And there's more:

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The amount of total rubbish that comes through my letterbox is amazing.

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Last Monday I walked up The Chesterfield canal to the Marina

There was a very nice looking boat Atticus moored at Shireoaks MW

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Nb Narrow Minded had moved up to the Marina from the Lock Keeper

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Beyond the marina are the capped shafts of the old Shireoaks pit.

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Walking over the ex spoilheap there's loads of teasels (teazels?) …

… and hundreds (thousands?) of young trees with more leaf colours than you'd think possible.

I don't think of ivy as having fruit.

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Things you see but don't notice: ripples on the water.

To mark ...

...the Canal & River Trust I doodled some variations of their logo to "improve" it:

This is the actual Logo:

So first I added a boat:

didn't like it there so I moved it, embiggened it & gave it a skipper (& snipped the words)

Then I thought I'd add a walker or two … oh … and some fish:

Now I went the whole hog with a cyclist & an angler:

Dunno why I've blogged this but so far there's over 150 views on twitter so I thought I'd share.

Added the most important towpath user:

Old friends

Went up to Shireoaks Low bridge and back down to the Lock Keeper as the non-cousin I mentioned last blog had said he'd be there (with the missus).

Spent a smashing two hours chatting with them, learned new stuff and remembered old stuff together. They haven't changed in the ten years since I last saw them. They're both so fit: they ski, scuba, run, martial arts and cycle. He's been retired a few years now and she's redundant later this year.

They were at Tapton Lock on the Chesterfield canal (on cycles) when they saw a request for volunteers. A while later he's got a "Skipper's Cert" which allows him to take out the CCTrust boat John Varley with passengers and he's now John Varley Manager - a post that's been unfilled for some time.

Some Pics:

Nb Narrow Minded at Lock Keeper pound	Heron flying away

Teasels through a hedge	Just sky over Godfrey's pond

Grebe family on Godfrey's pond

I'm in there too!

Two non-cousins and an eye.

Cats and stuff

From October 5, 2011

Reason I have to go to town every day.

The hungry beasts attack me if I'm in bed any later than 10AM, demanding food.

I've been to-ing and fro-ing as usual. I'll stick some pics up soonish.

I got in touch with an old friend (a non cousin - I called her parents Aunt & Uncle when I was knee high) by Googling her forename and the last village I knew she'd lived in many years ago.
Her brother (also, of course a non-cousin) has emailed me; among other stuff: "i have recently got a skippers certificate to take passengers out on narrow boats and i volunteer on the John Varley in Chesterfield.". (the John Varley's the CCtrust's trip boat on the Chesterfield section of the Chesterfield Canal.) Years between us and we've acquired a common interest!

Moer later.

Cats' names:

• Gingernuts: if you saw him walking away with tail in the air. you wouldn't need to ask
• Kipper: sleeps all day
• Squeak: touch her and she squeaks!
• Gingerkit: he's ginger and he's a kitten: nuff said

All the cats are "comers" - I had one cat when I came here (she died Easter 2010) and first Gingernuts began sneaking in nicking her food. The black pair followed soon after and the kitten's been here about six months. The Ginger pair make free with the flat but the black 'uns stay in the kitchen.

t'other blog

I've just added some purty piccies, and a few words, to the random facts about canals page. That's what I really went up the canal for today (yesterday now!).

WHY are people on narrowboats all so damned friendly? All that I have encountered have been delightful; always ready to talk and tell their stories.

Mean to go and look at Harthill reservoir this week to see where the feeder starts. I've seen the Brancliffe one and of course the Ryton feeder at the Canch - only the Broadbridge Dike to see. Years ago, (1980ish) I followed a feeder at Norwood up to Woodall pond. I remember being gobsmacked at the work that had gone into it: beautifully laid brickwork bottom and sides, just for moving water from one place to another. I believe it's no longer there and is on private land anyway.
Two of the cats have decided they aren't friends. Gingernuts and Kipper are hissing and spitting at each other. As Ginge was first have to side with him but Kipper (he's big & black) is so endearing.

And so to bed (half past two)

Thorpe Top Treble & Back

Walked up to Thorpe Top Treble & back.

Boats

Nb Little Mester I've seen before.
Nb Elizabeth Anne: first time I've seen it out of its mooring on Canal Road.
Nb De Nada going up to moor at Albert's Dock.
Nb (James) passing through Shireoaks top.
Nb Wineberry on Shireoaks pound.
Nb Siloam at the Lockkeeper.

Don't know if I'm gonna be able to post any pics but here goes: Computers are a pain in the parts that other pains don't reach!
Had to delete/reinstall F-Spot; the 2Tb drive works when it feels like it; Flickr packed up on the uploading after about 10 pics. GRRRRRRRR!

Gingernuts has fallen out with me: flea powder! I wouldn't mind, but he's scrattin' all the time. The one where you're supposed to drop it on the back of his neck is a no-no; he will not let you do it - and I've the scars to prove it.

well, the reinstalled F-Spot seems to be working. So I might be able to post some pics.

Little Mester leaving Haggonfields Lock

Elizabeth Anne at the Lock Keeper

Siloam at the Lock Keeper

"James" approaching Shireoaks Top lock

De Nada in Thorpe flight

Wineberry moored outside the marina

I got some pics for t'other site, which I shall be adding forthwith, …or not.