Healthy Eating - Part 3

The healthy eating regime is still alive and kicking, we are in the third week now and other then a couple of minor hiccups we have largely stuck to the plan.

The next big text now is going to be the weekend and next week when we are away on the boat. Will we stick to healthy eating or will it all fall apart?

Once again at home we are finding the changes really easy to follow. Opposite is an example of what we have been conjouring up, pitta pizzas are always a favourite and a nice easy and healthy alternative to a takeaway pizza. On saturday evening we had a mixed sea food salad, with fresh tuna, tiger prawns and salmon, again a lovely meal. Last night we had cajun chicken breast with garlic and herb sweet potato wedges and a selection of vegetables. 

When we mention we are making an effort to eat more healthy people are usually turning up their noses expecting bowl after bowl of salad but we are finding different and exciting meals to try out instead and making lots of small and easy changes is really starting to stack up. We both already feel much healthier.

Tonight will be a big test as we are heading to The Waverley pub tonight for the Motornutz monthly car meet. Will we be able to resist the lovely burger and chips or pie and peas and opt for something a little more healthy?

Eye in the Sky

Earlier this month Burton Waters commissioned a drone pilot to fly above the marina and take some new photographs for the website. Well here are the results showing the newest phase of development and a shot of some of the marina berths. Unfortunately they were taken during a weekend so we are not on our berth!

The newest phase of development around the marina, now complete.

 E Pontoon looking lovely in the sunshine. Our berth is the empty one to the left of the restaurant over the water, directly in front of it.

Getting There

Although the weekend didn't turn out exactly as planned we did get pretty much everything done that needed to be done to allow us to go away next week.

We had thought that the main job would have been filling up with diesel, how wrong could we have been?

The main job ended up being the fitting of new seals to the raw water pump which thankfully Newark Marina held in stock. It wasn't even an expensive job. £10 for two genuine Volvo Penta seals, and about hours tinkering time to get them fitted and inspect the impellor etc. Now it is fingers crossed that the alternator dries out fully and in full working order ready for next weekend!

Unfortunately in fitting the new pump a fair bit of river water did end up in the bilges, not a problem in the engine bay as the bilge pump and manual bilge pump got most of that out. But on Naughty-Cal there is a shallow cabin bilge under the main boat which is linked to the engine bay bilge area. The pump can't get this water out. We had a small manual bulb pump for this job but unfortunately when we came to use it we found it had a split in the plastic bulb so wouldn't pump. Never mind we will find a DIY shop whilst out next week and buy a new one and get the water out. I hate water in the bilges.

Unexpected Repairs

We were really not expecting to be repairing anything this weekend so imagine our surprise when the alternator alarm sounded yesterday.

A quick look under the lid and the problem was evident.  The raw water pump seals had failed and the pump was spraying water on the alternator.

So a quick trip to Newark Marina this morning to get the new seals and an hour tinkering and we have the pump up and running again. 

Job One

Job One complete.  138 litres of diesel taken onboard the tank is now brimmed.

Getting Ready

This week seems to have absolutely flown by. It doesn't seem like too minutes ago we were heading back to Sheffield after a great weekend on board, but now we are looking ahead to this weekend just on our doorstep.

Tonight we are working behind the bar at Lincoln Boat Club, so it will be a rush from work to Burton Waters and then jump on the boat and head down river to Lincoln in time to open up the bar.

As this is our last weekend before we go away for a week on the Trent we have a few bits and bobs to do. The most important thing is refilling the diesel tank. This time we will brim it to the top so it will take around about 130-140 litres, it's first since we gave it a top up mid August. 

As well as filling with diesel we have the bedding to change and a bit of cleaning up to do and taking stock of what is in the cupboards and what we need to bring next Friday. Nothing too pressing and nothing that will take a long time. We will also ensure that we leave the water tank full so that we can literally dump our gear on the boat next week, turn the key and go.

As for the rest of this weekend, we have no particular plans. We will do a spot of shopping in Lincoln tomorrow morning but then it is anyone's guess where we will end up or who we will be with.

Healthy Eating - Part 2

So we are into week two of our new healthy eating regime. How did we fair at the weekend?

Well, on the whole we were good, making healthy choices for breakfast and evening meals, with the exception of Saturday evening when we chose steak from the pub menu. Not the healthiest of choices!

We did make up for it on Sunday morning however. Whilst waiting for the tide we had a ten mile round trip walk from High Marnham to Sutton on Trent and back. If we had any hint of a hang over it was soon blown away during the walk before we returned in time to have a bite to eat before setting off on the tide to Torksey. Sunday lunch was dealt with by way of a slow cooked turkey casserole with dumplings. 

We always knew that the weekends would be our downfall. During the week we find eating healthier meals a breeze, making simple changes to make meals just that bit healthier. Like swapping semi skimmed milk for skimmed, using reduced fat cheese and butter, swapping steak mince for turkey mince or quorn mince and perhaps most  importantly reducing portion sizes. This has been a bit of a downfall of mine, but now with a bit more insight it is becoming easier to prepare the right sized meals.

Overall we both already feel better in ourselves after just a couple of short weeks. Long may it continue.

A Weekend on the Trent - Part 3

And for the final part of this pictorial account of our weekend at High Marnham a selection of pictures taken by the crew of Sole Mate.

 Heading upstream with the flotilla.

All hands on deck trying to get Shelee mobile again.

 Is that the right tool?

Jack watching over proceedings.

Dinghy rides on the Trent.

 The Motley Crew enjoying themselves in the Brownlow Arms

A Weekend on the Trent - Part 2

 Sole Mate to the rescue towing Sheelee to Dunham after a breakdown.

 Laneham ski club. Yes that is a chair!

 On the approach to Dunham Bridge.

 Fixing Sheelee at Dunham Bridge.

 High Marnham ski club still out and about as we use their moorings.

Heading for home.

A Weekend on the Trent - Part 1

A few pictures from our weekend on the Trent.

A cracking weekend with great company.

 Naughty-Cal and Sole Mate waiting for the tide on a glorious morning.

 Torksey Lock looking resplendent in the sunshine.

 Adebar waiting in the lock cut for the rest of the motley crew.

 A quick visit to Torksey Caravans.

 Adebar and Anna waiting bottom side.

Heading up the Trent at last

A Great Day

We had a great day yesterday starting in Torksey,  with a brief stop at Dunham Bridge whilst the skiers finished off and then the quick hop to High Marnham where we had a nice meal in the Brownlow Arms.

It was busy at the pub as it was a bikers meet but they still fed and watered us.

Lovely Morning

It's a lovely morning here in Torksey. 

Time for a spot of breakfast before a walk into the village then back to catch the tide.

Healthy Eating

With Liam's recent health scare and his continuing visits to the local GP's surgery, it has become apparent that we really do need to try and eat a bit more healthily and lead a bit more of an active lifestyle. Make more of an effort so to speak.

To be fair we don't really eat too badly when we are at home. Monday to Thursday we attempt to eat a healthy variety of meals and we cut out the alcohol completely. Ok we have the odd take out which will now be knocked on the head and we sometimes have a bowl of ice cream which is now also off the menu.

Our real problem lies come the weekend. We know that we don't eat so well when we are at the boat and we drink alcohol at the weekend which also packs in the extra calories. But starting this weekend we are going to try and make an effort with the food at the very least.

Instead of our usual Friday evening take away we will be having some cajun salmon with new potatoes and asparagus and tomorrow for breakfast it will be beans on toast rather then the usual fry up. The problem so far as I can see it for this weekend will be Saturday evening when we will be visiting the Brownlow Arms for our evening meal. Will temptation get the better of us?

Booked In

A quick phone call to the lock keeper at Torksey Lock yesterday morning had a group of us booked in to lock out onto the Trent at 12.30pm on Saturday lunchtime.

Gladly since our last run out onto the Trent a couple of weeks ago the rubbish and debris that has been hanging around by the lock gates has been cleared, so we should not encounter any problems entering or exiting the lock this time.

The weather looks set to be fair, with high pressure marching in and settling the weather down nicely in time for the weekend, this does however mean we are likely to have some chilly evenings at this time of the year. I should imagine that the Webasto will be getting some use to keep the chill at bay.

In the Planning

Plans are now afoot for the weekend and if the weather plays ball a trip to one of our new favourite pubs, The Brownlow Arms at High Marnham on the banks of the tidal River Trent.

It was only a few short weeks ago that we last visited but for the other boats coming along it will be our trip here in November 2014 that was their last visit.

Tide times are very favourable with a dinnertime tide to head upstream the six or so miles from Torksey to the moorings and an early afternoon tide to head back downstream. 

They are not massive tides at the weekend it does have to be said, but the rain we are getting this week, more so later this afternoon will certainly make sure that there is a bit of fresh in the river for us to top it up a bit.

A Busy Winter Ahead

It looks very much like we are lining ourselves up for something of a long winter ahead.

Not only are we taking Naughty-Cal out of the water from early November until the beginning of March again for her annual spruce up, but we are also giving the house a bit of a makeover and the Sierra is having a bit of work done as well.

We have already made a list of things we need to do to the boat and the house but the list of things on the car is now growing as well. 

At the weekend we found a new off side, or drivers side if you like, inner wing for a bargain price of £25. This is one of the areas that didn't get any attention all those years in 2003 back when Liam restored the car to her former glory and it has bugged him ever since as there is one area of previous shoddy welding that he didn't get chance to get rid of. Now the chance is here. We also have a new genuine Ford front wing in the garage at home so that can go on. And tonight we are driving to Ripley to pick up a new drivers door that we have sourced. So that list of jobs is growing as well.

As I said. A busy winter ahead!

Ford Fest 2015 Santa Pod

As promised here are a few pictures from our weekend at Sanat Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire. 

 Not very promising camping weather as we set off on  the 150 mile trip.

 But when we arrive the sun is making an appearance and the field is surprisingly dry.

 These wheels were clean when we set off.

 The first glimpse of the track.

 Spot the difference. I wonder how they recognise their own car!

 Thats very true at the moment.

 Did Cosworth ever make a trailer?

 After the afternoon watching the Run What You Brung it was back to the tent for a BBQ.

 Early morning on the campsite after a very broken nights sleep.

 Early morning on the track as they prepare for the days racing.

 The finish line.

 Plenty of action on the track with the old and the new.

 Loads of cars of all shapes and sizes on display.

They have multiplied over night!

All in all we had a cracking weekend and are looking forward to heading back again next year. We even managed to pick up a few panels which we need for the Sierra which are nigh on impossible to find. So a very successful weekend indeed.

Great Time

We have had a great time at Santa Pod raceway this weekend but it's time to head home now.

Just a taster picture for you today with more to follow tomorrow.

Lovely Camping Weather

Who mentioned camping again?

The field at Santa Pond is going to be lovely after last night's rain!

Never mind.

Bygone Brayford Two

A friend has recently released a few more pictures of Brayford Pool of past so here are a small selection for your viewing pleasure showing how the pool used to be.

It would certainly be nice to witness visitor mooring provision like this once more.

 The old visitors moorings around the pool edge occupied by a selection of GRP river cruisers.

 Another shot of the visitors moorings.

 Reflections of the "Glory Hole"

 The railway bridge at the corner of Brayford Pool.

The old lift bridge at the entrance to the pool. Now the site of the large flyover bridge carrying traffic into Lincoln.