Beef, mushrooms and an a direct hit.

Now we are, in general, loitering, we are in no great hurry to get anywhere, so with this in mind David had the idea that today we would go through the lock at Cropredy early, so that tomorrow morning we could make an early start to get to Fenny Compton, the key factor being the arrival time.  We had our eye on our favourite mooring there and wanted to get there early.

So we did.  Saying goodbye to those attractive beef cows.  

Our sum total for today’ stats are 1 mile, 1 lock.  

There we moored again and I did the chrome polishing of the port holes.  While I was in the mood I did the mushrooms too.  I have plans to do the water side portholes…. but not today.  That done, I fetched the books and we did that nice sitting in the sun thing which is so diverting.

The next day, because believe me Reader, nothing else happened, we set off nice and early.  I had been persuaded, cajoled and implored to leave at 7am.  Tea had been brought to my bedside with the sweetest of encouragements and promises made in my ear if I would just rise, do the eight locks and hurry up about it as he was leaving in 10 minutes flat.

I obliged.

Now as you will know me by now Reader, early mornings are not really anything to do with me, however I almost enjoyed this one.  

We didn’t meet anyone in the beginning, the locks were mostly only half filled, so no long waits, it was really warm and the sun was shining.  What more can a boaty wife ask for?

A one lock, I can’t remember the name but it is the one with the cottage that has no access road, it is boarded up and has a sign written up that it is owned by local boaters and any thing suspicious to call blah blah blah.  Well in the garden I spotted a blackcurrant  bush, in fact several.  I sent Nanny below to fetch a container and we steamed through picking them.   We are accomplished blackcurrant pickers, in his yoof, Darling had a huge veg and fruit garden.  It was his escape from his business, his wife and well, not the children as he loves them far more than me, but if couldn’t be found anywhere he was always to be located  there, digging, where the phone don’t ring.  

Well with no boats coming we picked all the black ones so now these few days later the red ones left would have turned by now so if you are coming that way… get yer pot out.

Cooked these up with strawberries.

Onward and at Fenny Compton we were mentally prepared for a wait for water, but isn’t it great when the water point is free?

David has been practicing today to be a single hander today….  I am not completely sure why, however he INSISTED I was the one to go shopping here, just a mile down the road into the village of Fenny Compton to the Co-op while he does the water fill and then if necessary move the boat onward, in fact as we got close he very nearly pushed me off the boat,  dumped the bike on the towpath such was his enthusiasm to be rid and said something like “Off you go”.  Yes Reader you are correct, it was a change from this mornings sweet nothings….

So off I went and for an old bird I got a very nice smile and greeting from a lycra clad young cyclist (Big sunglasses do so help.)

Supermarket Sweep completed and two boxes of Magnums brought back I pedalled back to the Wharf, I was expecting to find WaL gone and me going to have to go along the towpath with my basket full and a packed carrier bag swinging on the handlebars but no there he was.  For sale here was a basket of jars and Nanny had spotted one of Chilli Jam.  We had it for lunch later, totally delicious and for only £1, a snip.

  We trollied along and reached our intended place Hurrah.

Out with the garden shears to do my bit for maintaing the viewpoint here and also cut the only bit of grass mooring that had been passed over by the mowing Contractors.  Probably some sniffy Shiny Boat owner we asked them not to mow here…….!

Supper was Beef Burgers, pesto couscous and salad oh nearly forgot, Magnums for pudding.

Bird mess being washed off.

Previously in April this was underwater, now it is not, but for how long?

CART doing work on the tow path side.

I used to keep these ducks but I didn't have a canal to keep them on.

No this craft isn't sinking, its supposed to be like that, got to like looking at grass though.

Very very narrow here in Fenny Compton Tunnel

PS This will amuse David Lewis, I took David’s favourite hat and washed it, in it’s absence a passing bird scored a direct hit