Shanti Tea Boat

10/06/2026

Ayup Cocker ☕🚤
Wednesday Motivation

"Not every setback is there to stop you. Sometimes it's just making sure you're heading in the right direction before the next chapter begins."

After the great oven saga of 2026, I'd say there's definitely some truth in that! 😜
On a brighter note, the weather's looking a lot better for the weekend than it does right now, which is good news all round.
The new cooker is in, we're nearly ready to be properly cooking on gas again, and with a bit of luck there'll soon be plenty of fresh cake heading out of the oven and onto the counter.
So... who's coming down this weekend to check out my fancy new oven? 🤣
Comments below so I know how much to bake 👇☕🍰

(Yes, I know I'm getting old when kitchen appliances become an attraction!)
See you down at the boat, Cocker. ❤️☕🚤



Kirk Sandall,
Doncaster ,
DN3 1EF
Friday to Sunday 11-4

09/06/2026

Whoop Whoop... the new oven is in! 🎉🔥
It was a bit touch and go at one point after discovering some of the fittings didn't want to marry up with each other and we needed a bit of the old oven before anything could happen.
As always, nothing at Shanti is ever straightforward. 😂
A massive thank you to Michael Hargreaves for giving up his day and coming to my rescue. Without him I'd probably still be sat scratching my head, staring at a pile of pipes and wondering what on earth I'd bought.
Now all we need is good old Tony to arrive tomorrow morning with his gas-checking gadget. If he gives us the thumbs up, we'll officially be cooking on gas and racing against the clock to bake enough cakes ready for Friday. 🍰☕
Which brings me nicely to my next point...
This weekend you'll find us back in our usual spot, just down from St Oswald's Church in Kirk Sandall, Doncaster (DN3 1EF).
After a week of oven drama, crossed wires, crossed fingers and more than a little panic, we're looking forward to getting the kettle on, filling the cake counter and welcoming you all back.
Wish us luck, cocker... we've got a lot of baking to squeeze into the next 48 hours! 🤞😂
Friday - Sunday 11-4
📍 Kirk Sandall,
Doncaster ,
DN3 1EF
☕ Coffee 🍰 Homemade cakes 🚤 A little bit of Shanti calm on the canal

08/06/2026

Ayup Cocker! ☕🚤
Happy Monday!
Well, after what has been one of the best weekends I've had in a very long time, I woke up this morning feeling something I haven't felt for ages...
Properly well. 😊
For the first time in what feels like forever, I actually felt like my old self again. No aches, no exhaustion, no wondering if I've got enough fuel in tank to get through day. Just me, a coffee, and a smile on my face. I'll happily tek that.
Now then... onto this week's excitement.
The new oven is due to arrive tomorrow! 🎂🍰
Given my recent run of luck with anything mechanical, I'd appreciate it if you could all say a little prayer, cross your fingers, sacrifice a biscuit to the cake gods, or whatever it is you do, that it all goes to plan. 🤞😂
If all goes well, normal cake-making service will soon be resumed.
On another note, don't forget to tune into Narrow Escapes 4pm. Even though my 15 minutes of fame are officially up, it's still well worth a watch. There's some cracking stories and characters still to come, so keep following along.
Right then, I'd best get on. There's jobs to do, tomatoes to check on, a boat to move, water tank to refill, and an oven delivery to nervously wait for. Just another relaxing day in the glamorous world of canal life! 😂
Hope you all have a cracking week ahead.
"Tha can't start a new chapter if tha keeps re-reading t'last one."
Have a good 'un folks 💜

07/06/2026

06/06/2026

Oooo eck if youre at YonderEvents I've found the best hack ever... Iced coffee from the Bean Towed Coffee serving Recent Beans you all know it's the best coffee ever with a baby Guinness from the black bar poured over.. amazeballs!!

06/06/2026

Ooh eck... it definitely doesn't feel like June today! 🌧️
Hopefully it brightens up later as I've been invited to YonderEvents VIP with the Recent Beans gang, and I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone.
So, this isn't café related at all, but I'm sat here enjoying my coffee and having a scroll...
Can somebody explain why everyone is suddenly saying "literally" in literally every sentence? And what's all this "gatekeeping" shizzle about? 🤣🤣
I swear I blinked and the internet invented a whole new language.
And while we're at it... what's wrong with a good old Yorkshire "Ooh eck!", "nowt", "summat" and "ta very much"? There's nowt wrong with good old Yorkshirerrrre! 🤣
Anyway, happy Saturday! Here's a little photo dump of cakes, canal views, sunrises and sunsets to brighten your day and remind us that summer is in there somewhere. ☀️🚤🎂
Big love,
Mabel, Ronnie, the dogs, and me 💜

05/06/2026

Well, sadly my 15 minutes of fame have come to an end. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have.

I’ve got to be honest, I had a good laugh watching myself and my latest collection of questionable decisions and crazy ideas unfold on screen 😂

Thank you to everyone who tuned in, commented, messaged, and cheered us on over the past week. It’s been lovely sharing a little slice of life aboard Shanti with you all.

And if you’re new here, welcome aboard! I hope you’ll stick around and continue watching the rest of the series too. There are some truly wonderful stories, inspiring people, and colourful characters still to come.

✨ AND A QUICK NOTE ✨
Absolutely gutted I can’t get open this weekend 😭… but I honestly can’t wait to hear what you all think when we’re back and running properly next week! 🥳

And hey — don’t forget! I’m basically famous now 😜… come ready to ask for your autographs! 🤣🤣🖊️

Now it’s back to reality… coffee, doggies canal life, and Ted’s ever‑expanding vegetable empire. 🌱🚤☕

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

💜 Good Morning 💜
Just a quick reminder that I'm no longer open this weekend, just in case you missed my previous post (as we all know Facebook likes to show different things to different people!).
Unfortunately, I've been defeated by a technical difficulty in the form of a broken oven. After years of loyal service baking thousands of cakes, it has finally given up the ghost.
I woke up this morning to a strangely calm boat. No piles of cake tins, no trays cooling, no baking chaos... it feels very odd!
The good news is that a new oven is arriving on Tuesday and, all being well, I'll be back open as planned next Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, DN3 1EF.
Please keep checking in for regular updates, and don't forget to tune in to my final episode on Narrow Escapes, where Tug Boat Ted really comes to life. 🚢🌱
Have a fabulous weekend everyone.
Big love,
Mabel, Ronnie, the Dogs and me 💜
💜

04/06/2026

🌱🚤 Quick update from the floating chaos… 😂

New oven is ordered! It’s not exactly the Rolls‑Royce of cookers, but then neither was the one I’ve been battling with… so honestly, we’re already winning 😂 It’ll be here on Tuesday.

I’ve also got reinforcements arriving from the boating community to help me move. Yes, I’m an experienced boater — but trying to turn around in this wind with Ted is a bit like trying to parallel‑park a greenhouse in a hurricane! To make matters worse, he’s sitting completely on the wrong side for the swing bridge… details I perhaps should have thought through more carefully before committing to life with a floating greenhouse 😂

One of my regular (and very long‑suffering!) customers is also coming over to help wrestle the old cooker out and send it off to the great scrap heap in the sky 🫡

All I need now is a gas engineer brave enough to come and perform the ceremonial installation of its replacement on Tuesday 🤞

Honestly… what would I ever do without this wonderful bunch of humans? Every time things go slightly sideways, this community just appears — armed with tools, advice, strong muscles and occasionally a little common sense… right when I’ve temporarily misplaced mine 🙏❤️

So — on that note — I’m afraid Shanti will be CLOSED this weekend while I attempt to sort my floating kitchen out..

See you all again soon — hopefully with a working oven and slightly lower stress levels 😂💚