Well we did arrive at Banbury on Tuesday as we had planned.  Off to Morrisons in the afternoon.  Been a while since we have shopped in a Morrisons! Wednesday saw us off to the launderette!  So with all the admin jobs done we had a proper day out on Thursday.  We got the train to London and went to the Tower of London to look at the ceramic poppies.  Well worth the visit, it was an amazing sight, best seen from outside the Tower where there were hundreds of people all doing the same.  We also went into the Tower, as despite several previous visits to London over the years we had never been there.  It was very busy, but we joined a tour and had a very funny and informative ‘Beefeater’ to take us around.  After a meal we ended the day with the ‘Dance ‘til Dawn’ show at the Aldwych, staring Vincent and Flavia of Strictly fame.  It was almost midnight by the time we got back on board having had a fantastic day.  We stayed in Banbury a couple more nights, moving on Saturday afternoon in the hope of a TV signal for Strictly!  Not that we are obsessive or anything!!  Sunday we did move on for 3 locks then decided to moor just before lunch.  By sheer coincidence we moored next to a boat called Campanula with Penny on board.  We last met her 2 years ago not too far from here.  So with a coffee here on arriving and a shared bottle of wine with her in the evening we had a catch up with what we had all been up to in the intervening time.  We are about to move on now.  Our next stop is Cropredy, just for water and a quick look around the village before continuing northward towards Rugby.

Well we got on to the Oxford Canal last Friday as planned.  Our first stop was at Thrupp, a small village but a thriving canal area.  We ended up spending 2 nights there as the TV reception was good and we wanted to watch Strictly on Saturday night!!  We are now well on our way to Banbury, should get there tomorrow depending on the weather.  If the forecast is correct I don’t think we will be going anywhere.  We did have our fire lit, but it has been so mild we have let it go out again.  Made more sense than sitting with the doors open!!  Think it all may change tomorrow.  

Well we had a lovely weekend.  First stop was to Tenbury Wells where we had a lovely time with Joan and Colin.  Meeting their daughter and son-in-law, Sue and John, and several friends and neighbours, who were also sharing in his 80^th birthday celebrations.  He had already had a big party on the previous Saturday.  We spent that night there with them and were made very welcome.  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.  We were reluctant to leave but as the weekend was to be spent with the grandchildren there were good reasons for going.  Saturday found us at another birthday party.  This time for a 3 year old called Thomas!  A friend of Brogan’s.  Both he and Addison had been invited and as it was in the community centre parents were able to stay as well.  As grandparents we were made to feel very welcome.  It was lovely watching the children all playing.  I even got down on hands and knees to join in a few times.  Getting up is not so easy!!  Sunday we all had a walk in the woods at the back of Lorraine’s house with Phoenix the dog.  All too soon it was time to head back to Lechalde.  Thankfully not too far.  Falcon was fine when we got back, and after a quick cuppa we were off out again.  To visit Tanya and her family, husband Kurt and daughters Tyler and Tatum, for a meal.  Monday another busy day shopping and washing while we still had the car.  Later Tanya and Kurt came to see us so Kurt could see the boat.  So Tuesday saw us setting off, about a mile further on, then we turned and started heading back towards Oxford.  So the past couple of days have seen us retracing our steps.  It was lovely today to be cruising with blue skies and sunshine as we have got a bit wet the past two days.  Tonight we are moored at Eynsham and tomorrow will move on to the Oxford Canal and start to head north.

Well we did make it into Oxford on Friday and after lunch we set off for the launderette.  Whilst there we got talking to a Danish school teacher, here with students.  We ended up meeting him in the pub later, along with his colleague.  The children were all with their host families so they had plenty of free time!  I think they learnt more about narrow boating than we did about Denmark!  We did manage a look around Oxford before leaving there on Saturday.  Since then we have been moving along towards Lechlade.  Not really any places to visit en route.  We arrived here at Lechlade at lunch time today.  So it has taken us about 3 days to travel the 30 miles from Oxford to here!  We have had some rain so have had a couple of late starts so have avoided getting wet!  Paul did light the fire yesterday and it is still in.  So sat here in a t-shirt now!  We have a busy few days coming up.  Tomorrow Tanya is coming to visit.  I used to work with her at Stonehouse, can’t remember how many years ago and it’s quite a few since we last saw her and her family.  They live at Fairford, so we are fairly close now.  Then we get a hire car to visit friends Colin and Joan who we met on the cruise in January.  Colin is 80 on Thursday, so we are paying them a visit.  I am sure Colin won’t mind reading his age in print!!  Then on Friday we are off to Medmenham to visit Lorraine, Paul and the grandchildren for the weekend.  So off to pack now....

Whoops, days go so quickly I didn’t realise it has been more than a week since I last wrote here.  Meanwhile we have been making our way along the Thames with several ‘runs ashore’ to sightsee and in some cases reminisce.  We stopped at Pangbourne for 2 nights, walking over the recently reopened bridge to Whitchurch, a very pretty village with lots of flint built houses and walls.  We also looked around Pangbourne, not sure if you would call it a village or a town, some very posh houses.  Also a lovely butcher, where amongst other things we bought a couple of individual beef wellingtons for dinner.  They were delicious!! On Sunday our friend Max who lives on the outskirts of Reading came and picked us up and took us back to her place where we had a lovely meal whilst our washing was in her machine.  Then she had to drop us back again.  Thank you Max we really enjoyed the meal and the company.  Along the way we stopped at Goring and Wallingford, before arriving at Abingdon on Wednesday.  This is where we were living when Richard was born, though have to admit there was very little that we remembered.  We often used to walk to the lock and feed the ducks, but the scenery all seemed quite new.  We are now on our way into Oxford, should arrive there later today, just stopped now for a coffee break.  Must drink it while its hot so bye for now.