Life extinct and skittles

Up today and first thing to do was juggling the wet washing.  This is a tiresome game to be played especially when guests are sleeping in the drying room,  as yesterday I had been so pleased to see the Basin washing line, then after our hasty departure we took it all into the boat to dry.  Wet knickers and tee shirts had been hanging on all doors, radiators and the heating stove all evening made a tiny eyesore, but most of it this was almost dry this morn.

We set off back up the Aylesbury Arm.  The Love Birds were leaving today, just as well really as the weather forecast tomorrow is abysmal, rain, rain and more rain.

This is one of those "Don't try this at home", 

The above photo actually looks milder than what it was.  But Mitch has these really long bendy jumpy legs.  

Back in Feb when Tout le Famillé were in NZ for their wedding, part of their Honeymoon was three days on Waiheke Island, nine of us accompanied them!! (Honeymoons are great fun), on this trip Mitch didn't even take shoes!  Thats right Reader shocking as it is to us Anglo Saxons no shoes were taken.  His lovely cousin arrived for a day trip with her enchanting children and only one out of three of them had shoes on. No one died or anything though. 

Later that day he fell off a log while playing with the enchanting children and turned his ankle badly.  Sort of lucky for him two out of the eleven Honeymooners were Intensive Care nurses, so although it swelled up like a balloon he had good care.  There was a flare up later in this country when he did go to A&E and at the English Wedding in May he was on crutches, I merely bore you with this as his physio says he must "Strengthen" it.  So this is him so doing.  I had to shut my eyes as he leapt over gates too.  I forbade his wife from doing so, but she wasn't keen to try.

Recently repaired lock after a wall collapsed 

This is milk packaging plant, thought to be the biggest in the country, which all boaters know was responsible in its construction for the collapse of the lock.  Everyone right?

Except no......   When I arrived here ahead of the boat I met theses two gentlemen surveyors who are working for CART and looking at the work to be done on the Arm during this coming winter and its three week closure.  The nice gentlemen explained to me that the clay surrounding the lock was of a particular kind, Gold Clay I think he said, it contracts and swells more than your bog standard clay and this appears to be the chief reason plus being 200 years of age, 
"Life extinct" was the phrase he used.  I asked if the Plant had contributed to the repair work of the lock, no was the answer BUT they are going to pay for the cost of providing a new stretch of tarmac tow path.  Here I exclaimed loudly that no boater wants a tarmac tow path as this only encourages cyclists going hell for leather playing skittles with civilians, I pleaded that the money be spent on anything else, 
(Even a new car for Richard Parry I think would be better.....)

These scrumptious people are from a company who are based in Aylesbury town basin, the company has "Donated" or "Allowed" their employees to come out of the office for four days and paint the lock gates at four locks.  How wonderful is that eh?  They were enjoying themselves and I thanked them all profusely on behalf of all boaters and told them their work was valued.  

(Mitch scoffed at their high vis jackets on this bright and sunny day)

Crayfish donated as a kind of figurehead Mitch felt was lacking.

More Cherryplums picked at the top of the Arm and here's a thing, I asked how much these new places are going to be sold for...  The top photo is of a pair of semi detached houses and are £680K the "Cottage" has been redeveloped and is the cheapest at £560K I think he said, the most expensive detached at £780K.  This was the closest Mitch got to falling in when he heard the prices.....  But Reader, that is a lot of money to be living in what looks just like a large Public Convenience don't you think?  I hope the fence is high saving the defenceless British Public from from seeing it.

Verity made Guacamole  and spicy chicken wraps for lunch, then in the flash of a taxi they were gone.