About Us

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In 1977 we hired our first narrowboat from Anglo Welsh at Market Harborough.From that moment our destiny was set. In 2006 we finally purchased our own brand new 57' narrowboat which we named 'Free Spirit'. Our aim is to travel the length and breadth of all the navigable rivers and canals of the UK. This will be our story as it unfolds.

Monday, 25 April 2016

Oh...how embarrasing and a Baby Boom hits Chester

Sunday 24th


So early evening yesterday, as we were watching TV,  the unmistakable sound of cheeping was heard. Rushing to the window I spied a duck with 7 ducklings. A lot of ahhh aren't they cute but then...another duck with 15 ducklings. All more or less the same age so must have hatched that day. Admiring this brood suddenly Ian said "your not going to believe this but another duck has appeared with 8 this time. Blimey the Drakes around here must have been at it all on the same day but unfortunately for the mum of eight, one was trying it on again. This time she gave him a right telling off...as it should be. Loads of photos I'm afraid.

Duck 1 with 7 (2 out of the picture)

Duck 2 with 15 ducklings


Duck 2's mate keeping a sharp eye on the little ones.

such a long way up

15 ducklings to fit under mum.....mmm... somehow I doubt it.



Duck 1 with her 7 tucked neatly under her. That's her mate asleep.

Duck 1 takes to the water as duck 3 arrives

Duck number 3 with 8. Notice her head. Badly mauled by the Drakes This one was still attractive to the Drakes

Duck 2 not happy seeing duck 3's youngsters



Duck 3 not happy

'cos that Drake arrived


you tell him girl

She makes a hasty retreat (that head looks bad)

She took refuge on FS

But the cries to her ducklings were to much to ignore

Back with them once more

So there you have it. Loads more on the wildlife blog

We did go back to do more of Chester today. The Hop on Hop off bus around the city, The Cathedral and the Roman Deva museum. Walking down some of the streets we came across vintage cars. It was the clubs 'Take a Drive's' annual day out. All shiny and gleaming and all to be admired. It was on our way back after a good days sightseeing that the embarrassing moment happened.

There was I admiring those cars again and not really paying attention to what was around me when next thing I knew I was on the pavement, lying face down and sprawled out. People rushed to my aid but boy did I feel foolish. I managed to get myself up with the help of Ian. Not only did I hurt both knees and elbows but the camera round my neck took the full force of the fall. Needless to say the glass lens had two lovely cracks running through it. Luckily, in fact ,VERY luckily I had the filter lens on over the main lens and this was the only thing damaged. Could have been an expensive fall and as for me..well I felt really stupid and embarrassed. Found out afterwards that I fell over a raised step around a small monument, no ones fault but my own!

Scenes around Chester,

Mayor and Mayoress admiring the cars

Roman Dewa museum



Always useful to know the Roman numerals. And an animal skull found during the excuvations
Chester Cathedral



Golgotha



2 comments:

Sue said...

What absolutely fantastic pics of the ducks and their families. Those you should enter in a competition. I am sure one of them would get pride of place on the Countryfile calendar for next year. Fabulous, fabulous..

Ummmmm a bit of a trip eh? Glad you are OK though...

Gawd that verify for spam is asking me to click all the pics that have popcorn in it.. I have failed miserably.. I never did go to the cinema much.. I need to refresh to something more simple to get this comment posted!

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Oh sorry about that Sue, not sure why blogger is being so troublesome. Will have a look to see what can be done. Xxx And thanks for your lovely comments about those ducklings. I will be very interested to see how many are still around when we get back to Chester. Xxx

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