What a Lark!: Muhummara is the greatest.

Lazy day today. We certainly lazed over breakfast just enjoying the sun on my feet and the view over the river Cherwell valley.

Finally we made a move, we only had to go half a mile to Aynho for a pump out, turn and return towards Somerton meadows for today.

Breakfast in heaven.

So we got to Aynho and were saddened, dismayed and finally horrified when we were told there is no pump out service here. Now I am not aware of a wharf/marina who sell diesel, have a wee shop that don't have a pump out service, I kind of think they should. But we'll fight that another day when we have an empty tank again. But till then I shall mutter about them.

So at least we had a lovely day to ponder our predicament as we set off again past all the moored boats south of Aynho and down into open countryside again.

All of a sudden Maffi came into view, he had a "Boat Guest" today of the very nicest kind and was going on a Boaty Jaunt. I told him laughing nervously of our plight and he said "Oh Bugger" then suggested Thrupp.

So we had a fallback.

Then I had a text from good friends Steve and Denise on NB Riverside, saying I know from the blog you are at home but we are making our way down the South Oxford and are today at Aynho!!!!!!! I phoned her straight back, unbelievably we had missed them by about ten minutes we guessed. They had moored above Aynho and were walking down to the Western Arms to make a booking for that evening.

We haven't seen them in a while and made arrangements to meet up with them the following day.

This item of Farming News is reported from Somerton Deep Lock, David always likes a bit of other farm snooping

So these are big bales of grass to make winter food for cows probably.

The baler.

Keep the kettle boiling.

So a frequent occurrence on our farm, a breakdown.

I'm not sure this is a good idea.......

We moored on the meadows, no cows of any sort today. Not long afterwards, we showered and got ready to go out to supper. So tonight was the night of us joining other diners at a Pop-Up Supper Club here in Somerton. We had stumbled across this by way of a happy Google accident three weeks ago and were really looking forward to it.

It was now about 7:45pm, we were a little too early to arrive at 8pm. For those of you wondering I was wearing a gold sequinned top and gold sandals.

So we stopped in a gateway with a view right over past Somerton lock and saw to David's horror the bales were still out uncollected from the field, David would have worked certainly to 11pm at this time of year.... The younger generation eh?

Jules cooks in her own kitchen to ten guests and we are all in the woods close by to her house. There were cushions, cosy rugs, amazing food and good company. It was great fun and I'll be certainly looking for more Pop-Ups nearer to home.