Things are moving on…

We’ve been in Skipton this last week or so. The blood samples Mags gave last week showed a degree of deterioration in her condition, so her GP rang Airedale Hospital to move things along. You remember that she’d had a consultation cancelled, which was supposed to be tomorrow.

Well, a consultant rang last Monday, wanting to see Mags urgently, so we went to see him on Tuesday. The result of the meeting was that Mags is booked in for a procedure this Thursday, the purpose of which is to locate and remove the gallstones blocking her bile duct. No surgery needed, it’ll be done using an endoscope and associated gadgets passed down into her stomach.



It’s called an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreatogram, ERCP for short. She’ll be awake throughout, but sedated.


She’s not looking forward to it, but accepts it needs to be done. She shouldn’t need to stay in overnight.





Meg is improving, she’s finished her extended course of antibiotics and showing no signs of her bladder infection returning. In fact she’s quite a bit brighter. She’s got better control now as well, she sometimes goes through the night without an “accident”, and she actually woke us at half-six this morning, wanting to go out. The vet says she needs to lose a few pounds though. Me and her both…

It  was quiet in Skipton, not many boats moving. We’d moved on a little after the weekend to moor near the bus station, nearer the shops and handy for the services. The moorings there are earmarked for Winter Moorings, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone wanting them. But although there was only one boat there besides ourselves when we arrived, another couple had landed, filling up all the space. So we decided to move out of town today in case someone turned up for a reserved mooring. It’s perfectly acceptable to use Winter Moorings if they are vacant, but you are obliged, understandably, to move if someone turns up who has paid to be there…

We decided to move today to take advantage of the fine weather. It’s supposed to go downhill rapidly after lunchtime tomorrow.

Leaving the Gallows Bridge moorings this morning.

The large group of walkers had just been laughing as Mags gave them her “Royal Wave” through the window…

Heading out of town.


We didn’t go far, pulling in near the Rendezvous Hotel before Snaygill Swing Bridge.

We might go back in to Skipton on Wednesday afternoon. There again, we may stay here. Not decided yet.

Locks 0, miles 1½