Megan

Happier and more positive news to report!

She has been on board her posh cruise liner now for a whole week – it seems like a month to both us and her!  She is undergoing a very steep learning curve not only in terms of the work she has to do but also in terms of the environment and all the rules, regulations and protocol on board ship.  For the first time in her life there are occasions when she has to do what she is told without question and to keep her opinions to herself!!!!!   Those of you who know Meg will fully appreciate that’s not really her!  I’m sure she’ll get used to it!  It might take a little longer than getting used to having all her chores done for her by a personal attendant!  I spoke to her last when the ship was anchored (sure you don’t moor these things!) in Sidney Harbour with the Opera House on view through the porthole in her cabin.  What she had seen of Sidney she loved.  Amongst the crew there are 40 different nationalities.

So ……………. lots to learn, lots to adapt to but, on the whole, things seem to be working out well.

The uniforms?  Well! 

                                     

You don’t get these in ‘Next’ or ‘Monsoon’!

Back to us …………………

With everything that has happened over the last few months we feel that we need a safe base for the boat to enable us to deal with things without worrying about where she is.  So, we have organised a berth in Crick Marina for the foreseeable future.  We will definitely cruise when we can but it won’t be the extended cruises of previous years ……… for that we will have to wait.  I’m sure we will get back out onto the cut at some time during March or April.  Ken, Sandra – it’s about time you visited the Leicester Line.  xxoo

More sadness

What a terrible 3 months it has been for us in terms of losing significant people from our lives.  I last reported that John’s mum, Olive, was back at home after a long stay in hospital and was doing really well.  She was!  She was happy to be home and the care team we got in place were coming in three times a day and were looking after her really well.  Then, last Friday week, as she sat having a cup of tea with one of her best friends, she slumped forward and began to slur her words.  She was taken to hospital and ………….. she passed away four hours later.  It was the same day that Megan flew out to Australia to join “Silver Shadow”.

Olive was approaching 90 years of age.  Despite being paralysed in her right arm – this being due to the effects of earlier radiotherapy treatment – she remained positive, determined and cheerful ……………. at least on the outside.  She touched the hearts of many, many people and will be sadly missed.  We still can’t get to grips that this has actually happened.  It was sudden and untimely and so soon after the death of Elsie.  At least now she is in no more discomfort and suffering no more frustration and, as a devout Christian, she will be in Heaven re-united with those she has loved and lost.

Olive Winifred Allebone

29-06-1921 – 11-02-2011

Living Afloat

What is it about us Allebones that makes us all want to live on the water?

John and I were really pleased with ourselves when we managed to purchase our narrow boat “Ellen” and couldn’t wait to become liveaboards and enjoy the freedom of the canals and rivers.

Ben, our son, had to go one better.  Having sold his narrow boat he now lives aboard a big old barge he got over from Holland and has totally refurbished it to a fantastic standard.

And now there’s Megan.  Trust her to out-stage us all!!  This is her vessel for at least the next 3 months!

She is called “Silver Shadow” and is part of the ‘Silver Sea’ fleet of 5 ships. It’s a luxurious 6* cruise liner and will shortly be travelling up the East coast of Australia and then across to Indonesia, Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan.  Subject to references and health checks Megan has been offered the position of H.R. Manager on board.  She will have 3 stripes on her all white uniform!  More than a few ‘hopefuls’ applied for this job!

She never fails to amaze me!  WHERE does she get all her self-confidence and courage from?  Certainly not from me!  What an opportunity!

http://www.silversea.com

 

Sad Time

A lot has happened in the last two months – just to update anyone who might be interested!
At the end of November we went back to Staines in order to make arrangements for the welfare of both our elderly mums.
My mum, Elsie, spent 4 weeks in hospital and then, just before Christmas we were told that we had to find a residential nursing home for her.  The home we organised felt like a 5* hotel to us and I thought that, at last, she would be looked after well.  Sadly it wasn’t to last.  After only a week, she passed away.  She was an incredibly tough lady and, despite our ups and downs, I will so miss her for the rest of my own life.  On the day she died there was a lunar eclipse – the first for 400 years and, as my brother said, what a fitting heavenly tribute to a grand old lady.  She was 98. 

Elsie May Blake nee Dyer

29th September 1912 – 21st December 2010

                                                       

     Aged 4 in 1916                                                   Aged 20 in 1932                                        Aged about 75 in 1987
John’s mum is back in her own home after spending 8 weeks in hospital.  At the moment she has carers attending to her needs throughout the day.  So far it seems to be working out …………….. fingers crossed.

Surprise, Surprise

Leaving Yelvertoft on Friday we passed n/b “Intrepid” another Les Allen boat.  She was built in 1992 - 4 years earlier than “Ellen”.  Her new owners have just had her re-painted and she looks really, really good.

                   

 

Quite a rare occurrence:- one     Les Allen boat passing another. 

 

 

Again we had to break ice all the way to Crick where we snuck into the marina earlier than originally intended.  We are now moored up on the same pontoon as Rodney!  Each year we have got closer!!  I think we did this just in time as, on Saturday morning, we awoke to snow.

We had always intended going to the pub for a meal on John’s birthday.  The plan was that we would go aboard Rodney’s boat for nibbles and to watch “Strictly” first but, when we arrived, Surprise, Surprise our friends Anne, John and Gill had driven up from Staines and were sitting there waiting for us!  The evening took it’s course and we had a really good time.  Apparently, this had been plotted long ago!  Where would any of us be without friendships like these?   

 

It was a very cold night – the temperature on the thermometer on the back deck registered minus 12oC!     

Maisie made sure she was OK though!

 

 

So, tomorrow we are going back to Staines to begin organising ourselves for what lies ahead in the next few months.  “Ellen” will be hibernating in Crick marina and, as we will not be cruising, I will only add blog entries if I think they will be of particular interest. We have a long list of boat-jobs we want/need to do but accomplishment of these will depend upon how much time we actually get to spend on board. Typical that, just as we need to leave the boat unattended, the weather has turned really cold because, in conditions like these, John is always anxious about the possibility of pipes freezing up etc.  We will (all being well) leave the marina at he beginning of March ready for next year’s adventure.  Two old/ancient (when does ‘old’ become ‘ancient’?)  ladies must take priority at the moment but ………….. I have got a skeleton plan for next year’s cruise in mind.

We wish everyone out there a Happy Christmas and New Year and thank you for following our exploits and leaving your comments.    

A xxoo

Log Stock and Two Smoking Chimneys

The weather-people have got it right this time – it has turned really cold.  In fact, this morning we awoke to being frozen in!  The picture below doesn’t do it justice but that is not open water – it is ice!

We are moving on up to Yelvertoft and, as I write, John is breaking the ice. Not so good for the blacking and inside it sounds terrible!  No other boats are in any rush to be cruising.

Now that a bag of coal costs 50% more than when we first started this venture, we have relented and have been experimenting with burning wood to supplement our resources.  You can always spot a liveaboard boater by the piles of wood either on the roof or in the cratch or both!  In comparison to others we have seen, our little stock of wood is nothing!

However, John was not nick-named “Woody” at college for nothing!  His sawing skills have always been excellent!  I’m sure he envies the boaters he sees with chain saws, however. 

(For those of you who might not know – amongst other things, he used to saw up bits of wood for a living – first as a teacher and then as a kitchen and bathroom fitter.)

These partners-in-crime are just intent on hoovering up fallen hawthorn berries. Thank goodness that, as yet,They don’t appear to be causing any upset tummies.

 

Rodney is coming up to his boat for a few days so we will be spending some time with him.  The plan is that he takes us back to Staines on Monday and then we need to try to sort out what is happening with both mums.

I had to go for a little extra lie down earlier this morning when I received a text from my brother saying that finally he has put me on the insurance of his car.  There must be a hidden agenda?

Retail Therapy required.

I need cheering up!

I need a bit of retail therapy!

So……………. I have set myself the task of thinking what birthday present I could get for the male boater who definitely doesn’t have everything!  You know, that male boater who is reaching a SUBSTANTIAL age on Saturday!

I thought that if I looked at the ad’s in a well-known boating magazine I could get some ideas.  WELL!  It’s incredible what amazingly interesting things can be purchased for boats and boaters these days!

How about a new Alternator Regulator?  Mind you, not any old Alternator Regulator ……. It would have to be an ADVANCED  Alternator Regulator and ………….. definitely a PRO DIGITAL Advanced Alternator Regulator and it would be sub-standard if it was not also a UNIVERSAL Advanced Pro-Digital Alternator Regulator ……….in fact an Inter-active, Programmable, Self-Diagnosing Advanced Pro Digital Universal Alternator Regulator.  WOW!!  Maybe not! ££££££££££££££££££££££££££ 

WHAT!!??  I have trouble understanding the mechanics of my faithful little carpet sweeper.  My ELECTRIC carpet sweeper.  My RE-CHARCHABLE Electric carpet sweeper at that.  And it’s a lovely shade of GREEN!

Oh, S** it!  I’ll have to go to M&S like everybody else and buy something that I have (believe it or not in 43 years) NEVER bought for him before – pants and socks!!  They are very necessary and …… they can be as interesting as I care to make them!!  Whilst there I’ll pop into Wilko’s, Paul, and splash out on the recommended gaffer tape- I might even get some for myself as well!  Do you recommend the tape being applied across the cheeks or round the legs?  Does it come in an assortment of colours?