Here we are again, happy as can be...

So Reader here we are again back at the boat after a brief sojourn back 'ome, to watch over the farm (Golf for him) and me go shopping with my mother.  She is very well thank you for asking, golf on the other hand was not so good with his non practiced putting abysmal.  Shopping on the other hand was lots of fun.

But reaching the boatyard situated in central Reading was not such fun.  We have not yet mastered Sat Nav, in general we prefer a map and an argument but to negotiate Saturday morning shoppers with all associated traffic PLUS many many parents dropping off offspring at universities was an unwise choice of day frankly....

The absolutely CHARMING staff at Fry's Island were so helpful to us, even when the bloody boat didn't start (Don't ask me, that is mans work, I make the beds and load the fridge), but finally we departed their company and headed upstream.  The general plan was to moor somewhere soonish so that David could cycle back to the car which was on a 2 hour parking slot then move the car along.   But David has the totally different idea that we would go further and he would cycle quickly back after all its only a few miles right???

So going way past the visitor moorings in Readings then we saw some pretty ones but too small and occupied by cruisers lalalala ......  and finally looking at Mapledurham, too shallow, too small and so onwards, the time is getting much closer to the limit now but after trying several possibilities still no joy so without any choice on to Pangbourne Meadows...  
David, says I,  its a Saturday afternoon, one of the best days of the entire summer, Pangbourne will be busy and so it proved, with gin palaces (For once I might add) button to button without gaps.  Bugger.  One space was there, on the small side, but, it had five fishermen on it and frankly we were too scared to go and moor there and upset them, so we crept along knowing that we would have to go along to Beale Park which in itself wasn't a problem but not so good for the bike trip.
What did we find at the very last possible space there was a gap our size, we were in like a rat up a drain.
Bike out and off he went to fetch the car, already an hour overdue.
I unpacked and make the bed up, had a refreshing cup of tea and drank in on a handily placed bench next to the boat and enjoyed the sun, but later went in to watch the end of the 
SA v Japan rugby match, our daughter was there.

David on the other hand  had been tormented with a bike ride from hell, otherwise known as riding into Reading, a place he hates (apart from nice Fry's Island),  the oneway system had him fuming and the only silver lining was that the car had not been booked. Result.  

He then tried to leave Reading on the road back to Pangbourne, but was directed onto the M4 this totally enraged him and ruined his mood for Waitrose shopping.  Finally he phoned me from the car and god knows where.... "Did you hear the rugby result darling?"  The best match ever in the history of the world and he had missed Japan stuff the South Africans.  I can't really print the rest of that conversation. 
When he arrived in the dark, balancing shopping, cold and cross I did my level best to revive his spirits, it took a while.

Our mooring tonight at Pangbourne, taken from our handy bench

Supper was a lot of wine for him, plus salmon risotto I didn't have watercress but whacked in pak choi instead.

If you like dramatic colours then here is one from home.  We made it home dry too.