Still on the South Oxford

Geographically I haven't travelled very far but I am enjoying just cruising for a couple of hours every now and then. This part of the canal is so rural and, therefore, very beautiful. My plan is to carry on southwards for a few days and then start back towards my "home" territory. I may not be able to travel as far south as I'd originally hoped as I have just heard that one of the lift bridges (# 215) has collapsed into the canal. This year I have to book into a boatyard to have a few maintenance jobs done so that will take care of October.

As I was in the area I went to visit Compton Verney which has (until the end of August) an exhibition of work by Henry Moore and Auguste Rodin. The highlight for me was The Burghers of Calais which is normally to be found outside the Houses of Parliament but at Compton the sculpture is viewed at ground level where the fine detail can be seen and appreciated.

Monday's dreadful weather drove me home where I was able to get on with the decorating that I started in the Spring! I got on quite well so I should be able to finish the room after a couple more days. Professional decorators quoted £600 and £900 and I will have done the work for about £60 and a week of my time. Anyway the weather is looking good so I'm off to do some cruising.

Where I have been hiding for four weeks

I arrived at Cropredy on 19th July and was lucky to squeeze in on the 14 day moorings. Boats were already there saving places for themselves and their friends for the forthcoming festival. As this was my fifth attendance at Cropredy in the last six years I spent some time reacquainting myself with old friends. The weather was fantastic and there was a good pre-festival vibe. Boaters were using the time (and the weather) to fix and/or paint their boats. I had the opportunity to accompany friends on a sailing holiday in the Greek Islands so for a week I said bye bye to Cropredy and hello to 30 degrees plus temperatures in Kefalonia, Ithaca, Kalamos, Levkada and back to Kefalonia. What a great time we had.

I had a couple more days back in festival fervour before enjoying a day in London where 20 of us from the Northants Adventure Club did the "Over the Top" experience at the O2 in Greenwich. My little munchkin (grandaughter, Hollie) came to visit me there and she is so funny.

Back in Cropredy for the run up to the festival, I was accompanied by my grandson, Paris. We went to meet Luke who was cruising up from Oxford with The Record Deck UK, so we were able to help him through some of the locks. When he arrived at Cropredy, he took my space (a very good trading spot, with many other traders close by) and I found a spot through the next bridge. The weather held out and was even hot and sunny for most of the festival, raining overnight on Friday and again on Sunday. Lots of our friends turned up including my daughter, Kate, and son, Tom with Gemma and Hollie (so all my family were present :-)). Luke had his boat signwritten by Ali Hutchinson and most of the traders had a successful weekend. Even Paris made some Loom band bracelets which he was able to sell to customers browsing the albums (entrepreneur or child labour?). As usual the festival was over all too soon. I moved Olivia a little way but with ten boats queuing for the lock and heavy winds I decided to moor up and wait for a few days before heading South for a while.