Crays, bread and weeeeeed.

Assorted happenings since I last blogged.

Mick caught a crayfish, and as I was running to get it in a bucket, he decided to half stamp on it.! So I said " well you had better finish it off now, half its insides are hanging out". After what Scooby & Rita told us, I was definitely going to have a go at them. No chance now as we are on the lovely Nene and its cristal clear and full to the brim with fish.

Friends Rick and Val came for a visit. Its becoming a bit of a tradition, that when we arrive on the canal and leave it, they come and visit, as they live close by. So we trundled down from Stoke Bruerne and found a nice place to moor up for lunch and wine. It was great to see you both and good luck with the project !!!!!

I think Mick may have said something funny, here.

We had texted other NB's Jim and Marilyn plus 2( cairns), and they said they would be at Gayton by monday pm, to start down the locks to Northampton on Tuesday, so what a good idea to catch up with them and do all or some of The Nene with them.

We always try to fit in a couple of " sundowners" on each others boat.However we missed on tuesday night as it was chucking it down, but we have made up for it since.

Whilst at Cogonhoe( cook-no) in " the wind". I found some bread flour( out of date) that I had brought from Spain, so thought, right lets have a go at making bread without the bread maker.

Blimey, I couldn't knead it, then Mick had a go, and he couldn't and then I re-read the instructions. I had used the whole bag of flour to ingredients for half a bag !!!!

" Oh I'll just have to throw it away" No says Mick, it will make good ground-bait for fishing. Is he being funny??? so over the side it went and we watched it settle on the bottom of the cristal clear river. Hmmmm, about 2 hours later I looked out of the galley window and saw it bobbing by!!!!!! It was a helluva size!!!! At least the yeast works.

We left friday am to make our way to Irthlingboro. That was after Mick and Finlay had been chased by 3 cows. I reckon they think Finlay is a calf, as he is similar colouring to them, but anyhow, after what has been happening with dog walkers and cows over the summer, Mick was taking no chances, so apparently he waved his arms about and yelled something at them, and they stopped.

So at the first lock we found this.!

Some pillock going the other way, had left the paddle up and it had drawn all this weed down, so it was boathooks and a bit of muscle from Marilyn and myself, to get it cleared. Oh, all right the blokes helped a bit, as well. It was quite thick though and a NB would not have got through it. Hey ho.

So tonight at Irthlingboro, Finlay has had a nice rabbity walk around Stanwick Lakes, Mick has gone blackberrying and we are due for sundowners on NB Barron, in about, 30 mins. Bye for now.

So its been a while since I blogged.

For any Doubting Thomas' in Spain, who do not think we have had much of a summer, just look at Mick's plates. !!!! Tiger feet, Grrr

We went to The Globe for a meal, as I had requested, and its was lovely.Very pretty inside, loads of candles and NO tongue n groove cladding ! Food was great, although Mick ( he had ordered brisket of beef) had a wobbly when he saw his. " No, No I have got a burger, look look". No Mick its brisket of beef done in medallions. Also his GLASS of rioja was £5.50, Wow ! we buy it from the region of rioja for about £5 for 5 litres !

Back to Milton Keynes and caught up with Mel and Pete and family. we had also stopped off at Fenny Stratford, before hand, as Scooby had given us info on a paki supermarket that did a good deal in wine. So we found it, and purchased 6 bottles for £12. When I got it back to the boat I looked at the label on the Pinot grigio. It said " Ungarian" so that would be from the country of " Ungary" then. hee hee. it tastes alright anyway. and no we couldn't run Trundle on it,either !

Anyway, we had a good evening on Trundle at Bridge 80 with the Venis family, and then the next day they came and collected us and took us shopping. Ooooh. Mel said " want to go to Ikea, Jen ?" what ? did I !!!!. It was great and Mick didn't keep asking how much longer were we going to be as we were " in company". Heee heeeee. Thanks a lot, you guys. see you next year.

Finlay just has to be "in "!