At Last.......

... we had a day that we didn't have to wear a coat!   The wind had gone, there was a slight chill in the early morning air (10.30 am) but apart from that is was a glorious day to go boating.

We passed this boat - it has so many fenders around it, I think he is afraid of someone bumping into it and detonating the gas cylinders!


If it did blow up it would improve its aesthetics!

Elaine once again did lot of walking with the boys....you can just about see her in this pic ...

Another nice bomb proof pram hood ...

Nice eh?!

We were held up at Crabtree swing bridge for 45 mins 'cos it wouldn't open.  We rang C&RT then had a beer and some of Leonie's caramel slice whilst sitting in the warm sunshine.

We were off again followed by NB Firefly NZ ...

We stopped at Burscough Bridge to empty the nasties and fill with water ...

It was now time to bid farewell to Ray and Leonie ...

... as they were turning left and going up the Rufford branch.  It was great to have met you guys, pretty sure we will see you around on the cut sometime.

Next we passed the prototype of  Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki 2 ...

Really loved this house and garden....just perfick ...

It really is greening up now ...

 

We have moored tonight at Appley Lock - we reversed down the disused lock arm.  I reckon this is one of the nicest moorings we have stopped at over the last year ... the pic just doesn't do it justice, we are on our own and it is just glorious.

Elaine has been out picking nettles and has put them all in the life ring!
I am sure she will explain...

(El here ... I have left the nettle tops out there so that the little bugs have a chance to escape before I make nettle soup tomorrow!)

Lastly I got the factor 30 on a bit late and have burnt the top of my turret!

Stay Put Day

We had a lovely dinner last night at the Saracens Head with Ray and Leonie (NB Firefly NZ).  We didn't have too far to walk home - as you can see from the pic below!

We woke this morning to gale conditions and as we have no time frame at the moment we decided to stay put for the day!


We went for a long walk with the doggies - it is still bloody freezing.  Our first stop was the monument to the 'Halsall Navvy'.  Elaine was so taken by him she gave him a kiss ... she also commented that his physique was rather similar to mine, although I do have 2 legs - unlike the poor navvy!

We went up to Halsall village, nothing there except a church and a couple of little businesses.

We did a big circular route and came back down the towpath, the dogs had a good run.

It was so windy Bombo coudn't do a thing with his hair ...

This afternoon I touched up the blacking and did some rope splicing whilst Elaine went foraging for wild garlic and dandelion heads (double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble!)
Later on Ray and I popped into the pub for early doors and had  a swift one or two.

Re the stoning by the unruly scrotes when we passed through bridge 9 at Aintree on Saturday, I sent off a letter to C&RT and the Merseyside police.  This morning just after nine the cops rang so I could give them the full story - they are going to pass it on to the local area cops!  This afternoon we received a letter from C&RT with an incident form to fill out.  They did say that they don't take any action unless there are incident reports lodged - so it is always worth reporting these things to them.  As I said before there was no damage or injuries but it would be such a shame if people were put off using the Liverpool link because of a couple of anti social little bastards.

Foul Weather Cruising

We went for a drink or three last night with Ray and Leonie (NB Firefly NZ) at The Bootle Arms in Melling; the place was like the Tardis - there were people on all levels inside the pub!  They were doing a roaring trade ... must be because the UK avoided the triple dip recession!

We left about 11.00 am this morning followed by NB Firefly NZ.  No locks today, just lots of swing bridges for the girls to do.

Some old biddy had a whinge to them at a footbridge as she would now miss her bus because she was held up. (Elaine said later that she felt like 'giving her 20 cents'  (as in, "How about I give you 20 cents so you can call someone who cares!) - nasty girl!)


Lots of little ducklings about ...

 

Elaine and Leonie (plus the dogs) walked for miles between all the bridges ...

The sun barely gets above the horizon up north - this place is hopeful!

Talking of sun, the weather deteriorated rapidly - it started blowing a gale, and pissing down with rain!  I love everything about this country but the weather is absolutely appealing appalling!
We started looking for somewhere for both boats to stop for the day and we found it, right outside a pub (just for a change!).

I went inside and booked dinner for the 4 of us tonight.  It looks a bit upmarket inside, I may have to wear a shirt!

Leonie invited us on board for late lunch - pancakes which were very more-ish!

So I had better go now and put on the good clobber as it is near dinner time.

We are moored outside The Saracens Head at Halsall.

Back in the Sticks

We were up at sparrows, filled the water tank, unplugged the umbilical cord and we were off.

Bombo quickly assumed his position as we passed through Albert Dock



Nb Firefly NZ was also leaving, the C&RT guys had the lock already for us, we had the same guys that took us in 2 weeks ago. Only difference this time was that the chap that was all singing and dancing away 2 weeks ago was like a bear with a sore head, he didn't want to speak, wouldn't make eye contact etc it was hard to believe it was the same guy. Never mind something must have pissed him off but they both did a sterling job seeing us through the locks and swing bridges.

Bombo look at the Liver building!

Passing the old clock

Old capstan and lock gear

The sky was blue but it was bloody freezing as you can tell by the way Leonie is wrapped up

We had just gone passed the infamous bridge 9 when NB Firefly and us got stoned by a couple of little bastards, although they weren't little,  mid-late teens at a guess. They missed us but hit the boat a number of times, making a large bang whenever they hit, I took a couple of shots in a flash, pity it was a camera and not a gun! 

I really would love to give them a good bashing, but I suppose that would be against the law. They really are evil little scrotes, all we can hope for is they they cant breed!

To be fair it was the first time we have come under attack from brain dead little shits since we started out 13 months ago.

We called it a day just after swing bridge 10, I took the dogs for a walk around the lanes, it was an amazing to see all the hedgerows bursting into life, you miss that part whilst in the city.

 

The Leaving of Liverpool :-(

We took the dogs for their early morning (11' ish) stroll along the banks of the Mersey when I managed to get 3 ships into one pic ... the Stena Line ferry from Ireland, a small ship going downstream and the pilot boat waiting for the big lock gates to open so he could come into the docks.


Day two of the shoe shopping.....yahoo not one but two pairs, that should keep her happy for about three weeks!

We then went up the Radio City tower to get some shots of the city.

The little boat is the Mersey Ferry ...

Looking down on the Museum, art gallery and St George's Hall ...

The curved building is the Hilton Hotel - we are moored in the dock behind it ....

The Catholic cathedral reminds me of the lunar landing module ...

The other one is..... well just massive!

Now this really cracks me up - when we first spotted a chick roaming the city streets of Liverpool with her curlers in we though she had just nipped out of the hairdressers to buy some fags and gum, but no,  this is the scouse look!!!!!  Apparently  in the daytime you walk about with the curlers in,  wearing some pretty garish gear, and come night time it's big curls, mini skirt, high heels and a scouse brow ... new age version of Hilda Ogden I suppose!

We spotted this fine specimen whilst shopping today ...

And finally after our two weeks in Liverpool come to a close i'ts the ultimate lambanana......


STEAM TRAIN LAMBANANA

 

We leave Liverpool tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 9.00 am.

So long, Liverpool and thanks for all the fish!

A bit of kulcha!

We had a very early start today as Ray and Toni were leaving on the 9.00 am tide!  We were up just after 8.00 am  ... never mind back to normal tomorrow!  I can't believe that for years I used to get up at 5.30 am every morning and take the dogs for a walk - it is easier when it is warmer though!

Anyhow we wanted to get some pics of them as they left ...

Away they go....


Under the bridge ...

Round the corner going past the big Swedish tall ship that arrived yesterday ...

Past the Port of Liverpool, Cunard and Liver building ...

Goodbye Liverpool!

And away they go!

We leave on the outgoing tide on Saturday morning ... see you in Manchester guys!

Back to the boat for breaky then it was off out to buy Elaine some shoes, get my hair cut and go to to St Georges Hall - which is a grade 1 listed building.  It is a truly multipurpose building where people can be tried for murder, attend a ball or listen to a concert all under one roof!

The first part we visited was the criminal court part of the building.

This is where they used to birch the young scrotes ... I don't think too many people would have a problem with it still being used.   (Mind you, it may have been a little excessive a punishment for the crimes committed then!)rst we went through. 

Elaine pondered her future in the holding cell ...

The courthouse, last used in 1984 ...

The judges chamber. this was before I had my haircut!

Next was St George's hall ...

This is the second biggest organ in the UK ...

Most impressive ...

 

The outside of St George's Hall ...

So, the update on today's mission was that ...
a) we got our bit of kulcha (back to the pub tomorrow!)
b) got my hair cut
c) failed on shoe-ing Elaine's feet  :(

The huge momentous moment today was that the 'hit' counter clicked over 100,000!  We have either been reading our own blog posts way too much or there are actually other people reading it !

Many, many thanks to all those that read this drivel - I am truly honoured xx


Nearly forgot again. ...