Guests and Egyptians.

Off to London we went.  Those nice Boat Sharers, who are nearing the end of their holiday, dropped us off at Leighton Buzzard train station and we reported to a daughter's flat to be joineded by the rest of the gang.  We all travelled later to London Bridge had cocktails and then dinner in a very trendy Italian place this all to celebrate David's 60th.  I know he looks much older but he is only 60.   The next morning we all breakfasted together and later had a picnic in the park or rather, a different daughter did that we crashed as we had met most of the people before.   They played Frizbee (David knocking a toddler unconscious but the parents were quite nice about it.

Home again via Brixton, Euston and Leighton Buzzard and each place was rammed with people visiting, whatever for I cannot imagine.  We almost didn't get a seat on the train at Euston due to David popping off to get a bottle of water at the gate, then 4000 people coming through the gate, great idea that David, but we did get the last two seats.  About forty people alighted the train at Leighton Buzzard which staggered me, I mean who would go to London without good cause on a sunny hot day?  They are all mad I swear.

That nice Mr Lewis picked us up from the station which was luxury, Thank you Darling.   
Then home to the boat and a nice cup of tea.  
What could be nicer?

They packed up their own car and we all walked them back to their car in the car park and with a trail of dust and gravel were gone. 
Here are a few memories of their stay.

Fletcher or Floyd pleased to see us again, or anyway a comfy bag to lean on.

Joint watering up, much quicker

GIANT sized Pimms. Get your Five-a-day with these.

Early nights all around to be up in the morning for an 8:30am departure.


Yes we were all up and ready on cue.  Continuing southwards and into Leighton Buzzard proper.  For those of you who don't know and those who don't care, there is a big Tesco here right on the canal side, also an Aldi who sell my favourite chocolate but I deeply regret not going in there as my stocks are low.  

It was a slow game of Supermarket Sweep we played here, taking the best part of an hour.   We have a small problem in summer, the lack of fridge space for soft fruits, cheeses, wine, meat, olives and salad and our fridge is now as rammed as the train on Sunday, mainly as today we have guests arriving. 

Daughter Verity and her husband Mitch, as we watered up the walked to join us from the train station.  Always lovely to have guests even if we had only said goodbye to them yesterday!

They are beautiful guests to have, they both travel very light with only one small bag each.  Unlike an hilarious visit we had a couple of years ago....

So the middle daughter had planned her visit to the boat in January, the weekend of August Bank holiday.  Months and months later the eldest daughter and boyfriend said she wanted to come too, it was their only opportunity, so yes of course come, says I.  Now I only have one spare bed, a double and one spare duvet and pillows etc, the middle girl said as she had made the first booking she was not going to give up the bed, so I advised the elder girl this was the case so they had to bring bedding and maybe some sun bed cushions to put on the floor?  I thought our sofa would do for one person, yes she said.
The day of arrival came, the elder daughter brought all the their cushions off their sofa, duvet, pillows two wheelie mini suitcases.  Reader it was hilarious, five of us aboard, luggage bedding filling the entire boat, one loo, we only have a modest sized water tank so with showers and hair washings we had to fill up each day pretty much.  Oh how we laughed.....

Since that time, we pretty much limit visitors to two at a time but they are still most welcome.

Back to today, we set off to get out of town, we did seven locks in total I think.  Daughter Verity has boated a fair few times before with us but this is Mitch's first time.  He is most energetic, he jumps and is really bendy so is a great apprentice crew to have around.  

Lesley "Walks like an Egyptian" 

We made nice steady progress along with the apprentice given helpful advice and guidance.
Its a bit like travelling with "Manuel" from Faulty Towers, very very enthusiastic but not really understanding what is going on....
A bit later we moored here.

A nice long straight bit, sunny and everything.  There were naps, kindles, tea golf coverage and Kettle chips.  

Supper was steak, wedges for Mitch who HATES sweet potato chips, sweet potato wedges for us with french beans, mushrooms and caramelised onions.