Why.

Col and others have suggested that CHS should do the locks whilst I steer the boat. The  main reason I do the locks is because it is much harder to control a boat in the locks than it to trundle it along the canal especially as the river is almost in flood at the moment. Some of the locks are overflowing and the yellow flood/fast flow signs are being attached to the lock gates

Canoes and shopping

The neoprene hordes arrived from about 6am, bumping the boat gently against the armco.
We decided to stay put for today so we walked to Tesco, the weather has dried up a bit, no doubt it will piddle down all day tomorrow!
CHS decided he wanted to be in charge of the shopping as I don't by the right things. I told him we needed milk, bread and eggs also something for lunch tomorrow.
He bought 4 large pasties for tonight and some scotch eggs, so Sunday lunch will be scotch eggs, roast potatoes, cabbage and gravy!

Rain, rain and yet more rain

It's the Devizes to Westminster canoe race this weekend but so far we have managed to avoid the neoprene hordes.

It was dry but overcast when we got up this morning, by the time we'd had breakfast and untied the boat it was raining. The rain has continued all day, getting steadily heavier and heavier.

We only managed 2 miles, a swing bridge  and 2 locks today before we moored up. We came through Newbury, a great deal of effort has gone into making the Canalside attractive in Newbury, but the canal and rivers are very full and fast flowing at the moment.
CHS stopped at Victoria Park as I had to walk from the lock for some distance to meet him. We were going to moor there but there is a fun fair their this weekend and it might be a bit noisy so we moved to just before Greenham lock. Tomorrow we will stop at Tesco and stock up on a few things and then move on again.
We are hoping to find a place to moor for a couple of weeks in the next 5 or 6 miles, we will see.

A better day

We stayed in Kintbury, all day yesterday as it was raining very hard when we got up.
In the afternoon the sun came out so we walked to the village, it's a very attractive village and also very expensive. I went to the village shop and bought tomatoes, CHS went to the butcher's and bought sausages, pork belly and pork chops.
He likes pork, I don't eat it as it doesn't agree with me.
This morning my ankle was much improved, no swelling at all and only minor discomfort.
We set off at 11 and in no time the weather took a turn for the worse, torrential rain, sleet and a biting wind.
We tried a few times to find somewhere to moor but it was almost 4pm before we found somewhere suitable.
It's been hard going, the water is flowing very fast, the fields are waterlogged and the locks are hard to work with frozen hands whilst stood in a puddle of icy water. I even managed to fall arse over tip trying to scramble across a bridge to get to the other side of Dreweats lock.
We eventually moored just before Guyers lock, we are listing to starboard but I don't care, we are warm and dry.
Whilst CHS tied the boat up I topped up the fire and warmed some soup.
We were both soaked to the skin but CHS is more voluble than I am, he was bought up to believe that he will catch a cold if he gets wet, so he immediately starts complaining of a sore throat when it starts raining.
I did suggest he wore his waterproofs as we set off but he insisted he'd be ok in just a padded shirt.
He is now full of pork and chuckling away, reading Fat Chance by Nick Spalding. I shall try to finish a crochet lap blanket.

Reached our destination and turned around.

Yesterday we moored just after Copse lock, not a very good mooring place, we were in the shadow of a tree covered hill.
We had a couple of sunny spells, our first on this trip, its been damp, overcast and chilly most days.
Our solar had some charge during the day but once under the trees there was very little.
There was no tv reception, no mifi connection and my kindle was flat so it was a long, boring evening.
It rained most of the evening and overnight and was still raining at 10am.
There was a break in the weather forecast for 11am so we set off. There was no break in the weather, 2 miles, 2 locks in cold rain.
We eventually made it to Kintbury, we traveled on to the winding hole turned around and found somewhere to moor. We walked around the village and then back to the boat. I vacuumed and mopped the floors as they were very muddy.
We are on a 48 hour mooring and I'd like to stay and rest my ankle but CHS wants to set off straight after breakfast tomorrow to make sure we get back to the car in time for him to go to work on Tuesday.
I can't see any need to rush, it's taken 4 days to get here and we have 7 days to get back.
If it rains heavily he may de die to stay on for 48 hours.

Card reading

As I wrote yesterday I went to a pamper evening, it was held to raise funds for the nursery two of grandchildren attend.
I booked a card reading as I wasn't interested in anything else on offer.

I found the reading very interesting but I think most of the information was about my past rather than my future, at least I hope so!

The first thing Jane said was that she saw me constantly moving but that I didn't seem to be going anywhere. She found this confusing but I didn't.

She knew I was pagan and on my second marriage.

She saw massive changes for me, a complete change of lifestyle, I'm hoping she meant the recent changes, not that more are coming.

She also gave me a message about a lark.

So how far have we traveled.

We enjoyed our meal at the Swan at Thatcham, I had chicken with a garlic and mushroom sauce, CHS had a burger, we were back on the boat by 7 and in bed and reading by 8:30. After breakfast, cooked for CHS, cereal and a banana for me we set off. We left Thatcham at 10:30, the first lock was Monkey Marsh lock, one of only two turf sided locks on the K&A. We were helped through this lock by a very dapper gentlemen with shoulder length grey hair and wearing a brown cord jacket, chinos and a pink silk waistcoat.
Next was the Long Cut swing bridge, this is a  bugger of a bridge, very heavy and I cannot manage it on my own, fortunately there were no irascible joggers to shout at me here.
Next came Widmead lock, this lock was full to the top and the area around was flooded, next was Bulls lock and swing bridge, they are very close together. There was a boat coming, towards us crewed by 8 young men who helped us through the lock and bridge.
After that it was Ham lock, where again there was a boat coming towards us so another quick lock.
Finally we came to Greenham lock, this is where we will be getting the boat blacked later in the year.
This lock was also overfull we moored just past the lock and just before Newbury on a stretch of armco. It was almost time for the Grand Prix highlights, I will prepare lunch whilst he watches the race, we will move on when the programme has finished and look for somewhere to moor the other side of Newbury.