Onwards …….

We left All Oaks Wood this morning in bright sunshine only to be told that it was going to rain at 2, don't you just love these pessimistic people. (Oh I forgot I live with one).

We have had a bit of a problem which hasn't been mentioned before because of the security issue,  one of the welds on the engine room side hatch door hinges had given way in fact it was buggered. So on our way we stopped at Roses to get it re-welded. Of course this has cocked up the paint work, (still what's one more cock up to go with the many others). Paul has managed to rub it down and give the offending area a coat of red oxide no doubt he will be able to match the paint but of course he will always know its there.  

We had a pleasant cruise with the sky getting blacker by the minute still there was a couple of hours to go until 2!!!!! There was loads of wood in the canal and I mean BIG bits like about 2ft round obviously someone thought it would be a good idea to see if it would float, well it did just about, so it was like doing a slalom course to miss it all.

Through the stop lock and on to the water point to replenish the tank. We also had rubbish to get rid of and cassettes to empty.Luckily for us Bernie was walking past with his wheelbarrow so we hijacked that which made it a bit easier only doing one trip instead of a couple. While the tank was filling up I took a wander to see if there were any spaces and saw two right at the end by the water overflow. By the time the tank was full it was pouring with rain and what was the time……. 2pm!!!!!!!! That woman must have been physic as it isn't often that the weatherman gets things so accurate.

Off we went setting off after a boat that had just passed us, I was on the tow path (no point in keep getting on and off) and would you believe it but the boat in front of us pulled into one mooring space and a boat coming the other way pulled into the other the woman on the shared ownership boat certainly gave me a funny look when I told her she had taken our spot, I was only joking but she must have thought I was being serious. So we are now moored just past the overflow on our own.

Yesterday Paul was doing a bit of re-jigging of speakers please don't ask , when there was a massive crash as some one hit us. No boats were coming south so WHY had they hit us bow first I hasten to add removing all the paint work from the gunnel line. Paul was up and out the cratch with a load of expletives, only to be told “sorry mate but he’s only learning” to which the reply was “what, learning to hit other boats?” By this time there was a few boats stacked up behind him all of which were well over the other side of the canal so there was really no reason for the collision and if the instructor bloke (if you can call him that) was paying attention you would have thought he would have seen what was going to happen. Any way once back inside Paul said “right that’s it we are selling this boat I have had enough of this boating lark no one has any respect any more for peoples boats.” It doesnt seem to matter how much time you spend trying to keep your boat looking nice some ignorant nob head seems hell bent of undoing all your work. So watch this space, and the speakers, the  re-jigging didn't work so it was back to how they were. Which just about made Pauls day as I am sure you can imagine.