Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Popped to the Barley Mow last night and a very nice pub it is, we decided to have a meal Paul choosing steak and I had Scampi, according to the board total for the two was £19 40 Paul was charged £20.58 so Paul being Paul queried the discrepency and was duly given a pound refund. After the meal (which was very nice) on the short walk back to the boat a little bulb lit up in Pauls head and he says "that bloke in the pub still did me out of 18p" am I married to a tight wad or what. Mind you there were about 30 people in the pub last night if they were all overcharged by a pound quite a nice sum was made. I'm sure this wasnt the case but it makes you think.

Left Cosgrove did the lock and carried on with our journey, stopped at Wolverton for supplies then on past the dreaded Black Prince bridge. What the BW guy was on about I dont know there were plenty of boats there most of them on the long term mooring none looked "dodgy" so perhaps he was just being over cautious. We are now moored up by bridge 81a stopped sooner than we anticipated but the weather has turned really chilly and we had both had enough. On our journey we have been lucky enough to find quite a bit of wood just need Paul to saw it up. We had only been moored up a few minutes when we heard a thump on the boat then another one, himself rushes out and it is kids throwing crab apples at the boat bless em. They were one side of the hedge and Paul the other all I could hear was the kids laughing next time we are going to let the dog sort them out.

Tomorrow we are hoping to find a country mooring for the weekend away from shops so I cant spend any money. Boat needs a good clean and I have some chores to do that should take all of one morning so it looks like the dogs will be getting plenty of walks.

Cosgrove

What a night eh all that snow. The poor dogs were a tad confused by the white stuff. When we got up this morning even the inside of the windows were frozen.

We set off around 9.15 negotiated the last 5 locks and today lady luck was smiling on me as the locks were set in our favour again we were on our own so managed with one gate open. Stopped at The Wharf at Yardley for diesel and coal, diesel was a good price 72p but the coal has gone up by loads what we paid 6.45 about a month ago off the coal boat was 8.25 quite a jump but we need it so what can you do. Need to get the saw out I think.

We are now moored up on the visitor moorings at Cosgrove may pop to the Barley Mow for a pint tonight and who knows live dangerously and have a meal.

Need to stop at Wolverton tomorrow as a visit to Tesco is called for, then on until we find a nice place to stop. Have some friends in Milton Keynes so hopefully we can catch up with them.

Stoke Bruerne

We left Weedon Monday morning after I had been to the post office to get the mail. At long last we have our license displayed now .

While at Weedon we popped into the pub for a meal on Friday evening (Heart of England) and had a very nice meal. This pub offers 2 meals for the price of one you pay for the most expensive, Paul had BBQ chicken and I had salmon, we got to the pub around 6.30 which proved a good move as by 7pm the place was heaving.

We moored up Monday by bridge 44 so we could have a reasonably early start to negotiate the tunnel. Had a chat with a BW man who was doing his boat check, we said we were heading down the GU and he advised us to steer clear of Cosgrove and Black Prince Bridge said there were some "new age travellers" there who were causing a few problems have any of you out there any comments to make on this?

We left the mooring this morning around 9.15 quite early for us stopped at Gayton for water etc. then carried on through the tunnel. As we have never been in this direction before this is virgin territory for us. I have taken a complete dislike to tunnels but at least Blisworth is straight which is more than be said for Braunston. I find it so disorienting but we now have a high beam torch that can be pointed at the wall (this is my job) to give us a better idea of distance, coming through we passed two work boats both of them having high beams lamps with the steerer so that is one thing we have got right.

We got to Stoke Bruerne top lock and as is my luck we had to wait for two boats to go down and then nothing was coming up, so I had to fill the lock with an audience of about 20 people we had the lock to ourselves but at least I had some help with the opening and closing of the gates. Once through the top lock we were on our own but again the lock was set against us but because of the seepage it was nearly full so that wasnt too bad. As it was nearly lunch time and the dogs needed a walk we decided to moor up for the night between locks 2 and 3 this proved to be a wise move as it is now raining quite hard and I must say there is a definate nip in the air after seeing the weather forecast it would appear there are some wintry showers on the way. Must make sure we get some more coal and diesel soon.

Weedon

Needless to say our plan to leave Braunston on Wednesday didn't work out, I had to go back to the bank in Rugby to sort out yet another cock up. Any we finally left Braunston yesterday sharing the locks with a nice couple on a hire boat. Going through the tunnel was a bit hairy as we met two boats coming the other way one behind the other. We passed the first boat okay but the second boat was going so fast that he hit us. He had his headlight on but no cabin lights so when they flew past us we couldnt see the people on the stern I must admit I uttered a few expletives but its all part of the fun I suppose cant say I'm looking forward to the Blisworth tunnel think I will spend the journey through sat on the toilet then I cant see what is going on.
We moored up just past bridge 7 as the wind had really got up and we needed a drink. Spent the night there and this morning made our way to the Buckby flight. Once again we were lucky and were able to share the locks with a couple on a boat called Ruby Whilton marina is their home mooring so we left them there and carried on to Weedon. I have been to the Post Office to see if they accept post as Jess called yesterday to say our license has turned up so she will get that sent up tomorrow and hopefully it will be here for Monday, if it isnt we will just have to stay here till it arrives.
Popped in The Heart of England for a swift half may try a meal in there while we are here.

Whats that smell?

Well the post has been collected from the PO and we have bought last minute supplies(beer wine and chocolate) so we are ready for the off tomorrow to unfamiliar territory.

As we are moored on the South Oxford at Braunston facing the wrong way we have to turn round first then do the usual water and toilet empty so no laying in for us in the morning. We have been here 8 days now so will be glad to move on was only visits to the bank that has kept us here so long.

When we first arrived there was another boat on the only mooring that is level with the tow path so for 4 days we lept onto the boat dogs werent too impressed but they managed, Friday "the mooring" was free so we were able to move the boat we just took the pins out and pulled her along Paul at the front me at the back (okay bow and stern). All of a sudden Paul fell down a hole now dont laugh it wasnt funny his rigger boot filled up with water and he was not a happy bunny. After securing the boat we emptyed the said boot and put it by the fire to dry off.
During the evening Paul kept saying "can you smell something" I couldn't so we didnt think anything of it.

Next morning dogs were waiting to be taken out Paul got himself ready one boot was up the back other by the fire, but not only was it by the fire the heel had melted against the fire so there was a nasty mess stuck to the side of the fire and Paul now has a boot with only half a heel, at least the inside had dried out and as there is still plenty of wear on the side of the heel that is not melted he wont be buying a new pair just yet.

Weather has been lovely and we seem to have spent a lot of our time here chatting met a lovely couple called Leon and Rae on The Old Bovine as usual they are going the opposite way to us so we wont see them for a while. It seems starnge that we are the only ones moored at this spot at the moment only a few weeks ago you had to be here early to get a spot. Hope the G.U. is the same.

This time last year!!

Was just remembering that this time last year we were in Spain getting excited as our moving date was getting nearer. We had arranged our flight booked an overnight stay in a kennel for the dogs who would then be taken to the airport and put on the same flight as us. In the hold I might add not in the cabin. Our friend Steve had booked a van to pick us and the dogs up from Gatwick and a kennel was booked in England for a month so we could boat hunt.

So here we are now a year later settled into our life on board the dogs have adapted well from having a large garden and living outside to curling up in front of the fire. I must admit that now that it is Autumn I am enjoying it more as everywhere is so peaceful not so many people about just us hardy live aboards. Everyone seems to have more time for a chat and there isnt the urgency to get to a mooring by 2 oclock before they are all taken. Okay so we are still new to all this compared with most of the people we have met but we are still convinced we have done the right thing for us, and we dont miss Spain at all, miss our friends out there Spanish and English but not the sun or the country. It is so nice to have seasons to be back here when the leaves are falling yeah I know they are a pain as you have to keep sweeping them off the boat but this is what living in England is all about. The diversity of the seasons and the unpredictabilty of the weather. Good old England its nice to be back.

Back to normality

Jess in the ladies"powder room" The Ritz



Returned to the boat Tuesday after my 5 days at Jess's. Had a lovely time with the family and our day in London was extremely tiring but very enjoyable. We were so lucky with the weather as it was sunny and warm. We never made the London Eye but saw plenty of other things. Tea at the Ritz was an experience by the time we were seated Jess and I were starving as we had been saving ourselves. We did stop for a glass of wine en route as Jess wore heeled shoes so her feet need a rest and a pub seemed the best place. The tea was lovely and the waiters kept coming round to top up sandwiches, but after 2 pots of tea, sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and various pastries we could'nt eat another thing. Every table was full which explains why I had to book up 6 weeks in advance. When we left the Ritz we crossed the road to another wine bar for our final glass of wine of the day, considering it was a Monday and 7.30 in the evening the place was heaving no signs of a recession there. We finally got back to Kent around 9.45 when we got home shoes were thrown in the corner and our feet heaved a sigh of relief.

While at Jess's I had been unable to contact Paul as the lady on the phone kept telling me "the person you are calling is unavailable at the moment" I had spoken with him Sunday evening so why not Monday I had visions of him in the canal and all sorts of other things, so I emailed him with the pin no of the phone as I thought he may have turned it off and as he always says he cant remember pin no's he needed a gentle reminder. I just kept trying with no joy. By the time I was walking the tow path at Rugby back to the boat my imagination was in overdrive. When I got to the boat he appeared all smiles. I calmly asked him what was up with the phone and he informed me he had stood on it and broken it in half, he did have the forsight to remove the sim card before he threw the phone in the canal. When I told Jess what had happened to the phone she said did he stand on it or throw it at the wall (she knows him so well). We have since replaced the phone so all is back to normal.

We are now at Hilmorton, had an Indian last night which was nice as usual. Paul has resanded and repainted the gunnel tow path side so that is both sides done now, he also changed the gear box oil. The list is a bit shorter but there is still quite a few jobs to do but we have the winter to sort them all.
For the past few days the battery warning light kept coming on after what seemed like a short time, so one day we ran the engine for 6 hours to top them up and still the light came on. So after testing 4 of the batteries ( we replaced 2 at the begining of the year) Paul found 1 was completely useless 2 were border line and 1 appeared to be ok so we took a walk to the yard at Hilmorton where they did us a deal on 4 batteries and delivered them to Bridge 72 for us ( we were moored up Braunston side of the bridge). I'm glad to say everything appears to be back to normal now.

We are looking forward to getting on the Grand Union, we have to stop at Braunston on the way through to pick up post we are waiting on our license to be sent, you can be your bottom dollar it will arrive at Jess's the day we leave Braunston but never mind there other Post Offices our mail can be sent to. (I hope).