Bartimaeus

We woke to a more thorough snow covering today. No more was falling. I was exchanging messages with an Edinburgh friend who was sending me snow pictures from his local pond. I sent him this out of front door/ bedroom door.

 We were cosy in our small bedroom. I wondered how Bryn was alone in a larger space, but he said he was fine and rather than be worried about the snow and ice, he was loving the view out the window. We are also entertained by squirrels leaping and blue tits flitting from branch to branch and tree to tree across the canal.

While surrounded by fields, trees and hedges, we were in fact very near a small village so went for a walk there, passing a marina, where we hope to get a pump out. We are at a stage where we are not sure of the accuracy of the waste tank gauge and how many hours are left, estimating how many we litres we might put in per day. Not really wanting to test that. We passed a marina yesterday with pump out facilities but it was not open. 

We went for a walk along the canal, past the next marina, and into the village of Alvechurch, quite pretty, where Bryn and I went into the shop to stock up. We had noticed a church on the way with a chiming clock and a small path up to it and went to look. We had seen an old tower but as we emerged at the top of the path, we were opposite a very modern glass building and walking round it was attached to the old building and would give lovely views across the valley.

A man came out of the modern doorway and greeted us warmly asking if he could help. He gave us a little information the church but most surprisingly asked if we remembered seeing Crossroads! The filming of funerals and weddings from the series were held in this church, so they always had advance notice of significant events in the plot in Alvechurch before the rest of the country. I am guessing the glass addition was not built then. It has a traditional, and yet slightly odd asymmetrical tower.

On the walk back we could see some melting happening but Shane and Bryn were throwing sticks and prodding at the canal to see how thick the ice was in various places. The forecast is for higher temperatures so we are staying here another night. 

I have done some knitting – another baby cardigan, coming along quite quickly and Bryn and Shane have spent some time working out the possible positions of the large table and measuring, positioning and screwing on the attachments for placing it on the pole legs, so it can be used. We are relieved that these additions do not clash with the tandem saddle when back in its storage position as the cupboard door.

Bryn has been introduced to The Bartimaeus Trilogy and is already half way through volume 1. We are extra pleased to have brought them aboard.

We are keeping an eye on the gauge and Shane has suggested that the chaps can empty themselves of liquid waste outside, to reduce the pressure in the tank capacity. The snow is melting so a yellow snow warning is not required. 

Bryn lost his gloves on one outing in the dark, and worried they had fallen in the canal but they have been retrieved, still dry. He really doesn’t want to lose his gloves, but is wanting new ones anyway. Birmingham may have some, but it did take Shane several trips to different shops to track down waterproof gloves so that could be a major quest ahead.