Oh, dear blog fans, how time flies! Elizabeth's been to Wales and back again teaching project management. Pete's been perfecting the perfect fire, carrying coal, emptying cassettes, filling the water tank, doing all the laundry... E has the easy life!
Its been so cold lately, but oh so toasty inside. Our stove is now working fantastically. We found a thermometer which attaches to the stovepipe which tells us when the heat is up to the temperature high enough to not creosote up the door and pipes, but cool enough to burn efficiently. With our amazing heat fuelled fan on top, we get so warm inside, we often have to open the hatches! Who'd have thought...
The ice outside is fascinating. Sitting this lazy Saturday morning, we heard a tinkling/crunching kind of sound. Following it, we saw our two swans, Rosie and Jim, doing their ice-breaker swim. Rosie was first, chest breaking a slice or two, with Jim following behind. In the clear water behind them, ducks followed. What a sight! The ducks braved the ice for walking to the crumbs the swans couldn't quite ice-break to in time. Eventually the moorhen joined them, but sat on Water Troubadour's rudder to keep her feet warm.
More ice was broken later by the coal barge, calling in to sell the necessary. Such service! Pete walked around the marina to the working boats mooring expecting to heave coal back around. No way! Delivered with a smile and a wheelbarrow directly to Bella's quay. And they gave us a Christmas card for the pleasure.
Speaking of Christmas, our neighbours on Zelda, Sue and Bob, popped by with mistletoe. Lovely!
