A beautiful evening at Tixall Wide
First boating experiences
Fradley Nature Park
Dad's helicopter
Leaving the IWA Festival
Head chef at Burton on Trent
President and Kildare at Common Lock
A good polish for JennyanydotsI love swimming
Tuesday, 14 February 2012
memories from summer 2011
A beautiful evening at Tixall Wide First boating experiences Fradley Nature Park Dad's helicopter Leaving the IWA Festival Head chef at Burton on Trent President and Kildare at Common Lock A good polish for JennyanydotsI love swimming
Thinking about Jennyanydots
It's a cold grey February day in 2012. Mum has been in hospital again and is three weeks into a six week recovery period and she's not supposed to do anything energetic. Remembering last summer is allowed though.
In July 2011 we didn't get to the boat very often. Ivan came with us one weekend and spent two days polishing Jennyanydots. She looked really good. Towards the end of the month mum and I spent a few days getting the boat ready to go to the IWA festival in Burton on Trent. Dad and Toby came down later and on 27 July we set off for the first adventure of the summer. We moored above Common Lock at Fradley but the next morning were stuck and it took a while and some help to get Jennyanydots to move. Maybe she knew what was ahead of us! At Branston Water Park we met up with Adam and Lydia who had brought Annabel down to join us and then we set off again for our Festival mooring.
We had a good time at the Festival and mum said that we were all very good. On the Sunday afternoon we left our mooring to go back to Kings Bromley. Dad got off the boat to go back to the site to collect two prizes we had won in the Draw - a gas barbeque and a thing for charging the battery. They were very heavy. We picked him and the big boxes up as we travelled back towards Branston Lock. At tea time we moored up opposite to the Happy Girlie Hens between Alrewas and Common Lock and Annabel, Toby and I were able to play on the towpath because there was only one other boat we could see.
Dad woke us up very early on Monday 1 August. He said he didn't feel very well. Things got very worrying after that. Mum stood on the towpath in her pyjamas ringing an ambulance and then gave the phone to Annabel. Mum tied me and Toby up on the deck and was calling to passing boats for help. Annabel was very calm and sensible and kept talking to the ambulance control and checking on Dad. Mum and a kind man from a passing boat moved the boat to the lock mooring for Common Lock and three ambulance people climbed across the lock to get to Dad. They said he had had a heart attack. Then a very noisy helicopter came and more people helped make a space in the hedge and all the ambulance people carried Dad away, put him in the helicopter and it flew away. Lots of people stopped to help Mum and Annabel take the boat up the locks to Fradley where Carl and Liz were waiting for us. They helped us get the boat back to Kings Bromley. On the way Adam and Ivan found us, travelled with us back to the marina and then took Annabel to go back home. Mum locked me and Toby in the boat and drove off to Derby Royal Hospital to see Dad. Mum, Toby and I stayed on the boat on the marina for a few days while Dad was in hospital. He is fine now.
Mum is so grateful to all the people who helped us. Big thank you to all of you.
On 8 September Mum and I packed up the car and went to call for Liz and then we set off back to the boat. We sailed up to Shugborough on a beautiful afternoon and then the next day moored at the widest part of Tixall Wide. I was a very good guard dog and wouldn't let anyone come near my ladies. We all went back home on 12 September.
Lydia came with Mum, Dad, Toby and me to the boat for her first sleepover on 22 September. We sailed to Handsacre and moored on a nice stretch of towpath. We had a barbeque and Lydia and I played for ages. She was very good and sensible and I was good too. There was a Hog Roast at the marina on 24 September but Mum, Dad and Lydia wouldn't take Toby and me.
At the beginning of October Mum and I spent a few days on the boat on the marina. on 26 October Mum took me and Lydia and Liz back and we had an exciting trip down to Fradley. Lydia had never done locks before and she absolutely loved it. We stayed at Fradley because the weather wasn't good but had a lovely time in the Fradley Nature Park.
My last trip down to the boat was on 3 November when Mum had to go because RCR were doing the boat engine service on 4 November. Mum spent the next day packing everything up and draining the water tank and making sure everything was sorted for the winter.
That was our last visit to Jennyanydots for 2011. Mum has kept saying what a horrid boating year 2011 was. Once she and Dad are properly recovered from their ailments Mum is really looking forward to having some proper trips in 2012. She has her fingers crossed and I have my paws and tail crossed too.
In July 2011 we didn't get to the boat very often. Ivan came with us one weekend and spent two days polishing Jennyanydots. She looked really good. Towards the end of the month mum and I spent a few days getting the boat ready to go to the IWA festival in Burton on Trent. Dad and Toby came down later and on 27 July we set off for the first adventure of the summer. We moored above Common Lock at Fradley but the next morning were stuck and it took a while and some help to get Jennyanydots to move. Maybe she knew what was ahead of us! At Branston Water Park we met up with Adam and Lydia who had brought Annabel down to join us and then we set off again for our Festival mooring.
We had a good time at the Festival and mum said that we were all very good. On the Sunday afternoon we left our mooring to go back to Kings Bromley. Dad got off the boat to go back to the site to collect two prizes we had won in the Draw - a gas barbeque and a thing for charging the battery. They were very heavy. We picked him and the big boxes up as we travelled back towards Branston Lock. At tea time we moored up opposite to the Happy Girlie Hens between Alrewas and Common Lock and Annabel, Toby and I were able to play on the towpath because there was only one other boat we could see.
Dad woke us up very early on Monday 1 August. He said he didn't feel very well. Things got very worrying after that. Mum stood on the towpath in her pyjamas ringing an ambulance and then gave the phone to Annabel. Mum tied me and Toby up on the deck and was calling to passing boats for help. Annabel was very calm and sensible and kept talking to the ambulance control and checking on Dad. Mum and a kind man from a passing boat moved the boat to the lock mooring for Common Lock and three ambulance people climbed across the lock to get to Dad. They said he had had a heart attack. Then a very noisy helicopter came and more people helped make a space in the hedge and all the ambulance people carried Dad away, put him in the helicopter and it flew away. Lots of people stopped to help Mum and Annabel take the boat up the locks to Fradley where Carl and Liz were waiting for us. They helped us get the boat back to Kings Bromley. On the way Adam and Ivan found us, travelled with us back to the marina and then took Annabel to go back home. Mum locked me and Toby in the boat and drove off to Derby Royal Hospital to see Dad. Mum, Toby and I stayed on the boat on the marina for a few days while Dad was in hospital. He is fine now.
Mum is so grateful to all the people who helped us. Big thank you to all of you.
On 8 September Mum and I packed up the car and went to call for Liz and then we set off back to the boat. We sailed up to Shugborough on a beautiful afternoon and then the next day moored at the widest part of Tixall Wide. I was a very good guard dog and wouldn't let anyone come near my ladies. We all went back home on 12 September.
Lydia came with Mum, Dad, Toby and me to the boat for her first sleepover on 22 September. We sailed to Handsacre and moored on a nice stretch of towpath. We had a barbeque and Lydia and I played for ages. She was very good and sensible and I was good too. There was a Hog Roast at the marina on 24 September but Mum, Dad and Lydia wouldn't take Toby and me.
At the beginning of October Mum and I spent a few days on the boat on the marina. on 26 October Mum took me and Lydia and Liz back and we had an exciting trip down to Fradley. Lydia had never done locks before and she absolutely loved it. We stayed at Fradley because the weather wasn't good but had a lovely time in the Fradley Nature Park.
My last trip down to the boat was on 3 November when Mum had to go because RCR were doing the boat engine service on 4 November. Mum spent the next day packing everything up and draining the water tank and making sure everything was sorted for the winter.
That was our last visit to Jennyanydots for 2011. Mum has kept saying what a horrid boating year 2011 was. Once she and Dad are properly recovered from their ailments Mum is really looking forward to having some proper trips in 2012. She has her fingers crossed and I have my paws and tail crossed too.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
18,19, 20 June 2011
After we left Fishers Mill Bridge we went back to Fazely Junction where mum and dad put more water in the tank and got rid of all the rubbish. It had taken me a couple of days but once I understood the routine I just stayed calm and enjoyed lying on the deck watching out of the doors. I didn't need to be tied up all the time or have the doors closed. We stopped near Hademore Farm Bridge for the night but there were other boats and other dogs so I couldn't just play out on the towpath by myself.
Sunday was a beautiful sunny morning but very windy and we set off for Fradley Junction where we moored up for lunch. In the afternoon we went up the locks again and I had to be tied up because I couldn't work out what dad was doing or where he was some of the time. It was also quite busy and mum had to stand and hold the boat for ages at Woodend Lock. This made her complain that her leg was hurting. The culvert at the ground paddle was blocked so the lock filled up extremely slowly. We moored in a quiet place above the lock and I really liked it there. I ran and ran and ran but mum and dad decided there were too many flies so we set off back to the marina. We travelled with the hood up but mum said it was very stressful avoiding the trees and going so slowly to get under the bridge safely.
We woke up in the marina on Monday morning. Mum and dad were really busy using a hoover and mopping the floors and cleaning everywhere. I was bored but I was very good and didn't run off around the marina by myself. After lunch we packed up the car and set off back to Lancashire.
Mum said that she had really enjoyed herself but was very tired. She was so pleased to have managed to do the trip but said that she wasn't ready yet to plan a big adventure.
Sunday was a beautiful sunny morning but very windy and we set off for Fradley Junction where we moored up for lunch. In the afternoon we went up the locks again and I had to be tied up because I couldn't work out what dad was doing or where he was some of the time. It was also quite busy and mum had to stand and hold the boat for ages at Woodend Lock. This made her complain that her leg was hurting. The culvert at the ground paddle was blocked so the lock filled up extremely slowly. We moored in a quiet place above the lock and I really liked it there. I ran and ran and ran but mum and dad decided there were too many flies so we set off back to the marina. We travelled with the hood up but mum said it was very stressful avoiding the trees and going so slowly to get under the bridge safely.
We woke up in the marina on Monday morning. Mum and dad were really busy using a hoover and mopping the floors and cleaning everywhere. I was bored but I was very good and didn't run off around the marina by myself. After lunch we packed up the car and set off back to Lancashire.
Mum said that she had really enjoyed herself but was very tired. She was so pleased to have managed to do the trip but said that she wasn't ready yet to plan a big adventure.
17 June 2011
Dad and me on the towpath near Curdworth Bottom Lock
You can just see the lock in the distance
If you look carefully you can just see dad's red jacket as he and Toby and me walk towards Fishers Mill Bridge.It was a cold grey day when we left Whittington. I couldn't settle down so mum and dad closed the doors on the deck so that I wouldn't push anyone overboard. When we got to the firing range before Hopwas mum took me and Toby for a walk on the path. This was good. I ran so fast and so far away that mum thought I would get lost but when they were all out of sight I turned round and ran back. It was so good to stretch my legs.
Later we stopped near Tamworth Retail Park and dad went to Sainsbury's. Then we set off again and had a lovely afternoon sailing up towards Curdworth Bottom Lock. Mum turned the boat just before the boat and dad and Toby and I walked back towards Fishers Mill Bridge where we moored up for the rest of the day. Just as they finished putting up the hood the rain started but I didn't mind. I just loved playing about in the bushes and exploring. Everytime anyone came past I jumped back on board and mum said I was really good dog. I really liked being moored here.
16 June 2011
My people unloaded the car and put everything away inside the boat. Toby and I were so excited and I was a bit naughty running around the marina. We set off and went down three locks. I didn't remember anything about locks and I was so excited when we stopped at the first one that they got really cross with me and I had to be tied up for ages.
It rained a bit but eventually we stopped at a place called Whittington. While mum and dad were tying up the boat Toby and I took some toys onto the towpath and played pulling and growling. I didn't know that if I stepped backwards I would fall into the canal! Dad pulled me out over the piling and I'll be more careful in future.Mum and dad wanted a cup of tea so they put the kettle on the stove but then the gas ran out. When they looked in the gas locker to change the bottle they found dead fish, a nest made of chewed up carrier bags and loads of pooey stuff like green earthworms. Someone had been living there. Toby and I were really interested and spent ages sniffing but the animal wasn't there. Mum thinks it might have been a water vole although she didn't think they ate fish.
We had a lovely evening and I really liked it being on the towpath again. It took me most of the day to calm down and stop being so excited and jumpy. At bedtime Toby went to sleep on the settee and I settled down next to mum and dad's bed for the night.
Boating Dogs Update Two 16-20 June 2011
When we got back on board the boat it all looked very different and the pipes were dry at last. The bookcase had been moved and there was a folding table on the wall. The pictures show Dad sitting on his new chair with the bookcase now on the left and what it looked like before. There seems to be more room now and they have put a special rug on the floor for me to lie on.
Boating Dogs Update One 5-7 June 2011
We had a nice little trip out to Handsacre turning point and then moored on the towpath for one night to see how mum could manage. I really liked being moored on the towpath. Toby and I ran up and down and I liked being able to jump off and on the boat when I wanted.
Before we left the marina my people found that the water pipe was leaking again and they weren't very pleased. Mum found a nice man called Richard who said he could fix it properly and that he could move the bookcase and make a folding table.
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