29th May 2017
We left our Crick mooring early on bank holiday Monday, having done all we wanted to do at the Boat Show.
An evening of beer and T.Rextasy on Saturday night - a packed out beer tent with more and more people piling in even with chairs (!) and crowding around us. I can't believe how many people managed to pitch in such a small space. It didn't detract from some good Marc Bolan covers by a short feather-boa-ed, sequined lead singer who truly fitted the bill (his voice was spot-on). Nostalgia! Torch light back to the boat and our neighbours were still out.
Sunday was Fleetwood Bac!! - a fair rendition of their songs but we think we were beyond the festivities and the crowding by then, so didn't stay the time. We saw John and Tina again who come for the music and they managed all of it I think - good on 'em.
We had spent the days spending (quite a bit of) money on things we needed for Ani and for us (rain jackets!). Ani now has a new shiny chimney pot to replace the one we sunk some time ago.
We were prompted to leave by many boats passing us and waking us by jolting our boat against our neighbours. Although we knew we would be in a queue for the Watford Locks because so many had already gone in that direction, we headed off as much to relieve our neighbour of the morning jolts as for us.
We got through the tunnel in a diesel fug; following a traditional boat and having one pass us; very fumey. It was good to get out into the fresh air again and it was sunny. As we predicted there were several boats ahead of us at the Watford flight, so we waited, kettle on, chilled out. Eventually locked through with an immaculately recently painted boat, taking care not to knock into it. There is a sweet little lock house at the bottom of the flight with a tended linear garden either side. Rural and quaint. As so often is the case the view of it from the canal side is peaceful and picturesque. Only when you look further do you see that the owner has to come through some sort of industrial site of trucks and vans to get to the gateway and of course the rumbling railway line is not far away. Such is canal side living.
On Monday evening, we moored again opposite Weltonfield Marina. We had had a call from friends who thought we might still be at the show - they were going by car that day, so we arranged to meet them at The New Inn for a drink. An enjoyable catch-up with Mac and Nikki, sitting in the rain outside under a table umbrella. It was only when we got up to say goodbye to them we all realized we had been sitting in pools of rainwater! Pete and I thought it was too late to bother to cook back onboard so went inside the pub for dinner but they stop serving at 8pm???????!!!!!!!!!! That's not the end of dinnertime to my mind! Back to boat for a quick pasta to soak up the beer we had drunk!
Our journey back was without event. We moored in Braunston to do some shopping and thought we would stay there the night, but the sun came beaming through at the end of a grey day, so we took an evening cruise on to a more remote spot - much nicer.
We met with friend Bill on the Napton flight wearing his port and starboard socks on his Thursday CRT volunteer day. He saw us up half the flight and Pete caught up with news of his bird and butterfly watching life.
The weather stayed good until reaching our mooring in Fenny on Thursday night, 1st June. We were exhausted on arrival so did the sensible thing and ate at The Wharf, in the garden and sunshine. Many children out and about with parents as it was half term.
Packed up the boat to leave for home on Friday, hopefully returning in July to do the Thames again, if my Mum's house has completed and all the legalities have been sorted by then.
We left our Crick mooring early on bank holiday Monday, having done all we wanted to do at the Boat Show.
An evening of beer and T.Rextasy on Saturday night - a packed out beer tent with more and more people piling in even with chairs (!) and crowding around us. I can't believe how many people managed to pitch in such a small space. It didn't detract from some good Marc Bolan covers by a short feather-boa-ed, sequined lead singer who truly fitted the bill (his voice was spot-on). Nostalgia! Torch light back to the boat and our neighbours were still out.
Sunday was Fleetwood Bac!! - a fair rendition of their songs but we think we were beyond the festivities and the crowding by then, so didn't stay the time. We saw John and Tina again who come for the music and they managed all of it I think - good on 'em.
We had spent the days spending (quite a bit of) money on things we needed for Ani and for us (rain jackets!). Ani now has a new shiny chimney pot to replace the one we sunk some time ago.
We were prompted to leave by many boats passing us and waking us by jolting our boat against our neighbours. Although we knew we would be in a queue for the Watford Locks because so many had already gone in that direction, we headed off as much to relieve our neighbour of the morning jolts as for us.
We got through the tunnel in a diesel fug; following a traditional boat and having one pass us; very fumey. It was good to get out into the fresh air again and it was sunny. As we predicted there were several boats ahead of us at the Watford flight, so we waited, kettle on, chilled out. Eventually locked through with an immaculately recently painted boat, taking care not to knock into it. There is a sweet little lock house at the bottom of the flight with a tended linear garden either side. Rural and quaint. As so often is the case the view of it from the canal side is peaceful and picturesque. Only when you look further do you see that the owner has to come through some sort of industrial site of trucks and vans to get to the gateway and of course the rumbling railway line is not far away. Such is canal side living.
On Monday evening, we moored again opposite Weltonfield Marina. We had had a call from friends who thought we might still be at the show - they were going by car that day, so we arranged to meet them at The New Inn for a drink. An enjoyable catch-up with Mac and Nikki, sitting in the rain outside under a table umbrella. It was only when we got up to say goodbye to them we all realized we had been sitting in pools of rainwater! Pete and I thought it was too late to bother to cook back onboard so went inside the pub for dinner but they stop serving at 8pm???????!!!!!!!!!! That's not the end of dinnertime to my mind! Back to boat for a quick pasta to soak up the beer we had drunk!
Our journey back was without event. We moored in Braunston to do some shopping and thought we would stay there the night, but the sun came beaming through at the end of a grey day, so we took an evening cruise on to a more remote spot - much nicer.
We met with friend Bill on the Napton flight wearing his port and starboard socks on his Thursday CRT volunteer day. He saw us up half the flight and Pete caught up with news of his bird and butterfly watching life.
The weather stayed good until reaching our mooring in Fenny on Thursday night, 1st June. We were exhausted on arrival so did the sensible thing and ate at The Wharf, in the garden and sunshine. Many children out and about with parents as it was half term.
Packed up the boat to leave for home on Friday, hopefully returning in July to do the Thames again, if my Mum's house has completed and all the legalities have been sorted by then.
a friend picked up on the way to the shops in Braunston
harvest-time
evening peace
Pete in deep (parentally advising) conversation with his boys,
not easy when your signal keeps dipping in and out
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