Oh what fun we have had.

Friday we left our mooring nr lock 39, Betty and Graham had joined us and we had spent a pleasant Thursday evening aboard Tranquility having a laugh as Graham refused to put more than one log at a time on the fire then just as we were leaving he put 3 yes 3 nuggets of coal on just to make it a bit warmer.

Our journey was cold and windy and I wasn't looking forward to tackling lift bridge 193 after the problems I had had on the way down but it was a doddle and we moored up in the same place.

Saturday morning we woke to a heavy frost and mist over the canal Paul took these pictures as he was up at 6am to watch the qualifying.

The day certainly improved both weatherwise and neighbour wise. Around 12 Tranquility arrived which called for coffee on the tow path, Graham then decided that he was going to sort out his gas locker as it needed a scrape down and a coat of red oxide and then bitumen on the floor. As you would expect Paul was giving his usual advice. Not sure whether Graham wanted it but he got it all the same. When he emerged from the locker there appeared to be more red oxide on him than on the locker.

Around 3.30 Oakfield moored up so the happy band was together yet again. This time is was a little more than coffee that was called for.

We were all in a jovial mood Graham in his gas locker singing to us then Paul got the tin of bitumen as he thought Graham should get at least one coat on, well Graham donned his rubber gloves to some very ribald remarks then he lay across the bow to paint the floor of the locker, boats were going past giving us some very strange looks, mind you it did look a bit like a gypsy camp with gas bottles and all the contents of Grahams locker on the tow path and Betty's washing was out too.

Paul thought that he would add his 5 pennyworth and lay across Graham all this just as a hire boat went past we all shouted hello they took one look at Paul and Graham and opened the throttle and sped off this made us laugh all the more as you can see from Anne's face in the picture.

This is certainly what boating is all about spending you evenings in the sun with your friends having a laugh. At one point just as some people walked past on the tow path Graham emerged from the locker and said "help me I am being held a prisoner" the look on their faces said it all they didn't know whether to believe him or not so they hurried on with the sound of our laughter following behind. Oh happy days.

This morning again we have woken to a frost but now the sun is out the GP is finished well done Jenson and Lewis and no doubt Paul will be out there supervising the painting. He has come in and told me that Kieth is polishing and Paul has requested that he move away from us if he is going to show us up by doing such things on a Sunday morning. There is one vital job to be sorted and that is Paul's chair, it has collapsed and he is virtually sitting on the floor so there is a repair to be done there.( he accuses me of being overweight!!!) Looks like we will have to invest in some new ones at some point soon.
Tomorrow the plan is to get to bridge 170 lets hope the sun is shining on us.