Bank holiday Monday

Two locks and a tunnel was enough today. We run the washing machine when we travel as the engine is running so there is no drain on the batteries. Because the  engine is running that means there is hot waters so soon as we're moored I do the washing up from breakfast and then hang the clean washing on the airer.

Beano and I walked the two miles to the second lock then cruised from there through the tunnel.

We're moored against part of the bank that is the same height as the back deck so I feel much safer. The gangplank is flat and not at a steep angle.

It's perishing cold so no crochet for me today as my hands are really stiff and sore. Beano has snuggled under a blanket next to Steve and is snoozing away. 

Pie and mash for tea and I'll make a banana loaf to go in the oven at the same time. By the time it's cooked the boat should be warm.

Tomorrow unless it's raining we will do 6 locks, it's a flight so there is no stopping between them. They are fairly close together so Beano and I will walk from one to the other.

Limping onwards

Steve hugged me yesterday, I'm not sure why. He will hug other people but not me. If I hug him he freezes and gets a Rabbit in the Headlights look. I've given up hugging him as it so obviously makes him uncomfortable.

He walked over a mile yesterday with me and Beano, I wish he'd walk more often. I also wish he'd get a hobby of some sort but he refuses.

I've recovered from my run in with the boater but I'm seriously considering reporting him to the CRT. I'm concerned that he waited until I was alone to complain. I feel it was unacceptable. I'm still wondering why I got so upset, misogynistic old gits are a regular part of canal life and my response is usually robust and offensive.

I broke off here to make a cup of tea, looking out of the kitchen window I saw a kingfisher perched on our springline. I didn't get a photo sadly. I've only seen three or four in all the time I've been on the cut.

We are planning a lazy day today but tomorrow, weather permitting we will move again. Just two locks and a tunnel, then a couple of days rest until we tackle a flight of six locks.

It's the Southern Wool show next weekend, I bought tickets but won't be close enough to attend. I was planning on going with DD1. She will go and take her daughter with her. It's the marina summer BBQ the same weekend but we won't be able to go to that either for the same reason .

Moving tomorrow

We are heading back towards Aldermaston albeit very slowly. 

We finally have some dry and sunny days. 

Unfortunately the wasps are out in force, poor Beano is scared of wasps.

I had and upsetting experience yesterday, Steve went with a friend to empty the rubbish. There are no disposal facilities nearby so they drove to the nearest boaters facilities and were gone about an hour.

No sooner had they driven away than the owner of the boat moored behind us came along and started complaining.

It seems he'd heard Steve burp when he'd visited his boat!

He doesn't live aboard he just visits occasionally.

He was extremely abusive and aggressive and ranted on for ages and I was very upset.

Whilst I'll admit it's probably not exactly musical I can think of a lot worse things to hear and it's only occasionally.

I'm not usually upset by idiots but I ended up in tears because of his threats.

What annoyed me most was that he'd waited until Steve had gone and I was alone on the boat before coming to shout at me, he is obviously a complete coward.

Pics

Beano enjoying the sun.

Another heron.

Coming out of the Bruce tunnel.

Steve when it's drizzling!

 

Wet patch

There is a rather large wet patch in the bed.

How embarrassing, I've pea'd the bed.

I couldn't help it.

My hands are so painful they are hot and sore.

I decided to take a bag of frozen peas to bed.

They defrosted during night.

I haven't actually peed the bed.

Beano update

 Beano is fine, he was doing a wall of death impression earlier, running along the sofa, on to the floor, around the coffee table and back up on the sofa.

Poor Beano

Coming back from our walk today Beano managed to fall down the steps. 

He landed with a hell of a crash. 

We picked him up and put him on the sofa, he seemed a bit shaken and was favouring his left front leg. 

I gave him a dog treat and it seemed to work as a cure all.

I'll keep an eye on him but he's currently doing his favourite thing snoozing!

Decisions decisions

Steve struck up a conversation with some people on the tow path yesterday. They had a brand new boat the same size as ours. They obviously have plenty of money as they have a house, the boat on the K&A and are buying a second boat to keep somewhere else. 

The husband was a bit of a prat, very pompous and full of himself, he told us how he'd had such a rapport with the company salesman that his boat was special. I've met the salesman concerned, I walked away from him as my bullshit detector was blaring.

The side hatches on his boat had dropped off  and despite repeated promises the company hadn't sent anyone out to do the repair. Or to be more precise, the company has sent someone out with two pieces of plywood to block the holes!

This particularly boat maker has a very poor reputation, We looked at a few before we bought ours and the build quality was terrible.  

I noticed the wife stepping away as we approached, she was obviously afraid of dogs.

I walked away as she was so scared but later that day she came along to ask where they could moor where dogs are not allowed. I don't know of anywhere and hundreds of people walk their dogs along the towpath. They have only had the boat two months and she had assumed that life on the cut would be dog free!

Heron

We see a lot of herons on the cut but it's not easy to get a photo of them as they usually fly away.

This morning I watched the local swans picking blackberries on the opposite bank.

Weaver when I lived in Bristol I had a workmate who had a big pond that was full of beautiful huge koi carp. She got up one morning to find a hero from the nearby wildlife park on the side. It has eaten most of the carp!

Susie, the gangplank is metal and has a  checker plate non-slip surface but sometimes the bank is so high that the plank is at a really steep angle.

And another one.

 

Three falls and a submission.

We've had some awful weather lately, a month's worth of rain in ten days.

The towpath is muddy and the grass is slippery and the gangplank is often at a very steep angle. I fell over twice last week and Steve fell once. I've got some cracking bruises on my knees, painful ribs where I landed on a mooring pin and I couldn't crochet for a few days as my wrist was sore, Steve's elbow is stiff and sore. Hopefully we are due a few drier days soon which will make things easier and safer.

I keep adding things to my shopping list as I think of them. Not having a car means that I need to be well stocked up with food. I will shop at Devizes, as my friend will take me to a supermarket just outside. After that we won't be travelling together for a while. The next supermarket in walking distance of the canal is Hungerford and then Newbury, there is a small shop at Great Bedwyn and one at Kintbury where I can buy milk and bread.

Steve has made lots of plans about how far we will travel each day but the reality is that he can't travel every day he doesn't have the energy. He also won't travel when it's raining or windy or too hot.

Running low.

Beano likes to snooze on his bed when we travel.

We are down to our last four meals and two of those are Fray Bentos pies. I'm not keen on them but as they are tinned they keep well. I also have some liver and one chicken breast in the freezer. In the fridge there is about a pint of milk, a couple of rashers of bacon and 6 eggs. This will last us until we can get to the shops in a couple of days.

Wilcot to Horton

 

We had almost non-stop rain whilst we were in Wilcot, we waited for drier weather before we moved on to Horton where we met up with our friends again.

The heron was on the bankjust before we got to Honey Street.

Wootton Rivers to Wilcot.

 

This trip is rapidly turning into a pub crawl as we went to the Golden Swan for lunch here. We had a nice mooring beside a lane. The cottage above was at the end of the lane. We moored in front of Micky the Bodger who travels with his lurcher pup.

CarolJoy it's pronounced DeeVIzes, with the stress on the middle syllable.

Crofton to Wootton Rivers

Six locks  each one done twice but over quite a short distance.

Moored at Wootton Rivers  a nearby pub, the Royal Oak had a pie and chips  night so we went along.

They did:-

Steak and Ale.

Chicken and Mushroom.

Corner beef hash.

Jackfruit

Chicken satay.

The pub is dog friendly and was very busy.

I had chicken satay, Steve has chicken and mushroom.

Socks mad

Great excitement this morning, I decided to sort out my knickers drawer and I found a pair of unworn socks

Almost all my socks either have holes in or are so thin as to be see through. I shan't throw them away as I have this book and I'm hoping to make some sock toys out of them. 

But first I need to buy some new socks, I find many are too tight around the cuff so I'll wait until I can buy the ones I like before I cut up the old ones.