Taking the train

It's Leelu's first ever trip on a train!

We have had a lovely time boating from Chester around varous parts of the country but this weekend we are heading back to my folks, picking up our hiking gear and then heading to North Wales to the climbing club hut in Llanberis for a weekend of walking up mountains and having a go at SUP (stand up paddleboarding) whilst celebrating our friend Ellen's birthday.

So here we are on a train heading up north.  Getting to London Euston station was fine and we got there in plenty of time to give Leelu a wander around the small park outside the station. Waiting inside before the platform was called was a little harder for him as the many legs and wheeled suitcases may have hidden OTHER DOG'S. .. I'm sure you now know how terrified he is by other dogs on account of his previous life before he came to live with us.  Fortunately we didn't have to wait long and now we are on the train.

We booked a table seat in the hope of more space for him so of course he sat with his paws out in the aisle for a bit which meant much fuss from any passers-by!  He has now retreated further under the table for more fuss and is happily laid out on top of all our feet with his favourite tennis ball.

I think it's going to be fine and of course there are big fields to run around to look forward too.

The most exciting thing happened yesterday...

... no really it did!!  We were boating through the outskirts of Milton Keynes and had stopped to do a supermarket shop and a load of laundry at the wonderful Bubbles Laundromat which was straight out of the 1950's.3  Whilst the washing was on, Leelu and I went to find the shade of a tree as it was another very hot day.  I posted an update on our  Days Away Adventures Facebook page and someone who I have never met but do know (because of Leelu) contact me - she lives in Milton Keynes!

under a shady tree near the launderette

It was through Karen that we got to know about Leelu (although then he was called Umlilo - see our first blog post about our second hand dog!).  Karen used to work for the people who owned him and it was her post that was shared by her friend Maria and subsequently our friend Paul and then suddenly, we had our very own, slightly neurotic collie dog!!

Our first picture of our new dog in 2015

Karen and her husband Steve came over to the boat.  We had moored up by Campbell Park which is an amazing big green area of space which includes a cricket ground, a peace pagoda and a Japanese Buddhist temple.

Karen & Steve getting a conducted tour around our boat

It was so lovely to learn a little bit more about our dogs past and his days as a farm dog and to fill in some of the missing pieces of the jigsaw.  They were so pleased to see what a happy and healthy dog he now is and how he loves tennis balls and being the only dog in our family.

Steve, Karen, Viv & Leelu

What an absolutely lovely meeting / reunion.  Thank you so much for coming over.

xx

On Being a Film Star

It's been an exciting week this week for all of us: On Monday we left our permanent mooring just outside Chester. For Leelu, our collie dog, this meant leaving the large fields that he loves to run around chasing a ball or frisbee. 

He is happy on the canal boat now, lying down at the back near to where we steer, often looking out at the ducks and water going past.  Although there was a moment where he over enthusiastically jumped back on to the back of the boat after we had moored and slid...not far but enough for him to panic at the water getting closer.  He didn't go in though - phew!

We then travelled to North Wales where he learnt to be a crag dog.  We went to Castle Inn Quarry, near to Colwyn, which is a beautiful area with all different climbing grades available.  He would lie at the bottom of the crag in the shade we built out of our rucksacks and have a snooze whilst we did a climb, then we would have a little walk and he would chase the tennis ball, then we would do another climb in the sun. It was fabulous and there were lots of butterflies, collared doves and a sparrowhawk to watch.  A really peaceful spot in the sun.

We found a beach to cook up and eat our dinner at whilst watching the sun set over the sea then went for a lovely walk along the beach just as it was getting dark.

Thursday was the big day! We had volunteered to be filmed by Mountain Training for a promo film they are making to promote hill and mountain skills training. We had camped overnight in the van (the small one!) at Abergwngregyn and met the other 4 volunteers plus Nic and Rob who where doing the filming.  Leelu was so good and so patient but most impressively, although slightly puzzled by the filming drone that hovered around in front of him, didnt bark or anything like that, he just stayed put.  He also did an impressive jump easily clearing the stile we were going over. And then did it again so it could be viewed a second time from a different angle. So proud!

On a different scene, Jason, Leelu and I were sat in front of Aber falls being filmed and Leelu let go of the tennis ball...he still hasn't got the hang of this gravity thing...the ball disappeared over the edge but we couldnt move to get it as we were being filmed. He kept looking at where it had gone over the edge then back at us then at where it should have been...! Fortunately it had got caught up in the grass and not rolled all the way to the bottom so we managed to retrieve it fairly easily.

We finished up and went to Newborough Warren beach on Anglesey for a lovely long walk, paddle (not Leelu!!) and tennis ball throwing and chasing before going to stay with the lovely Sarah & Dave where Leelu got inordinate amounts of fuss and treats and we had a lovely chilled evening with a beer in hand watching the sun set over the skerries.  Thanks guys!

Photos below:
• Learning to be a crag dog
• Keeping in the shade at the crag
• Watching the filming drone
• Taking time out from filming
• Watching the sunset at the beach from the comfort  of his bed
• Running in a big field during filming
• On the beach at Newborough Warren

Lost & Found

Some of you may know that husband Jason, Leelu and myself are about to embark on our adventures.  If you would like to know more about what we are up to then here is the link to our new website https://daysaway.wixsite.com/website. As a result we are currently doing some work on our narrowboat that has been outstanding for a few months and also to get her ready for a summer of travelling around the UK canal network.

Last week we decided to replace the floor at the back of the boat.  This means removing everything including our bed, wardrobe, the girl's beds... so we are staying with my parents at the moment, even deeper in the Cheshire countryside.  This means some more varied walks for Leelu, although to be honest, he knows all of the local walks anyway as my Dad often takes him out when we have been at work.  He does pause at every stile that we pass just to see which way we will be going next!

Honestly, this photo was not a set up, he knows that there are lots of good smells through here!

One of our walks takes us through woods.  Recently they have been doing a lot of 'managing' & thinning and so there is now that lovely pine smell and hundreds and hundreds of logs stacked up ready for moving.  The bonus about this is that one of the tennis balls that we lost a couple of months ago at this very point and searched and searched for in the gorse but couldn't find, literally popped out of the gorse when the logs have been stacked...green tennis balls get lost so easy in woodland undergrowth!

We've seen lots of beautiful signs of spring with nature doing her best looking green and everywhere replenishing

Yesterday morning we also found this:

It looks like a buzzards wing I think, there wasn't any other 'bits of bird' lying around!

For the next blog, in 2 weeks time, we will have started our advenutres...before that though, here's what the new floor looks like, now to paint the walls - where's the paintbrush?!

The Cows are back!

The clocks have changed, the birds are singing loudly in the hedgerows, everyone is awake a little bit earlier, the sun is shining more and there is heat in it, the grass is growing and the sound of lawnmowers are evident.

But where are the cows?

On the 1st April every year for the past few years at our permanent moorings, the cows have been let out from their barns, back into the fields, the large fields that are right next to the access track to our narrowboat.  They are normally out until around November, depending on the weather and the saturation of the fields.  This means that, for those precious months, puddles and ponds form on the clay based fields, the ducks move in to wander between the pools and this year we had a flock of redwings make their home there too.  It also means that Leelu has the whole area, more or less to himself, as long as we keep an eye out for others pesky, noisy, playful dogs - or anything else with 4 legs that might scare him!

The cows appeared on Monday - the 3rd of April - maybe they were having a relaxing final weekend indoors.  They are quite dirty from living in a confined area, the rain will soon clean them up.  This year they are a slightly older herd of heifers (young female cows) with a young bull amongst them too.  They are much braver than the first set of cows last year.  This herd have joyfully skipped and cantered their way around the 3 fields, exploring all of the edges of their new freedom.  They have wandered around after the ducks, gently blowing down their nostrils, trying to work out what the strange creatures are.  They are happily munching on the fresh lawn clippings some boat owners have tipped into the field for them...and they don't know what to make of Leelu yet: you see he is also black and white and can move more quickly than them - but wait, he chases around after an orange ball - what a strange calf he is!

Yes, the magical orange ball from 'chuck it' has been brought out again.  Whilst the grass has been short, tennis balls have been easy to see.  Now that the grass has grown, we can no longer see the tennis balls so the orange ball has come out again.  It is a much better ball - no fluffy bits, strong, easy to see - but expensive if you lose one (over £5 each!).  Look after it Leelu!

So back to walking in the bits of field that the cows aren't in and down the towpaths, now that they have dried up a bit.

Lets Go Boating!

Good morning!

Leelu in the Cairngorms in February doing his best 'snow dog' impression

I realise that it has been 'some time' since my last blog post in November - eek, sorry to all Leelu fans out there! So here's a summary of what has been happening in the life of Leelu... tennis balls, walks, frisbee, sleep, mountains, snow, tennis balls, mountains, tennis balls, sleep,football and in the past couple of days - sunbathing - yes that yellow thing in the sky has made it really warm for the last couple, almost looking like summer!

A new toy for flinging and chasing around the field!

Scotland in December, admiring the view 

Glen Clova, Scotland over the New Year, it was very windy!

From May, Jason, Leelu & I are embarking on a journey around the canal network in England on our narrowboat. We have all of April to do some work on the boat and get her ready for the trip, jobs that you don't tend to do day to day such as replacing the floor in the back cabin!  Leelu is ready, he has his food and he has his lifejacket at the ready!

So if you want to come and visit us on the canals over the summer, follow our new website https://daysaway.wixsite.com/website where you can also access these blogs as well as the adventures of the humans where he resides!  We also have a new facebook page https://www.facebook.com/daysawayadventures/