Widebeams

I like a widebeam. That is, when I had a look around one at Crick Show I thought it was wonderful with its two double fitted bedrooms, human sized lounge, proper bathroom, utility, kitchen and conservatory and so on....and each year I find more and more widebeams moored on the cut. Some are thoughtfully moored with good space for passing boats and good visibility but more and more often I am finding them moored on bends and in narrow parts of the cut making life difficult for everyone else. This week, though, I had the problem of a widebeam advancing towards me from around a bend at quite a speed. I had bushes my side  (and, therefore, no where to go) and there were overhanging trees their side. He tried to cut his speed to avoid both me and the trees but he couldn't get it to slow enough. We passed each other safely but not before all the planters on his roof were swept over by the branches. He took it very well but I couldn't help feeling that with a little more forethought he could have escaped that indignity.

I also forgot to tell you about my very helpful bus driver. I was waiting for a bus in a small village where I found that the timetable had changed quite drastically both in times and destinations of buses. I rang traveline who told me I had a two hour wait for a bus to my destination. As we were talking a bus pulled up so I asked the driver where he was going. The answer was the next village - fed up, I said "OK, I'll walk from there"; "Where are you headed?" he asked and my answer was a further 6 miles. "I have to go that way" says he, "to take the bus back. I'll give you a lift". What a nice guy! If you are wondering why no places are named in this story, it is because I don't want to get said driver into trouble. But driver, you know who you are, and thank you very much.

A family weekend

I had to come back in to work today to tie up some loose ends (There seem to be plenty of them :-) ).

I returned to Cowroast last Tuesday evening by train from Milton Keynes, after leaving the car in what seemed a safe place. On Wednesday I did what for me is a long cruise, doing 7 locks before lunch and 9 after. I was sharing locks with a really nice couple and their lurcher, Rags. I knew I was getting tired when I slipped on a wonky slab and turned my ankle, so moored up at Slapton.

Next day, I again shared two locks with Rags and family, before stopping for provisions at Leighton Buzzard Tesco. A convenient stopping place but I was rather put off when a rat ran across the towpath. First one I've ever seen on my travels. The rain held off although it got quite breezy and I found that Olivia was getting to be hard work to control in locks, etc. (The wind was catching her). I moored at Stoke Hammond where I thought i might be meeting Phil and Jackie. However, the wind had put them off and they stayed at Fenny so arrnaged to meet them there the next day.

Friday was quite rainy and windy again but I set off and was caught up at the first lock by Penny and Richard with whom I also shared Fenny lock. I moored next to Phil and Jackie and we caught up on news and had a cup of tea. I decided to press on to Central Milton Keynes but trying to moor on the 48 hour spot at the Parks Trust was a nightmare in the wind. Each time I got her in to the side and attempted to tie her in either the front or the back got taken out again. Never mind, eventually I got her securely moored. Checked up on my car and she was fine.

I had Kate and Paris out for the weekend. On Saturday we shopped for a suit for P for the upcoming wedding and K and I bought ourselves a couple of items each. Then we treated P to the Build a Bear workshop because he had been good and he had never been there before. He chose a camoflage bear skin and dressed him as a Jedi with the Star Wars theme when you press his foot. He looked good. On Sunday we went to Gullivers (yet another treat for the boy) and we had a great time. Kate and I really love the Moon Buggies and would stay on them all day if they didn't make your calves ache!! No worries about the kids, we are demons. Neil came to join us and was mortified when they wouldn't let him in without a child so we let him have ours :-)...I suppose it's a good thing that they don't allow random guys in - but I wonder if they allow random females?

Yesterday the weather was beatiful and I had cruised as far as Yardley Gobion when I got the call to work, so put travels on hold for a day or two. I don't mind the hold up as I have decided not to go to Upton this year, as I would have to camp and no one else wanted to (They've all outgrown camping!) so would have to be on my own. Camping - ok for me - camping on my own - no, I'm not so keen. Hopefully make it to Blisworth tomorrow but we shall see. Weather forecast is only so-so.

A lovely weekend for a cruise

Headed off towards Berkhamsted and was able to share 3 or 4 locks with Beez Neez, two lads who were heading up to Liverpool. They were helpful and friendly (while, I think, trying to remain "cool") - say Hi to them if you see them on their way. Olivia played up a bit at the last two locks that I shared with them. She just did not want to come in to moor nicely! I think, maybe, there is a bit of flow on those locks which took her bow out. I stopped for a short break at Apsley and then through the next lock on my own. It was one of those nightmare lockings: to start with she would not come in to the side nicely (as above) then she got stuck in the shallows and I had to pole her off, then I tucked her bow into the lock entrance while emptying it and the bow fender got stuck on the gate and, of course, it found a weak link and broke. Eventually we got through. I was able to stop at B&Q at Two Waters and get a D shackle to fix the broken link and with the help of some bunjies (used as a fishing rod!) I was able to raise the fender enough to slip in the shackle. It's a pretty good fix even if I say so myself. Through a couple more locks (Olivia no longer troublesome) and moored before the Fishery Inn. Went to find a fish and chip shop as a treat for my strange and tiring day.

On Saturday I joined up with Vectis and we shared all the way to Berkhamsted. This part of the canal is very shallow in places. I have never seen it looking like it has a beach before :-). I got stuck on mud in one of the pounds and was pulled off by Vectis, then at Berko they got stuck just by the first lock up to the pubs. Luckily they could pole off. I moored up by the pub for the night. I needed the bank, some provisions and so forth. Many of the shops in the town have changed, lots of gift type shops and interior design items. As it was such a lovely evening I went to sit in the castle grounds for a while.

On Sunday I just did a short trip to Cowroast as I needed to get a train back home as work calls for a couple of days. Must sort out those students' results :-).

Heading North again

So my sojourn to London is over again already. I travelled back by train and as I was to meet Pat and Ron at the RA Summer Exhibition I had to put my shopping trolley (!) in Left Luggage - what a rip off - £8.50! More than it cost me for the Exhibition. Never mind, it was worth it. Only about 3 pieces that I liked - a linocut of a retro record player, Tescopolis (well done, you) and Anthony Green's trestle table. Unfortunately that one cost £20,000+ so have to commit it to memory rather than wall space. They (Pat and Ron - not the artworks) accompanied me back to Uxbridge and we had a meal in the nice Chinese there - I had Three Treasures of the Earth (and rice).

Rose came to join me for a couple of days. The first day RAINED so we only did the short trip to Harefield. Rose knew of a nice pub there, The Old Orchard, where we had a lovely meal. I'm not telling you what I had as it was very sinful for an only just ex-vegetarian. Next day the weather was brilliant so up and off before 9am and we stopped at Rickmansworth Aquadrome for lunch, there is a nice cafe there selling organic and fairtrade products. In the afternoon we moved to Cassio Park as Rose could get a tube home from Watford.

Yesterday I stopped just South of Hemel, I call it "Black Cat Place" as a couple of years ago a litle black cat got on board and hid in my cupboard, later frightening the life out of me! It belonged to the boater moored a little way up. [Note to British Waterways, could you put Lock 69a on your repair list; I had to summon the help of a student, a schoolgirl, an 8 year old and her grandmother who had a plastered wrist to help me get the top gate open :-)].  I went into Kings Langley where I sussed out the library and had lunch at a nice cafe called Dallings (or similar). Moussaka and salad to die for but only mediocre cup of tea. I'm back in the library today, sending last minute coursework results through to the office and, of course, blogging. I've got a sticky keyboard so apologies for any typos that I haven't spotted. Also I'm on a timer so think Countdown.

It's another nice looking day so hopefully I'll progress well today.