Another festival (no not Reading)

Since the last blog post I have been looking after my grandson in blocks of two or three days. Nothing seems to get done when he is around but we do try to have a good time together. Poor blighter has had his BMX stolen. It was a good bike so we know we won't see it again. Time to start saving those £2 coins for another one.

I did manage to get back to Olivia and move her slowly from Cropredy to the start of Claydon locks, then through the locks to Fenny Compton, from Fenny to Marston Doles (through the two locks) and finally through Napton locks and onto the moorings there. I cycled from Marston back to Fenny using the bike for only the second time this season (so you know there were repercussions which lasted about a week!!).

Last weekend I was at the Rhythm Festival at Old Warden near Biggleswade. Kate & Paris joined me on the Friday and Lynn on the Sunday. Mike from the Malt Shovel was also there all weekend. It's a small festy with some good names performing. It had three stages + comedy + cinema + funfair and kid friendly activities, etc. I didn't need to camp (as only a half hour drive to & from) but the camp site was roomy and the whole fest was on a very beautiful site. I particularly enjoyed Hazel O'Connor doing Breaking Glass - I missed out on it first time round (as it was the '80s, my missing decade) - she has a great voice; Mud Morganfield (in a rather loud red suit); Missing Andy; Tracie Hunter; Curved Air (that took me back); Oysterband; Blockheads. I was a little disappointed by Jack Bruce; Buzzcocks; Toots and the Maytals (who I'd really been looking forward to but found was very "samey"). On Sunday a small plane took off from the airfield next door and treated us to a really fabulous aerobatic display - looping; going straight up and stopping; tumbling and making a loveheart with a vapour trail. Couldn't decide whether the pilot was talented or mad - so I reckon s/he must be a bit of both. We had lots af rain and on the first two nights it got quite cold. I feel a bit festivaled out at the moment but a couple of nights sleep will win me round. I'll soon be back on board to move the boat a bit nearer to her home ground. I'm not in any hurry as I expect when I get her "home" I won't do too much more cruising this season.

Cropredy Fringe 2011

When I went back on board all the remaining mooring spaces had filled up and boats were starting to breast up. One of the fine days I walked into Banbury ( about 6 miles) to get some exercise (especially needed due to the painful back that I had for two weeks). Although I thought I was already sorted, I found a dress to wear to Pat's wedding, which was the following weekend.

If anyone doubted that it is possible to live alternatively, I was on board for three days without turning the electricity on! Who needs it :-). But imagine trying to live in a house without electricity for that period of time. Had to leave Olivia for a few days while I went down to London for the wedding, which went very well. Paris looked a treat in a suit and all my children scrubbed up well. Even I looked pretty darn smart. It was very nice indeed to meet up with people that I hadn't seen for ages. I now have two step nieces!! Luke and I went to see Fairport at The Banbury Mill on the Monday before the festival. It's good to see them in such an intimate venue. Then I was back home for a day to look after Paris before returning to Cropredy on the Wednesday evening to see Eugene Hideway Bridges, who is always good value. He makes playing guitar look so relaxing.

Thursday though Saturday found the village and the pubs in full swing. Lynn couldn't make it over but I had company in the form of Maltsters: Andy and Mike. Here are the artists I watched over the festival: Luke May, Mama Rosin, Sam Kelly's Stationhouse, Dave Onions, Kangaroo Moon, Wishing Well, Cherry Lee Mewis, Spank the Monkey, Robin Auld, Ahab, Letherat, Mary Jane Band, Sambassadors of Groove and special mention must be made of Ned, The Kids' Bob Dylan and, in particular, his song "Stop Texting". Ned is ten years old, going on sixteen. Look out for him in a few years time.

Fitted a new LED light bulb to reduce the draw on the batteries. I was sceptical about it but am finding it good light. I can easily read and do close work under it and I'm now tempted to get a couple more.

All set for Cropredy

I know I haven't blogged for a while but I get frustrated with the slow speed of my laptop - must get more RAM! - so I've stopped using it onboard. Anyway last week, after having a fabulous time at my brother-in-law's 60th birthday party (wild west theme), I started out for Cropredy. I had somehow wrecked my back - I think through some light gardening activity :-) - so progress had to be a little slower than planned. I didn't have a very good trip up Buckby locks as a couple of the pounds were shallow meaning that I couldn't moor in to the side to prep the lock. Instead I tried to keep Olivia in the entry to the lock but of course her fender caught under the gate and she tipped at an alarming angle before the fender chain broke and freed her up.  My lock sharer was very kind and tried to be helpful but he was also single handed and with limited mobility - between us we were a right pair of crocks. I moored at the top of the locks for the night and next morning cruised through to Braunston. The locks here were much better behaved and the journey through the tunnel mostly uneventful. One of the boats coming through had about three tunnel lights, one of which was so bright that I was blinded for a while after we'd passed. Such candle power is just not necessary! I moored a mile beyond Braunston and decided to walk to Daventry and then get a bus over to fetch the car, which I'd left at Weedon. Despite the bad back, walking is something I can do without any painful twinges so I enjoyed it - walking about 8 miles altogether. The next day I cruised up to Napton where I met 2 single-handed female boaters, Mo and Toni. They were out together in Mo's boat to give it a run. They were funny and interesting and we ended up spending the evening together in The Folly pub, exchanging boating (and other) stories about our lives. They have moorings at Braunston and have invited me over when I am next in the area. I moored after 6 of the Napton locks (opposite the field of buffalo) and the space there is peaceful even though it is the choice for quite a few boats. Next day it was the rural cruise through to Fenny Compton and beyond to Claydon locks. It was rather busy with most boats coming along in convoys of two or three and, of course, meeting mostly at bridges. I did stop for lunch at The Wharf at Fenny and finally moored on the rings above Claydon locks. I walked down to Cropredy to suss out moorings and was surprised to find the Cropedy North 14 day moorings deserted (Why?). The towpath telegraph had been reporting "There's nowhere to moor at Cropredy" and "You'll be lucky" when I'd tell them where I was headed. Perhaps it is because I don't think a mile is very far to walk whereas, perhaps others think you need to be moored right in the village centre. Had lunch at The Brase and then thought I'd better clean up the boat a bit. Really pleased to see that the Geoff Amos bus now passes through Cropredy hourly. Very useful and saves a long walk down to the A361 so I hope the change is permanent.

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.