NarrowBoat Bones

The Spoon Theory

2009-11-13T15:29:00.001Z

I don’t know if I linked to this before, but I was reminded of it today. It will ring true for many people who live life in pain, or for those who suffer and look perfectly well. If you don’t maybe you know someone who does:

But you don't look sick: The Spoon Theory

Bobcat Floats

2009-11-09T12:39:00.001Z

I have been following the blog of the build of Bobcat and admiring the process and the work done. The boat was launched on Friday and it floats… always a good start!

Muddy Waters

2009-11-08T17:07:00.001Z

This excellent new series of children's books called Muddy Waters is, I am told, the waterways version of Thomas the Tank Engine. I haven’t got a clue, but I do know that everyone likes it and the guy behind it is talented. So far I have read two of the books but when I was in the tea rooms this afternoon I spotted a new one was out. I can’t judge it against Rosie and Jim, or Thomas the Tank Engine, but I love the stories, the boats, the antics on the waterways and the adventures… and I am not a kid – well not on the outside anyway.

The books aren’t set in one single location, but around the country. They started out in Thrupp, Oxfordshire, but so far the boats venture to London and another in Falkirk, Scotland. Not only are the stories great, but they also take the reader on a journey through the Canals of Great Britain.

If you see them, buy them – you won’t be disappointed!

Dear Granny and Grandpa

2009-11-05T15:16:00.001Z

Dear Granny and Grandpa

Nasty mummy left me at home the other night when she went to visit Chris and Joy. She even had a lovely time without me! She said I couldn’t go because I would eat their cat and it would be really embarrassing. Actually, I think it would have been delicious.

Lots of Love

Boots

Art Aboard the Good Ship III postcards

2009-11-05T14:25:00.001Z

Postcards may look like clutter around the walls of the good ship but I love postcards and those I keep get rotated around the boat as the whims take me. The post card was patented in the 1860s, but it wasn’t used until the 1870s (by Turkey!). If you are interested in a whistle stop tour of the post card look it up on Wikepedia and read about the controversy issues with their release.

Some have a permanent home in a frame..

Or as part of a frame..

Snowy Farr

But some are just scattered around :

A church in Bridgnorth where I played the piano after a trip on the Severn Valley Railway

Artificial eyes from the Wellcome Trust exhibition given to me by a friend who has sadly died since. I like the dog in the picture.

virgin shroud 1993 I cant decide whether the wheel adds to it or not, but I do know it isn’t referred to in the particulars..

WHAT is in the ash tray!? This is a post card from the Old Parsonage in Oxford

And an allegory (which I always read as allergy) of the vanities of human life by Steenwyck

I LOVE this card. I have had it for years and years, firstly tucked into the corner of my piano, and then all over the place. It has travelled well!

SteamPunk

2009-11-05T00:40:00.000Z

I was rather taken with the sign advertising this exhibition at the Oxford Science Museum, and as I was passing today (just as it started raining) I decided I would pop in. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. I saw some fantastic things!

Something for Miss T . This has to be the best thing related to tea I have ever seen!

Something for weeping cross:

And something for the elephant:

This is an ‘eye pod’ audio device:

Denise Leigh and Stefan Andrusyschyn

2009-11-04T16:13:00.002Z

Last year I went to a lunchtime recital at Hertford College. This year I went to see them again. Denise Leigh is a fantastic singer and I love hearing her performing. I particularly like Stefan’s ability to play the classical accordion – it really is spectacular. Here is a sideways video of a bit of his performance:

I love the Oxford chapels and Hertford is no exception:

The program was great!

Art Aboard the Good Ship II

2009-11-04T09:17:00.001Z

Still on pieces with a story that people have given to me:

When I first lived on a boat I had a teenager living with me. Teenagers are great company and we had great fun together. She drew me this:

Many people may say she was disturbed, she wasn’t, she was however troubled. I was pleased when I saw this picture, not least because the ‘devil’ doesn’t have her in his hands.

I was delighted when WeepingCross gave me this – it is a lovely print with lots of history.

There are some pictures that follow me everywhere. This Fregus Noone was given to me by my eldest sister when I was about 16

I love photography and I am particularly enjoying some of 8ch’s recent work.

I also have some lovely illustrative work by Joanna Heneker

and last but not least, the last supper:

Herbie and the brush mate

2009-11-03T12:57:00.002Z

I often have trouble looking after my paint brushes. I am so bad at it that it has got to a point where they end up being used and thrown away. This is not good because I like brushes that aren’t cheap, but more importantly the waste is unjustifiable. I did try and clean the brushes out in white spirit, but without fail I trip over the container, or forget where I have put it. Besides, I don’t like washing the brushes out into the canal after they have had white spirit on them.

So, today I read Herbie’s blog and discovered the ultimate answer to all my brush woe’s – the Brush Mate. Herbie has written a brilliant review of it.

Banbury canal side being regenerated..?

2009-11-03T11:42:00.001Z

Following you from the possible regeneration plans for Banbury the Canal Side Development consultation has begun

Art Aboard the good ship .I.

2009-11-03T09:20:00.001Z

Canal art is traditionally considered to be roses and castles. All the old boats used to have plenty of it, but its usage isn’t as prominent on the new boats (although it must depend on where you look!), and although the canal people of today have some, the walls of most boats are clear of it. In contrast I think I have the most cluttered walls in Christendom. Much of what is on my walls is what I call art. Many pieces have a story, and some are there for pure enjoyment. As a result I thought I would have a look at some of the art that I have on my boat. Some of it has gone into storage while I move things on the boat around, so this is just what is left. This is the first part and I thought I would start with the art people have given to me.

Michelle Fields painting of Northbrook Lock. I love this painting – it was hanging in the Annie’s tea rooms in Thrupp. Maffi bought it and gave it to me to thank me for looking after him with his bad leg.

This is a wood burning done for me by the lovely Valonia from The Green Man

This came from my Great Aunts house:

Martin painted this one wet and windy afternoon on my previous boat. Hannah, Martin, Anne and I used to spent time painting all sorts of things and this is a reminder of those times. I love the mouth on this painting – it is either a lit city of hopes and dreams or mashed up people. Judging by the mans eyes I am not sure he knows which it is either!

My mum sketched this:

Some friends took a year out and went travelling around the world. They came back with this little number – I love the vibrancy of the colours. It came from Nepal (or was it Peru..)

Is this art? It is really, it is a tooth from Shipton Quarry on a piece of slate from Shipton Quarry. Given to me by Maffi. I glued the tooth onto the slate using super glue and got distracted. I only just managed to save the act other wise my right arm and the dining table would be hanging on the wall too!

I also love postcards, and above is just one of the many I have around the place. I particularly love orange cows. They remind me of a lovely trip through the highlands of Scotland in a vintage car with my father.

Rainbow

2009-11-02T13:51:00.001Z

Cruising out with Ocelot

2009-11-02T13:43:00.001Z

Would you look at the state of that roof

Where HAS she gone?

Ah, there she is – up you come

Yep, coming along nicely

Hmm.. takes a while

A job well done.

Saturday and a Party

2009-11-02T12:10:00.001Z

I had a telephone call from Polly in the morning asking if I would like to go to her party. I love children on the telephone because they whisper really really quietly… which makes me whisper really quietly back which makes me look very odd if it is in public!

I thought these eye balls were pretty impressive

But the blood clots really did my head in!

The freaky fingers were really rather good

As were the marshmallows… but I had to leave before I scoffed the lot!

Thanks for a lovely party Polly!

On a side, Carl was talking about thermodynamics in relation to the fire. I asked him which law or laws applied to what was going on in the fire. He said number 1. Unfortunately I couldn’t really tell him he was wrong, I mean explore it further, and he was only 10.

And for those of you who have forgotten about such interesting topics, here is a wiki link…

In true form I like something completely different...

2009-10-30T15:48:00.005Z

but it is still a sofa:

This one is from Elite Furnishing who Phil mentioned.

I saw this sofa at Beale Park a few years ago and had a sit down - it was BOOTIFUL. Whether it was beautiful because the upholstery includes black or due to the general exhaustion I was experiencing when I saw it having stomped across a field, or whether it really is excellent remains to be discovered. I have telephoned but there was no reply....

Isn't it annoying that the style attracts me and it is the most expensive of the lot!

AGH

If I want a two seater sofa I should get a specialist one, not least because they actually open up length ways and width ways across the boat, which the others do not.

Spending the Money - a sofa

2009-10-30T11:22:00.002Z

I really do not like making decisions, they are not easy by any stretch of the imagination at the best of times. I have narrowed the choice down though:

The Fusion at the Futon Company is the smallest 3 seater I can find.

The Kyoto 2 seater comes in two sizes from futons-direct as small double or double.

and then there is Wilsons of Kinver.

If I put the dimensions in a table, then Wilsons seem to be FAR better
2-Seater 3-seater
KyotoA KyotoB Thames Fusion Nene
width 137 155 124 194 188
depth 96 96 86.36 94 86.36

KYOTO A = small double £275 (futons-direct.co.uk)
KYOTO B = less small double £285
THAMES = £595 (wilsons)

FUSION = £ 379 in the sale (was 549) (futon company)
NENE = £645 (wilsons)

MAXI GRAB the magnet

2009-10-29T12:01:00.004Z

Canal Boat Magazine reviewed a new magnet called MAXI GRAB on the market. I was rather pleased because I have actually one! I particularly like the fact that you can pull out a heavy lump on metal on a small contact point. On the website is a video showing someone fishing out a pick axe out of the canal from the tip! The magazine also said it was possible to pick a windlass out of the cut through the plastic handle - I like that too! Mine, as you can imagine, is often used and I love it.

Cork on a stick?

2009-10-29T11:56:00.002Z

I haven't seen this before do you know what it is?

The coolant system

2009-10-28T18:15:00.003Z

The cooling system on my engine has been a mess for quite sometime. Amazingly I DID simplify it about 3 years ago, but about about a month ago it was simplified further thanks to the talented Mr P.

Here is what we took out:

To say the new system simplified has revolutionised my hot water situation is an understatement.

To sofa or to not sofa

2009-10-28T08:51:00.002Z

I have done quite a few changes on the boat over the last month or so and now I am getting to the point where it is time to think about the internal furniture. Anyone that knows my boat knows I have a sofa, but it isn't quite right - especially since the second mattress/back went missing. The sofa is actually a bed made for me by a friend. It dismantles very quickly and stores very easily, but I want a double bed, not a single one. So, I have been thinking about the possibility of a sofa bed.
Having spent a few days looking at other peoples, and in the various shops I think I want a two seater. The question is whether places like Elite furnishings and Wilsons of Kinver are better than places like IKEA. The merits of buying something from a narrowboat specialist is they have the life of a narrowboat in mind, but is the price difference between the high street and the specialists really the quality and longevity of the product or just the monopoly on the market?

It has to be a sofa bed, it has to be small, but it HAS to be comfortable.

Dear Granny and Grandpa

2009-10-27T18:21:00.003Z

When I first got a lead I didn't know what it was so I ate it. Mum said it was NORTY so I had to had a horrid yellow lead which I ate a few times but it just got shorter so I decided to stop. Mum said we didn't look push enough with a string lead so she bought me a new leather one a couple of months ago. I loved my new lead and mum was ever so proud that I didn't eat it. But then last night I did. Oopsie. Apparently I am NORTY. I am still really really handsome though:

Lots and Lots of Love

Your Devoted Grandson

And so it all begins...

2009-10-27T09:03:00.001Z

Here starts the blog of the adventures of the owner of Campanula.

It is NOT saturday!

2009-10-26T11:09:00.003Z

I haven't been feeling well enough to ride my motorbike so I decided to get the bus into the office today. I checked the time table, took the dog out, had a nice cup of tea, packed my satchel and strolled over the road to the bus stop. The wait was meant to be a mere 2 minutes, but after a while I decided I ought to check the times.. I did, they were fine so there must have been a delay. So, I waited another few minutes and then checked again, scratched my head and learnt a very valuable lesson. ALWAYS look at the right day. For some reason I was standing at the bus stop in my work clothes ready for work and absolutely convinced it was a Saturday, I don't work Saturdays!

I eventually found a bus stop with a bus and on arriving in Oxford I decided to take a walk through the University Parks.

This Panel:

Belongs to this nest:

I love the look of the pavilion nestling in the trees.

and the walk ways in Autumn are always delicious:

Even the flower beds are looking excellent!

Not a bad start to the day, or week.

That IS a good idea!

2009-10-26T09:58:00.000Z

I have just been reading Daniel Oakley's blog and found that they are embarking on a new venture which I think is BRILLIANT! Read about it here.

A visit from Keeping Up in the summer

2009-10-22T21:32:00.001+01:00

Some time ago Keeping-Up came down to Thrupp for a few days, I managed to catch up with them while we were here for a lovely day out. After a delicious lunch at The Bell in Long Hanborough we went to Blenheim palace for a walk around the house and gardens.

It was really lovely to see them again, you can read more about their epic travels this year on their website here

The day was finished off in the Boat Inn in Thrupp with a group of friends including RWLP and his lovely wife from the canalworld forums who were passing through on their boat!