Gas Street

After the snow yesterday there was a very heavy frost this morning. Thank goodness we have now got the fire working again. We have been snug and cozy inside the boat and I have only just poked my nose out for 2 minutes to put some Halloween cards out for sale.

So - I spent most of the afternoon on the laptop and I have opened another shop!!! I know, it's a bit greedy but the ArtyMiss shop seems very slow and the links do not always seem to work.



The new shop has given me a domain address which is www.HandmadebyBrenda.misi.me.uk or (if it works) just click HERE.

I have only uploaded a few cards so far - mostly sets of cards - so here is the first set of 5 cards. They cost £5.50 (including postage) and they can be bought with PayPal.

There are 5 different photographs of boats in the snow and all have a holographic border.

Gas Street

As I write this blog (on Tuesday 28th October only) IT IS SNOWING!!!!! What is the winter going to be like?

Our trip to Biarritz was fun. We had a hotel room overlooking the sea and Spain and watched the surfers like little black seals all day. The food wasn't as good as we've had in Poitiers or Bordeaux though - a bit out of season seaside fayre - and the weather was almost as bad.

The picture shows Sorcerer arriving into Gas Street with Vick on the front and Peter steering on the back. We are expecting some new moorers soon as several vacancies have been filled.

We have had several "disasters" on the boat. First the heating pump broke, so we could not have the fire going as the water was not circulating from the back boiler. Then the main water pump broke which meant we could not get water to pump into the taps or the toilets.

David came out from Lyons Boatyard to fix the water pump last Friday and then came back today to fix a new heater pump. But before he could arrive, the main electrical connection into the boat fused up and burnt out - so now we have no mains electricity!!! It never rains - it just snows!!!

One of my canal themed cards. A picture of one of the high bridges on the Shroppie matted onto silver and white card. A band of silver holographic card and red scalloped card horizontally across the middle and a piece of green hessian behind the picture.

And now the snow is actually sticking on the ground! Thank goodness we got the fire fixed in time.

Gas Street

Curdworth tunnel taken in August. Sorry no topical photos - not much happening at present.

We have been to Stockholm for a few days. The weather (after the first night) was glorious sunshine - though a little chilly. The trees were all golden and everything was VERY, very expensive!!

Apart from a drunken fight and a dip in the canal, the moorings have been fairly quiet. David had a meeting with the new Bobby Browns (ex Panama Bar) and they have promised to sort out the noise problem - so that just leaves the O Bar to sort out. And on Saturday morning the Portsmouth football team all walked along the bar and over the bridge. I'll have to get an autograph book.

Also on Saturday the pump which keeps the central heating water flowing through the boat packed up with the fire going full blast. David managed to get all the hot coals out before it erupted and we are having to survive with an electric heater until Tuesday.

A pretty card with a sepia photo matted onto gold, cream and black card with a small ribbon rose in the top left hand corner. Half the base card was covered with sepia coloured postcard type paper and a ribbon covered the join.

Gas Street

We seem to get a lot of people coming here to feetd the Canada Geese, consequently the geese have started roosting on the lock island and making their usual mess. We asked BW if we could have it power washed and were told that "It was not their responsibility". Then when the Conservative Party came for their conference last week we got railings painted black and white (but not by our moorings which were promised and really need it) and then two men turned up with two brooms and a small plastic bucket on a piece of string.


Trouble is - it needs doing all over again already.

David and I have just had three days in Poitiers, France. Lovely place, tiny airport (just our Ryanair plane) and close to the city. There are two lovely cathedrals and lots of interesting architecture - and David got to ogle the girls again and eat lovely food.

Here are some Halloween cards I have made. They, and others, are available from my shop here.

Gas Street

Doesn't this just sum up our Summer this year?

Sorry - not been very active on the blogging side recently. Must have been all the consternation last week with the Conservative Conference. Or just lazyness. We had lots of policemen around and all the boats had to be escorted through past the conference centre again. Though I think if I was going to be bloody minded enough to blow up the Conservative Party on my boat (and possibly me with it), two extra policemen whould probably be a bonus.

Otherwise (apart from wearing out the bus pass) nothing much has happend. Although I've just remembered that Pete slipped on the moorings and spent a couple of days in hospital, coming back with a black eye.

Peter went off on his boat, Chanel, last Sunday and came back Friday with his new boat Sorcerer, so that's another new(ish) boat on the moorings. There are about 3 or 4 more moorings up for tender - so we may be quite full soon.

Christmas is coming!!! Here are four cards which I am about to upload to my shop here

This one is l made with red card. A green ribbon and bow are fixed under the banner which is matted with silver card.

This one is a pink card with silver organza ribbon whith sparkly snowflakes and wound around with silver thread. The wire angel has net, feathers and gems on it. I have made a box for this card as it is too thick to go in an ordinary envelope.

This is a yellow card with turkeys on the front. The wording on the front says "Stuff the Turkey!". Inside the insert says "Eat chocolate!" and there is a large chocolate coin fixed to the bottom right hand corner.

And finally a green card with a patterned panel and a silk, white poinsettia flower fixed to the left hand size.