Once again heading to Braunston!

One of the three locks at Hillmorton

Didn't realise how long had passed since I last wrote here!  We safely made it into Braunston about 12 days ago now!

Coming out the last of the 3 locks, next stop lunch!

Whilst there we met up again with new friends on Olivella and also Ross and his Finish wife, Pierka (sorry for spelling).  We hadn't seen them for a couple of years.  After 2 nights there we moved on to the Oxford Canal towards Rugby, where we arrived about a week ago.  On the way through we caught up with friends Sue and Mike who we hadn't seen for about 4 years.  Sue made us a new cratch cover and also a cover for the stern.  We are meeting them again today for Sunday Lunch in the pub!
After a couple of nights in Rugby we moved on having decided to carry on to Brinklow where we could wind and return!
So Monday saw us moving on towards Newbold on Avon.  As we got there Paul spotted a cygnet which seemed to be stuck in a hole in the towpath.  So we moored at the nearby water point.  I was armed with a long handled brush as Father Swan was standing protectively close!  Paul scooped the cygnet out of the hole and it launched itself out of his hands and into the canal where it seemed to sink, but thankfully bobbed

Beautiful dragonfly

back up and swam away, closely followed by Dad!!  It was very strange as the male swan was not as aggressive as they can sometimes be.  It was almost as though it knew we were helping!
Having reached our end point we turned and headed back toward Rugby
As we are moving on we are also completing chores along the way to get Falcon looking her best.  On our return to Rugby we moored by the picnic area whilst I was cleaning the oven Paul was busy with touching up paintwork etc!  We also had the Boat Safety Scheme Check done.  This has to be done every 4 years and Falcon's is due in September so we thought it would be a plus selling point to get that done.
So today we are moored just at the top of Hillmorton Locks and shortly off to The Waterside for lunch with Mike and Sue.