Still waiting for the tunnel to open    

Hello avids hope you have all been keeping well whilst we have been away, well we haven’t actually been away, it’s just that I haven’t written for ages, but only because we had nothing much to write about and when I did try to upload it I had trouble getting into my site, so a quick call to the wonderful Simon (our wonderful web designer and fixer of all problems) it’s fine, Well we left our winter mooring which was in Market Harborough as were itching to get out and about travelling, the sun was shining but it was still jolly cold, we certainly weren’t going too far as we were taking it very slowly because although the Braunston Tunnel was supposed to open on the 5^th we then heard it was delayed until the 11^th due to the previous two

 weeks of bad weather and generally the whole of the winter really, so we found ourselves with 11 days to get to Braunston tunnel, well no sooner had we left MH and travelled an hour up the canal I lost my lovely Lumix Camera in the canal, well I just couldn’t believe it, nor could Richard, I was right upset as it was such a super camera and so proficient at  every job it was supposed to do, whether it be long distance(it had a x10 zoom,) or right close up on Macro, sunset, sunrise, snow, running, skipping, dancing, it was just brilliant at capturing every moment, so you can see why I was so upset, I do have my other camera that does do everything, but it just isn’t as portable, I mean I did try carrying it with me the other day and Richard ended up carrying as I never stopped moaning about the weight of it. Anyway after that little mishap we moored up at the top of the flight of ten foxton locks, a beautiful spot which we love, we stayed for a couple of days, we went on a super bike ride which took us several miles, and guess what I ended up with another two punctures, “it’s not me”, Richard also got one, British Waterways had been trimming all of their bushes on the towpaths but they don’t clear the very sharp cuttings from the right prickly bushes and it’s always me that finds them, So we finished our bike ride pushing them again but still we saw some beautiful countryside and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 Well we carried on our journey trundling heading for the tunnel,slowly still in the sunshine but freezing temperatures so we are still keeping the fire in 24/7, and unfortunately we haven’t happened across any of Bw’s tree cutting that we did last year and collected a whole stack of logs. We stopped in our favourite moorings, Welford Junction for a night, then we moved on to our favourite woodland stop just before Yelvetoft on Friday night, waking to frozen canal each morning but the sun melting it by lunchtime, but with barely a couple of miles to travel it didn’t matter, however we did need to Get to Crick by Sunday as Richard’s old mate Dick and his wife Anne were coming for a visit, so we decided to book in to Crick Marina for a couple of nights, well as we weren’t travelling any distance I didn’t want to put the washing machine on to take all of our power so by booking in the marina it means we can hook up to the shore power, on the Saturday we took the Bus into Rugby and went and got some new inner tubes for our bikes, so we are mobile again. Anne and Dick were coming late afternoon on Sunday as they had been to a car parts show, so Richard and I went to the Red Lion in Crick for a gorgeous Sunday Lunch, the pub is as cosy and oldie worldly as the cosiest and oldie worldyiest pub I ever saw with an inglenook fireplace, low ceilings, and I’m sure there must be a ghost or two !! and the locals were very friendly. We moved out of Crick marina but only to the towpath as we were staying here until the 11^th when Braunston Tunnel was

opening, in the meantime on the Saturday I had gone on Ebay to buy some Children’s Straight jackets, “sorry I meant Life Jackets!! I went straight to a new one that was advertised, and it said it was a still new and they had another one and that the seller was in Northampton,” wierd as that is where we were” so I sent an email to the seller to ask where abouts they were as we were in Crick and if they were not too far away I would bid for them, well it turned out that they have a business in the next village to Crick and that If I was successful in my bidding they would deliver, so true to their word on Monday Morning Eunice and Martin delivered two super, as new, little life jackets and came aboard for morning coffee and a slice of cake, well it was the least we could do for such a super seller, so thanks to them.

We stayed a couple of days in Crick to pass the time, we took another trip in to Rugby as Richard is going to replace the camera I lost, but they didn’t have the one we were looking for in stock, so I will have to wait until the next big place we get to which is Warwick, hopefully I will get one there, the new model of my old camera is x12 zoom so it should be even better, so hopefully some sharper pictures next time. We left Crick on the 11^th to take us through the tunnel which

 was open, “ you shouldn’t believe all you here” ie we were at Watford locks heading to the tunnel, when this Woman who had just come out of a marina, along the way and she said ooh the tunnel is still closed, well I had just spoken to BW the day before and they said it was fine, so I called BW again and checked and the woman was just making it up !! or whatever “get yer facts straight missus”

Today Sunday the 14^th Just had lunch

moored at a pub called the moorings, very nice, and we are heading for Stratford and a fellow boater has said that the South Stratford is closed until 26^th March so we might have to have

 an impromptu holiday !! well we will see.

So until the next time

Bye for now

Lots of Love

Chrissie and Richard x x   

Treffeddian Hotel what a wonderful place.

Hello again

Since the last time we wrote we have not done a whole lot of anything different but we did have a wonderful Birthday/ Valentine weekend, when we went away to a wonderful Hotel in Aberdovey called the Treffeddian, we had stayed here before when we went to a wedding, but we had not had dinner here, so after two nights of five course dinners with a bottle of house wine we were well and truly podged out, and not forgetting the full breakfasts as well, the weather was absolutley perfect, blue skies sunshine and beautiful sunsets, we walked in the hills and on the beach, where unfortunatley Rio (who I forgot to mention came with us as the hotel takes dogs) picked up a Tick, now I was aware of the Ticks that lurk in the Sand dunes on the beach because the sheep roam free on the golf course there, so when we had done walking I checked him, brushed and combed him, but obviously to no avail as one of the creepy little blighters had got well and truly embedded in him, which we didn't discover until the next Saturday, when because the creepy little sucker had gorged himself on poor Rio's blood and gotten so Fat he started to protrude from Rio's thick furry coat eeeeuuuwwwwgh it was gross, we took him up the canal and removed the creepy sucker with a cigar butt and managed to get it all our with head arms and legs flailing   eeeuuuuwwwgh again, well it really was awful, We came back to more snow and  so instead of getting back off down the cut/up the cut, we are stuck here for another week as we don't really want to set off in the snow and ice, I mean don't forget we got bottom blacked in October and we don't want to go scraping the paint off in the ice now do we ?

I Spent a few days in King's lynn minding Harvey and Ellie in the mornings as it was half term, got back on Friday, so a night in the Union Wharf pub for some live blues music, with a drummer who looked more like our Joey than he does !! not started playing the drums professionaly have you? then Saturday more live music down at the Nags head, an absolutley super group called Lucky 7even they are a tribut band to Dr Feelgood and were absolutley brilliant, Market Harborough realy does have a great music scene.

Well the start of another week and here we remain I'm sick of snow now.

so until the next time

lots of love

Chrissie Richard and Rio x x x

Hello to my favourite reader Pauline ( my Cousin from the valley's (Wales that is) I am struggling for something to write actually as we are still not on the move, but just for her, she is our most prolific reader, so as not to disappoint her I feel I must write so here goes Pauline this is especially for you, with nothing much happened since the last time I wrote, well when I say nothing, we have had Stuart and Emma over for a weekend which is always very lovely, it was still icy cold and the canal was frozen over so we didn't even get a trip up the canal, but we still enjoy having them over and Emma loves the boat she finds it relaxing compared to her busy role nursing at the QEHKL,  so does Stuart tho, apart from being knocked up by the swans before eight oclock  . We are still taking trips on our bikes and discovering Market Harborough, I had a trip last week to King'slynn for a visit to J. Williams, no not that great Rugby player from way back when, but the Rhuematoid Specialist, I don't even think he is Welsh but he is absolutley wonderful and has been for the almost ten years he has been treating me, I hate it when people moan in the waiting room that he has a queue when they go for an appointment, but it is only because he gives everyone more time than I think he is actually alloted to give people, and he must do it for the moaners too, because they are always in there for a long time when I am waiting so stop moaning, he is a credit to the NHS, so there thats got that off my chest. This Wednesday we went to the Union pub for the special steak evening where they throw a bottle of wine in we went with our neighbours, Jo and John who are lovely company, we seem to be making quite a habit of eating and drinking with them no wonder I'm getting chubbier !!  On Thursday we had our lovley friends over that we had met on the cut last summer, they are Heather and Alan from  nb."Hull Cottage" I cooked a lunch just bangers and mash with a cheesecake for pud, but I think they enjoyed, I hope they enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed the homemade fruit cake that Heather had made and brought over for us, unfortunatley it was one of those fast disappearing cake that seem to be quite popular with us !! see you again soon when we pass your way.

Well because I had to go to Kings Lynn last week I stayed with the dog and the boat this week whilst Richard went as it was Lily's 1st birthday our beautiful little grand daughter, so happy birthday Lily see you soon.

Woh Yes results from Dancing on Ice and Heather Mills has been voted out, thank goodness, I dont care how many legs she has, she just has this attitude and no redeeming features, well that's just my opinion and I'm glad she's out.

Well I think that's it for now maybe next time I write we will have moved out, that is weather permitting of course because we have some pretty bad weather forecast again for mid week so we will wait and see

bye for now

all our love

Chrissie and Richard x x

Hello again

I am just writing a quickie really as I know how some of our more avid readers don't mind reading about the boring mundane stuff of  what we are doing when we are not even moving, Well since the last time I wrote we have had loads of snow loads of visitors and let me start with, "hang on must go and read what I wrote last time" ........... well that lot wasn't very interesting in fact one reader said it sent them right off to sleep as it was so boring, Now there's a cheek, please let me know if it has had that effect on  our other reader !!   as I may be able to sell it to a drug company as a non chemical alternative to sleeping tablets "now there's a thought" !!. I wrote last time on the 5th of Jan and we had been Iced in since the 22nd Dec and it only just cleared yesterday, well when I say cleared the coal boat managed to turn around in the basin, but met with much thicker ice up the canal and had to stop so they are still not managing to get to their other customers up the canal, so that is almost 28 Days that we have had ice on this canal I think for a globally warm country !! thats alot of ice for a long time, "dont ya think?" well the thaw is carrying on today which is nice now I am a great lover of snow but I had just about had enough,

Last Friday the 8th Jan we had visitors again, Jo and Andrew came up from London, didn't think they would make it with the weather warnings we were having but they did, and as always it was lovely to see them, so Saturday we decided that it would be lovley for them as they had bought their bikes with them, to go for a ride up the canal in the snow, After Joanne and I had cycled for about 3 miles we decided to go back, my bike was struggling in the snow, well it was either me or the bike not sure which, but it was very hard going, anyway we decided to ride back and leave the bikes and go get the car and meet Richard and Andrew up at Foxton Locks to have lunch up there, as that was the plan, and they were tough enough to cycle all the way there 5.5 miles,  we were meeting more of our family up there, Chris & Bethan with Carys and Iwan, yes more lunatics travelling in bad weather, but I would do the same, where they had come from all of the roads were clear,"and dontcha ya just love being out in the snow" well when we got there it was a whole lot more snowy and the Foxton Locks inn had decided not to open, which was a shame as we weren't the only lunatics out in the bad weather looking for a hot lunch, there were loads of dissapointed diner's, So as Joanne had bought the car up to collect Richard and Andrew with their bikes I had to get in the car with Beth and Chris, so after a few handbrake turns in the empty snowy car park ( thanks Chris my underwear cleaning bill is winging it's way to you) we came back to Market Harborough to the Union Wharf pub right by the marina, and had a lovley lunch, we all went back to the boat for coffee and cake which was quite a crowded affair, but we manage. Beth and Chris and family left before it got dark, but Jo and Andrew were staying so we had another pleasant evening having a drink and playing Monopoly Deal, which is a new kind of Monopoply game that is played with, a set of playing cards all being either properties, money or community chest, and chance cards, it is a great way to play monopoly, Richard and I had learnt to play after one game and it just gets better, I know after all of the years I have been playing monopoly it's a big boring board with money and bits all over the place, but this Monopoly Deal is Fast and tidy and really gets you thinking, thanks for inventing it Chris!! no he didn't really invent it, the company he works for designed the new box and board graphics, but my claim to fame is that our nephew did it all, Chris doesn't know I do this, so don't tell him !! Any way I will certainly be going out to get this new game for Richard and I to have on the boat, it is really good, although it is better with more than two players, but we always have someone visiting so we should be o.k.  Sunday morning and we got straight on with the big breakfast as the weather warnings were horrendous, and we had to get Joanne and Andrew off on their way before the bad weather struck, but there was no need to have worried for it came to nothing just rain and more rain, which stayed for most of the week really, this Sunday the weather was gorgeous so Richard and I decided to ride to Foxton again as it is a wonderful way to keep fit, as my diet seems to have fallen by the wayside, "well if I am absolutley Honest it never actually saw the light of day,so nothing new there then" !!! but after stopping once along the way to pump up my tyre we did the 5.5 miles in less than an hour, had our picnic in the sunshine with mug of hot chocolate, from the cafe at the top, it was a glorious way to spend the afternoon, until we went to ride home and discovered that I had two punctures, one in each tyre, well why me, they are  not the first puncture's I've had, Richard never seems to get them, anyway it is not so far too get back to Market Harborough if you get on the road along the canal by the Bone Factory, so it was not so bad walking the bikes home, and it is all good for the legs and bot !! so monday Richard sorted out the punctures, the ice is clearing from the canal and it looks like spring is on the way, I love it can't wait to get back out on the cut, so until the next time..

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

p.s  The four of us were photographed riding our bikes in the snow and the photo was in the Harborough mail, check it out at www.harboroughmail.co.uk   and go to the gallery, snowy pictures, "Fame at Last "

Global warming ? my A*#e I've said it before and I will say it again, someone somwhere is using this global warming message for thier own ends,I am writing this with a well earned glass of our home made Sloe Gin, it is mellow and warming the cockles of our ( Arms,hearts, Arses) "not quite sure how the saying really goes". but we have just got back from a very snowy cold ride up the canal on our bikes again and so it's well deserved.

 We have been iced in since before christmas.I believe and always have that mother nature will always do as she wants and if anyone thinks they can control any of it well think again, and then today I heard on the radio news that the country only had three days gas left ? whats all that about, doom and gloom. Enough of that doom and gloom nonsense we are absolutley loving the extreme of the weather I know we shouldn't because it's dangerous on the roads, especially since the councils have run out of salt, more doom and gloom, I last wrote after we got back from a lovley christmas in King's Lynn we spent New years Eve with our friends on NB First Fruits David and Vivienne and friends from NB Acen John and Jo, we had a lovely evening eating drinking and generally making merry, New Years Day 2010 was absolutley glorious, the sun was shining and the countryside was covered in snow, the canal was still frozen with the sprinkling of snow sitting on top of it, after a lovely lie in we decided to go for a bike ride, with the pork I had cooked the day before I made some sandwiches and a little picnic and we cycled 5.5 miles to foxton locks, I have never seen so many people ou walking,all the restraunts and pubs there were full and it was like a summers day apart from the snow, we stopped at the cafe at the top and had a mug of steaming Hot Chocolate it was absolutley delightful, we had a wander round and then cycled the 5.5 miles back, now that is pretty darned fit for us, and we intend keeping it up on a regliar basis,!! everyday  so far this year we have had glorious sunshine but the ice and frost has still been with us every morning but who cares if the sun is shining. On Saturday we had a lovely surprise visit from Hayley and Jamie with  two of our four grandchildren Harvey and Ellie it was lovely as they have never been to see the boat before and I think the children loved it even tho it was cold outside, Nanna and Gandy have their very own swans that knock on the boat to be fed, so they were able to feed them at very close quarters off the front of the boat up me cratch !! it was wonderful for them, we went to have some food in town as we had nothing prepared as it was a surprise visit, Come again soon.  We have been chatting regulary since we have been here with Jo and Kieth from the working coal boat,  NB Hader , Thank heavens they got iced in down here by us and not somewhere where we couldn't reach them, good for us, but not for their customers all over the canal, so although we feel bad for them, I know Jo and Kieth have been trying to get to them, the last time they came from Foxton on the 22nd Dec they had to break ice all the way and it took them  Almost seven hours to do the usual  1.5 hour journey, so you can't say they dont try, you can read about them on thier blog at www.hader.org.uk really interesting with some gorgeous snowy pictures of their struggle through the ice.

I was checking through my New year Messages on my phone on Sunday and there was a number with no name, well I have lost so many phones in the canal that I am always trying to replace friend and family numbers that I have lost, fortunatley vodaphone keep my number safe, well this message was from Carole and Graham, well I thought it was our friends Kyp and Carol that we had met along the cut, but it wasn't it was Carole and Graham from Sheffield, two of our avid followers that we don't even know, although we may have had emails, anyway we had a lovely chat and it's always lovely to speak to our readers, they have been following our ramblings since we started and hope to do it themselves oneday, so happy new year to them, and any of our other followers who read us, but don't make themselves known to us, "don't be shy send us a contact through this blog entry," come visit us  we are here until the end of Feb, like I said we are not doing much now,well not until we set off on the move again, when we are heading down to London and the Thames ring, so until I write again.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard

ps: Our gorgeous little grandaughter Ellie is four years old tommorow 6th Jan, so happy birthday, hugs and kisses from Nanna and Gandy x x

Hope you all had a super Christmas I know we did, but before we got to Christmas we had visitors and things to write about, which I promised myself again that I would l make a note of dates, etc. but I never do, so I will have to make it up as I go along, well only the dates, the content of what I write will be true " I mean you know I would like to be a journalist but I'm not one yet " !! So we had our most avid follower come a visitin, early one morning it was Colin Marshall who used to do alot of boating but, is giving his wife a taste of a the kind of holiday Heather prefers, as he has  had his fairshare of boating, it's only right and proper to give and take on the holiday front, it was lovely to see him again and nice of him to think of us and pop over and visit it's always good to see your readers, look forward to seeing you and Heather again soon Colin. then the next weekend Trevor, came visitin he bought his friend Jeremy, it was lovely to have Trevor over as he hadn't seen the boat before and it's always lovley showing off the boat to newcomers, Trev was Richard's bestman at our wedding incase you are wonderin who he is, and Richard was best man at his about 70 years ago !! well or thereabouts don't know the exact date but they are both very old !! But we had a lovely meal which I cooked whilst Richard showed the boys around Market Harborough, which I think they were both impressed with, as it is a gorgeous little place. then the weekend before Christmas our old friends from Fazeley Mill Marina Pat and Peter came to visit on the Saturday, Then on the Sunday Joey and Jayne came over bearing gifts of logs and biscuits which was wonderful, we went to our local the Union for a pre christmas lunch which was very lovely, on the Sunday evening we had the Local Church Carol service to go to, which I always love at Christmas, but we had only sung one Carol and someone died so the service was cancelled, that is written quite badly, I dont think the person died because we had sung one carol, very sad for him and the family at christmas, but reminds us to count our blessings.The next week and a whole lot nearer to Christmas Bethan said she was coming visitin and bringing her Children to see us as we have never even met the new addition Iwan Thomas Rhys Brown, now there's a mouthful, well they were supposed to be coming on the Tuesday the 22nd of Dec, but as there had been a big snowfall all over the country we were worried that she would be unable to travel, anyway come the day the roads were clear and we are only 38 miles from Brackley where they live so it only took her less than an hour to travel here, and it was a pleasure to see them all, Bethan Cary's and Iwan, Chris (Mr Brown)was at work) so he couldn't come, we had a super time with them and can't wait till we head  down their way to see them again, the day flew by and we had to send them away before nightfall, and the next snowfall, as I was worried for them driving back but the weather held and everyone was safe. the next day 23rd we were rushing off to King's Lynn to have Christmas at Hayley's, we began to worry that we wouldn't be able to get over their as the snow over their way was a whole lot worse than ours, but we made it and had a super Christmas with Jamie cooking the festive dinner, and as ever Jamie it was without fault. we got to see all of the grandchildren and a wonderful time was had by all, we stayed with Linda for the time we were in Lynn, well we stayed in her house, as she was away with her family for christmas, but she is just so kind letting us use her home as if it were our own, " mind you, she wasn't very pleased when we sold it" nah just kidding, but she really is good to us. So after a wonderful Christmas we are now back on our lovely boat, like we alway's say there's no place like home, now we are looking forward to spending our new year here with our boaty chums and look forward to a new year of boating, where our plans are to head down to London and Oxford and all down South and that way which will all be new ground or should I say new water for us. so until I see you all again in 2010 can I wish you a Happy, and Peaceful New Year, and for our family and friends in Wales Nadolig Llawen Yes I know that is Merry Christmas but I dont know what happy new year is in Welsh, well I know it's Hapus Newedd or something any way good luck in 2010 and bless us one and all x x

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

ps. today is Andria our Niece's birthday better not say how old she is incase she has started making stuff up as some ladies may like to do, but then I dont think you do that when you are only thirty five, " doh now I've said it, sorry Andria happy birthday lots of love, and to Darling Stuart he is 25 on  New Years eve Best wishes and all our love darling, and to our friends who also have birthdays on New years eve, Mo, Caroline, Gleny's thats alot of birthdays on New Years eve for someone to know, although you would think it is an unusual birthday date, it seems quite common place in our lives, so happy birthday to all and love and luck in 2010

Compliments of the season dear reader!! Hello  and a very merry compliments of the season, I expect everyone is getting exited for the coming Christmas events I know we are, the boat is bedecked in festiveness and very lovely it looks too, although I can’t put any pictures up yet as we only get 2G power here so it takes forever, it is absolutely great here in Market Harborough, but that is our only problem although I can do everything slowly on the computer it is a real drag not having 3G where I can upload and down load at speed, (well I actually could put pictures up if I wasn’t so impatient), but we can’t all be perfect,although, I am pretty darned close !! (Just joking).

Well for the past couple of weeks since I last wrote we have just been living, generally mooching around we have been to King’s Lynn to see the children but I did warn you that nothing really amazing happens when we are moored up for the winter, but if it does for any of you out there, please write and let us know and I will put it on here. However we did have a lovely visit this weekend, we had newlyweds Andrew and Joanne to stay over ( well it’s nearly a year now) they were coming on Saturday after a visit to Andrew’s brother, so we told them if they wanted to get a jaunt up the canal they could arrive no later than 2pm on Saturday, so after an absolutely gorgeous sunny Saturday morning it got to 1.45pm and they arrived, just as the clouds came over, I had taken pictures of the morning sunshine to show them what they had missed, we loaded them on board straight away and untied to take off, Andrew was happy to take straight to the helm when we were out of the marina and did very well all the way to foxton, only giving up the helm to open the road bridge as it’s a bit heavy for me, he drove very well to, since it was his first time, it was a lovely journey it’s always great taking someone out who has never done it before, they are always very impressed with the boat and it’s gorgeous for them being close to nature like we are, Joanne spotted a kingfisher as it darted about its business, which is always a bonus, and the rain held off right until we were just tying the ropes to moor at our destination, an amazing bit of timing. We had some dinner on board and then walked the few hundred yards in absolute pitch darkness, that our London visitors certainly never experience down South due to all the light pollution (apart from my recently acquired headlamp), We had a couple of pints and went back to the boat for a couple of glasses of wine, you know how it is, anyway our visitors had certainly worked up a tiredness that only comes from fresh air, but I think they thoroughly enjoyed. It Started to rain again and did so all through the night, but come the morning out came the sun again, we had a full breakfast and then set off back on our 2 hour journey home, back to the marina with Andrew at the helm, the weather stayed wonderful throughout the journey so we were very lucky as the weathermen predicted a dreadful weekend. Mince pies and a cup of tea in the cosiness of the boat when we got back to the boat,and then Jo & Andrew left, we had a great time and look forward to seeing them again.

Got to do some more Christmas shopping and always adding to my christmas light display, had a battery malfunction of my little window candle thingy’s, Richard was right, I should have gotten duracell batteries, ( whatever) he is  tho !! Well I have tried and tried to add a little santa head to the top and bottom of this document, well I have inserted them in this document, when I copy and paste it on to my Blog entry page they dont appear, so I must be doing something wrong, maybe someone will let me know how to ?

Until the next time merry Christmas shopping and will update before Christmas hopefully.

Lots of love

Chrissie & Richard x x       

My Great cousin had a birthday this week, so to the wonderfuylly talented Will Rennie happy birthday x On Wednesday the 9^th

 of December it is my Niece Kathy Grant’s Birthday so happy birthday for then Kathy and love and hugs to you x x

Hello All

Thought I had better update you all on what we have been up to, as you know as we are settled for the winter in our mooring at Market Harborough, so there are no travels to write about, but just updating a bit is nice not only for you readers out there but also it's a little diary to look back on that helps me to remember where we were and what we did, so after a very busy first couple of weeks we are settling in to this Market Harborough very nicely, we have the lovliest neighbours, who we had already met before out on the cut on our travels during the summer it's John and Jo on Nb "Acen".

Last weekend we met a couple of holiday makers who had come to the Wharf to pick up a boat that the American Lady Paula had as part of a time share holiday with her friend from Yorkshire, Alan, they came for a drink on Saturday and brought some other American friends with them, which was very nice, they asked Richard if he would assist them on a trip up the canal the next day Sunday as they were not feeling confident enough to do it by themselves, so that was really nice for us as we were going to have a trip out ourselves anyway, so we told them we would take them up to Foxton Locks where we could go for lunch at the Foxton Locks inn where they serve an absolutley wonderful Sunday Roast, So Richard and I booked lunch for 12.30 as its a good couple of hours up to the lock, but as we had to drive quite slowley as there was a 40 man fishing match going on along the canal so we had to call and let them know we would be running late, we got there and by the time we had finished lunch it was well after three so by the time we turned around and headed back we were driving in the pitch dark which was different but o.k before dark actually fell we spotted a Kingfisher which is such a gorgeous splash of colour to see on a winters day that had been gloriously sunny all day but quite cold. Paula the American lady wanted to pop to London as it's " not far to go in this little old England" but her friend Alan thought it was to far to go, so I went with her as it is actually only an hour and ten minutes on the train to St. Pancras  so we went on Tuesday and took in a show, The Jersey Boys it was a super show which I had wanted to see anyway.

The rest of the week was really blustery and rainy so we stayed in, Richard went to King' Lynn for a couple of days as he had an appointment so me and Rio stayed with the boat.

Until the next time

Lots of love

Chrissie & Richard x x

P.S Big Congratulations to Kimberley who passed her driving test on Tuesday, "Well done Kim" and take care driving x x

Hello again ( Strangers on a train, Market Harborough)Yes I am a theatre Critic) "not official like" just my view of the production by Market Harborough Am Dram

Well here we are nicely ensconsed at Market Harborough (Union Wharf) and it is a real nice place, we are in walking distance of the lovely little market town that has most things that we need, and if this place hasn't got it then we can get a bus to Corby, Leicester, and the market Harborough train Station has the London train straight to St. Pancras, so that's good.

We had a lazy weekend last week as I had just got back from a week in King's Lynn so we just took it easy, so Monday we walked in to the town, we had seen advertised that the Market Harborough Amateur Dramatic Society was putting on the play Strangers on a train, (a Taught psychological thriller set in America in the 50's)we went to get tickets for the show but they had totally sold out for the 4 nights it was showing, however we did see a lady outside the theatre, who was on the comittee and she said she had bought two but was going to be at the dress rehearsal that night so she wouldn't be going to see the play, so we were able to buy them, which was very lucky, the tickets were for Tuesday so we didn't have long to wait, and what a super show it was too, being a bit of a drama queen myself it was right up my street, and Richard loves amateur theatre too, The show itself was really professionally acted, with all seven players managing the american accent very well, Simon Howard who played Charles Bruno the main Character, was very very good, and so was his counterpart Guy Haines, played by Joff Brown, they were very convincing americans, and so were the rest of the cast, it was brilliant from start to finish and it finished with a resounding gun shot that scared the beejaysus out of the audience (well mainly me), all in all well worth the money." As we are in the area for the winter we are going to the open evening to offer to help out with anything we can, we are also going to audition for the next play which is on in February as we will be here, there are only two parts on offer for this play called (April in Paris) so dont hold out too much hope, but if we can help with the scene shifting or anything else it will be worthwhile and a little interest for those long dark nights which are ahead of us.

Thursday we had a barbecue and firwork display at our local, didn't stay long as Rio doesn't like the fireworks, we didn't take him but he was on the boat and the fireworks were very close by, so we didn't stay long, and I could watch all the firworks from the boat anyway. Saturday we did the usual boaty cleaning stuff, then went shopping in to the town, we had an evening of blues music at the nags head, another pub in the town and in wonderfull walking distance so we both had plenty of beer Richard drinking pints to my halves, and I had enough so Richard was feeling a  wee bit poorly on Sunday morning (can't imagine why) !! anyway it was a jolly good night and the group that we went to see ( Midnight Blues) is on at our pub here at the wharf, called Strangely enough the Wharf!! so we will be seeing them again, Richard said he is never drinking again!! we will wait and see, no he doesn't really drink that much it must have been a bad pint!!! "whatever" anyway he had a lie in whilst I cooked a full breakfast, and Richard couldn't touch it, now Richard is never off his food so he must have been bad, so he stayed in bed and I took the dog in to town to get the papers and plenty of fruit juice to drink for the poor and needy in bed !! Monday today we were both as fresh as daisy's and fit for a day of adventure and discovery, so we got our bikes and cycled off to the farm shop, which was a super ride and all down hill, only problem with that is "yes youv'e guessed it, uphill all the way back, but we managed, got some lovely produce and can't wait to go back again, cooked a super Sunday roast with the gorgeous beef we had puchased at the farm shop along with the succulent veg. It's turned right cold today, although the sun came out for a short while as soon as it went down the icy mist settled on the boats, but we were cosy and warm as usual.

Until the next time

Lots of love

Chrissie & Richard x x

A mention to Joanne for her birthday that was on 5th November happy birthday again Jo and will see you when you come a visitin x x

Well the last time I wrote was, last Wednesday, well on Thursday 22^nd Oct

we travelled on through two tunnels, Braunston and then on through Crick tunnel with no problems, I am quite professional through tunnels now, lights on and everything, I forgot to mention that at our mooring last night which was just beyond the Watford Gap service station, but we moored right under a Sloe tree “ well it is actually a blackthorn but Sloe Berry’s grow on it” well I thought we were too late for them this year, but we weren’t it was absolutely full of perfectly ripe Sloe’s just there for the taking, so I took em, but I didn’t have enough gin in my bottle (don’t know where it all went!!) to make some sloe gin for drinking over Christmas, so when we got to Crick village we went into the village to replenish stocks, only of gin as we had already done some shopping the day before, so the gin bought, we then went to the nursery (plants) so that we could renew our flower boxes with some winter flowering things so we look pretty through the winter, that done we then set off for, another of our favourite  stops, which is just past Yelvertoft but right in the wilds and with the weather as gorgeous as it had been it looked even more beautiful with all the autumn colours aglow in the sunshine. We went on a little wildlife hunt in the woods at dusk armed with the video camera on night vision to catch all of the wildlife, in the woods we had seen fresh badger runs and hoped that we might see something but we didn’t, I don’t know how long the bbc sit and wait to film wildlife, but we obviously don’t do it for long enough, as we saw nothing, and I had made some fat balls to entice them. Saturday we took off again as we needed to get to foxton locks to moor above them before Sunday as we had to get to Debdale wharf for Sunday. The weather on Sunday was another unbelievably sunny and warm day, we navigated through the ten locks on Sunday morning and moored up at the bottom as we were going to have lunch at the Foxton Locks Inn, which serves a spectacularly wonderful meal, we were doing some cleaning before lunch when Richards friend Rick called to say he was in the area and that he would pop in, but not sure at what time, so as we had booked lunch for quarter past one, we told him to come join us when he arrived, the lunch was super, I am going to try and make some of the wonderful mushroom and tarragon soup they were serving (soup is a speciality of mine) as it was so good, Rick arrived before we ordered dessert so he joined us for that, then he came to look at the boat and have coffee, and then he gave me a lift back to King’s Lynn, so that turned out great really as it was a free lift as I needed to go to look after the children for the half term, got to see some of the grandchildren, Zoe was out with Millie when I called around, must get her number so I can ring ahead, looked after Harvey and Ellie whilst mum worked in the mornings. Which is a wonderful reminder of why older ladies should not have children, I don’t think we are built for it, I mean the children are angels, but it’s not something I would want to do on a full time basis, and older women take heed!

I got back to the boat on Friday evening and it looks super, we have a beautiful black bottom, ( my exageration in the last write up said we were to be lifted out 50 ft, but in reality Richard tells me its about 5ft , he told me a million times not to exagerate) the boat had been filmed being lifted out, apparently it’s for a film about the local area and the wonder of foxton and the locks, so look out for that about this time next year they said, that’s if it’s not left on the cutting room floor. We have a super spot in the marina at Market Harborough and this is where we are staying for our winter, so if any of our avid readers would like to pay us a visit just give us a call and we will let you know when we are in 07780511898, it’s a super little market town, with plenty for us to do, I will try and write regularly so keep reading, all though we don’t have full g power here so the pictures may not come to regularly.

Bye for now