Sod's Law

Would you believe it, the coal & diesel boat Callisto came past us this afternoon - the day after we topped up with coal & diesel in Valley Cruises.  Arghhhh.  How anoying.  I've found his website and will find out his route, so we can stalk him till it's time to fill up again.

We spent a few days moored in the countryside just outside Atherstone, but when we woke up to an iced over canal, we thought we'd better make a break for civilisation.  So we went a couple of miles, and are now camped out in sight of Valley Cruises/Springwood haven, and here we will remain until the temperature rises a few degrees.  We have been caught out before, when the Ashby canal froze and we were stranded for six weeks.  If it wasn't for Iain and his mate Ralph, who delivered diesel to us by van & carted it down the towpath by wheelbarrow, I think we'd have had to abandon the boat (we have diesel central heating which was running on fumes at the time).  After that winter (2008/2009) we installed a second, coal & wood burning stove in the back, which is HUGE and belts out the heat.  We can cook on the beast as well. 

Dave hasn't quite mastered the skill of gathering wood, without falling in - although he did manage to keep dry last week.  However, while we were in Atherstone, we took the opportunity to get a load of logs delivered to the boat, from a friend of a friend in the pub.  Job's a good 'un.  So now Beefur is in winter mode.  The flowers have been replaced by logs covered in plastic sheets.  Not so attractive, but practical!