Meeting Friends

Ahoy there Gary

We arrived here at Braunston yesterday, having had some snow on the days between, but nothing too deep and not when we were cruising.  We will be staying here for about 3 weeks.  We are having some new kitchen worktops fitted and whilst that is happening we are going to South Africa on Safari, with friends Jane and Kelly.  Really looking forward to the warmth  and the sunshine, tho’ not so much to the mosquitoes! Still as long as neither of us is bitten by a lion!  This is a first for us.  We leave on Tuesday for 2 weeks, so no more blogging for a while.  When we moored up yesterday it was to find that Gary and Caroline on Inca are moored just opposite us.  Gary spent some time watching our TV across the canal, that was after many ‘helpful’ suggestions on which way to point the aerial!  Think he lost inter

This is what keeps us warm and snug

Well we arrived in Rugby safe and sound on Thursday.  Having met up with friends Sue and Mike on Trisha Helen at lunch time, and then, mooring 2 boats away from Inca with friends Caroline and Gary on board later in the afternoon.  So all in all, a great day for catching up with friends.  Friday saw us setting off for Marlow and a weekend with Lorraine.  It was lovely to see them all.  We exchanged Christmas presents, not having managed to fit it in in December.  Addison and Brogan get taller and more articulate each time we see them.  For Brogan that translates as he hardly stops talking.  Well to say hardly stops at all would be more accurate!  Addison is a proper young lady taking an interest in what she wears and how her hair is done!  We did manage to Skype Richard whilst there but unfortunately although we could see him, for most of the time he couldn’t see us.  No bad thing I hear you say, but he was looking forward to ‘seeing’ his niece and nephew.  Then Sunday evening on the way back we stopped off in Bicester to visit Julie who we have been friends with since before Richard was born.  So all in all a very pleasurable weekend.  Today we have returned the car, done some shopping in Rugby and cruised a couple of miles to Clifton.  Nearly at Hilmorton where I will have to get the windlass out for 3 locks, hope I can remember what to do with it!



Breaking through the 'icebergs'!

Ended up staying in the Marina until Monday so that we could get a few bits of shopping in Hinckley before setting off.  In the end it was well gone 2 before we set off, first having a pump out then cruising just half a mile, mooring in the same place as our first stop in Hinckley back in November.  Since then we have cruised a couple of hours every day.  Each day there has been ice on the canal. 

The intrepid Captain

We have had to break through but mostly a boat has been there before us and we are just moving the ‘icebergs’ around!!  As I write it is 9.45am and again the canal is frozen, however a boat has moved on from in front of us and will have broken the surface.  It does slow us quite a bit if we are doing the breaking.  Also not so good for the blacking on the bottom.  We plan to arrive in Rugby this afternoon ready to pick up a hire car tomorrow.  We are off to see Lorraine and family for the weekend, which we are really looking forward to.  So be back to chat next week, bye for now.

Well just a quick post to wish you all a belated Happy New Year.  We are still in Hinckley at the moment in the marina. Having spent a lovely Christmas catching up with lots of family and friends in Plymouth and places en-route. On 7th January we flew out to Poland to send a week with Richard.  So more merry making and eating.  We will probably move out on to the 'cut' tomorrow or Monday depending on the weather.  We will be making our way back towards Braunston.  Will let you know how we go!