Started today at 8.30 and stopped at 2pm.

Passed Trundle's old home and had a chat with Norman and Jen Clarke( they owned the fleet). We did the Buckby Flight of locks swith some nice folks and some interesting young people. Hmmm. well we should have shared a lock with them, but was then informed by an adult, that they were young kids from London who had issues with discipline. Does that me no "clip around the ear" then ? He said he preferred to do locks just on their own. There were about 12 troubled kids and 3 or 4 adults, I reckon. Anyway one of these kids started ordering me about like he was a teacher, so I soon put him in his place,nicely but firmly, and told him that its not a good idea to open a paddle when a boat is still coming into a lock. Also showed him some other top-tips about windlass x 2, when a paddle is very stiff. Heyho. then he startled me by saying " I like you shoes", was he taking the p...? or what ? apparentley, today I am mainly wearing "trendy" (Ha ! thats a laugh), canvas shoes. anyway I gave him the benefit of the doubt and said Thanks.

Saw this great old boat. Cor, if you could only hear its engine.

Moored tonight on the Leicester Arm of the GU. breezy.

"on the cut"

This is us just getting to the top lock. !


Whey Hey. It took us 4.25 hours to do the lock-flight up from Northampton. Its a lovely flight of locks, full to bursting with wildlife, especially water voles. A survey was done,and there is a big contingent of them here. Unfortunately I didn;t see one.







So we are moored just up from Bugbrooke. Cor, dont we know we are on"the cut". Its quite busy after the quiet life of The Nene, but heyho, this is what its all about.



Its interesting having a shower, with boats going by. I had quite forgotten all the bouncing about. So glad we didn't take the hip bath affair out of the bathroom, as it has a seat in it, and when losing you balance, its quite good to just be able to sit it out whilst they all pass by . Finlay has had the hump about something. not sure what, as he is now getting loads of walks, as its so easy to get off Trundle at a bridge and back on at another. It could be the trains. Nothampton to London line.

Trundle to the rescue

Tonight we are at Northampton, ready to do the Roserthorpe Flight up onto the Grand Union ,mainline tomorrow(Wed.), but yesterday we did a rescue job.






The folks live at Floods Ferry, same as us, but we haven't got to know many people yet. anyway they had a problem with their engine, and had phoned for an engineer, but they needed to be at a lock so he could get his van to them. so first we tried a tow-ing job, but ended up weeving about all over the place. After a bit of thought we strapped them to our side and went along together.( albeit they were facing the wrong way). They are a really nice couple, and I felt so sad that their trip has started out like this. But anyway,after a text today, I reckon they will resume their journey tomro. !









This little tern, had just plunged into the river by the side of us, and came up with a fish for his supper. Its the devils own job trying to get a pic of them as they move soooo fast.





I am going to be writing to a newspaper !!!! At a lock at Irthlingboro, some young folks ( surly and wearing hoodies) had had a camp-out. We were doing lock-stuff when they left and this is the state they left it in.







Theres wildlife galore around here, I took a close up of the rubbish, also, and I took a picture of them crossing at a bridge. so now am off to locate a local paper, to complain about the "youth of today". errr, am I starting to sound like my granny ?

Oundle,

I missed "the Aristos". Damn. I had gone into Oundle to browse the quality charity shops, as you do. and when I came back with my treasures, as you do, Mick informed me that I had missed them. We were moored in the Ashton backwater, out of sight of the lock, and he heard some booming voices " what?", a boat revving madly, then a bang as it hit the front gates. A voice shouted out regally " I need on of those windy things, haw haw haw". ( that would be a windlass). They brayed and shouted there way through the lock, and we haven;'t seen them since, so they must be steaming ahead. !

However, a good result was that after a couple of years of asking in the pet and saddlery shop, they now after great demand stock ......MAGGOTTS ! pink ones, lemon coloured ones, plain old flesh coloured ones mmmmmmm lovely. Mick caught loads of fish. he even managed to save one as its was being chased by a ? a bigger fish. But when mick threw the small one back, the big one( are you following this?)was lying in wait and GULP , little one got eaten.

Had a phone call from Chris! How come she knows when we are about to enter a lock?

Heres the picture as promised. sorry it's blurred, but I was holding a windass, a security key, a phone and a camera. !

Back View Front View

Aren't they pretty ?

Wildlife is great along the river, so for you blogtrotters who know their birdies, here is a pic for you ? I know what it is, but do you?

Tonight we had a cra..... a not very nice bbq at Irthlingboro. My fault, I didn';t want to do any prepping so we bought it all, and it tasted ......................synthetic.

BUT we met some Bikers( not Hairy), who live on their Narrowboat( to be called Smidsy), called Gordon and Lesley. what a nice couple. as a consolation for our 'orrible food she brought us some Ice Cream Cake. aah, how nice. Hmph, and as for that little git Finlay !. I only left one piece for just a minute , honest.I watched him when I came inside the boat and he looked at me as I looked at he, but I turned away to do something and when I next looked he was nosing around the NOW-EMPTY container, whilst licking his lips

A Noble Steed, indeed.

Had to take a picture of this fellow, as he was flying around the field all on his lonesome.

So, monday on to Cogonhoe. Not far from the canals now. !

Entertainment, big wheels and history.

This was the lovely mooring at Elton. It was a full house last night, and just as I as contemplating a swim, we heard a rather regal voice booming out. I will refer to them as Margot and Jerry. I think she may have been a mems'hab( if there are any still alive) or failing that she was def a lady who was used to telling people what to do, how to do it etc. She strode around the lock directing operations( there were 2 boats travelling together), then one of the rather timid lady-travellers enquired as to whether both boats would fit behind us.She was told, witheringly, that yes of course, plenty of room, and " DO GET ON THE BOAT ,BOOMER"(

nice but timid dog). This lady had the sort of husband who gave great guffaws of laughter at his own story-telling. When I hear " Time for a gin, darling?" I switched off. I had got mine in my hand. it was very entertaining. and now we are at Ashton Lock,in the little backater there in pole position, waiting for them to come through. No-one yet. I hope thay haven't turned back. Cripes. !

Chris, when you phoned this am, and I said that we were just coming up to a lock. This was it. Those wheels take some turning, I can tell you. Most of the locks are electric now.

History buffs - If I say "Off with her head". do you know where this is ??? Clue, not that you bright sparks need one, but a book was called " The road to F..............."

So it is now thundering and raining. Mick has his rod out in the hope of a spot of fishing. I am waiting for the posh folks to come along, and Finlay is sulking cos he wants to go rabbit - sniffing.

We are staying here for 2 nights, I think,

we're Cruising !!!

Whey hey, we are on our way. Left Floods Ferry yesterday and now we are moored at Elton on the lovely River Nene. Finlay was yipping, yapping and yowling with excitement to get off and sniff and wee all around the rabbit holes, and then he managed to find a stick, so the lucky little blighter has had a great swim. The river is gin-clear, and I am of a mind to have a swim too.

Mick is about to put his rod out.

We will be heading for the Ashton cut nr to Oundle tomorrow, and will probabaly have 2 nights there. Mick asked if I had enough bread for him ( for his fishing) and I asked if he had enough "bread"for me to browse the classy charity shops in Oundle. A deal has been struck.

Took some pics, but have accidently wiped them off.

Hope all my blog-trotters are well and happy. Thank you for following my ramblings. X

Finlays Finds, Imminent departures

Lodge decking coming along well, although Dennis has had some ribbing,
As he brought a “post-hole borer”, to dig out the holes for the posts, and southern wags here were asking him if he was going down to Australia.Well. Dennis dad was a master carpenter and he taught his son to build properly, and that’s what he has done.!

Really enjoying the lodge, and Tingdene seem( I am hesitant to say this) to be getting
Their act together. There were some errors with the lodge, and because of my persistant badgering and complaining,they are rectifying things. Possibly pleased to get “ that mad woman from the fens” out of their hair. However, only 2 out of 9 problems have been put right, so far. Shame really, Great product,but shabby after-sales. Hey ho.

Finlay is going to get a job !. Rivers-edge clearancefor the Environement Agency.
He is coming up with weirder and weirder stuff. It started off with the normal “ other dog”tennis balls and toys, then progressed to various beer bottles, both European and English( without contents !), vodka bottles( empty), Italian wine bottles ( empty, grhhhh), then we had a tortoise shaped kids banjo without strings, oddly shaped bits of wood, a plant with a big bulb on the end that he ate ,(and it gave him the rangoons), a kids large water rifle/pistol, and this morning a bog seat complete with lid covered in mud( that looked really choice!). He arrives with his treasure stinking of river mud, but then there is a nice place for swimming, so three times in there and he is clean again.

Off to Rebeccas on 16th, to see them all and deliver some furniture and then WE ARE OFF on the 20th july. !!!!!! 1 week up The Nene and then on to the canals. Not sure which way we are going, possibly north, but we are months behind, and think that we may miss a birthday party that we were looking forward to, but will wait and see.