaboard?

We are looking for a covered dry dock that will allow us to black Caxton's hull and continue to live aboard - any ideas folks?

Christmas plans scuppered!

We have finally given up on our plans to join family in Norfolk for Christmas.  We have been hoping that the ice would thaw sufficiently to enable us to get Caxton to Hockley Heath on the Nth Stratford canal where we were booked in for the holiday.  Caxton would have been secure and on shorepower while we went away.  Now however we will have Christmas on Caxton as we have had for the last two Christmas's and try and see family in the New Year when we are released from the ice.  It's not altogether a bad prospect we have enjoyed our boaty Christmas's to date though spending time with my family would have been a bit special as we are so rarely together at this time of year. 
We managed to move Caxton today and get water, the centre of Brum being almost ice free though all routes out are still solid.  I have booked train tickets and a hire car for the weekend so I will leave Joe and the dogs in Brum while I travel to Essex to see my Mother who will be 79 years young on Friday - a birthday lunch the order of the day of course..