On our own again

Well our best friends have returned to Kent and we are back into the normal daily life of cruising etc. Paul has had his trip to the hospital and been given the all clear which is a relief.

Our planned route for the week with our friends went out the window (whats new) and Pauls idea of leisurely days turned into 5 hour days with Steve on the helm we didnt mind it was nice to have their company. We had a bit of a mishap at Hawesbury Paul had stopped on the sanitary station to empty both cassettes we then went back through the lock to the water point while filling up with water Paul said wheres Angelique? Where was she? sitting on the toilet while both cassettes were on the back of the boat. Oh dear was she embarrased good job she only had a wee, she did the mopping up while the rest of us were helpless with laughter. Needless to say she checked after that episode that the cassette had been replaced after emptying.

We had a very pleasant Indian meal while at Hilmorton at the Excotica which is under the railway bridge next to the convenience store. We got there around 7.30 and were lucky to get a table. The place was busy all night it is only small and the staff are really friendly the bill was around £65 for the 4 of us with drinks. I can recommend it.

At the moment we are moored up and I am going to Kent next week to see Jess and to have our day out in London not only having tea at the Ritz but going on the London Eye as well no doubt we will find other things to see. Also try to meet up with my son Jack for lunch as he works the other side of the "wobbly bridge" near St Pauls. Pauls list of jobs is growing by the day so he will have plenty to do while I am away.

Have noticed how much quieter it is now but on talking to a couple of hire boat companies it would appear they are busy for the next couple of weeks. I suppose folk are trying to get a break in while they can afford it.

Cant wait now until we are on our way again as we seem to have spent the 6 months since leaving the marina on the Oxford or at Braunston, yes we did manage to get on the Thames all be it only for 4 weeks three of them stuck at Abingdon and we have enjoyed ourselves oh yes we did get onto the Coventry and the Ashby so I suppose we havent done too bad. But when we leave here and head for the Grand Union it will be a new adventure for us and if we travel at our usual speed it will be 6 months before we are back up this way again.

Few jobs done

What is it with this weather? We are still at Braunston and hopefully will meet up with our friends Rita and Graham on nbSorted before they head off back to their home marina in March ( the town not the month) As I write this it isnt raining so I suppose I will have to venture out with the dogs before the heavens open again. Paul has been busy tidying the wiring in the engine bay so it is all nice and neat now just how he likes it. He did find a wire that he didnt know what it was for so ventured into the 12v consumer box to trail the wire back, well when he took the cover off the air was blue with lots of expleatives, so now he has another job getting that sorted to, Paul says that it has to be rewired to a safe and acceptable standard, why is it that one job always leads to another. Any way he did find out what his wire was so one result at least. (It went no where but was just dangling in mid air). He also found an excess of 11ft of cable tie wrapped in a corner of a cupboard that went from the central heating programmer to the control box this was shortened to 3ft, who ever wired this up was to idle to install it correctly. As you have probably realised Paul gets a bit stressed out if wiring and plumbing isnt neat and tidy his argument is just because you cant see it doesnt mean it cant be installed correctly.

On Tuesday we will move off we need water so will have to turn round then its off into the country for a few days before we have to come back to Braunston to pick up our friends on Friday as they are spending a week with us. I only hope the weather improves a bit.

While we have been here there has been one boat up and down on a regular basis and he doesnt know the meaning of tick over, the bow wave as he went past all of us was huge in fact we looked for the water skier behind him. A little courtesy doesnt cost any thing.

I am also thinking of having a 6ft high poster made for the people who dont clear up after their dogs why is it that a small minority make it bad for the majority of live aboards who are responsible dog owners. Enough said on that subject it winds me up.