Going Missing...

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. 
Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. 
Just walk beside me and be my friend." 

The old barometer sunk to a new low this week and it wasn't long before the sky darkened and the canal was being peppered with hailstones. The temperature has definitely dropped and a few mornings have started with a white frost and even one morning the cut was frozen over.....Brrrr!

There are a few signs of Spring such as the new lambs noisily blarting in the opposite field and a spattering of confused crocuses have sprung up in the flowerbeds.

 

 A small light coloured owl was spotted patrolling the hedgerows as the day drew to an end while the lone female swan continues to paddle about looking out for her mate to return. All last years signets have had their marching orders and now no longer rattle on the window for their doughie treats.

Some unidentified creature is still splashing about somewhere under the mooring in the early hours before it gets light....could be a hungry diving grebe or maybe a mink or even an otter...?

Meanwhile the ecofan works overtime and the woodpile gets smaller...

This will be the last Andromeda boater's blog for a while as I concentrate on a different path for a while over in 🇮🇹 but I will return.

...followers may wish to keep an eye on the alternative travel blog?

This can be found at
www.narrowboatboys.blogspot.com
 if your interested.

The sunshine calls...

This last blog tune before the break is "Going Missing" which was the fourth single released from Maxïmo Park, taken from their debut album A Certain Trigger.

https://youtu.be/L-ft2dZ7-FE

Valentine...

If I'm not mistaken all this was started by the caring purveyors of the finest foods and wines known to mankind, Sid Marks & Dick Spencer, to enhance and promote fine dining in the comfort of your own home to celebrate such wonderfully heavily marketed occasions such as Valentine's Day.

You know you want to....don't you?

For twenty quid, they offer you to indulge yourselves with a sexy starter of a dozen succulent hand caught scallops, simmered in an aromatic lemongrass jus, followed on by a 21 day old, rare breed, grass fed, outdoor aired sirloin of prime Angus beef served on a kingsize pillow of wilted wild Rosemary infused spinach, with sautéed Brie and hand picked coriander parcels.

To elevate the evening, two petite artisan crafted ramekins of branded cheesecake fondants exquisitely matched to a bottle of the finest premier 'cru' ethically sourced from the very heart of the Languidoc valley by a lonely Parisian sommelier...

But now they are all at it...

So if the budget doesn't run to that....try opposite at the Lidl....

£3.99 will get you a box of Bavarian breaded scampi balls/(tails?) to start the night off.

Plug in the deep fat fryer and cook from frozen on full whack then serve immediately with the handy accompanying plastic tubs of tomato and mayo dipping sauces. In the meantime, sink a few cans of 9% 'Strongbraulederhosen' brewed solely by a Polish pig farmer in an outbuilding near Potsdam to set the mood.

With Barry White crooning through the speakers, the ambience is set for the memorable main feast. 

An impressive, pan fried 'his 'n' hers,' healthy portion of imported, halal slaughtered, belly pork chump chop neck end loin with an accompaniment side order of either a family sized tin of Italian branded 'marrowfatti' mushy peas or should the partner prefer, the lighter, Gallic jolly 'verde' giant sweetcorn in a Baltic salty brine. Both perfectly compliment the sizeable portion of Lithuanian oven chips made from unwashed turnips and a large white Hungarian loaf known locally as a 'Pfumphernickelstrodulklonnf'...

With great everyday value for money like this , that's not all!

For afters, indulge further in either the seasonal Icelandic Arctic roll made with frozen herring trim or the naughty but nice German recipe 'boil in the bag' sticky 'sausage' flavoured toffee pudding served with optional pink ambrosia custard 'ping'ed for just the right time in the microwave for maximum enjoyment!

With the oral sensation now at DEFCON 1, take this special occasion to the next level by cracking open the value litre bottle of age oaked vintage 'El Cremo de Menthe' liquor and the night, quite frankly Mr.Shankly, is yours for the taking!

You have to admit, it's incredible value at a fraction of the cost....

NOTHING says I LOVE YOU like a twangy, cheaper cut of mechanically recovered meat and a semi chilled schooner of a poorly selected Sarson's bubbly!

Ding Dong...

Blog inspired track comes once again from the delightful Richard Hawley and the opening track off his 2007 album 'Lady's Bridge.

https://youtu.be/hoX8mAj36UY

Down here...

This week came the underlying trepidation awaiting the visit by the Boat Safety Officer, to test, probe and question all the on-board gas appliances and electrical equipment to allow a new certificate to be issued for the boat to remain legally safe for another 4 years. As it happened, it didn't take long to complete the mandatory inspection and soon he was away up the field with another £120 quid!

The rural mooring is still pleasantly quiet, the recent winds have died down now and the temperatures seem to continue to be mild by the Lancashire canal. The daily rainfall seems to be depressingly endless with no signs of Spring apart from a few early shoots poking through. 

Dark and dreary days indeed.

...with some interesting wintery skies at day's end.

Not much solar energy to be harvested with these conditions so the battery management system is proving invaluable to be able to monitor power levels and indicating when to run the engine and for how long to bring the system back up to the required 100%.

Still, no enormous energy bills to worry about!

Boater's winter's are long, long winter's down here on the cut...

...if only there was something to look forward to?

...ok, time to get back on the hedonic treadmill!

Weekend Synoptics...

A deep high pressure system of white will move over northern Scotland during Saturday afternoon, dominating at the breakdowns and bringing a flurry of tries under the new management!

Blog inspired track and latest released single off the new John Grant album 'Grey Tickles, Black Pressure', 

You do this, and you get that

I want what I was promised

I'm a bit impatient...!

                                                        ...And a great little tune to play air clarinet to...!

http://youtu.be/eViyPYJ2okc