Friends around.

                   

Around the corner came  Derwent 6.

Del and Al came by to visit the facilities hereabouts, so I took the opportunity to try out my new camera. Al was a bit worried about me zooming in too far though. Meanwhile Paul and Lynne had come to Rugby to buy a new shower fitting so they called in for coffee with us. Paul checked out the new taps and even managed to entertain us by blowing a tune on them!. Is there no end to this mans talents?

Anyhow, we look forward to later in the week when are all having a get-together at Wetherspoons for lunch.

Awaydays.

    

We hired a car from Enterprise and spent a couple of days ‘daan saaf’ to celebrate Dad and Mum's 66th Wedding Anniversary. The Ladybird Inn is a welcoming place, so that is where we treated them to lunch. The place was surprisingly full of diners for a Thursday! After much chatting over a relaxing meal we took them to Tesco for their weekly shopping trip. Next month they are off for a holiday with their daughter in Australia and also spending a few days away on the coast with all the family there.

The next day we left them to travel west to see our daughter and collect our post. After a snack we were kept well occupied by our grandson playing games etc in the afternoon. Then we made our way back ooop north to Oakfield. We had charged the new batteries well before leaving as the fridge and freezer would be running while we were away. On our return we were pleased to see that they had only dropped down to 60% SOC before we topped them up again. So it had been a very enjoyable and successful trip all round.

The only drawback is that the ‘Squirrel’ had gone out so we had to put the central heating to warm ourselves up. It was not long after I had cooked dinner and we had a warm drink that we retired to bed as we were ‘bushed’!

     

Here are a couple of black and white pictures for you from last year when we were around Fradley Junction.

Playful Dog etc.

   

It seems that almost everywhere we stop a dog will rush up us to us and want to play sticks. This is Buster and who could resist his begging pose and soulful eyes. He was like a coiled spring who would have retrieved his stick many more times than we could throw it.

The water tap at Hillmorton was in such great demand that we had to breast up to get in to use it. There have been quite a few boats on the move over the last few days, but probably very few tomorrow as the forecast predicts wet and windy.

  It was a really nice day for cruising and a little further on we saw Del with his camera always at the ready…

and Al, who always seems to be in the kitchen when we pass by.

Fuel delivery.

The working fuel boat Gosty Hill travels up and down the Oxford Canal providing a brilliant service to boats moored along the way.

    

He pulls right alongside to transfer diesel straight into your tank. Then edges forward to bung a few bags of coal across into the cratch ready for stowing away.

   

We do appreciate their friendly service and news of what they encounter along their route.  We often give them some of whatever we have been baking, this time it was Cheese Scones to keep them going. It was an odd sort of a day with bright sun and showers on and off. Late afternoon this magnificent double rainbow appeared coming right down into the field opposite. We nearly ran round with a shovel to seek the illusive pot of gold!

Little boating dogs.

     

These two little characters travel on the fuel boat providing much amusement and entertainment. I can just imagine what Boson is thinking about Caleb, ‘what a poser’.

So here is one of Boson who is rather shy  of the being in the limelight.

Big boating dogs.

Enjoying the good life as continuous cruisers living aboard, these two large as life dogs live a life of luxury.

    

Saffi (on the right) takes a rather laid back approach to life and always hogs the bed next to the fire. Whereas Crystal does a lot of strolling about in order to be stroked continuously. They are great characters and do a good job guarding their boat in return for their easygoing lifestyle!

Braunston to Hillmorton.

Our time was up so we reluctantly left Braunston with all its wonderful circular country walks. There was still a a bit of snow hanging on to the roofs in the marina when I took the recycling along.

 

   

These two ducks are waiting for Badsey’s Bistro to re-open in March, so are we. The cook was having a day off at the Stag and Pheasant too, so no Sunday lunch available there either. Anyway I cooked us Bottles favourite meal, a nice Shepherds Pie with cheese on top. When I carried the rubbish down the locks my little pony came over to the fence to greet me. He has a lovely thick winter coat and a lions main to keep his neck warm!

Snowbirds.

   

Not feeling like writing much at the moment as I have had the one-day-sickness-bug!  

Icebirds.

 

Duck or Goose?

  

 

The young swan came back along to be fed from nb Horus and nb Oakfield. We like feeding and watching the birds during the harsh times. The little mice popped out of the hedgerow to grab a quick snack and scurry away to eat it. They were too well camouflaged against the leaf litter to be able to capture any images of them this year unfortunately.

Wool Trees.

One of my circular walks took me down through the field towards the bottom lock. I was amused to see these mini trees with what appeared to be wool growing on them.

There were sheep in the field and I soon spotted the culprit amongst them.

Who, moi?

Braunston Church.

    

The old Windmill overlooks the graveyard around the church. Down in the field by the canal it’s snow fun being snowpersons when the sun is out and you slowly begin to disappear.

    

Some of the windows in the church have some beautiful stained glass, these are Charity and Hope. There is also a stone carving of a knight in chain mail holding a shield tucked away in a corner.

The large old wooden parish chest is magnificent.

The Wharf.

Braunston Boats and  the Wharf Chandlery are below the bottom lock. How about this nice little narrow boat then Dave?

   

While the work goes on in the boatyard,  the squirrels are opposite busy finding the nuts they had buried.

The lovely new tug-style narrow- boat  ‘Strumble’, along with ‘Vulcan’, guard the entrance to Braunston Marina.

Hooray, Gongoozlers Rest is open again serving breakfasts and tasty snacks.

Bottom Lock.

The Boat Shop stands beside the lock selling milk, confectionary, canal memorabilia. It also runs a book swap where you can take books that you have read for then to sell to raise money for various charities. During the summer months the place is buzzing with walkers and gongoozlers lolling about enjoying their ice-creams here. The area around the bridge has recently had tarmac laid  over the previously rubble surface.

The shop owners obviously have a sense of humour.

   

I like the improvised flower container and the new lock gates appear to be completely watertight.

       

Someone is also fed up with irresponsible dog owners too!

It is absolutely disgraceful for people to allow their dogs to leave piles of pooh right outside the shop and house.