Topsy turvy week

So much for cruising - we seem to be having April weather in May, but then that is not really daunting, as we had May weather in April and took advantage of it! This goes to shoe that we are not necessarily 'die hard' boaters and are prone to put off setting out in gale force winds and rain squalls (although if out and caught in it. . . well, that is life isn't it?).

We have however, had some good on board entertainment and some frolicking in the local watering holes with visitors - notably Loretta who dropped in last week between visits to relatives in Dublin, Donegal and York. It was good to catch up with Loretta again - she was going to visit us last year when her Aunt was in Coventry and we were in York - but then Rugby and Coventry are a lot closer to London that Bradford!

The accompanying images are not of Loretta, but of Jeeves and Aunt Agatha taken on board while dinner was being prepared - they had both visited the Plant Display at Easenhall. Those fluffy toys incidentally are the same tweety birds that hold forth conversations with their live cousins on the cut (see Blogs passim). And no, I do not think that two cans of Merydown is an excessive amount of cider - not compared with 10 cans of Carlsberg Special Brew, Gussy Finknottle!!!

Pictures when I get back. . . . . Right so here I am and there are they.

Other friends have turned up at the Marina, this week. David and Doreen who own 'Beaurepair' which is an old name for the region around and including Belper in Derbyshire.

The point made earlier about spring showers and the like were very well brought home to David and Doreen who set off at 07:00 on Tuesday morning with a good chance of getting through Hawkesbury Junction by the afternoon. They did; but not after being rained on hailed on and blown all over the cut - as I mentioned very blustery weather.

Both Doreen and David managed to lose their glasses on this trip, but David struck gold in a pub where he was having lunch: the gaffer wanted to know why he hadn't decided what to order having scrutinised the menu for some time, so David explained the predicament:

'I can't read it, can I?'

'Why not?' Asked the concerned chap.

'Lost my flippin' specs - they went in the canal' said David.

'Might be able to sort that for you, just try some of these that have been left behind.' Offered the helpful gaffer.





David did;



. . . . . . And was able to order a smashing good pub meal. hear is wearing them now, having been allowed to keep the specs that let him read his dinner menu. Pity I can't expect to do use any specs but my own - if mine were any stronger, I'd be looking at the world upside down.

Audrone had a splendid idea; we meet the intrepid pair at Stretton Stop, which we did. NB Beaurepair slid nicely through the ready opened swing bridge and I stepped aboard to meet up with everybody back at Brinklow. Audrone took Doreen by car, Richard (the son in law & Mr Van Man) must at this time have been less that amused waiting at the gate with his van, given that D & D had told him that we would be there.

Well we we weren't actually as the pictures show, we were all over the North Oxford in boats, vans and cars.

Thing is though, I have to take my hat off to David, who stood at the tiller for 14 hours. And endured one of the heaviest rainfall I've ever had to endure with the bathroom hatch only a quarter of an inch open - I was soaked and not even in the shower!

Now I have to tell the story of NERUS. But I need a new entry for this. So the next post will begin with a load of eggy nonsensense.

Aaaaagh, the whole stupid system went into meldown - here is the eggy bit anyway.

Yes, well, these little chaps seem to have some an understanding of what it is like to have an egg for breakfast - and a little bit of toast, but they don't know about that.


Neill and Ruth were doing the signwriting on NERUS while this was happening, so they are innocent!!