Drive Time Muse

Hi Everyone
Happy February, Spring is upon us, I believe we still have a cold spate to come, but the days are getting longer and the daffs, snowdrops and crocuses are blooming to give us hope.
I have had a busy week, I have so many different projects on the go, I am in my element. I have made a banner for Newbury Crafters Network, ready for our up coming events, and almost finished the 'Memory Quilts, I am making. Gosh they are time consuming, but its a totally worth while job, not only are they going to look very pretty, it tells a story that will last them all their lives.

Newbury Crafters Network Banner

Most of the time, I don't have to think hard about what I am going to Blog about, all of a sudden, I think something that triggers a whole thought process. Today it was whilst I was out and about in the van, I rarely use the van, as I live in a town and don't need a vehicle, which suits my eco life style. I also hate traffic in particular town traffic, it stresses me out. So for me, having a trip out in the van is a novelty, and I do live in a beautiful part of the country, so its scenic too.
My friend Cherry lives on a wide beam on the River Thames at Purley, just outside Reading, she is one of the most hardcore live a boards I know, living on the river in isolated places. She has been on board for a similar amount of time to us (10 years) and has 3 children of school age. For years she has walked or cycled miles to take them to school and back (sometimes a 6 mile round trip twice a day). She is a Sheffield lass and is as stoic as they come, one winter (2014 I think) she spent 12 days on board  because she couldn't get off the boat due to flooding, Her husband (who is also a hardy Northerner) would take the two older children to school by a little boat they have with an outboard. She unfortunately has ended up with a bad foot and has just undergone an operation which means she is stuck on the boat again for weeks on end this time.
So I plan to visit her today to cheer her up, and do a few other jobs on the way. Because I am eco conscious, you will rarely catch me doing a car journey without at least two purposes for travelling.
As I get in my van, I am pleased that it starts first time, as I have some issues with it starting, especially i colder weather. I check my phone before setting off, Cherry has text me to say she has 'gone to work'!!! What? she told me she wouldn't be leaving the boat for 6 weeks, what job? Apparently, 'they' (people from the job) came to pick her up , so that's reassuring, as long as she is being looked after and not trying to do stuff she isn't supposed to yet. I am slightly confused though by this notion of her going to work (she doesn't even have a proper job), I decide she must be going to work in a local folks home that she does from time to time playing her guitar and singing songs from the 60's, so maybe its that.
Anyway, I have other important jobs to do today and its a glorious day with blue skies, so its not going to be a wasted journey. Firstly I pop into my friends at Thatcham, a small town attached to Newbury, to pick up some plain canvas tote bags, that she no longer needs (and I have a great use for them). Sue too, is a bit housebound at the moment as she got seriously  till over Christmas, and had to have an operation, so she is in recovery, but also, unfortunately needs another op next month.
Sue makes skin care products from natural resources, she has an established business which shee only started a couple of years ago, She started making cream for eczema, something which she suffers from and now has a fantastic up and coming business called 'Honey and Rose'. All handmade in Thatcham, , I am in awe of her 'Apothecary'., which is her dining room and conservatory rolled into one. I almost have space envy. We discuss, her op; what I'm up to with my business and what she is currently doing we have a few biscuits and giggles, then I'm on my way. I get to my van, find a bag of Soy Wax, and go back in, to give her a gift too.

Honey & Rose Logo

I find my way back to the A4, and continue towards Reading, I pass a new fabric shop on the way at Midgham, and tell myself, I will call in on the way back to do some networking, just half a mile after this, is Woolhampton (this village backs on to Bucklebury where The Middleton family reside). Woolhampton is another place we like to moor Foxy Lady, it has a couple of pubs and shops. In particular I like the support the village shop, which over the last couple of years has been undergoing a refit. I love it, its a cafe too, and they buy in lots of lovely local produce. They use Newbury's best bakery, Hethertons, and Pangbournes infamous butchers shop Greens, which do top quality meat, and make the most scrummy pasties, sausage rolls, and quiches. They also sell local preserves, eggs and veg. The interior is vintage theme, and I love it. I am pretty hungry as I only had a couple of biscuits today round at Sues, so hopefully, when I have done my jobs, I will call in on the way back.

The Village Shop Woolhampton

My next job is to get diesel for our genny from Ozzie Fuel Boat. Ozzies real name is Paul, but yep, you guessed it, he's Australian, 'mate'. Ozzie provides an important service to us boaters, he trundles up and down the 'cut' (canal) selling diesel, coal, gas and kindling (sticks to get your fire going). Unfortunately, we ran out of diesel so I have to visit him for a change, luckily he is moored on the water point which has a car park, so I can drive straight up to his boat, The gerry cans carry 20 litres of diesel, and are too heavy for me to carry, and although Paul would do it for me, its easier for both of us, anyway, poor guy has a bit of flu. Whilst I am waiting for Ozzie to fill my cans, on this gloriously sunny (but chilly) day, there is a fellow boater woman I know. We have a chat, and I mention about my business, and she asks me if would make some Kaftans. Moi? Kaftans, cool, right up my alley. She also tells me her daughter has a roll of Denim, she no longer wants and would I like it? Sure I say, we can do a deal with the cost of the Kaftans.

Ozzie Fuel Boat at Tyle Mill water point

Pleased with my impromptu networking and another job ticked off the list, I head off, and continue up the A4 till I need to turn off to Pangbourne, the sun is still shining.
Beautiful, lovely Pangbourne, still in West Berkshire, but borders Oxfordshire. We have visited Pangbourne many times on our boat over the last ten years, and it is one of my favourite places. Once I spotted Ricky Gervais here (he is a Reading man originally), in fact it was two days before I gave birth to Mia.
As I drive through Pangbourne, I pass the launderette, which I have many fond memories of. Mostly with Mia as a baby and toddler, and meeting other boaters in there. Some days their could be up to 4 or 5 boaters doing there laundry. If you read my previous blog about launderettes, you will be aware that we would even make an event of it. One summers evening a couple of years ago, me and my friend Katie sat drinking cans of Gin and Tonic whilst our washing was in. I notice Angie the owner is still working there. I also did a bit of work for them for about a year, They offer an alteration service, and I would pick things up and do it from home.
As I head out of Pangbourne, I drive parellel to the Thames, I love this bit, the road is so close to the river, and it always makes me wish I was on the river cruising through on a summers day.
After Pangbourne, I need to go through the lovely Streatley. Streatley runs between The Ridgeway and The Thames, its so scenic and quaint. Attached to Streatley, which is very small, is Goring on Thames (I think it is the River that divides the villages), where George Micheal had a house, I'm not sure if it has been sold yet. I have actually just read a George Michel Biography. Odd choice for me, you may think, but it just caught my eye in the library, as I do like a an auto Biography or Biography (I think its my Gemini nosiness). Since reading is book, I have a better understanding of him, and have more respect for him than I did previously. He was an extremely talented singer song writer, and I never knew he often played most of the instruments too. And the George Michael in Wham, was the real George Michael, and he hated that, he was so young too. I wish I had seen him live when I could.

George Michael - Biography

The next stretch of road is glorious, in the summer you get old fashioned sports cars careering round here. I have entered Oxfordshire, and its a road between rolling hills, absolutely love it, but it doesn't last very long before you get to Moulsford, which is where the chandlery is that I need to got to, to collect the most expensive hose pipe in the world.
Ok, that's a slight exaggeration, but at nearly £50, most boaters would gasp. We need hosepipes to get the water into our tanks for a stand pipe on land. Richard spotted it when we stopped at the boat yard in the summer, but we didn't actually need one, and as he had already spent enough money in there that day, he talked himself out of it. But now we need a new one, so here I am.

Sheridan Marine Chandlery

All singing and dancing hose pipe

After I purchased my hosepipe, I walk down to the getty to admire my lovely river, The Thames is a second home to me, and makes me feel warm .The old river looks lovely today and I take a couple of snaps with my phone. Then turn back to head home with a few stops and more musing on the way.
Back towards Goring / Streatley I think about George Michael, and the fact that he must have been on these roads more times than me. What would he have been driving, well obviously something nice, would he have enjoyed the view as much as me, and like speeding up and down the terrain, I turn my radio up loud, Beautiful day by U2 is on. I'm feeling good. I wonder if George Micheal drove round, blasting up the good tunes, very probably, and he would have probably been stoned too.






Beautiful Day- U2

I drive past Beale Park before I get back to Pangbourne, which has a sign up saying open this weekend (after a Winter break) I spot some the animals, and wonder if they had a nice peaceful winter.
Back through Pangy (as me and Christinas crew call it) and then right onto the A4. With a raging hunger now, I cant wait to get the shop at Woolhampton for a Greens Sausage Roll and a good cuppa.
I change my mind when I get in the shop, as the Granary Baps look so delicious. There is a massive variety, and they all made fresh in the shop. I chose a cornation chicken, with salad and home made coleslaw, im not kidding, it was absolutely gorgeaous, and I tell them so. I caht to Ros, one of the owners that runs the shop, she remembers me from when I wnet in during the summer, as I had a discussion with her about organic veg, and a delivery service. I told her that I was gion to ask her if she would be interestd in sticking some bags I am about to make, woth narrowboats on. but I notive she has btote bags on sale with the shop logo on it, but I mention it anyway. She said that could be a good idea for the summer months, when they get narrowboat holiday makers in, and asked me to take a sample in when I have made one. Brilliant, I also tell her that, if she ever wanst any interior things makinfg like cushions or basket liners, that I can do that, and still fit in with her vintage theme. I give her my card, and she thanks me for supporting the shop on social media, mostly Twitter.

My last stop before getting home is at Damaris a new fabric shop in a farm yard, I was going to approach her about seeing if she would like to stock some of my things on a sale or return service, but unfortunately she didn't open for another 45 minutes, and I wanted to get home and get on with finishing the quilts. I notice a letter box, so just pop my new business card in anyway. Oh yes, Richard and I designed a logo last week, and I got new business cards made up, I love it, and feel that bit more complete as a business now I have branding.
When I get home, I receive a phone call from Cherry, with an explanation about this morning. She got picked up from right outside her boat, as they gained keys from the farmer to get through a few gates. Not making old people happy with her singing, but blooming Life Modelling, 'What, with your foot? Did they draw your foot?" and shes like "Yeah, and me yellow iodine coloured toes!"
We did laugh.