Hatching a Plan

Our new blinds have arrived and Andrew has completed the installation of said blinds. The interior is now looking very smart.  We still need to remove the brass rails but until we can get some blind bottom holding brackets they will remain in place.

Matty has also made us a clear side hatch insert which will let in the light but keep out the cool winds. Really looking good.

With Andrew taking a photo using the latest in camera gadgetry :)

The photos of the girls and Andrew's fishing photos are now all framed and put up on the walls. All in all it is becoming very much our home.

We are now both looking forward to the warmer weather and are now planning where to go next.  Although once again we are restricted by the high river levels.  Last week we upped pegs and traveled up river to fill with diesel and another pump-out. This time we went up to Sileby and then returned to Barrow upon Soar for a change of scenery and a touch of rural. While here the weather turned and it has rained and snowed and the river has risen, dropped and risen again. I was finding it a bit difficult getting off and back on to the boat where we were moored as there was a sloping edge to the canal. Andrew has moved us up to the lock landing at Barrow Deep lock so that I can hop on and off the boat much more easily.

Our new view out the front with my little bit of spring.

On our trip up to Sileby, we once again spied a Kingfisher but getting a decent photo of one is really proving to be quite elusive. They are small, quick and very timid. Moving off rapidly when the boat drifts to close.  This is the best that I have been able to get so far, certainly not my normal standard !!  But I will keep trying.

We also saw a Little Egret and I have been waiting for a decent day's weather to go back and try to get a good picture of it.  Today started out lovely and sunny but once we had done some essential grocery shopping and moved the boat, the clouds came over. Although they cannot make up their minds just yet it seems. I will definitely go for a walk tomorrow with camera in hand and see what I can find.  The birds are far more vocal and active today to.
I did see two Magpies attacking a squirrel in a tree just as it started snowing yesterday.  No activity from them this morning but now that we have moved down a bit I can no longer keep a check on them.

So the plan is to move on once the river levels drop again. Back to Loughborough initially to get a few more items and then south on the Trent and Mersey past Alrewas and the river sections.  Our loose plan is to get to the Shropshire Union canal (Shroppie) and the Llangollen canal.  A part which we did in 2006 but our idea is to take it much more slowly this time around.  After that we will head further north to the Leeds and Liverpool canal but as yet we have not decided exactly how we will get there.  Could be a toss of a coin at the various canal junctions and let the canal take us which ever way the coin decides.