Author: Chris

This post celebrates a momentous occasion, for the first time in over a year Wrens-Nest has left her moorings!

My friend, Karen has never been boating so we took the opportunity of a couple of fine days to make an easy trip, with no locks, to give her a taster experience,

Zoe (her dog) came along too and kept us amused. Because I had turned the boat around in readiness for our departure she positively refused to get on the back of the boat as it was in the ‘wrong place’ but leapt on the front and came through the boat to meet us.

Once we got underway she was a bit nervous, and insisted on sitting on Karen’s lap for most of the journey, perhaps it was the engine noise.

 

 

 

As we came to the end of The Arm we went over The Telford Aqueduct which carries us over ‘The New Main Line’ onto ‘The Old Main Line’ which runs at a higher level.
We stopped here to clear rubbish (mainly plastic sacks) from around the propeller, this was to become a recurring theme!

 

The first part of the journey is quite rural and the first landmark is The ‘New’ Pumping Station which was installed to pump water from Telford’s new main line in the cutting to the left to the old main line which we were on.
Next came the fairly modern Summit Tunnel, which is more like a long bridge carrying railway lines over the canal.

 

Soon after we met the M5 Motorway which was built over the canal; a lot of work is going on here repairing and strengthening it which you would never know about from above.

We encountered more rubbish around the prop here, including a large mesh bag which presumably once held building materials,  we passed Spon Lane Junctions, where locks lead off to the left then The Stewart Aquaduct (or maybe Steward, nobody seems sure, it seems to have got confused by aural tradition over the march of time)

At the eponymous railway bridge, we almost got run over by a train!

We passed through Oldbury, where my local Sainsburys and a church where I have been worshipping are situated.

 

We soon arrived amongst more bucolic surroundings with waterlilies edging the crystal clear waters.
Karen seemed to be enjoying the journey so far but when I persuaded her to try steering, that smile was replaced by a look of steely concentration, but she didn’t do badly for a first attempt.

It was hereabouts that we saw numerous coots, who build their nests on anything that will float, maybe natural, maybe old bits of polystyrene or something like that and the chicks are such cute balls of fluff, see picture at top of the page.

After a couple more sessions, Karen’s steering confidence increased.

I even abandoned her so I could use the loo at one point!!!

 

Dudley Port Bridge has an interesting feature, the red door was installed during WW2 for fire engines to put their hoses through and  draw water from the canal.

Pitchfork Bridge conjured up images of a peasant army defending it!

Just after we reached Tipton Junction where The Black Country Living Museum can be reached… but not today!

Onwards to Tipton Green where moorings are available next to a park and a young lad and his mum were trying to retrieve something from the canal with a child’s fishing net, after we had passed mum fell in and was soaked from head to toe, she got out alright but I was much too gentlemanly to take a photo of her.

We moored just around the corner, next to the health centre, at John the Lock Moorings which our neighbour assured us were perfectly safe with CCTV and security patrols despite dire warnings of marauding gangs of crackheads from a certain person.

We visited the Fountain Inn opposite, a real old-fashioned Black Country Pub with a good selection of well-kept real ales, who welcomed us and Zoe in for a quick drink before we visited the chippy for pie, sausage and Orange battered  chips, but they couldn’t match the ones from Pep’s Plaice at Compton which I rave about!

We enjoyed a quiet night once the medical centre had closed and Zoe didn’t need to alert us of people in the car cark (just staff, not addicts!)

In  the morning we cooked bacon sarnies and motored up to Tipton Factory Junction to turn around and then it was just a question of retracing our journey.

Karen grew more confident, but Zoe was still nervous and hid behind my legs while her mistress was steering.

It’s strange how you notice different things on the return trip, so here’s a few more photos.

 

 

 

So it’s been a while hasn’t it and while this isn’t about boating as such it’s just about life on Wrens-Nest.

First, however, a bit about real boating. This weekend was the Birmingham Canal Navigations Challenge where teams of boaters try to outdo each other by visiting the remoter parts of the BCN and we had a few of the contestants visit us here in The Engine Arm.

So… How did I spend my Bank Holiday weekend?

Well, I’d ordered some new toys from Ali Express which my friend Karen (The Brummie one who kindly lets me send stuff to her address that won’t fit through my letterbox) delivered to me on Saturday, so I was like a kid at Christmas unwrapping them, then I must have bored her rigid by finding out how each one worked.

The easiest to fit was a new clock for Jinty, a direct swap, one with a white display to replace the baleful green one.

Also for Jinty was a smart new USB power supply socket which took a little more effort but I’m pleased with the result.

The old socket has been repurposed inside the bedroom cupboard to power the other new clock which was in my order.

I made up an extension lead to provide power but it offended my sensibilities to have a wire visible across the bedroom ‘ceiling’ so I found some wood-coloured trunking at B & Q and at 7:30 am Monday morning I was there collecting it!
Cut to length and ready to fit I discovered the sticky strip was missing from the back of it, so back to B & Q to exchange it, but they couldn’t find another so they gave me a roll of double-sided sticky tape instead. That installed I ‘improved’ my extension lead too.
The only downside to the double-sided tape was a white line showing between the trunking and the ceiling but I cured that by the application of raw sienna watercolour paint.

In my last posting I mentioned I had a date for my Prostate operation on 22nd June.

That event has come and gone, technically is was a Robotically Assisted Prostatectomy which completely removed the Prostate. Special surgical tools were inserted through six small cuts in my lower abdomen and a slightly bigger cut near my belly button, through which a camera was inserted and eventually the Prostate removed.

That’s probably more than enough detail for most of you but the curious can find all the detail they could possible want here.

I have to say that any vestige of dignity I may have once had disappeared as before discharge a young woman took me to the bathroom for a strip wash “You do the front, I’ll do the back” she said, bless her heart!

I was released to go home on the third day after surgery with Jer & Louise coming to collect me.

My recovery has gone very well, after about 10 days I had to go back to hospital to have the catheter removed (more matter-of-fact female intervention) and I am now at the stage of retraining my bladder to do as I want it to.

In a couple of weeks I have a meeting with my consultant when I trust he’ll confirm all went well.

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I almost fall in love with my Phlebotomist

I have registered with a local GP and was sent for blood tests. The Phlebotomist was so kind and funny, she checked my details verifying my address and said not that I’m coming to visit, but if I did what would you cook me? She settled on Lasagne but said she’d want roast potatoes & Yorkshire pudding with it (strange girl).

Within minutes she had found out I’d lost Joy and said she was far too young to be taken from me, then asked me what I was doing for the rest of the day. Why not go to the pictures tonight she said (if she had offered to take me I might have said yes!)

In truth I think she was just distracting me from the 4 tubes of blood she took, in which case she did a darn good job because from her putting the needle in my arm, at which point I always look away, I didn’t notice a thing until she was finished.

I didn’t even get her name but I would certainly recognise her again, striking I think would best describe her. Tall and slim, with short cropped hair dyed blonde on top (with her coffee coloured skin tone it was never going to be natural)
As I left I said goodbye & God bless you she replied God bless you too.

That night I was awoken by one of Joy’s pictures falling off the wall, perhaps she was telling me “Don’t you even think about it”

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Next weekend my Grandson Morley is getting wed to his Fiance Annice, they are just 20, but have been together for a couple of years and I wish them a long and happy marriage like Joy and me.

 

It’s had to believe that almost two weeks have gone by since I arrived here at Smethwick, and while the mooring doesn’t have the views of Stourport I have friendly neighbours & good facilities. There is a laundry room which is free to use for us residents and I almost understand how to use the machines.

We are in an industrial area and this screengrab from Google Maps gives some idea of the surroundings. The blue dot shows where Wrens-Nest is located.

 

One of my first adventures outside of the moorings was to walk out through the back gate and find Copes Potato Warehouse, which contains a cash & carry who were happy to serve me with a small selection of essentials and includes Amelia’s Kitchen (a takeaway bakery) who sold me a cheese & potato pie & a trifle to take back for my tea.

The first Sunday I was here a procession called the Nagar Kirtan passed the gates of the moorings which, I believe, celebrates the foundation of the Sikh religion. and was the first one to take place since before the pandemic. I wasn’t quick enough to see the leaders, but many thousands of followers came behind and I just caught a snatch of video to give a flavour of the sights and sound.

 

Another new boat has arrived to take the mooring behind me, a younger couple who buck the demographic of (shall I say) more mature residents.

Last Tuesday I  retrieved Jinty  from Stourport thanks to Jer & Louise and we enjoyed  lunch in The Black Star before I returned to Smethwick.

Jinty now has a parking spot just a few yards from the boat.

I have taken Jinty out into the surrounding area and was surprised to find that driving was far less scary than I had imagined. Drivers seem very tolerant and not at all aggressive, maybe it’s due to the cultural diversity of the area.

 

I have a little visitor from time to time which I believe is a pied wagtail.

On Friday I had a brief visit from Jer & Iona who had been shopping for a Prom Outfit.

I have discovered that Asda will deliver to the moorings, so that’s another plus.

I have finally been given a date for my prostate cancer op, it’s 22nd June and will be by robotic surgery at The Alexandra Hospital, Reditch so watch this space.

Tuesday 23rd May – 9½miles & 7 locks

I collected Sue & Quentin from their accommodation after breakfast and by 9:30 we were underway and at York Street lock soon after; being waved off by Barry & Julia .

All the locks were in our favour and we were in Kidderminster  by lunchtime where I stocked up with reduced price Avocados at Sainsburys while Sue produced sandwiches.

At Wolverley Lock we met Leigh & Malc for hugs & goodbyes.

S & Q walked between many of the locks leaving me just to do the steering.
We carried on to moor at Whittington Lock which was one of Joy’s favourite spots. Jer and Louise joined us about 5pm and we all shared pizza.

 

Wednesday 24th May – 13¾ miles & 20 locks

Yesterday was our first & last short day, We reckoned we could easily reach The Bratch Locks. We were told there was a new Sainsburys at  Wombourne so another short stop to get milk as our tea consumption was making it essential. S & Q came back with that, biscuits and a bottle of beer for me.

We easily reached The Bratch and thought it would be a shame to waste the daylight and so carried on through another 5 locks to Compton where we moored for the night.

A Steak and Ale pie was put in the oven while Quentin and myself were dispatched to Peps Plaice to purchase some of their famous ‘Orange Chips’ (chunky chips deep-fried in a thick orange-coloured batter) a Black Country delicacy said to date back to World War II and rationing. A time when out-of-the-box thinking was needed to make boring potatoes somewhat more palatable during those bleak times. [credit https://secretbirmingham.com/orange-chips-black-country/]

These were a complete revelation to my crew but they agreed that they were delicious, evens Sue’s no-potato diet was broken to sample a few.

Thursday 25th May –  15½miles & 22 locks

An 8:00 am start this morning and I had to dissuade my crew from walking the couple of miles to  Aldersley Junction as they would need all their energy to tackle the 21 locks which climb into Wolverhampton.

There were a few issues with low water levels on the way up but they were overcome and we developed a routine of entering one lock, and while rising Quentin would walk on to set the next lock, and as we were ready to exit I would hop off to close the offside paddle while Sue opened the gate. Sometimes there was a boat coming down and we could leave the gate open for them.

By midday we were at the top and a decision was made to press on to my new mooring, a 5 hour cruise but no locks at all so Quentin & I shared the steering while Sue kept us supplied with tea & sandwiches

There were a few issues with weed and other rubbish entangling itself about the propeller and I spent more time than I would have liked lying on my stomach to remove it, one job that made Quentin pleased that they no longer had their boat.

We rolled into Engine Arm soon after 5pm and were greeted by the residents.

Not content with a 9 hour day already Sue & Quentin had decided they would like to be home before the Bank Holiday Weekend so walked to Rolfe Street Station to catch a train into Birmingham & thence to Plymouth. Quentin is an ex-railwayman and so they  get free rail travel.

After that a combination of bus and ferry took them back to their home in Torpoint arriving about midnight. Understandably they didn’t rise never early the next day.

I am so blessed to have such good (and energetic) friends and I thank them with all my heart.

 

Today marks 13 years of living aboard Wrens-Nest as on 23rd May 2010 we loaded our worldly possessions onto our boat and began a new life as Liveaboard Boaters.

So as the 14th year begins so begins a new life for me.
As some of you will already know my beloved Joy passed away suddenly on 5th April while out on a trip in Jinty our camper van, the cause was Cardiac Arrest.
We had a lovely last couple of days together after 50 years of life well lived.
I shall miss her terribly, of course, but glad she didn’t suffer a lingering end and I have faith to know one day we will be reunited in heaven.

She was my Best Friend, Best Mate in boater speak and the light of my life.

We celebrated her life with a Service of Thanksgiving and Celebration, it was a Joyful occasion (pun intended!) it wasn’t formal and people were encouraged to wear bright colours and be ready to smile as they recalled what Joy meant to them.

My daughter Karen & Granddaughter Summer were able to travel from Australia to be with me.

You can watch the occasion on YouTube and I hope you will be uplifted.

By some happy chance a mooring became available where Jer, our son, moors his boat in Smethwick so I decided to move there so he could ‘Keep-an-eye-on me’ at least I think that’s  the right way round.

I’m going to miss that view at the top of the page and the friendships made with neighbours and staff here at Stourport, I’ve an open invitation to return and promises to visit me in Smethwick.

When our good friends Quentin & Sue (absolute heroes) heard what was to happen they offered to crew for me on the trip, all the arrangements fitted together beautifully, they are ex-boaters so ‘know the ropes’ and today is the day we begin the journey.

Saturday 25th March

I started the day with Smashed Avo & Bacon with some mushrooms, then we spent the morning watching the cooking programmes on TV.

Lunch was homemade vegetable soup with garlic bread and we enjoyed a sunny afternoon doing nothing in particular except watching quite a number of boats on the move including some of the Starline hire fleet on the start of their outward journey. Later we enjoyed a takeaway scone & clotted cream & a rocky road from The Lock Tea Room.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is rainy so we didn’t fancy boating in that and considered leaving early Monday morning for Kidderminster and getting a taxi to my opticians appointment, but in the end we decided to head for Stourport this evening and drive back to Kidderminster Monday morning.

We left soon after 4pm and there were still a good number of boats moving, we made Kidderminster in good time and I decided we could make The Bird in Hand moorings before dark.

Once we had gone through Falling Sands Lock, Joy retreated inside to make spaghetti bolognese and after was surprised to have been able to watch TV as we travelled along.

We tied up about 7pm,  enjoyed our tea and watched TV for the rest of the evening.

Sunday 26th March

Of course this morning started with an hour less in bed and a marathon of clock changing.

After breakfast we joined Riverside Church for their on-line service as is our custom.

We decided the weather forecast had been lying about the rain today, so we had a quick lunch and headed back for our mooring.

At York Street Lock the crew of  the following boat offered to lock us through (I really must be looking old!) We slotted back onto our pontoon without problem and within a few minutes our neighbours’ cat, Martha, visited to find out where we  had been.

Eye test tomorrow and a dentist’ appointment to look forward to on Wednesday.

Thursday 23rd March

We have passed the Spring Equinox and look forward (?) to the clocks going forward in a couple of days, so an escape from the mooring for a few days was in order.

We unplugged the mains electricity cable and stole away from our mooring at about 9:30, and a kind passer by helped us with York Street lock and we were away.

We had intended to stop at the Bird in Hand pub but we arrived there so early and the weather was fine we decided to press on and Falling Sands Viaduct gave Joy and opportunity for an arty Photo.

Volunteers were working on Caldwell Lock cutting back grass and weeds, and said painting and greasing were next. They took a short break to let us through and closed the gates after us.

We moored up a short distance further on, had lunch  and set things up ready for Joy’s on line art class.

 

Meanwhile I experimented with the Wi-Fi aerial and found it received a far better signal lying horizontal so bodged up  designed a mounting for it.

That achieved without losing Joy’s internet connection I concocted a Chilli for tea.

A number  of Starline hireboats passed by during the afternoon headed back to base and the evening was spent watching both terrestrial and on-demand TV .

Friday 24th March

This morning we were up and off before 9 as rain was forecast after lunch.

We were soon at Kidderminster Lock and were greeted by a guy who was working on resurfacing the towpath who introduced himself as ‘Brummy’ he has a boat moored at Otherton where we used to be based.

A quick shop-stop at Sainsbury’s for a few items scored us a ‘Taste don’t Waste’ box for £2 which amongst other useful things contained 4 Avocados which I shall enjoy my breakfasts (I blame them Aussies for introducing me to Smashed Avo & Bacon)

It was out of Kiddy to Wolverley Court Lock where we met a group of deaf people who did their best to communicate with us.

Kingfisher has had a repaint 

 

Onwards though the newly refurbished Wolverley Lock, thence we elected to go on and turn at Lea Lane Winding Hole before the rain came. As we returned to Wolverley Lock the rain did indeed start, but we managed to descend and moor up without getting too wet!

After a lunch of Roasted Mushrooms & Feta, Tomato & Courgette Parcels I had a phone call from my Diabetic Nurse with the news that she was very pleased with my HbA1c Levels and has rescinded the threat of insulin injections and will check my levels again in 3 months.

The afternoon threw all sorts of weather at us from heavy rain showers to bright sunshine which was good news as as our solar panels kept the batteries topped up.

Map Images courtesy of the Waterway Routes App https://www.waterwayroutes.co.uk/