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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.

Friday 12 February 2021

Who would have believed....

Last week then. when the saga of the sore throat continued well into a fourth day, and when a Facebook message popped up asking for everyone from the Heanor area, including Langley Mill, to go and get a test, the decision was made to go and get it over and done with. I must say no waiting was involved, hardly anyone there, but I found it all very unpleasant and not something I would want to repeat regularly. Ian though, made of sterner stuff, wasn't fazed by it at all. Anyway after 30 minutes both our phones pinged with a message to say our tests had showed a negative result, so it appears my sore throat was just another winter bug going around after all.

That same day a call came through from Norman (chairman) asking if Ian was available to meet him near to Gallows Inn to help retrieve a motorbike from the canal. Derbyshire Police had been informed that a bike had been seen sticking out of the water and asked if any of the ECP&DA bods could help to fish it out. Armed with grappling hooks, life jackets and hi viz vests, he met with Norman and Roland to do the job. Also, at the scene was the owner of the bike! The little darlings had been up to their tricks deciding to go joyriding with his and his wife's pride and joy. Unfortunately the wife's motorbike was never found even though a good few chucks of the grappling hooks at various points of the canal were tried but yielded no result. 

As per every day, not a lot else has happened other than a message from Adam (Briar Rose) to say the article on sponsorship boats (which we had given some information on) was in this month's Canal Boat Magazine. We have a problem though, where to buy it? No one around here sells the magazine, so it looks like we will have to forgo reading the article unless we can find someone who takes the subscribtion and allows us to read the piece.   

'Elf and safety has reared its ugly head here at 't Mill. A CRT guy spent three days installing a handrail on the offside steps leading down from the lock. Sometimes I wonder how in 50 years no accident had been recorded yet these days we are all thought of being too namby-pamby to walk down steps by ourselves without some sort of aid! 

 

Yesterday we had a massive surprise. Little did we know when we got up what the day would hold.

So breakfast over and Ian checks his phone messages. "You'll never believe it" said he. We have only gone and got an invite from NHS to attend a centre near us for the first Covid Vaccine. Well you could have knocked us down with a feather as only yesterday, when Ian attended the doctor surgery about his continuing aching shoulder, he was told that we would have to wait for a letter which could be weeks away. Anyway computor fired up and straight onto the website. Fully expecting to have to wait a week or more to book the appointment, imagine our surprise when two appointments were still available at Mansfield for 3 and 3.10 pm. Booked those appointments pretty quick I can tell you. So first vaccine all done and dusted. It took a total of 30 minutes from arrival to when we both left and so very impressed to how efficient and quick we were dealt with.

Oh, and guess what. Our letters arrived inviting us for the jab at our convenience this morning. Blimey...NHS are certainly on the ball with the next stage.  65 to 70-year-olds now.

 

A few more wildlife photos

Seems like this Goosander female is very at home on the Erewash Canal

Bottoms up


Not often a Bull finch comes to visit.


8 comments:

Pip and Mick said...

Glad to hear your tests came back negative and that you've had your first jabs. Mick is next in line in his family for the vaccine, I'll be a little while yet.
You can get subscriptions for Canal Boat, but I suspect you are like us when Tilly was on the front page, we wanted a copy to keep.
Take care
Pip Mick and Tilly

Nev Wells said...

The problem with C&RT installing such handrails is now any half decent ambulance chasing law firm will argue if they saw fit to remove the risk on one set of steps and did not install handrails on all steps on the network, anyone falling down steps without handrails has realised a risk cart themselves identified and did nothing about (if no handrail) I hate it but it's a sad fact of modern something for nothing life.

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Putting it like that Nev, you are oh so right.

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Hi Pip and Mick, Old copies are available to buy online, so I will just have to wait until the February issue is available.
Glad Mick will get his vaccination soon. Fingers crossed you will follow soon after.

Anonymous said...

Yes we've had our pfizer vaccines too, no ill effects hurrah!
We had appointments half an hour apart, but joined the queue together and went in room together to recieve it, no waiting around, perfick.
Next day we had a letter, each, saying we would be invited to attend and another letter each four days after we had had the jab informing us to have it done.
Much unecesary waste of paper and postag.
Very efficient organising by staff and volunteers when we arrived though.
Glad you are bothe ok now, how kind Ian is to help with retrieving that bike and thank you for those lovely pics.
Ann Makemson xx

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Thanks, Ann. The vaccination program is certainly going at a pace now and at this rate we may all be free to socialise again.

KevinTOO said...

Irene/Ian Congratulations on becoming members of the JABBEE Club... lol

p.s. I recommend removing your address details from that letter too ;)

Ian and Irene Jameison said...

Hi Kevin Thanks for your advice, but I didn't feel that was necessary for this instance because I expect all my readers by now will know where we are. We do though always remove any addresses which give house numbers by either shredding or burning the letter.
Hope you are well and like us looking forward to when restrictions are lifted. X

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