A long December...

It's almost the end of the year and today is bright and sunny and a mild 13C in the afternoon. The fender man has been the only boat to pass earlier going north and the only traffic has been across on the towpath with the usual walkers and the odd pike fisherman casting in the lures and spinning for the predators. The moorhens have visited as usual and shyly picked up a few titbits off the mooring before scuttling off nervously. The swans have visited too, banging on the kitchen window with their beaks demanding all the rest of the loaf. They are a pair that live around the wharf, the female I called 'Digger' as she has JCB on her tag around her leg and the bigger male well his tag is SXZ so he has been nicknamed 'Essex Zed'. They still have one of their offspring with them from this years brood. Originally they had seven hatched but after the first few weeks they had only two remaining to rear up. Usually by now the young swans have been chased away by their parents but maybe this year they are feeling a little more sentimental by holding on the last remaining child. It's always good to see them and I miss them when they don't have time to visit.The days are supposed to get longer from now on but I can't help wondering if and when the freezing snowy weather will arrive - we will have to wait and see...

Digger visiting today

Previous blog post title inspired by ....The Only Ones... - HARD : 3 points

Out there in the night...

The strong gusty winds have abated finally and by 4am it was still again on the cut, that's when I heard the splosh of 'something' lurking about in the canal near to my bow. Now, as it is so often so still and quiet you hear every noise, you also get to learn what makes what splash - for instance a couple of mating ducks splash differently from a hungry swan and acorns falling make a different splash to the one a large fish might make as it breaks the surface. So, the noise in the early hours was probably mammal and either mink or the elusive otter. I hope it was the otter as there were sightings last year, presumed to live under a nearby wooden mooring in the roots of the bank underneath. No sighting this time but keep fingers crossed for the spring.


Previous blog post title inspired by ....Bob Dylan... - EASY : award 1 point.

Blowin' in the wind...

So did I earlier say it was tranquil?
We'll it certainly wasn't last night! It was incredibly windy all night and still blowing a hoolie this morning -no damage to report. Part of my on-board nerve centre includes 'Barny',he's my barometer and predictor of all weathers and he has been telling me to expect stormy weather for the last few days and he's a pretty reliable old hand. I also have have a mate to him, a more modern digital American gadget that can tell me the temperature inside and out and flashes to warn of frost and probably many other weather related stuff but I prefer Barny to be honest - I still don't know how he does it but he just does!

Previous blog post title inspired by ....The Jam...- EASY : award 1 point.

Start...

Welcome to Andromeda's blog......she is a 50ft narrowboat moored on the Lancaster Canal and she will keep you up to date with her progress if you let her......So let me introduce myself, my official name is Andromeda. I was put together by a fella in the midlands called Dennis Cooper back in the early eighties which makes me an old lass now in boat years. I have been up and down the system over the years and had a few laughs and also a few knocks and scrapes along the way. Nowadays I'm taking it a little easier and find myself living a quieter life on a mooring on the beautiful and tranquil Lancaster Canal. Not much happens here but this suits me as these days I am content with moving at the speed the seasons change, it allows you to catch up, reflect and contemplate. My plan is to keep you up to date with life as it reveals itself to me with a few musings and opinions that you may or may not share.....currently I'm not in bad shape, just lacking some new paint and eventually my nameplate-these things take time and these will be the final cosmetics of my restoration. Today I am sat on the mooring as I have been for the last few weeks, since the weather got windy and cold and will probably stay here until the spring now, Saying that, the day is calm and still following a cold starry night leaving a little frost first thing...would be a nice day for a sail for someone perhaps....but not me, i have the fire set to cosy and intend to sit tight and leave the moving about to the moorhens who seem to be the only signs of life around here...

Andromeda on her mooring

As with all my musings there has to be a creative musical theme so each post topic will have a post title as a song or a lyric from a tune that I either own or has inspired me, some may be well known but others may be gems with pedigree - all worth a listen. The artist will be acknowledged in the the following post and if you have got it correct by then (with the exact spelling) then points will be awarded in degrees of difficulty, these points can then be collected and redeemed when you get to the top of the steps at the pearly gates!