Oh Dear!

It was to be one of those early starts associated closely with summer and sun.  

The sky was clear and as I woke to the jolt of WaL's engines going on at a time to wake the Blackbirds of this area, I pulled the bung down as was instantly blinded by the sky.

What a beaut.

I'd got my clothes ready the night before, it had reminded me of being six years old when my mummy got my school uniform ready for me neatly on the end of my bed.  

I was soon joining David on the bridge of WaL.

David takes delight in getting to the top of Flights before other Boaters, this morning was no exception as he'd passed two boats getting ropes ready to push off.

It was of no benefit to us as all the locks needed filling for us and those who followed.

Claydon Top Lock and cottage.

I do so love this cottage and was urging my husband to buy it for me years ago when it was on the market.  

He wouldn't.

I'm also sorry that years ago the previous owners had made scones and cakes that were for sale I brought and enjoyed, the current owners don't offer this service.  

So you see Reader, I'm very fond of this place and what do I see?  Well only what could be described as a "Bold choice in the window frames".

I'll say no more, but red and turquoise? 

The barn had fared better to my mind.

Our grandchildren have started talking and a favourite expression is "Oh dear!" when something is wrong.  Today was a big Oh dear moment as the pound below the top lock was very low, too low to proceed.

David was already in the lock and descending when I'd looked over.  We decided between us to let more water in while he was still in there as opposed to him going out of the lock and refilling it as we thought he'd get grounded or worse stuck half way.

Not a brilliant solution but the people who had arrived behind us meantime decided to refill it and empty it before themselves entering it.

I'd abandoned David to check that all the gates and paddles on the next lock were closed (and they were).

So gingerly WaL crept forward and we went into the second lock.   

Oh dear, actually this was after we had let water through.

WaL coming into the second lock.

After the second lock things had improved and a CART chappie appeared swinging his Lock Key (Called a winder by me), he explained that he was going to send more water down and if we could wait for his colleagues to arrive before proceeding.

Marvellous, we had breakfast.

Soon after I met another of the 11%.  Frequent Flyers to this blog may remember that a few weeks ago at the Braunston Flight again early in the morning I met a female member of the Bank work force.  Today I met another, she's Italian, lives onboard her own boat and has worked for CART for ten years, she too loves her job.

She let us carry on when the Flight was "Healthy"

David went on ahead and was going to fill this lock himself.

The last of six locks, we'd been given the heads up that this paddle was out of action and was the cause of a queue to build up.  

One of the last locks of the day before we dropped down into Cropedy.

A favourite wall of mine, oh and David.

So we landed at Cropedy at 09:30.  In time to see other boats departing and giving us a lovely mooring next to gardens.  I took the view it was too hot to continue with the varnishing and David didn't mention putting another coat on the boat pole.

We cycled around Cropedy gazing at the gorgeous cottages, sadly RightMove didn't show any that I liked for sale.  

We arrived at the Brasenose Arms    HERE   for lunch, the gardens were full of people under umbrellas and in the shade of canopies.

We spent the entire afternoon reading in the sun our excellent books.

Great afternoon mooring.

Lunch was mushroom and stilton burger.  

Books we are reading are;

HERE   We have both enjoyed this, if you can call a good murder enjoyable...

and

HERE   I love her books.