A very merry christmas.....

Just a quick post, really do not know where this month went, how did I ever have time to go to work!
Anyway better news on the car front - the insurers have written off the car as expected and we are expecting a cheque any day, so no quibbles re electrical faults etc. We have already bought a replacement which we are collecting tomorrow am & shall be giving it a trial run driving up to Scarborough tomorrow afternoon were we are spending christmas with daughter Hannah son-in-law Chris, Astrid & Finlay ( who I expect will ensure an early start to christmas day!)

Eric has been staying for a couple of days & we went into Doncaster this afternoon so he could do his christmas shopping, was not too stressful thankfully & we have just finished the wrapping so all done ready for him to take home tomorrow.


A couple of pics taken during the recent cold spell

Sunrise - 12.12.08

Ducks on ice - 7.12.08

A very merry christmas & a great new year to you all from all aboard nb Poppy.

A bad day just got worse!! (& always read the small print)

Nothing boat or cat related just a rant to let off steam!
Mark went to work by train today as he is going for xmas drink with workmates later so having use of the car for a change I had planned to go to Ikea ( Leeds) to finish the xmas shopping.

On route I stopped off in Thorne to post a couple of parcels & whilst looking for a parking space could smell smoke & very quickly realised it was coming from my dashboard so out of the car ( by which time I could see flames) & a 999 call. Luckily the fire station is just around the corner & the fire brigade arrived in minutes & dealt with the fire - Thanks guys - they were terrific.

What's left of dashboard

It seems fairly obvious that the car is a probably a write off as even if you put a new dash in, the rest of the interior is smoke damaged & sodden. But as we are fully comp was not too worried that's what insurance is for.... you would think.
So after getting the car recovered back here ( again - excellent service from Brittania Rescue) I called Lloyds insurance to be told that if the fire was caused by electrical fault ( which it more than likely was) we are not covered!!!
On reading the policy booklet there it is in black & white along with any mechanical or computer failure.
So not a happy bunny this afternoon :(

Just wet & windy

I thought I might have had some pretty snow scenes to post given the weather forecast but as it is just wet & windy some more pics of cats!

I sent for the briquette maker from Amazon as the briquettes I bought ( chap was selling them on ebay as he'd made a load but no longer has stove) seemed to burn quite well, they do make a bit of ash so stove needs riddling more often but seems a good use of old newspapers & not alot of effort for some free heat.

So Poppy decided to try the box for size......

Which Soona wasn't too happy about.....

and eventually Poppy let her have it !

Although we haven't had much snow (yet!) we have had some hard frosts, whilst the stove & ecofan keeps us warm & toasty some mornings the hatch has been frozen shut!

Yesterday it was cold but dry & sunny so I spent the morning outside sawing wood in readiness for the predicted bad weather. When I had finished I came in, washed my hands, put the kettle on then put the tools away. We had planned to do the weekly shop in the afternoon as Mark was on early shift & home 1.30ish ( I know at this point you are wondering why I am telling you this - but there is a point - bear with me!)

Mark was home in good time so just a quick shower & we could be off......except the water pump was not working- dead as a doornail. Checked the trip switch & no probs there, so empty the cupboard, fiddle about to get the bottom shelf out to get access to the pump then much chuntering & head scratching. I dig out the pump manual & read the trouble shooting guide whilst Mark ( ever the optimist - not!) is declaring it deceased.

One last look at the trip switch which is on the outside of a small wall cupboard in the bedroom near the stern doors,



Mark then had a peek in the cupboard, which as well as housing the little axe, pin hammer & assorted bits 'n' bobs is home to the consumer unit & found a loose wire hiding under the axe (where someone had carelessly chucked it!) so the water pump had not died after all, a quick reconnection & all sorted except that the pin hammer & axe have to find a new home!


To compensate for waterpump related stress when we'd done shopping we popped into Costa Coffee for a coffee & bun. Very nice it was too.

Some of my neighbours here on the marina are quite arty & they put on an xmas fayre last sunday to display & hopefully sell some of their wares. I bought a couple of watercolours which will find a place on our cabin walls.

The bright spot is not the sun/moon but my flash!

I am interested in rope/knot work so I also bought a hank of cord to start practicing with, should keep me occupied during the winter months - when I'm not making briquettes or sawing firewood.......