A taste of winter storms...

The weather is really pinning us down at the moment. Our ‘ships log’ hasn’t recorded a minute of movement for a good few days now; the hatches are firmly battened down. Solar still provides a trickle of power and the wind gen is whirring its little heart out but we are on our version of survival mode; the loo tank is getting fuller and the fresh water tank may have enough to see us through the weekend if we are careful.  We have managed the odd foray to scout for the next suitable pile of wood and are waiting for a break in the rain to tog-up and head out to do a collection run with the trailer. Luckily we are moored away from any of the deadly crack willow that lines the canal system. We have passed a few big heavy trees that have fallen across the waterways over the last few weeks and, let me tell you, you don’t want to be under one of those when they go down.

Due to the fact that we are in a bit of a communications black hole (it has taken ages to find a signal to make a couple of calls) I have started writing my blog in a word doc so I can copy and paste as soon as we have a data signal and can get on line. We quite often get a signal if we put the internet dongle on the kitchen window ledge but as soon as the computer is started it disappears.

We now have a firm appointment with the guy’s at Cox automotive from Atherstone. They are due to meet us back on Hinckley marina some time Tuesday lunchtime, not as soon as I would have liked but we will just have to sit tight until then as we are only an hour or so away. Marina costs are not something we planned for but for £10 per night we will have fresh water at the end of the boat, shower blocks and electricity available so no major plan needed to get the next cup of tea. We don’t know how long the work will take but I suspect that if it is nothing too obvious the geni will have to be removed for testing back at the workshop. It will be a nervous couple of days waiting for the results!

Jess’s 21^st birthday is only a few weeks away and we are looking forward to a couple of nights not only ‘on the tiles’ but sleeping under some as well. Her house mates aren’t around full time so hopefully there will be a room free! Either that or tent in the garden (at least they have a kettle!). At the mo Jess is planning on coming back up with us after her birthday visit so hopefully we will see a return of the hot and sunny weather that seems a more and more distant memory.