This is the lock narrows that has caused all the fuss and this is the letter that David wrote to The Times

Dear Sir,

The Inland Waterways are not as tranquil nor as successful as your leader article and report would suggest (24 July 2008). I fear you have fallen for the British Waterways PR punt.

Three things inhibit the good life afloat - vandals, drunks and British Waterways.

The ills of Society reflect on the canals with youths attacking boats. I doubt that not a day of the summer holidays go by without a boat being targeted by children and youths. Bricks, air pellets and urinating from bridges are the favourite pastime of unsupervised youngsters.

Would the town planner who thought that bars and waterways mix please step forward? Great strides have been made in improving many town and city canal areas but the industrial hinterland of canals has been replaced by bars turning out drunks until four in the mooring. Ropes untied, boats rocked, occupants awaken by thumping on the windows are the present fate of boaters moored bestride ‘Entertainment Areas’. Here in the wonderful Gas Street Basin - lock jumping is the norm. Attempts by drunks to jump seven feet fail, normally by six inches. Injuries are sustained, ambulances summoned, police interviews conducted. We campaign for a fence to prevent injury and perhaps a death but are ignored by British Waterways.

British Waterways are disliked and distrusted by many of its customers. Their constant and continual prices increases way beyond any inflation figure has driven away the poor, the young and the needy. We are left with the heavy of wallet, the grey-haired, and the wealthy needing another status symbol. The latest BW scam is the tendering for moorings. In the past one could join a waiting list for a mooring now they are tendered to the highest bidder. The result is the rich get the pleasure of a mooring whilst the poor get the blame for illegally mooring.


You can see that we have got some flower boxes, but there are gaps and that is where they jump.


I have just got a free subscription for an Australian e-magazine here: http://www.creativelivingmedia.com.au/ and I promised to pass it on.







I saw some lovely paper toppers the other day and managed to get three cards from the pack. This one I made on pink card, matting it onto pink card and blue card and cutting out a photo corner in the blue.