Run down from Christmas

 On the way home from the Frostbite Day at the club on Monday made the mistake of going via the Peel Centre in Stockport instead of the usual way on the M60. The traffic was terrible all trying to get into Stockport and the Peel Centre , all those Christmas vouchers burning a hole in their pockets no doubt !

Spent yesterday experimenting with the club membership badges we had got the money for from members at the Frostbite Day and only made one faulty one which wasn't bad though I say so myself, its quite easy when you know how , which you can say about everything I suppose, just need more forms returned now, then more handed out at the next club meeting .

 The postage is going up again and the more people we can send newsletters to via e-mail the better, let the Post Office carry on stuffing our letterboxes with junk mail which seems their main source of revenue these days.

Christmas Day

 Had a good day yesterday and had Christmas dinner at my Son's (RJR in the blog) Like me he hasn't done much in the way of modelling on his railway layout , its too cold down in the shed and been too busy with bursts and things at work !

Family bought me a video of Alan Herd renovating his Narrow Boat,  a series on TV that's been very good and gives lots of idea's and pictures of Narrow Boats and journeying though canals and locks.

Masked up and spray lacquered the inside mahogany veneered walls of the boat the other day but it smelt the house out so I've had to stop that at the moment but it's got the first coat on at least.

Main power cables fitted as well, 

Christmas presents

When we were younger ,or should I say a lot younger boys wanted something like this for Christmas

 Now I suppose its a computer games console or an Ipad 

Still things move on as always and perhaps it's not all as bad as we Oldies may think.

This JCB is round the corner from us starting the construction of a new Netto on the site of the old ( and I mean old ) Kwiksave, so perhaps what was a black hole for shops in Debdale area will once again hear the ring of the cash tills . 

I've noticed that there are a lot more of our Older club members that have PC's now and in this day and age there is no excuse for being there on your own, we can communicate each and every day, perhaps there is some bought them and now need a bit of help in the use of one, there you go Meeting rep perhaps a club night on the in and outs of  simple computing.

This was from last year but the sentiment is still the same !

See you at the Frostbite day ?? And you never know we might get it this year!.

Christmas

To all our readers may we wish you 

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 and hope to see many of you at the Frostbite Day ( Don't forget its the 27th ) though the way the weather is going there won't be much sailing what with the ice, snow  and the cold.

We are getting the jobs for Secretary and Members Rep sorted and hope to have everything ready for the new year, its the kind of job that's all rush at the beginning of the year with the renewal of memberships and badges and then hopefully it settles down a bit and by the following year we will have had plenty of practice.

Must say though we have had plenty of support from the outgoing secretary !

Reprieved

Was up early to take Pepe to the Vets this morning and it had been snowing in the night so we set off early to get to the Vets for 9-00am 

Snowed up

The main roads had been gritted so it was al-right once we got out of the side roads and got there miles too early and had to wait for the vets to open !.

After sitting there a while the nurse came out and told me the surgeon had phoned and  couldn't make it as his wife had been taken ill this morning, my wife says I'm too cynical but as the vet lives on the Wirral I wouldn't have blamed him if it was the weather that had kept him at home !

He is going to phone with other dates we can manage later on.

Pepe has a problem with his offside rear knee so has to have it done, though he isn't in any pain at the moment so another date for the op will be al-right and will not spoil his Christmas festivities

Christmas nearly here

We went to Hyde Shopping mall on Thursday, if you've been there you will know its only small

 ( but perfectly formed) 

Their Christmas decorations are very nice and COLOURFUL ! which is in my opinion much better than the all silver ones in other places these days.

Bleak mid-winter

Went to the lake yesterday for a bit of lunch and a chat with any club members who might have been as daft as us being there, there weren't so what does that say about us!. still had a chat with some friends of Etherow in the Cafe so it wasn't a wasted journey and its out isn't it

Deserted

Don't see this very often at Etherow at 2-00pm do you 

As you can see the lake is still frozen over to quite a depth and there is supposed to be more bad weather on the way at weekend so its not going to thaw out any time soon is it.

Makes you think why Model railways are so popular doesn't it , there again they must get the points frozen and leaves on the track!.

The Village Christmas Tree at the Post Office looking nice and festive 

 On a more festive note here is the tree at the entrance to the park 

The new seats

After my mate Bob mentioned the seats were too narrow I've redone them and now look a lot better , good to have that person looking over your shoulder to keep you in line !.

The wider seats and lockers

Get your feet off the seats !

The family

In position on boat

The power battery will be stored under the seating well so has to be removeabell

Now on to something else !. 

The Road to Recovery

As Velda felt a little better yesterday she was like a caged Tigress and wanted to get out of the house, so it was get well wrapped up and off to Etherow,a bit of shopping on the way and whipping from the car park at the lake straight into the cafe for a bit of lunch.( no sitting outside with the smokers now !)

Met some of our park friends in there and they gave us all the park news ie the Egyptian goose that we all known had got trapped in the ice and by the time the wardens had broken the ice to it found it was too far gone to save, for those of you who don't know what one looks like here is an earlier picture I took.

On the happier note here are some other pictures of the park wildlife.

That's not shivering with the cold, its pure terror as the birds come too close 

Most of the lake still frozen over but still too cold to sit still on the landing stage yet anyway

So after a short but enjoyabell stay it was home to the fireside and a bit of painting on my boat.

I know I've spelt "Enjoyable" wrong but its a standing joke with my mate Bob Abell

The AGM

Though we missed the AGM at the club through Velda being quite ill , we heard the next day that we had been voted in ,  Velda as Secretary  and me as Members Rep so its 

to us.

I received some photos of the award presentations which I've put on the Club Blog so if you missed the awards check here

http://etherowmodelboats.blogspot.com/

Awards to be added to photos as soon as I get them.

Now we are on the committee I will be able to keep the both Blogs I manage more up to date with events and things going on around the Club and the park, when Velda gets better that is

Missed the AGM

Yesterday had to take Velda to the doctors with a bad respiratory infection and after trying to get the prescription on the way home found the chemist only had two of the three items so it was only after getting the third item at 4-45pm  that the treatment could begin to work properly.

Sent our apologies to a member of the committee to the effect that there was no way Velda  could attend though she still wanted to be considered for the job as Secretary of the club and myself as Members Rep, will find out to-day if we were successful or not.
Hopefully we will be back in action for the Frostbite Day which will be the next event at the club we will be going to,  the lake is frozen and so are we !.

  

Many Coloured Dream Coat

Took Pepe out in the snow yesterday in his new coat and he seemed to tolerate it though he was not a happy puppy.

Still it's better than all the old ladies getting at me for cruelty, they think he's shivering but it's anticipation at what they might have in their pockets ! .

Was going to varnish the inside of the hull as well yesterday but Velda has developed a respiratory infection so will not do her any good with varnish fumes in the house, so that will have to wait for a while.

Had a look at the seating in the well that Bob mentioned was too small, to see if I can make that look more to scale with bigger lockers and cushions.

Visit to Bob's

Yesterday after the fortnightly shop to Ashton in the morning I went to see my mate Bob the Builder though he isn't building much at the moment. What a shame as I used to look forward to his build reports, still it looks like its going to be a long winter and he might get started if a good idea strikes him and I might then talk him into creating a Blog of his build which I'm sure people would find informative.

On my build I finished the mahogany veneering inside the hull and did one side of the front hull artwork whilst the boat was on its side with the veneer weighted down with a couple of lead acid batteries.

When I say artwork its not painted on I'm not an artist ! its the good old vinyl strip I bought at Birchwood Show , my that seems ages and ages ago now.

My mate Bob has commented on the width of my seating in the well deck in an earlier post so I will have to address that problem soon or he will not let me forget it, there again its good to have someone there to keep you in line !.

I'm a Celebrity get me out of here

So Stacey Soloman won the Queen of the Jungle, good for her ! 

Here are some things you might like to buy if you liked the show

Perhaps a sprinkle on your Christmas pudding.

Completed front well

Yesterday finished the paint job on the front well with lockers and seating round the sides for viewing the scenery as the boat cruises by.

So its on to the main well of the boat with varnishing of the walls, it will take some drying in this weather, I will then get on with the superstructure side windows whilst that is drying.

Once years ago we were honorary members of a narrow boat crew at North Cheshire Cruising Club and  even went as far as looking round to buy one ourselves but after looking at all the rules and regulations and Velda's comments "I could walk faster " decided to give it a miss. At a £1,000 a foot its not a decision to be taken lightly ( smallest ones 50 foot ).  and that was about 10 years ago goodness knows what the prices are like now !

This boat of mine will work out at about £80 per foot and no fuel bills. only a rechargabell  battery and no mooring fees, still its what ever floats your boat isn't it, it wouldn't do for us all to be the same would it.

Snow King

A couple of pictures of Pepe in the snow, we went to Pets at Home yesterday in the snow and ice to get him a warm coat and when we got home he was playing out in the back garden and didn't want to come in.

What's the point of a coat then !! still Velda thinks he looks quite cute in it.

Enhanced by Bob the Abell with his Photoshop 

              Enhanced by Bob the Abell with his Photoshop 

Enhanced by Bob the Abell with his Photoshop

Picture in the coat to follow !

There you go Bob, the new coat !

Warmer background

As the big freeze and plenty of snow about I thought you might find it warmer to look at my new background and if it makes you feel better that's my good deed for the day.

Must get out and buy Pepe a nice warm coat whether he wants one or not, its embarrassing with people telling me he's cold even though he's got a coat like a brown bear. 

Couldn't find a chicken vindaloo to warm you up Bob , here's the next best thing

A nice turkey to look forward to at Christmas

The big freeze

Yesterday only went out to take Pepe round Debdale park and we were both glad to get back home.

Friend Bob the Abell chanced the run to Etherow and saw this
 check this out

So it was the rest of the day modelling, the only trouble is the paint doesn't dry very good in this weather does it, still do a bit and then get in front of the fire.

 

Bit of brass wire and a couple of picture hooks for the hinges on the gas locker and one of the transfers I got with the kit and that's another job finished.

 

Stern stripes added with vinyl sheet bought earlier at the Birchwood Show so it pays to plan ahead hey.

Oh NO its just started to snow here !! still its been promised so it looks like we are going to join our Scottish Welsh and North  Eastern friends and be slipping and sliding everywhere.
 The moral of that is don't go out unless its necessary !!

Buxton Pavilion Gardens

Here is the program of events for the Buxton Pavilion Gardens in December though with the snow about at the moment you will have to be careful not to be caught in the hills.

Looks like something for everyone there, but its the thought of heavy snow at the moment isn't it.

Progress

After a very cool visit to the lake yesterday I made some progress on the Narra Boat namely the green on the upper section of the hull 

As the green hull is now almost finished I can start to add the other stuff I've done whilst waiting for the paint to dry

I've started to make some locker seating for inside the well in the bow of the boat and finished one side, the other side to do and join up the two sides in the middle. Should look al-right when painted and perhaps cushions on, this section lifts out complete so a bit easier to work on just have to keep trying it out to make sure it comes in and out easily as the battery will go under here.

Saw this young dog at the lake yesterday as well, bit bigger than Pepe !! 

Pepe was not worried, though I was as I thought Pepe might kill it if he got lodged in its throat.

Happy Birthday Rachel

To-day is my eldest Granddaughter's birthday ,can't believe she's 17 already !!

Rachel this is for you because as the L'oreal advert say's "Your worth it "

Mooring weight

My wife expressed an interest in a mooring weight for tying her boats to when we are at other clubs without this facility and noticed that another member of our club had one , so it was on with the thinking cap and found this on a Narrow Boat site click here

At £20 and the thought of the postage, I gave it some more thought !

There is a store at Mumps bridge in Oldham that sells all sorts of weird and wonderful things from ex army surplus and  liquidated factory machinery and tools. My son called there in passing and they didn't let us down as they had these but they were £45 each!! and 25 lbs in weight so my lad went for a smaller one which I think will look better once its been cleaned up and painted with canal art work.

Isn't technology wonderful these days as he was able to take this picture with his "Blackberry" and send it to my PC to check before he bought it. 

So don't forget if you want anything weird and wonderful this is the place to go.

The store man said they once had a gigantic anchor and had plenty of interested callers but lost interest when they found out they had to get a large truck to move it , but it was sold in the end. 

I'll bet there is someone out there that's saying I've got one of those you could have had !!

Typical.

Sunday Outing

We went to the lake yesterday and it was supposed to be a steering competition but when we got there most of the sailors were going as the organiser hadn't turned up, break down of communications somewhere there.

After a chip muffin at the cafe for Sunday lunch ( Mother told me there would be days like this) we took Pepe round the park and saw this puppy

5 months old and already weights 3 stones, bit of a woof with a bejewelled pink collar Pepe thought.

Then it was up the motorway to Saddleworth to visit the Son and family, we were offered Dinner ! but I said I'd already had mine thank you!!

Whilst there John gave me some tools for the Narra Boat and some other embellishments that might come in later.

They will look good on the deck and the little clock will come in handy as well, don't know where the fancy scrolls will come in yet but will have a think about those.

Had a look at the RJR railroad whilst there, it always surprises me how much smaller it looks in real life, its all down to the photography isn't it,  have a look at his blog down on the right

All in all a good day out.

Wednesday 10th Nov

Went to the Lake on Wednesday but the lake was so full of leaves and bits of twigs that we didn't chance sailing as a twig jammed in your prop is the quickest way to lose it, the problem was the sluice gates had been closed because of the large amount of stuff backed up behind the sluice gates and the wardens had closed them to stop it making matters worse in our lake.
They will address the problem and then open the gates again and our lake will flow again into the big lake .

So it was a nice walk round the lakes and then a bit of lunch in the cafe.

Mandarin down from the top lake

Cold but Nice

Bit bigger than taking our Chihuahua for a walk.

.

Artwork

Did a bit of a change on the  artwork on the ends of the stand yesterday.

I'd forgot I had bought some transfers of Canal Art with the boat and as you can see from older blogs I think it looks better.

 New Art

 Old art

I also finished all the doors, handles and hinges on, varnished and artwork added so all finished unless of course I decide to leave them open on the boat in which case they will have to have the insides done. 

Will have to think about that nearer the time.