Midland chandlers

Visited midland chandlers to get the anodes and blacking this morning - saved around £23 on the retail prices. 

Also won a welder and mask on eBay for the anodes - only cost £16 - a bit tatty but working. Also bought a magnetic earth connector for the hull - £8 - will make it easier to get a good earth. Just need welding rods and we are good to go. 

Will book the boat in at swarkestone boat club for next month - anode welding and blacking.

Despite the outlay will save around £200 on blacking and the same on anode fitting. 

Notice board

A rare visit to the boat - been busy at the allotment, installed a notice board to remind me of the jobs needed and last service dates.

Cromford bank holiday

Bank holiday Monday - Birdswood towed by horse - Chelsea? Lea wood pump house in full steam - apparently costs £300 a day in coal

New licence

As many people have pointed out - green again!

Allotment behind the boat

Taken on an allotment near the boat - two other boaters at Findern have them - so plenty of advice and spare plants available. I built a small shelter on site to feed a water butt. I hope the strong winds don't blow it away - going to anchor it with fence posts!

Boat safety passed

Just two advisories - ventilation calcs indicate a lack of air if all appliances used at the same time - unlikely to happen as I don't used the fridge or do any cooking and the boiler is de commissioned; plus the electric hook up is femail - should be male to avoid shocks from a live hook up - again never used. Very pleased!

Limehouse basin 4/4/15

After seeing the grapes pub in limehouse on great canal journeys and benefiting from a few spare hours due to the late Chelsea kick off we decided to head over for a couple of beers. The pub is actually tiny - the width of a normal terraced house and has a narrow rickety staircase to a small dining room on the first floor. The real feature is the rear deck overlooking the Thames - breathtaking views - it also looks over the Anthony Gormley statue. As noted in great canal journeys, the  pub is part owned by sir Ian mckellan and he has left his trademark Gandalf staff behind the bar. The limehouse lock into the Thames is a monster, as is the swing bridge over the entrance to the Thames - well worth a visit and the beer is good too. No children allowed tho - house rules. Some monster barges in limehouse basin as well as the usual narrow boats.