13th - 21st December 2013. Party time in Enniskillen.

We were invited out for an Irish breakfast, which was extremely good. Shannon and Padi were very pleased to see each other again, but you get the impression here that Padi, nearer to the camera, is in charge. Well, it is her boat!

There is more water in the river Erne now, so it was quite a struggle, coming upstream through Enniskillen Bridge. The Killyhevlin Hotel looks out over this lovely mooring, about a mile out of Enniskillen.

We are at the Killyhevlin for the St. Michael's Bridge Club Christmas dinner. After an excellent meal, it was serious bridge, but with a prize for everyone.

Next morning it was back to Enniskillen for a session of bowling practice at St Macartin's hall.

After bowling we returned to the boat, with Andy remarking on a nearby marker which had turned the wrong way. Soon afterwards this cruiser settled firmly on the sandbank, having gone behind the marker. Andy managed to bring the bows of The Puzzler in behind him, and we pulled him off. The wind then tried to push us on to the other moored boats, but fortunately did not succeed!

Not content with sitting on the seat, or looking into the galley, Shannon has taught herself how to beg! She thinks that cuteness attracts treats, and she could be right!

While moored here at Riverview, we have fitted the Christmas lights outside The Puzzler.

Once it is dark, then the length of the narrowboat shows clearly.

The same evening, we had a friendly bowls competition at St. Macartin's hall. It was great fun, with 34 people taking part.

After the competition, we all went into the next room, for an excellent supper. ( Sally was on sandwiches today!)

13th - 31st Jan. Inter Zone bowls. Devenish Cup. Wood collecting.

When the seagulls and the pigeons are about, the ducks have to move quickly, to get any bread at all!

We went to watch the Irish Indoor Bowling Ladies Inter Zone Shield semi-final between Western, which is this area, and Northern. Western had a terrific win, with 77 shots to Northern's 41. This quote is from our local paper, The Impartial Reporter:- " What can only be described as possibly the best ever performance by a Western Ladies team took place in the Unionist Hall, Enniskillen last Saturday. - - Janet Brown's rink was never overawed by being drawn against the Irish International and TV personality Margaret Johnston and really cruised to a very easy win by 13 shots to 4." In this picture, Janet can be seen, showing her next player exactly where to put their bowl.

Other boats come and go at the Round "O". Beyond the mooring a Waterways Ireland working barge is going past.

We attend The Devenish Bridge Club at Irvinestown every Wednesday and our performance week by week has been adequate. However, on 16th January, everything went right for us and we won The Devenish Cup, with Mollie and Renee coming second.

Having heard a chain saw working, we made our way across the River Erne, and managed to tie to two of the fishing jetties there. We were given permission to take a lot of wood, as the undergrowth was being cleared.

All three Police boats were out today. This one seemed to be quite heavily laden! The bigger police boat followed ten minutes later, and certainly exceeded the speed limit. He really threw The Puzzler about with his wash!

It was quite tricky loading the wood on top of The Puzzler, as our only access was along the gunwhale from the fishing jetty at the bows. Tidy stacking can come later!

Last December there was a lot of undergrowth in this area where we have been collecting wood.

Look at it now. What a difference!

Meanwhile we have been chainsawing and chopping our wood to make The Puzzler tidy again.

It is a good thing that we are not going sailing in rough waters, when the logs are stacked as high as this inside the cratch!