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.

Connection at last

On previous visits to Braunston I have never been able to get a 3g signal for my lap top so spent ages while we were at Hilmorton catching up on emails etc. But blow me down (or words to that effect) since we arrived here I havent had a problem getting a signal, ok sometimes it is only a weak signal and everything is slow but at least I can get out.

We are well into catching the bus now as we paid Daventry a visit, it's only 10 mins from the marina here so we are going again tomorrow to go to Tesco to top up, only a small shop for now as our friends are joining us here on the 12th so I will have to shop again for when they arrive. Daventry is a nice place with everything you need we even found a nice cafe where Paul got a breakfast for £3. I got a bus timetable from Braunston P.O.

While here we met up again with John and Paula on Taurean (first met them in Rugby) spent a nice evening with them last night in the Wheatsheaf having a chinese and listening to the live group. Transpires they had a pub in Faversham which is about 5 miles from our home village of Lower Halstow. They have just passed us as they are off to Warwick needless to say it is lashing it down so their journey will be a wet one.

On the day we arrived here we got to the place where we usually moor at the start of the Oxford was just mooring up and getting the board out when a guy on a boat up the way proceeded to empty his cassette down the grass bank we couldnt believe what we were seeing, he wasnt even being a bit discreet about what he was doing and there were loads of boats going past but he didnt seem to care. Just too idle to walk to the disposal point. What was so amazing was he had gone past the sanitary station to get moored up. What is it with some people, needless to say after about 10 mins he was off again on his travels.

Tea for Two

For my birthday in February you know the one where us girls get a pittance from the state, can travel on buses for nothing and get cheap rail fares. (Paul has to wait a while to get his perks!!!!) l my daughter gave me a voucher for "Tea for two at the Ritz" up until now I have kept putting off booking it (you cant just turn up) so while we have been here at Hilmorton and I have a signal on the laptop I thought I would go for it

I had decided on a date in October so into the web site I went putting in all the relevant information and bugger me if they were fully booked for that date at all times during the day I tried a couple of alternatives and these too were full. In the end I settled for the first Monday in October at 5.30. Paul is staying on the boat (not his scene) so I am going to spend the weekend with Jess and she is going to partake of tea with me. We will have a good day in London and I CANT WAIT.

Hireboaters!!!

coming back from the chandlery at Hilmorton this afternoon and there was a hireboat coming out of the middle lock. Dad on the tiller son doing the locks well son couldnt be arsed to walk round to shut both gates so just left them open. Paul was livid we shut the gates with Paul hurling abuse at the two of them did, they care did they b******s. Why dont the hireboat companies explain why the locks should be left with the gates shut. Perhaps they do and these people just dont give a toss I dont know ,it just makes me so mad.

haircut

We are now at Hilmorton will spend a few days here, until after the bank holiday at least. I have been desperate to get my hairdone for I dont know how long so once we got here I was going to find a hairdressers. I looked on the internet and I found 2 so hopefully I would be able to get an appointment. I set off on the walk to the village which if I remembered rightly was all up hill, so after half an hour and nothing seemed familiar I knew I had gone wrong somewhere. So I decided to take the next turning on the left which lo and behold took me onto the road I was looking for I even found an Aldi walking through the village there was a pub The Red Lion which does Sunday lunches for £4.95 not bad I thought will mention it to Paul when I get back. Also found the Post Office and the Co-Op and yipee a hairdressers made an appointment and returned to the boat the correct way so it only took me 20 mins not the 45 on the way out.

Got to the hairdressers with time to spare it suddenly dawned on me they hadnt asked for a name when I made the appointment still Im sure they couldnt forget the wind swept women from the day before. I was really looking forward to having my hair done nice cut and blow dry. how wrong can you be. I should have realised when I walked in the shop every customer had a blue rinse and has rollers in and they were all of a certain age, alright so I am 60 but I definaetly dont have a blue rinse and I cant remember when I last went to the hairdressers and had rollers put in and then sat under the dryer. I wasnt afforded even that luxury I was gowned up sat down asked what I wanted then my hair was duly cut. No wash no blow dry no nothing. Now dont get me wrong the lady was very nice and she chatted all the time she was cutting my hair and the place was clean and I suppose the best bit was it only cost me £6.50, but my morning of being pampered just didnt materialise obviously they do thing differently in this neck of the woods. On my way back to the boat by yet another route I came upon another pub that has a steak night on a Thursday 2 sirloin or rump for £20 with wine or 2 fillet £25 wine. So on my return to the boat suggested Sunday lunch but cant do that as the Grand Prix is on!!!!!!!!! What about a steak? can't remember the excuse for that one so it looks like egg and chips tonight.
Still onceI had washed my hair it looked ok so all is not lost. Weather is crap again but who cares.

Busy Busy Busy

We made it to Rugby Thursday and seem to have been busy ever since. We have done the shop at Tesco, Paul went to Wickes and bought himself a new drill and sander. Friday we caught a bus to Rugby havent been on a bus for years, went to Argos got some more bookshelves (thats a job for later).

Paul came up with the idea of making a box for the top of the boat so off he went with tape, paper and pen did his drawing then it was off (again) to wickes for the bits to make said box. Paul doesnt hang about when he has an idea. 2 hours after returning with woods & screws etc box was made ready to be undercoated. Good job the tow path here is wide, box was given 2 coats of under coat, then off he went again this time to Homebase to get cover for top of box. When he came back it was to inform me that I had to get out the sewing machine as there were a couple of alterations to be made to the cover. Couple of alterations involved taking the thing apart then re making it. Today the box has so far had one top coat another one after Moto GP (if first coat is dry of course). Just have to buy eyelets for the cover then thats that job done. And we might even get a red and a cream stripe on the box so it matches paint work on the boat watch this space.

Had a chat with Lawrence and Pat from Lady Rose about time we caught up with them, as every time we have seen the boat they have not been aboard. Its nice to catch up with people you know to find out what they have been up to.

Have planned to stay here till Wednesday then head onto Hillmorton, I desperately need a visit to the hairdressers have looked on the internet and there are a couple in Hillmorton so will have to get the barnet sorted.