More experience needed for the Rookie

It was another clear blue sky day to leave Somerton Meadows, we did so just about fifteen minutes after Peter on NB Futurest.  When we ambled along I was inside straightening the boat and unbeknown to us a hire boat moored along the way too had set off, so this created a bit of a queue at Somerton Deep Lock.  David actually tied us up, donned a windless and went to do some heaving on these impossibly heavy gates.  I brushed my teeth and applied perfume.

All of a sudden its our turn and seeing that all had vanished and importantly no boat was descending, I thought I would have a go.......  Well what the hell, WaL is going to be blacked this winter!

So I did, and Reader I even got the "Cissy button" to work, in the required direction.

Look Reader, David's not looking or anything!!

The view from down here is one I haven't seen before.

The lovely cottage here has undergone some improvements and the garden too.

He had to be told...

Rookie error 

This is a lesson you get taught at about the age of eight, but to non boaty friends, you never ever ever leave the windy thing in position, this is a safety thing as the gears can fail and the windy thing (Or Crank as Kiwi's call them) can be sent flinging into the air and totally ruin your day with brain damage.

Here I am all pleased with myself.

Wonderful views from this lock all around.

Put yer back into it grandad

Along the way we came to these cows.  David tells me cows can swim, this one didn't like the waves approaching and galloped out.

There are a very pretty bunch.

At Aynho Weir  Lock as we approached and lady appeared, she had a windless and was walking from end to end looking and walking back to the other end each time.  

"Do you know how to do this lock?"

Yes I replied, "Oh thank goodness, I simply don't know what to do with this odd shape one"

It was so amusing the poor thing was befuddled but the lozenge shape of this lock, so we had a little chat and she seemed much happier, only her second holiday afloat and the hire company had told them nothing...  I assured her that she was on a fabulous canal and had the best to come.

We pootled on and moored above Kings Sutton Lock, a favourite mooring, we popped the sun chairs out right under the south facing hedge and enjoyed another "Last Day" of sunshine.

Supper was sea bass in lemon butter with petit pois and as much blackberry and apple as you can ladle out of the vat of it we have onboard.

With cream