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Busy days and meeting friends

We've been busy this past week or so organising what clothes etc., we should take with us to Oz, how it would all fit in our suitcases, would the weight be more than our allowance, have we got copies of all the documents we may need to take with us and lots of other things too.  We did a 'test' pack yesterday and were delighted that our suitcases were well within our weight allowance.  A load of our minds!

On Monday (28th Jan) afternoon I watched this 'shape' for half an hour or more from inside Still Rockin' but couldn't really see what it was until I took this closeup photo and realised it was a bird ... a big one! George quietly got closer and could see that it had a forked tail ... it's a Red Kite waiting for its supper to come along!

Yesterday I saw clouds of black smoke over the marina buildings which appeared to be coming from the farm by the bust stop on the main road.  Fortunately it didn't last very long and I've no idea what was being burnt.

Today we went into High Wycombe on the bus to meet up with  ...

Sue and Vic (picture 'pinched' from Sue's facebook, although we were with them at this pub way back in June!).  We met them at Bill's for a meal at lunch time and had a really good catch-up; never stopped talking for well over two hours!

When we left High Wycombe it had started to snow quite heavily as we caught the bus, and it was sticking!  It came down heavier as the road got higher but as soon as the bus approached Marlow it gradually stopped and there wasn't a flake on the ground!  I took the above photo when I got home and thought that these heavy clouds were carrying that snow to Hambleden.  I was wrong and they passed over.  Although the temperature has dropped dramatically as I write this blurb, the snow has so far stayed away.  If it hasn't where ever you are ... stay warm and safe.

It's cold ... and we've no heating!

 Over the past few days we've had some really cold nights and although the days have also been cold, in the main the we've had some sunshine too.

This morning (Sun 27th) was no exception except that the snow has now all gone.  At least once each week when the early morning temperature is supposed to be a bit warmer (around 5/6°c) as per the weather forecast we let the fire go out overnight so that the stove can have a good clean out including the glass in the door.  Last night was one of these nights but the forecast let us down and it was only about 2° outside when we awoke ... to a very cold boat!

The Webasto heating had not come on ... so no heat in the radiators and no hot water ... oh nooooo!

On went the immersion heater and the fire was lit - after I'd cleaned it out that is ...

        ... and George has spent most of the day wiping up all the spilt antifreeze solution from the Webasto and disassembling it.  

Still Rockin' is 4½ years old and this is the second time we've had a problem with the heating system ... the same problem in fact! 

The combustion chamber had developed a split which could only be discerned when heated.  The last time was 18 months ago when George sourced and fitted a replacement chamber.  He'll be on the 'phone tomorrow trying to get hold of yet another one quickly before we go away for six weeks. 

  

We had a Webasto heating system on our narrowboat Rock 'n' Roll and it never gave us minutes trouble and is still going strong after nearly 12 years.

A busy day ...

There was a layer of snow on the frozen ground when we got up on Wednesday morning (23rd Jan)

and Hambleden Marina

looked very pretty

That's George ... he's waiting ...

I love these ...

snowy scenes

Everything looks different dressed in white as we wait ...

and here he is ... who we've been waiting for ... this is Stanley ...

and Chris from fuel boat Merchant has bought us much needed coal ... by road due to lock closures for winter maintenance. He stayed for a cuppa and a chat and we managed to have our dog fix!

It was nearly lunch time by the time we set off on the bus to Reading for last minute essentials for our up coming holiday. The picture above is Hambleden Farm opposite the bus stop where it looks like they're having some sort of 'event' on today.

Reading Minster in the late sunshine as we finish our shopping and return to the bus stop.  We've passed the church on many occasions but never had the time to go inside for a look-see and today was no exception, it was getting dark and it had been a long day.

Not quite the Wolf Moon ....

that I saw through the galley window on Tuesday morning (22nd Jan)

as it rose ...

over the Thames ...

but pretty ...

impressive I would say ...

don't you think!

It was another very cold morning and I could see the sun rising through the trees ...

and a lovely sky.

The log delivery arrived a bit later than usual at 12:15 ...

so it was all hands to the deck as George barrowed the logs to Still Rockin' and tipped them into the bow ...

for me to stack ... half an hour later and it's all done.

We had some sleety snow come down at 3:15 ...

and an hour later ...

 and it seemed to be sticking!

Our Sunday Walk ... and a Wolf Moon

Early afternoon (20th January) ...

a slightly longer walk today ... over the weir bridge

The pollarded willows are coming to life over the mill stream

and there's still plenty of water coming down the Thames even though the river is very low at the moment

over Hambleden Lock

Looking back at the weir bridge and Hambleden Mill

We turned right today, walking towards Henley into the sun ...

for about 1½ miles ...

passing Temple Island

and looking back once again towards the Marina

and in front of us towards Henley 

We turn left here towards Remenham ...

go through the churchyard of the Parish Church of St Nicholas ...

and look over meadows and River Thames to Greenland estate which in 1868 was purchased by the son of WH Smith also named William Henry Smith and is now Henley Business School ...

and Temple Island

Catkins in the hedgerows

Stopping half way up the steep hill to get my breath back look at the view once again

Left again here ...

I'm fairly sure that the setting of snares, poison and traps is illegal

Walking along the ridge parallel to the river ...

in the cold but sunny Sunday afternoon was a pleasure.

Lots of sapling trees have been planted here

Surely it's too soon for these young shoots

 Starting down hill now ...

where the shadows are lengthening ...

and we arrive at the Flower Pot Hotel which is part of our usual short walk.

Daffodils and Winter Jasmine bloom in Ferry Lane

as we continue our walk.

These trees are usually full of Red Kites, but not this afternoon.  I wonder where they've gone!

Nearly there now

The water Irises are greening up too

Approaching Hambleden Lock and weir

Have I said before how much we love this place?

First Snowdrops

10 to 3 and the sun is lowering

Home!

45 minutes later and I can see the moon rising

This is the first full moon of the year

This year's first full moon (also known as the Wolf Moon after the howling of wolves), is also a Super Moon and furthermore, there was a Total Lunar Eclipse of this moon which would have seen by north and south America and maybe from the northern isles off Scotland.  Click the links above for some interesting information.

A really good day today!