Geese, ducks and cranes

An early (for me) something in the region of 8am
the sun was shining in a clear blue sky.

A few boats looked as if they were thinking about moving, you know the sort of thing, men on deck messing with ropes with all likelihood of waiting for the the lovely wife to be ready and come out. This always reminds me of getting ready to go out in the evening and the husband goes and sits in the car with the engine running possibly even hooting, this only induces the wife to change her outfit, or is this only me?

Well all was marvellous at the first lock as on arrival we met a hire boat coming up and I went to help her.  I said that I thought it frightfully early to be up on your holiday, she completely agreed, but they were on a week's trip doing the Four Counties Ring, she thought they were a day ahead and wanted to keep it that way, a busy week but an easy fortnight.  Personally I am of the persuasion of going 3.5 days in one direction then turning.  What say you Amanda?

So David brought WaL  into the lock and I went forward to raise the first paddle, well Hells Bells I couldn't shift it so we swapped places and I did the driving thing.  David is a supremely happy thing now I am driving, he LOVES womens company the best and it's mostly women doing the locks.   I have had to speak to him about too much yaking.  I should say that I was very pleased to say he too found this paddle really hard too to raise.

A rather tiny looking spire to this nameless church.

The forecast was rain in the south and sunny in the north today....

Looking north

Looking south

My family never believe there is good weather to be had in the north, my son-in-law scoffs at the suggestion there is only rain in the north except he says  "It's not the north, it's the Midlands" 

Several times this spring we have seen one yellow duckling in a family of darker chicks.

Now although this boat is NOT moored on the lock landing, he is inches from it and this half term week it is quite possible to have had a queue here, on a bend with two longer boats waiting and if you look at the photos above at just how much straight mooring is available a smidgen further on, one does ask why....?

Lots of boating love to see these, but I have to share with you that Farmers loath them

What a beautiful sight.  A Morris Minor

Can anyone tell me whatever is going on here at Old Hill Wharf ??????  This is I think the biggest crane I have ever seen.

The pretty pretty Tixall Lock just past those cranes.

Our mooring place tonight.

So we crept around the corner to look at Tixall Wide but quickly reversed to here, a joint decision made on the length of the evening sun to be enjoyed.  Now I can hear someone saying but you've moored on a bend, but I have to say its really wide here, wide enough for two wide beams to pass us at the same time.  Chairs out, kindles out, G&T and family sized bag of Kettle crisps.

Supper was a beef salad again to finish it off, very good with my new favourite of mango and chilli dressing.  
The sun disappeared, the sky turned black and a shower heavy enough to make us jump up.  

I said I wonder if NB Willow  HERE      will come past tonight, they love evening cruising and lo and behold ten minutes later they did, this time I was able to call out a fan club member greeting to Amy, this was the last time our paths will coincide as they turn north tomorrow at the junction to begin their new adventures.