Aanother week gone by Sunday 12^th July

 made our way to Market Drayton, after spending an hour chatting over coffee with our fellow boaters, John and Belinda who run a farm in Bridgenorth, now I didn’t know there were farms in Birmingham!! They were keen to see our boat as they are wanting to upgrade theirs, and after a tour round ours they were really surprised at how lovely they can be. We arrived at Market Drayton at around 1.25pm and I was desperate for a Sunday Roast so rushing to moor  I jumped off the boat and promptly lost another mobile phone “ yes I know  what you’re thinking I should be more careful” “that was me being more careful” I had a little fish around where I thought it had dropped in but to no avail and I was hungry so we went to the Talbot pub right near the bridge and what a lovely lunch it was too the best roast I have had for a long time, all homemade and plenty of it and only £5.95 we didn’t know it but Joey had rung to say he was in Market Drayton (there’s no getting away from Joey and Jayne) !! but the fishes didn’t answer, so we had finished our lunch by the time they found us, so they went back to the pub for lunch whilst we went to get some shopping at the local Morrison’s and then they picked us up with it,, which saved us lugging it back, so we fished for the phone some more with passers by having a go, one with a fishing net but still to no avail, so we drank coffee and ate cakes and then Joey and Jayne went home again, it is always lovely to see them really. Monday Richard and I went in to Market Drayton to sort my phone out, but there is no Vodaphone shop in Market Drayton so we were near the bus station so I went to check out the times of the buses to Shrewsbury and there was one right there and ready to go so I had a little trip to get my phone sorted. I got back to Market Drayton at about 4ish so Richard and I went for a little walk by the fisheries, this is where they grow little fishes apparently, but we had heard from a passer by that there were signs of Otters down by the river so we thought we may get a picture, but we saw nothing, I think you have to be up pretty early in the mornings to see Otters !! Tuesday 14^th we set off again

 on our journey towards Chester, we stopped at the Water Point to fill up and met a lovely family waiting and got to chatting to them, Phil is in the RAF and was on one of their own hire boats that Raf families can hire, anyway we set off on our way as we had twenty locks ahead of us to do in this little leg of the journey, so as we were getting ready to start, along came Andrew, he is a guy who likes to ride his bike along the towpath and help with the locks, he has even made his own Windlass, that he is so proud of he even got me to take pictures of it, he also has a real smashing chain belt which he also wanted pictures of so if you are reading this Andrew, thanks for the help and hope you like the pictures !!check them out in Miscellaneous section of our Gallery. After that lot we came to moor at a lovely picnic area that the Shropshire union Canal society have provided, (they are so good, god knows what BW do but this society are brilliant loads of picnic tables with a frame for standing disposable barbecues on by every table) and who should come and moor along next to us but the walker family that we had met by the water point in the morning, so whilst we were having our meal Phil was busy next door rustling up dessert, yes a lemon cheesecake that Gordon Ramsey would have been proud of, however Phil does add his own secret twist, 4 ginger nuts thrown in to the digestive base, boy this soldier could cook !! anyway he and the family came round to ours and we shared it, it was one of those lovely nights where you meet new people and drink beer,that turns in to a lovely night, so to Phil, Melody, Bethany and Brogan it was lovely meeting you all, and maybe we will again someday. Wednesday  we took off from the lovely mooring and headed for Nantwich, and the weather seemed to turn out lovely after it rained all of last night, and when we got to Nantwich we wandered in to town and the weather stayed really warm, infact in this week of rain and gloom it proved to be a lovely evening with a gorgeous sunset, but as we are now in the wilds I may not get pictures uploaded for some while yet.Thurdsday we stayed in Nantwich to use the laundrette for the bedding as there is one at the marina here, then we walked for about 300 miles discovering the village of Acton and then walking back in to Nantwich, Bethan and Chris will know where this is as they got married here about ten years ago. Friday, it rained all of last night and it has rained all of today, we have sailed to Wrenbury on the Llangollen as we are going to have a trip up the Montgomery Canal next week,  that will be new territory for us as we have not been up the monty, and as it will be so far in the wilds I am putting this website entry up today as there is hardly any G power and it will only get worse, so until I get some power back I may not be able to add more until we do get power.

So bye for now

Lots of love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Our Trip to Chester started Sunday 5th July

 We spent last night at Fradley Junction we had Peter and Pat over for a little dinner party on Friday night as we hadn’t done one for them and they were so good to us whilst we were at Fazeley Mill Marina, giving us lifts here there and everywhere, picking us up and taking us to the airport, etc.etc that you can’t do when you don’t have a car, any way I  did prawn cocktail for starters (very seventies I know) but they are my favourite starter, plus no cooking, for the main course I did Fresh Cod roasted in milk and onions and it turned out super, and from my own recipe that I cooked up myself!! Served with new potatoes, green beans, and whole carrots, followed by Tiramisu straight from a pack!! but a lovely evening. Saturday 4^th Richard and

I went to the Swan, (the pub at the Junction) there was a singer on, singing every kind of music and it was a really good night that we weren’t expecting. Today Sunday we were taking off for our next leg of the journey, Richards turn to do breakfast in bed, so he fetched the papers from the shop and we had an hour with the papers and then we took of Joey and Jayne were going to travel with us to Shugborough so in the morning they dropped one car off at Shugborough and then drove back to Fradley to leave the other car so they could have a good long trip with us, and it certainly was, by the time we stopped and did a little shopping at Rugeley and then stopped to eat Sunday Lunch, we got to Shugborough at around 8pm, a pretty long day on the boat, but when they picked their car up and drove home it took them about twenty minutes, but that’s the canals for you,very twisty and turny and you don’t get nowhere fast.

Monday 6^th July.Raining when we woke

 up this morning and it’s been on and off ever since, we have travelled a couple of hours and come to land at Stafford Boat Club, where you can moor  with them  free of charge, so like the last time we arrived here last year sometime, you can read it on earlier post’s, it was just the same weather, well rainy but warmer than the last time, as we lit the fire I think it was Autumn last year.Tuesday  raining again so I stayed in bed nothing to do in the rain, so I caught up with my computing and uploading pictures, as I had 3G power so there are some new pictures up in the gallery, Richard just watched telly, and walked the dog between showers.Wednesday 8^th July

 set off from Stafford boat club and 2 minutes down the canal, the heavens opened, so Richard carried on as he was wet, but it didn’t last long and the sun came out and soon dried him off, then all day the sun shone Rio and me  walked for a couple of hours between locks, he seems to be back to his old self, as when poor old Giggsy died he went really quiet, and seemed afraid to move on his own, he would never come to the locks with me, he would just stay with Richard on the deck curled up shaking, a bit worrying really, now over the weeks he has been getting back to normal, but now he is right back, he follows me to every lock, even walks across them again , it’s lovely to see that he is better, we just don’t realise how affected animals can be by grief. Thursday spent the night at Brewood(pronounced Brood) near Wolverhampton I think! Been here before but the canal map doesn’t give me all of the places around me !! Friday got to Gailey and spent the night as there is a lovely Nursery “plants and stuff” so I took my Planting Box to be refilled as all of my gorgeous Pansies had been sunburnt to death whilst we were in King’s Lynn, but for £10.00 the lady kept my planter overnight and we collected it in the morning with it’s beautiful new arrangement which I have dedicated to Giggsy by buying him a little cherub and a baby rabbit so it’s his little garden of remembrance. See the gallery for the latest pictures. Saturday afternoon we got moored near the Wharf pub in Goldstone and had a great Saturday night in the pub chatting to fellow boaters and even a bloke I used to work for about 20 odd years ago he lives around that area, it was David White from Tywyn he used to run Morranedd the care home where I worked when the children were small, small world eh !! Enough for now I have 3g and I am putting up pictures.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard

Ps. Abbi our niece’s birthday Saturday 11^th and I am sure she had a good time

 lots of love from us and see you at your wedding in Sept if not before x

Pps. to Marion and Neale  hope you had a lovely cruise , write and tell us about it x x

 Monday 15^th June would you believe it?

Well who would have thought that only one year and one day after setting out on our journey our Throttle Cable would snap, and just the day we were going to join the RCR (River and Canal Rescue) it’s like the AA for boaters, well we were only in Hopwas so we called on Eddie who works at Debbie’s Day Boats in Fazeley ( right close to where we moored in the winter) so we knew that he fixed boats and so he came out to us on Monday and fixed a new cable in minutes, and not unreasonably priced, so that sorted we joined the RCR maybe it was a reminder to join Eh !!

We left Hopwas on Tuesday Morning another gloriously sunny day, we have never seen quite so many boats travelling, we must have passed about 40 boats going the other way, that was before we got to Fradley, we stopped to get water before we got in to Fradley and had a bit of lunch, as I was starving I had walked alongside the Boat for an hour this morning, it’s great with my new phone radio walking the dog and singing to my heart’s content, but not anyone else’s content, “you know how bad it sounds when someone has ear phones in and they think they sound great when they are singing ?” well strangely enough I actually do sound great !!!

I am trying a new way of writing as I am rushing and forgetting when I write two weeks after the event so this is my new way of doing it, I check my emails, then check out what everyone is up to on facebook and then write about the day, so it only takes an hour after tea, whilst Richard does the dishes “well I do all of the cooking!!”

Wednesday 17^th “Long Hot Summer”  MY

A**E  I think someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that the meteorological office have predicted it, so today we set off from Armitage, which is erm in England somewhere, and sailed for a couple of hours to Rugeley which I know is in Staffordshire, and it started raining, we were going to stop here and get some shopping anyway, as there is a Morrison’s just over the canal bridge, so we stopped had lunch and went shopping, got a couple of magazines to read and settled in with a cosy fire and it rained and rained and it was blowing a Gale !! So let’s see what you can come up with tomorrow Ma Nature!!

Thursday 18^th June We left Rugeley this

morning about 10ish as Richard had popped back in to the town (just over the bridge) to check out the guitars in the guitar shop, but after waiting more than a quarter of an hour for it to open which was half an hour past opening time he came back and we set off, “Credit Crunch obviously not bothering this chap or he would have been open on time and maybe made a sale!! We were cruising down to Shugborough just to pass time really until we cruise back to Burton to leave the boat. We moored at Armitage which is where we moored last time we came by this way, Friday shuttled off down to Tixall Wide, which is canal that is like “really wide”! it was built this way as the owner of the big mansion house opposite did not want a pokey little canal passing his house, so it was made to look like a lake again, I will put up pictures when I get more power, we spent Saturday here too, just enjoying the countryside, cleaning and polishing the boat and waiting for that long hot summer they speak of!! no sunshine on Sunday either when we left Tixall to navigate back to Burton for Tuesday, infact it was raining, but we did get me a Dinghy to mess about on the water on, well it’s for getting to the other side, sometimes there are wild blackberries in abundance but they are always on the other side, sometimes there is wood to be had, always out of reach, so now I have the dinghy, I have a rope to attach so that Richard can keep tight hold, as there are bound to be tipping in the water incidents, so it is a precautionary measure, we bought it at a place on an industrial estate back in Rugeley, we were also going to have a Sunday lunch, but the bloke in the shop couldn’t recommend a decent place to eat with a proper home cooked lunch, so we popped in to Morrison’s and got some beef and veg and I had created the most beautiful Sunday Roast which was ready when we arrived in Fradley, stayed in Fradley for the night and set off for Barton Turns on Monday morning, we were going in to the Marina to get the laundry dried for our trip away home to King’s Lynn to see our beautiful grandchildren and all, Joey and Jayne popped over to Barton Turns for the evening so we went to the Thai Restraunt which is on the lovely Waterfront sight, it is much nicer than we thought it was last year, as the marina has now become a little cosier with all of the trees and plants becoming more established. Today Tuesday we came back to the marina in Burton where we will leave the boat for the week whilst we go away home. So until next time

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Is this the start of the long hot summer we have been Promised? Sorry that this entry is late again it’s just that, with things to do and places to go, and I had been so good with my last two entries being early, well you know how it is, you know how time flies when having fun !! I left you last entry as we were leaving Zouch which is where I wrote about my tales of losing the washing that’s where we got to after Barrow on Soar, which I find really hard to believe as it seems miles away, but it has been 17 days since I last wrote, I was sure I had told you about this journey, anyway let me begin Zouch is on the Borders of Leicester and Nottingham, it is Loughborough navigation that takes us on to the river Trent, so we travelled through Trent Lock and landed at Sawley Marina which is in Derbyshire, “ come on keep up” I know it’s hard for me too, with my geographical skills being stretched to the very limits, I don’t know if I’m coming or going, any way Sawley is a massive Marina with loads of narrowboats and cruisers, and it was like another one of those holiday resorts, we stayed a couple of nights to use the launderette to dry the sheets as you know I manage everything else but you can’t really dry bed linen, on a clothes horse,from Sawley we caught a bus in to Long Eaton, that was the nearest town, did some shopping and got to the opticians, as I was due an eye test, which I promptly got as a walk in, that’s the term they use for someone without an appointment, well they fitted me in and I had two pairs of new glasses in an hour, now how is that for service, my congratulations to specsavers for their wonderful service. We left Sawley on the Saturday and travelled to Shardlow, the weather was perfect, we had only been there two minutes when we got chatting to Dave and Carol from nb:Nancy Alice, that was at about 5.30pm so four bottles of wine later at about midnight they left, its amazing how you get chatting like this, but it’s lovely and we look forward to seeing them again someday. Joey,Jayne and Kimberley came over on the Sunday 31^st May, I feel I have to put the date to

remind myself really of where we have been since I last wrote.

Monday was another gorgeous sunny day and we travelled on to Weston on Trent, just one of those tiny places where we moor up for a quiet night, that is just in the middle of nowhere, with just the odd boat and the countryside for company. Willington the next night, it was a beautiful little village but the moorings were right, next to the railway line, and what a racket, they were non stop right through the night, great rattling goods trains, never again, however some people have regular moorings there and it doesn’t seem to bother them. On Wednesday we were travelling to Burton, and I had been invited for a lift to Wales as my brother was going to a wedding there, so I called my friend in Aberystwth and said I would have a visit and it just so happened that she was going to a 50^th party, she promptly got

me an invite and that was the weekend sorted, well I did go to the fancy dress shop to get an outfit as it was a 70’s themed party. Went on Saturday came back on Sunday Richard stayed with the boat and the dog, he loves the peace and tranquillity when I go away !! we had to stay in Burton until Tuesday as the fancy dress shop wasn’t open until then, to take my outfit back, so we set off after lunch and only went as far as Branston, the gravel pits there have been turned in to the prettiest waterpark, where Rio suddenly became a water creature, he has never chosen to go in the water (he has fallen in at times) but he was going in up to his neck and dipping for stones, it’s weird really as Giggsy used to do it. We were travelling on to Tamworth after that as we had been invited to a secret 30^th wedding anniversary party of a

boating friend of Joey, he is one of my most avid followers on this site, any way I couldn’t write before and say why we were heading this way incase Colin found out, Heather knew about the party, so that’s my excuse for not writing for so long, any way it was a lovely do, organized by Colin and Heathers daughter Mel and her hubby, he had done a lot of the cooking and the food was lovely, so to Colin and Heather Congratulations and here is to the next 30 years. Today Sunday they came for a visit to the boat as they had not seen it up until, now, however we couldn’t take them on a trip because as we pulled in to Hopwas yesterday, the 13^th of June one

day after our own year anniversary of owning the boat and the guarantee running out, the gear cable or something went, fortunately, we were just coming in to moor up, so that was lucky, any way today, we are waiting for a chap to come and fix it, but would you believe it, the very next day after the year was up, but we have had no problems so far and I think for a new boat that is wonderful, you would expect teething problems, but it’s been plain sailing all the way and we have thoroughly enjoyed our first year of this wonderful life, and lets hope the rest of the summer really is a whole lot better than the weather we had last year.

So for now

Lots of love

Chrissie & Richard & Rio x x x

Hello Again

Well barely a week has gone by and I am writing again,not that I'm bored but as the weather was so bad this morning, blowing a gale raining like crazy we decided that we would have a day, taking it very easy laying in, a while, reading our books, It  was my turn to do breakfast, we always have cereal and coffee in bed, at around 7.30 unless we wake earlier,then it's earlier of course !! We decided to lay in a while as it was so blustery.but last time I wrote we left you at Birstall by the pub, that was last Thursday,and I will say again "time flies I can barely keep up",

Friday Morning we went to the little village in Birstall another quaint clean and tidy village, so that we could do some shopping for the weekend, we are variying our shops, sometimes it's a little Co-oP, this time it was a little Somerfield, so after having always shopped in Tesco,there are other shops not always as well stocked but they do the job and you can try some new own brands, "always interesting",We also brought one of those rugs that you put by the door that traps the mud from muddy paws and shoes, and it's very good, we did have one before, but I lost it in the canal whilst shaking it, however that was 14.99 our latest one was 3.99 much longer and works just as well, I always love a bargain "Dont You" speaking of losing thing's in the canal  "no don't" you wouldn't believe what I've lost so far!! after our shopping was done we had some lunch and travelled to Mount Sorrel which is in Leicestershire another of those places that you would never know existed, we went to the Swan Inn for Dinner tonight as a fellow boater had recommended it, I hate that when you go for a posh dinner and it's never worth the money, well I didn't think so, we read in the town on a poster that there was Dragon Boat Racing at Barrow -on-Soar,so the next day we travelled there, it wasn't far but I couldn't believe it, when we got there a gorgeous little towny type village with holiday caravan sites the lot, it was like the seaside with out the sea it was lovley, and the weather was wonderful, the dragon boat racing and fayre was on the Sunday so Joey and Jayne came over we spent the day eating really, cream cakes on arrival, lunch at the pub and a three course meal cooked by my own fair hands for evening meal, I am a goddess in the kitchen and sometimes I even surprise my self. Monday Joe and Jayne went home and we spent the day here again, as it was Bank Holiday Monday there was a little fete on so I bought some plants to replenish my tubs at the front of Digitalis, but as it was raining on and off today and windy I will put them in when I can.

Tuesday left Barrow on Soar heading  Loughborough way, I put the washing machine on early so that I could get it dried as there was a nice breeze and it was sunny, well after standing up the clothes horse a couple of times, as it had blown over in my cratch ( the bit up front) but I just stood it back up and kept my eye on it, until I forgot about it and Richard saw it fly from the cratch and in to the river and straight to the bottom, no way of retrieving it, "Goodbye, Towels Socks Pants, Jeans t.shirts and anything else that was on there" I will now list what I have lost since starting out and wonder what else is lying at the bottom of the canals and rivers that everyone else loses "OR IS IST JUST ME" Mobile Phone-1, Rugs-3, Cardigans-2  ( 1 clothes horseBath Towels-2 Hand towels-1 T.shirts 2-Boxers-3 (shorts not dogs) 2 pairs of socks + my best boot socks, )  Several citronella candles, 2 solar lights and 1 dinghy oar, we don't have a dinghy yet but someone was giving the oars away and I thought it would be a good Idea to have them, any way I am going to try and be a little more careful in future. oh yeah and Joey lost his Swiss Army knife (or was it me that lost it ) not sure any way must be more carful !!

Until next time

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Debdale Wharf

We arrived at Debdale on Wednesday to get the Engine Serviced, It’s almost a year old now, and it’s gone so quickly, time does fly when you are having fun. On Thursday I stayed in whilst Richard got a lift in to Market Harborough to do a bit of shopping, He got a lift with our friends David and Vivienne from NB “April Fool” we met them when we were staying in MH they had a winter mooring there and are staying there next year too, but they were at Debdale as they are having a new boat built, I had invited them for dinner on Thursday evening so that we could use up everything that was perishable, as we were going to King’s Lynn on Friday, it sounds as if it wasn’t up to much as we were using everything up, but we had a delightful three course meal, Pate with salad for starters, Chicken and Roast Pork (main) and one of my wonderful “though I say it myself” homemade rice puddings, and plenty of wine and chat, a wonderful night was had by all.

Friday we Left the Boat at Debdale while we had a weekend in Lynn, Saturday we spent a lovely afternoon with all of our grandchildren at Sandringham having a lovely walk in the woods in the sunshine, with Harvey, Ellie and Lily, and Simon and Sarah. The rest of the weekend the weather was gloomy, but we had a good time catching up with Linda who always puts us up, and Sally, we came back on Monday we left the sunshine and drove back in torrential rain, we left Debdale on Tuesday and started making our way up the Leicester Grand Union Canal, the rain was on and off so we didn’t go too far, we went through Saddington Tunnel which is not that long, only 800mts and as I am now so good at them, I found time to carry the torch with me and look for the bats that are supposed to inhabit it, in great numbers, “Well I didn’t see any” “maybe they really are vampires and only come out at night” no it’s bats that only come out at night, well that will be why I didn’t see any, they were all asleep in coffins !! we stopped at a quiet place so that we could go in to the village of Wistow to see the model village the next day, well we set off early on Wednesday morning to see the little model village but there was nowhere to moor and then we got to the locks so there was no going back, so I must put that on my to do the next time we pass this way list!!. After seven big locks in between the showers we got to Kilby Bridge and had, had enough so we settled in lit the fire and cosied on down for the night.

This morning another early start we were  up at half six had breakfast, took the boat across the canal to the water point to water up and set off about eight, another load of double locks and no one around to share the work so they absolutely did me in, we needed to get right through Leicester because the books recommend that you don’t spend the night in the centre “ don’t know why” but we didn’t so we had another fifteen big locks to do today, so I am really done in, we usually meet other boats either at the locks or along the way, and we never saw one until we got to the last lock at Birstall, so we are not keen on this canal, as it’s so quiet, but we have passed some really interesting sights, lovely old mills, the big old Dye Works, (which they say used to blacken the water with the dye’s that used to just run in to the canal) but now they have cleaned up their act and the water is lovely and clear, we also passed Leicester City Football Ground the pictures will be up when I have power again, I did put a load of pictures up today between showers, as whilst going through Leicester I did have full 3G+ power so there are pictures, but not all, we have come to rest tonight at Birstall which is a little village the other side of Leicester, which side that is I’m not sure, but we are moored near a pub called the Mulberry Tree so we are just off for a pint, so until next time.

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Hello again

where did I end our last tales, ah yes in Warwick we spent the bank holiday Monday at Saltisford that is the Arm that I may have forgotten to mention that comes off the Oxford canal, its only short but the Saltisford Canal Trust re-opened it and it’s just like a little marina really with a few long term narrow boats and places for us to moor for a very reasonable fee with the added bonus of being able to hook up to the electricity, its right close to Warwick race course and there was a meeting on Monday, didn’t want to go in as the weather was pretty gloomy so I just went and took some pictures of the last race, it’s where we have been all weekend but I may have forgotten to mention it in our last entry. We were going to leave on Tuesday but as the weather was very windy we decided to stay where we were, which turned out nice as in the afternoon the sun was shining and on the picnic benches by the boat we saw our friends from Fazeley Mill Marina, David and Karen from nb “Half Dozen” they were in Warwick doing a little work, and we were as surprised as them to see each other, so we made a pot of coffee and joined them for a catch up, oh and earlier that day a car had fallen through the trees down in to the canal from the estate above, luckily it was on the other side of the canal and didn’t do any harm to anyone but the poor embarrassed owner, who parked without the putting the handbrake on.(check out the picture) will load the rest when I get more power.

We set off on Wednesday with 48 miles, 36 locks( all the big double variety) and 4740yds of tunnels albeit split between the Braunston,Crick and Husbands Bosworth Tunnels, to cover to get back to Foxton Locks, Richard stays on the boat whilst I drive through the tunnels he used to get off and walk over the top, but when I had to do my first long one he said he would stay inside the boat, as I worry about seeing a ghost in the tunnel and dying of fright, “however it wouldn’t be my problem then would it” , we did it over the 4 days just getting to Foxton at about 3pm on Sunday,I had booked lunch for 3.15pm so we were cutting it fine in fact so fine that Joey and Jayne were already there. Another lovely afternoon was had by all.

Monday we went in to Market Harborough on the bus as I needed a haircut, I had already had my hair cut at the a salon in the town so I went in the hope of booking an appointment, however my girl who gave me a wonderful cut last time was on holiday, but the girl on reception said she could do it now, “you know ladies how your hair always looks great on the day you go to the hairdressers” well mine did and I explained to the girl that this is how I like it, sort of graduating down from longer layers on top to shorter as she goes down, well she wasn’t standing on her head but she totally cut it wrong, well the first side anyway, so I said to her that’s not really how I wanted it and she said shall I leave the other side “I ask you whatever  next, was I really going to have half a hair cut?” so she finished, with me saying it was fine and even leaving a tip “as you do” some  hairdressers just can’t cut it !!! Pardon the pun, but maybe she was just the receptionist, I used to think I could cut hair and would often use my little sister as a model, “she did love me doing it, didn’t you Jane ?”.

Tuesday Simon Sarah and baby Lily came for the day, it was wonderful, the sun was shining and although it was a little windy, it didn’t spoil the day, we had a lovely little cruise up the canal and back, then we had some lunch, Lily was a little angel all day, she is our youngest passenger to date, only just over 3 months, we had a really lovely day and can’t wait for them to come again. Today we came down the Foxton  Flight this morning(ten locks) and  travelled the small distance to Debdale Wharf where we are staying while they give us an engine service, so until the next time

Lots of Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

I think I might have Swine Flu,

 Because I came out in rashers yesterday!!  so I called Swine flu Help Line, but all I got was Crackling on the line !! (Only joking) (thanking Beccy Cross for the last bit of that joke) but all of the jokes are out there about the latest world crisis, who makes these jokes up? No sooner something happens and there is a joke about it!!

We left you last blog heading for Leamington Spa which meant travelling through the Braunston Tunnel again which is absolutely as long as could be and I was doing it for the first time on my own, as you know the last time we came through this tunnel we had Chris from nb Almyne (you can read about his travels)      www.almyne.me.uk   as he was in the area, but this time I did need to do it on my own, because the Crick tunnel and the Husbands Bosworth Tunnels that I have done twice now, going and coming back, they are only one way traffic or single file, but this Braunston one is two way traffic and wasn’t it just, all the way through  “well I met five boats going through the 2042yds “ the first one I met must have been on a kink in the tunnel as his lights were blinding me, although we did manage to pass each other with just a brush together, he shouted to me your light are blinding me, and I said to him well your lights are blinding me, but I just think it was the spot we were both at in the tunnel, as the other four boats  I passed we sailed by each other fine and their lights were not bothering me nor were mine  bothering them, (infact they were congratulating me on my fine driving and singing (honest they really were) so I have done it now on my own and passing boats, first time for everything in this game !! we sailed back on to the Oxford Canal and spent a quiet night out in the wilds, Monday 27 April it rained all day we woke up early as usual but decided to have breakfast in bed and just read and I stayed there for most of the morning as it was not worth getting up, not much to do when it’s raining, well I could update this site or do something else, but Hey we do as we please now.

Tuesday the sun was shining so we headed down this beautiful stretch and stopped at a little village called itchington, another of those gorgeous little villages that you would never know existed unless you were travelling like we are on the canals, we got here in the afternoon so we walked in to the village with some beautiful old buildings that I do have photo’s, but as with alot of my latest pictures you will have to wait and see, due to  the remoteness that we find ourselves in we don’t get enough power, so I owe you loads of pictures. We carried on along our course and hit the Stockton Locks, fortunately we met up with another boat at the water point, who were also navigating our way so we shared these double locks, and it makes the task of these big old locks a whole lot easier there were eight of them in all so after these we moored for lunch and then had another three or four locks to do so we stayed with our fellow boaters to do these. Spent the night just outside Leamington Spa and the next day we walked in to Leamington and did some shopping, Leamington is an old Spa Town that is really interesting with some great shops, the towpath where we stayed for the night was the busiest we have seen with runners walkers, jogger and cyclists, so until the darkness came it was like piccalilli circus!!

Friday we headed on to Warwick where we wanted to spend the weekend as it was bank holiday, Joey and Jayne came over and stayed, so on Sunday today we visited Warwick Castle which is absolutely worth the money we paid for the pleasure, £22.oo each with the Dungeon visit that we wanted to see, We also saw an eagle flying demo “brilliant” and what with the weather being superb then the whole day was perfect.

So until next time

Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

Hello again

Two weeks in to my Fit Flop test and I'm not sure as they are doing much, I still wear the same dress size and my bum hasn't shrunk any, but there maybe a slight lessening of the cellulite on my bottom, but thats it so far, unless its just that Richard nor I are noticing the changes as he is with me all the time and so he doesn't notice and I am looking for the changes every day so maybe I am not seeing them, and maybe I have lost a little weight but not noticed as I have no scales here on the boat, you will have to wait to see me when you see me !! but I shall carry on with my testing of the said Fit Flops and then when I do see you all you may notice a slight difference or even a major one, " I think I may have to cut out some of the chocolate I consume in a week to see some real progress", I have gotten rid of all the chocolate on the boat ( I ate it) but if you eat it quick in one sitting it burns off quicker!! watch this space and wait and see.

We have travelled off the Leicester Grand Union and are now going back down (up ) I am never quite sure which way we are going, but we are heading towards Warwick, which we do know, as it is where I went to the hospital whilst we were down in Stratford last June and I broke my toe, which all of our avid readers will have read about, at the moment we have only just got back on to the Oxford Canal we spent last night back at Braunston, we saw a few boats that we have met along the way over the time we have been on the canals, this morning at Braunston we met the Australians who live on nb "Matilda Blue" they have finally got all of the problems they had with their Fernwood Boat sorted out, poor things nothing but trouble, but they are off and getting the boat lifted over to France to do Belgium and France waterways. We also saw nb "Alnwick" again always nice to see folk that you have met before and catch up with travels.

We are heading for Leamington Spa tomorrow weather permitting, hopefully we can travel a good few hours as I need to put the washing machine on and need travel hours for the batteries, or invertor, or whatever it is that makes us go recharge, its usually ok tho and we always have plenty of power.The weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday is for heavy rain and severe weather warnings, the Barometer which we got from an antique sale in Market Harborough only ever says "change" so I dont think we have it set right, I thought you just tap them and they automatically point to the weather we are having or going to have, but apparently you have to set it on the right pressure or something, but I will have to ask someone that knows? maybe some of you out there know how I should set the thing? please let us know if you do, we would love to hear from you with the correct pressure setting.

Thats it for now, until the next time

Love

Chrissie & Richard x x

ps pictures are not being put on at the moment as out in the couyntry side they take to long as I am only on 2G (whatever that means)