I should apologise for the lack of posts over the past two months, although there has been much to post the pressure of work has left me so mentaly knackered something had to give.

I hope to resume posting very soon

I was having my usual wander through the web when I spotted in BW’s Newsroom.
Bill Bryson, President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) best-selling author of travel books has thrown his weight behind BW’s Towpath Tidy 2009.

Bill Bryson says in a press release from BW:

“Britain’s waterways are of vital importance, providing everyone with the opportunity to experience their cities, towns and countryside from a unique and tranquil perspective. It’s a disgrace that some people choose to treat their waterways as an open litter bin or as a place to dump their discarded waste. I urge everyone who wants to get this country clean to join in and tidy a towpath.”

And from Robin Evans, BW chief executive:

“Canals are enjoying a long overdue renaissance, they are now used and enjoyed more than at any other time in their 200-year history. Volunteers have become essential to the waterways ongoing success and Towpath Tidy is an enjoyable and rewarding occasion when we join forces with individuals and organisations to support wildlife and improve the appearance of the network for everyone.”

It’s a real pity that all users of the towpaths can’t live in harmony. The canal system is a haven of tranquility where most folk go to recharge their mental batteries and enjoy their surroundings. Our canal system is a very precious resource especially now with the financial constraints placed on BW. Why should a very small minority bring their “sod you pal ” attitudes with them and spoil it for others.

 We can only hope that in time that they also become converts to the wonderful world of our Inland Waterways and see the error of their ways……

British Waterways launched today a hotline for the public to report abandoned shopping trolleys found in canals and rivers.
There are over 3000 trolleys dumped each year and it costs £150,000 to recover them which according to Robin Evans equates to just 18 minutes of profit from the leading supermarkets.

BW conducted a survey of 1991 people, of those 86% believe that the supermarkets should pay for the removal of dumped trolleys.

Shopping trolleys are symbolic of the mindless pollution that takes place along our canals and rivers every year

Robin Evans
British Waterways

The Trolley Hotline can be contacted on on 01923 291120, or by visiting www.britishwaterways.co.uk/trolley.

“Stop Whingeing and buy snow chains” says Geoff Hoon the Secretary of State for Transport.

‘Why has nobody got snow chains and why are you all whingeing about what the Government hasn’t done? He suggested motorists who have not spent £54.50 on snow chains for their tyres could not grumble about disruption to their journeys.

This only goes to prove that this man is a total fool. No wonder he’s known as “Buff Hoon”. Transport experts say tyre chains are unsuitable for the UK because they cannot be used on cleared roads or at more than 20mph. They are designed for use on frozen and compacted snow that you would find in Alpine areas of Europe where many of the roads are not salted or ploughed.

I have been a member of the Hertfordshire 4X4 Response since its inception and we have really come into our own this week. We have been on standby to support the East of England Ambulance Service since last Sunday. But the phone really started to go off today with requests from Bedfordshire Ambulance service to help snow bound staff get in to work. If it hadn’t been for my Land Rover I wouldn’t have got into work myself this week, the roads out of the village not having been ploughed or salted.

The Hertfordshire 4×4 response unit was set up in 2007 to aid the Emergency Services and Local Authorities in the event of severe weather, flood or other emergency where four wheel drive vehicles were required for the response.

As I was looking through the February edition of Waterways World the advert for Kingsground Narowboats caught my eye.

Would you rather have your money floating around the rather ugly world of the banking system?

OR

Would it be safer floating round the beautiful canal system right here at home?

With the interest rates paid out by the banks and building societies I think I agree with Kingsground. At least you would be getting pleasure out of your savings rather than keeping them under the bed (even that would be safer than a bank)or at the mercy of a corrupt and immoral banking system.

The banks in my view brought on this calamity by sheer avarice with no thought to their social responsibilities just to their immoral bonuses. They still haven’t learned their lesson absorbing the government bail out money like sponges but not releasing any to hard pressed business and mortgages. Someone somewhere is making a lot of money at our expense.

“Vive la Révolution!

Patrick McGoohan (Number six) the creator and star of the cult 1960s series ” The Prisoner ” died yesterday aged 80 after a short illness.

The series tells the story of a man who finds himself trapped with no past memory in a place called the Village. As he explores he finds other inhabitants who are only identified by a number and have the same memory loss as he. Not knowing who to trust, The Prisoner seeks the truth behind the village and it’s controller Number Two.

I can remember watching the series and being only 10 at the time found it strange to see a man being chased by a large rubber balloon around a fantasy place. Which turned out to be Portmerrion in Wales.

Keeping New Year Resolutions has never been my strong point but this year I have resolved to keep my resolutions.

1. I will keep true with my Yorkshire upbringing and only spend on what is realy required.
2. I will deal with things as they crop up and not just leave then to another time.
3. I will be more tidy

We wish all Boaters a Happy New Year for 2009

Happy Boating

Well I was lucky this year, as usual Jo asked me at least a month before Christmas to give her some idea of what I might like and as usual I couldn’t think of anything at the time. Is this a Man thing?……

We were up at Braunston working on Alacrity the weekend before Christmas and walking in to Wharf House Narrowboats I spotted an Ecofan, since fitting the Squirrel stove I have thought about getting one. and it was too good to miss………..Present problem solved!!

Jo worked her magic and included the books below in my “Stocking”

I love the true stories of the deviousness, deception and dirty tricks used in WW2

I’m half way through this book its so funny it hurts to read it. As a “Gene Hunt” fan I find Phil Glenister’s view of things past and present hilarious