At Last!!!!!!!

Yesterday we finally managed to get away from Uxbridge albeit for a few days. We stopped at Denham Marina for diesel and coal, the diesel was only 59p a litre we declared 80/20 split as we are not going too far at the moment we had to wait at the marina as there was a wide beam on the pump so we never really got away until 11. When we got to Cowley we spent another couple of hours filling up as the water was nearly empty (did 2 loads of washing on the way down) and the fact that Paul was talking to the 2 other boats at the water point didn't speed things up. When we finally got through the lock (sharing it with another boat) it was 1.30 so I suggested stopping but no Paul said lets get Tesco over with and then go up the arm to the log store.

By this time we were making headway through broken ice the boat we shared the lock with was in front of us but he pulled over to let us go in front (how kind) now there was three of us all in a line but when we got to Tesco the others were no where to be seen. Needless to say Paul stayed on the boat while I went shopping, of course the world and his wife were there too so I spent longer than anticipated in the store finally getting back to the boat at 4 with a trolley full of food and nearly all my nails broken due to packing everything in bags.

We made it to the mooring just as it was getting dark we had been struggling to make headway from the time we got onto the arm we were going so slow that a BW barge overtook us Paul said I think there must be something round the prop. At least the barge broke the ice for us. When we finally got the canopy up with lots of swearing as we were so cold it was pitch black first time we have been that late.

This morning Paul investigated the weed hatch and found what he thinks is a brick pallet wrapper around the prop, his poor little pinkies were absolutely frozen by the time he had wrestled the polythene free. The polythene was the thick industrial stuff so was not easy to tear but easy to wrap itself round our prop.

We then walked to the log store which was very depleted since our last visit but we found enough to keep us going for a bit longer, took over the tow path while Paul got the chain saw out to cut it all up. I then swept up after him as usual. The BW barge came back down breaking the ice which was nearly an inch thick we didn't intend moving today so weren't too worried but hopefully tomorrow will be okay although I cant see it somehow. At least we are on our own again.

Rung our friends Paul and Heather on nb Roxanne they had been away for 2 weeks and returned to the boat yesterday which had been left in Willowtree Marina about a mile from us. They are iced in too but have to move to Kensal as their son is coming over from Australia tomorrow, he will certainly notice a bit of a difference in the temperature between there and here. As the BW barge came from Willowtree they will have a slow journey to Kensal breaking ice.

We are looking forward to a few peaceful days , hopefully we will be able to get to Willowtree park as it will be nice for the dogs. Still, we have food, the water is full up, coal and logs are on the roof so who cares where we are.