Packet Boat Marina

Grand Union Canal – Tuesday 28 October 2013

Today I spent the day doing research at The National Archives in Kew.  I have a friend coming over from Spain for Remembrance Weekend and have been asked to find a Military Cross Citation for an officer killed at Arnhem.  I managed, but it was for bravery in Italy.  The officer concerned had been captured at Taranto in September 1943 and assisted an escape from the train but he was unable to get out himself.  There was a second journey and he managed to escape with two others under fire at Vincenza.  They were unable to escape by sea and made several unsuccessful attempts to cross the lines.  During the early part of 1944 he tried to organise other escapees to assist local patriots but was turned down by the locals.  In June 1944 he reported to British troops at Ascoli Pinceno and rejoined his unit in time for Operation MARKET GARDEN (A Bridge Too Far).  At the time of his death he was only 23 years old.

The journey over was relatively uneventful but there was evidence of yesterday’s stormy weather – a couple of times the train slowed right down and you could feel and hear the tree branches going down the side of the carriages.  Obviously the bigger ones are top priority and the smaller ones will be cleared in the next few weeks.

I also managed some family history going through the 1841 to 1911 Census records.

Wednesday 29 October 2013

A quiet day in the Marina catching up on mail and sorting Tuesday’s information.

The sun has been out all day

Packet Boat marina

Grand Union Canal – Monday 27 October 2013

Due to ‘slightly’ inclement weather I have spent the day in the boat.  I was woken with the feeling that the boat was moving, but it was only the wind and the waves slapping against the side.  Loose bits on the roof had blown off but not into the water so once retrieved were put under the cratch cover.  There have been a couple of sunny patches and the wind slackened but it kept up for most of the day.

Packet Baoat Marina

Grand Union Canal – Sunday 27 October 2013

Another week that has disappeared and I feel that most has been spent travelling.  Monday was a trip to Hammersmith to collect glasses and leave my second pair to have the lenses changed.  Then off to a friend’s to help preparing for a court case, they are a landlord attempting to reclaim their property.  After two hearings the bailiffs were due to attend Monday for eviction but the tenants got a hearing in a different court scheduled for Wednesday.  That took all day and I got driven back because of the time.

Tuesday I had a review with my GP – my diabetes is still under control and he is satisfied with progress.

Wednesday it was off to the Central London County Court where the Judge, having listened to the tenant, found in favour of my friend – a relief but it will only be finished when the tenants have gone.  After the hearing we went for a meal at Café Laville which is directly over the western entrance to the Maida Hill Tunnel.

Thursday and Friday were spent in the marina and local area then Saturday I had to go off to Kennington for an AGM which went on until 3pm then on Sunday it was a return to St Columba’s in Pont Street where I am one of the Elders.  I have been missed by the others and some of the congregation.

I know it sounds like I don’t do much but a journey into London takes almost two hours!  First a 10 minute walk from the boat to the bus stop (wait for up to 20 minutes) then a bus either to Hounslow (40 minutes) or Uxbridge (15 minutes).  From Hounslow the Piccadilly (Heathrow) branch and from Uxbridge the Piccadilly or Metropolitan lines.  If time is right (after 09:30) a walk to West Drayton station will get me into Ealing Broadway for the Central or District lines or Paddington Main Line.  So there are lots of transport but a book is needed to fill in the time.

The weather has been mixed all week.

Packet Boat Marina

Grand Union Canal – Sunday 20 October 2013

Where have the last five days gone?  On Wednesday I started the winter cleaning of the boat by washing the ‘bird presents’ off the roof, then on Thursday a trip into Uxbridge to get a set of passport photos done as I need to provide one should I pass the VHF course.

Friday was spent travelling up to Rugby in sunny weather and getting sorted in the Premier Inn.  Then a bit of pre-reading for Saturday for the VHF course at Willow Wren Training.  There were four of us on the course which was classroom based and it was a brain exhausting day with all sorts of initials (VHF, DSC, GPS, SRC, GMDSS, MMSI – it was like being back in the Army)!  There were all sorts of bits of unintentional humour of the double entendre style with fictitious boat names when using the radios to send practical messages.  However, it was an enjoyable day and the test was totally random – there are six test papers with 25 questions to be answered in 30 minutes and we got to choose by letter.  I thought I had goofed with a couple of questions but it turned out they were right, it was one of the others I’d got wrong.  There was also a practical where we had to input information into the radio.  The final result was that all of us passed.  Then on Sunday a journey back to Packet Boat having to cope with the weekend underground closures on Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines.

The journey back was uneventful with sunshine while I was on the train and the Underground and as soon as I arrived at Hounslow, about 2pm, all the street lights were on as it had started raining and didn’t stop until I was back on the boat.  I am not paranoid – honest!!!!!

Packet Boat Marina

Grand Union Canal – Tuesday 15 October 2013

I wrote this was going to get boring.  A cloudy start to the day so I spent the morning getting stuff organised for the weekend as I’m attending a VHF radio course.  The afternoon was spent with a trip in to Uxbridge to pay some bills.  I must try to do shopping trips in the mornings so that I miss the various ‘school runs’ which remind me too much of working for TfL.

Weatherwise it has been another mixed day – cloudy for most of the day with patchy sun late afternoon.