Mon 5th February Day 198
Today we attempt to go for a walk but don’t get too far as Chris’s back starts to twinge and when you get to our age, you realise that’s your body saying nope, not a chance, then you better listen! So, it’s back to the boat.
We pick up some kindling from the farmshop on the way back and some daffodils to fool ourselves into thinking spring is around the corner, when in fact there are freezing cold temperatures on the way so it feels very apt to be editing the vlog where we were on route to the marina and woke up to be frozen in! The drama of canal life.
I get some admin done ready for going away on Thursday so I’m all caught up although there is warnings of heavy rain, snow, ((raining cats, dogs, meteors hitting the earth, earthquakes shattering the ground, lightning hitting the overhead powerlines, giant snow drifts…)) Okay, you’re being sarcastic ((Who me?)) but we all know if there is a dodgy leaf on the ground it brings trains to a halt and travelling up the country is going to be a challenge but we can but try.
In the afternoon we crack on with a few little DIY jobs. It’s so nice not to have to move everything as I only have a few bits to paint in the lounge area which needed a re-paint and to varnish some wood in the kitchen. We just need to source some screws as the handles we bought for the cupboards in the kitchen won’t quite fit – of course they don’t. We need to finish the jobs so I can upload and create the vlog.
Other than that, I do some jigsawing whilst listening to my audio book and also getting some of the Jersey pictures and videos sorted. After a week of rubbish sleep, I’m ready for bed at 8pm but force myself to stay awake so I recline in bed with a new kindle book and after making it to 10pm its day done. ((riveting))
Tuesday 6th February Day 199
I’ve had the best sleep ever and don’t wake up until 9.50am! ((you lazy…)) I know. It happens maybe once every year and more than that I wake up feeling restful and actually well for the first time in a few weeks and ready to take on the world! ((Oh Lord!)) big list made and first job is to go to the shops as Chris’s back is feeling better after resting it and we need milk for coffees.
There seem to be a lot more narrowboats out and about at Great Haywood canal junction and we cannot wait to join them. More and more our chats are going to where we are going to go and of course, this is all weather dependent but unless we are frozen in I don’t see why we wont go as we are ready to cruise. The only issue is getting the bow and stern painted but if we don’t we will just have to figure it out. ((I can just see you climbing through the duck hatch – perhaps you fit a lift to get you out so you don’t stand on the stern or bow))
I seem to have an okayish wi-fi signal but it still takes 5 hours to finish creating the vlog to upload for my Patreons to watch before it goes onto YouTube and I welcome a new Patreon Bonnie to The Plot crew. ((You will soon have enough people to crew a dingy)) Oi, don’t be rude! Without them you would be silenced and not allowed out every day ((I love our Patreons; Sandra and Ann are my favourite though)) Hey, you’re not allowed favourites – just because they want you to have merchandise!
It’s the standard washing day and wandering to the laundry room – will there, won’t there be someone using it? Turns out there is but just the dryer. Anyway later on I go back and end up having the standard laundry room chat about life. Very pleasant. What else to report ((Oh don’t forget you spilt the white spirits)) Oh yeah, thanks for that. We were doing another coat of varnish and decided to move everything into the bow and as a result of the boat rocking ((Always an excuse)) I knocked over the tub with white spirits. Luckily, it was in the bow so at least not in the inside of the boat. One step forward…
We are still watching New Zealand videos and creating a play list of which ones we are going to upload. It was amazing watching the helicopter ride. Brings back so many amazing memories. We’ve uploaded the little vlog we did to music about finding the hermit’s cave at Elizabeth Castle in Jersey if you fancy a watch… day done. Until tomorrow. x
Wednesday 7th February Day 200
Today is a bit of a faffing day ((That’s all you ever do!)) I think I mentioned that I’m going to do a promotion on my New Zealand travel book soon… well, we just happened to start looking through all the videos we took using the go-pro and as i’ve previously said we have decided we are going to create vlogs out of the footage ((Of course you are)) it’s what we originally intended to do but then life got in the way and in a funny turn of events we now have a YouTube channel to share them on. Although we do intend to keep the Sunday 6pm vlogs as the cruising ones and then add the other ones on other days.
I’ve also decided to give TikTok another go. Specially BookTok as it really is a great market to break into it’s just the old problem of having enough time and if you’re going to invest in something you have to do it properly else there is no point. I’ve got a few ideas so we will see how that goes. I still haven’t been using Twitter or the new Threads on Instagram; I’m not sure why but I now seem to prefer other platforms. I suppose it’s a case of going where your audience is or where you can find a new audience. I will keep you updated on how that goes. ((Oh Joy. We so look forward to that.)) Social media is such hard work!
The promotion side is really the hardest part for me. I love creating but then i’m onto the next project. ((Perhaps you need to teach Chris how to use them)) Oh yeah, can you imagine… he doesn’t do social media in any way shape or form so i don’t think that would go down well. ((You could offer to pay him in beer?)) Not a bad call!
Thursday 8th February Day 201
What a day to have booked tickets to travel. The threatening horrible weather arrives and as I’m getting ready to catch the bus to Stafford. The driving, sleeting rain bounces of the boat and I decide we better order a taxi but then after seeing the cost at £18 we decide to brave the weather but then the price reduces to £10; for anyone who uses Uber do you understand how this works? Literally fifteen minutes later it was a different price. It costs us £4 on the bus so £10 door to door for a taxi so I’m not soaked on the start of my journey seems reasonable.
Surprisingly, because according to the weather report it the new apocalyptic end of the world weather front coming in ((Don’t be so dramatic)) I’m not being dramatic. It’s winter and yes, I know I’m stepping on an emotive topic here because of ‘global warming’ and if you need to know I think with my very limited knowledge ((Peachy means she just made up this theory)) I think humans do contribute to global warming but I also believe it’s also a natural ebb and flow of the planet. How else do you explain terrible floods of the past that we know have been worse than we have today? Also, our knowledge is based on when records began. It’s too big a subject to go into now ((And how is this relevant to you?)) well, I do live on water now so heavy rain and flooding affects us in many different ways. There has just been a big land slide on one of the main canals so this might stop us travelling that way and there have been some terrible incidents of boats being sunk. It’s one of the reasons we made sure we weren’t mooring on a river and hopefully never will. they are too unpredictable but I also think ((Here we go)) that a lot of flooding problems are due to poor maintenance, building on flood plains and chopping down the trees. ((okay enough now))
As I make it to the train station, I stand disbelievingly looking at the information screen showing the train times. On time. Every. Train. On time. What is this third dimension I’ve fallen into? Although, whilst I’m sitting waiting, the train starts showing delayed and normal life resumes. Luckily it ends up only being a few minutes late and I have a forty-minute wait for my connecting train so no panicking required. I know I have readers from all over the world and if you ever venture to the UK I apologise in advance if you use our public transport. It’s shocking on every level and makes me dream of being back in New Zealand or literally anywhere in the world is; from my experience, better than here. The train is surprisingly quiet and warm so I finish my kindle book –Glass Doll by D.E. White and then have some ideas so write some notes for my psychological thriller… that’s when the police got on the train ((Run, Peachy. Save yourself… and me obvs)) I did wonder if they had been glancing at my notes on the train camera… killer’s, list… Turns out they are not interested in me and I get off the train at Lancaster and wait for my connecting train.
The gale force swirling maelstrom of weather hits me in the face and I stupidly try and put up my umbrella as I walk up the steep hill from Bentham station. Finally, I make it to the warmth of home and a coffee. Day done.
Friday 9th February Day 202
Today I’ve been invited to join the ‘ladies that lunch’ and two of them are Patreons of my YouTube channel and big supporters of my books. ((One is your mum, the other is Sandra my number One Fan – Hi Sandra!)) Hey, stop having favourites again!
We have a lovely natter and the hours tick by as we tuck into our food. My mum threatens me once again about publishing my psychological thriller and I promise I’m working on it – I was making notes on the train after all! ((actually you were. I’m liking the new ideas for it.)) thanks Brackets, I’m glad I’ve waited so long to get this one ready to publish. Sandra very kindly treats us to lunch – thank you again! Very spoilt ((Too spoilt. I notice I wasn’t invited!)) That’s because… I was going to say you’re not real but then I would get in trouble. ((How dare you! Sandra… tell Peachy!)) I do often wonder what the heck new people think when they start reading this blog!
Once home the rest of my family who live nearby pop around and we start a game of Zombicide. We have played games ever since I can remember. It’s where my love of writing came from and the imagination as we used to play Dungeons and Dragons and every other game we could find. Day done.
Saturday 10th February Day 203
The second day of zombie killing continues as we battle it out to the final conclusion. Who will be victorious… of course we win! ((You didn’t build that up for very long!))
Chris messages me to say the gas bottle has run out so he has to buy two new ones, but at least that means we are fully stocked up now for when we leave the marina in a couple of weeks. These should last us about a year for both bottles.
I’ve just realised I’ve passed 90k on the blog which will be turned into my canal book later in the year. ((The editing is going to be off the scale!)) I know, right? I’ve had a few new followers of the blog so I apologise in advance for any errors when you read these daily blogs. Because I blog every day, I only do a very minor edit so there will be mistakes. ((I find it helps if you just skim read Peachy’s blog with one eye closed)) It was either hope the readers let me off the mistakes or I don’t blog everyday ((People cannot live without me every day!)) Exactly, Brackets.
Right, day done. ((What? That was a short one?)) I know, there isn’t much else to report as had a day with family and friends catching up and playing games. ((What about interaction with your readers? Honestly, down to me one again… i should be paid as your marketing manager… if you want to read any of Peachy’s books then check out her bookshelf… click here… Wow you have loads more subscribers on your website. i worry about society. That’s day done))
Sunday 11th February Day 204
I make use of having proper, fast wi-fi and get some videos and vlogs sorted. ((Does your mum know you’re stealing her data!)) yes, it’s all in a good cause so don’t be grassing me up! It really makes such a big difference when I have a decent connection.
Whilst doing this, we start watching The Tourist – what an amazing series; has anyone watched it? This is the second season but it’s just as good as the first. I love watching programmes like this, not only because they are bloody good but because they give me ideas ((Hey, don’t be stealing!)) I’m not, I mean in the sense of the pace of a programme and character development. I always try and make sure my chapters end so the reader wants to turn the page but the only way this happens is by having a great story and great characters to move it along.
In the afternoon a friend pops round who I haven’t seen in about fifteen years so we have a good old natter then it’s back to watching the Tourist and that’s day done again and the end of another week. The weeks really are flying by but that means lighter nights are coming, spring is looming and cruising days will soon be up on us. Lots to look forward to. Until tomorrow. xx
I’ve added all the links from this weeks blog below so it doesn’t interrupt your reading pleasure ((excuse me whilst i laugh uncontrollably))..
((If you would like to sign up to be a Patreon and have the utter joy of going to lunch with Peachy one day – personally, I couldn’t think of anything worse but here is the link… Join here as a free Patreon for limited access or subscription for content before everyone else.))
((If you would like to read one of Peachy’s page turning thrillers then why not try Power of Nature… if nothing else it might shut her up moaning if she gets some more sales. it’s all in a good cause people! Read it here))
((This is the link to watch the short Jersey vlog to music. The one main bonus is you don’t have to see or hear Peachy on this one so let’s make it her most watched vlog… https://youtu.be/Vkb90q7PyWI ))
((If you haven’t read Peachy’s New Zealand book and fancy bagging yourself a bargain click here. If you consider £1.99 a bargain. Personally i would add 1p to it and buy yourself some scratchcards but there you go))
((i’m actually quite enjoying these sarcastic promotions. Let me know if you want more. Don’t tell Peachy!))
C.L. Peache 