We had a lovely journey to Cropredy from Aynho - breaking ice along the way, as the last post mentioned. 11 miles and 10 locks later (passing these gorgeous cows - Sarah, enjoy!), we got to Cropredy and moored up between the Bridge stores and the lock.
We were two boats north of Ravenspur who had arrived a few hours earlier. They and we had a sudden creative spurt from our dogs - swimming! Their Defa decided to jump from a lock gate into the canal and slightly froze as he was encouraged out. Our Josie jumped straight in from Bella's deck, thinking she was jumping onto the tow path. A little shocked, she managed to clamber up the opposite side, stressing ever so slightly as Pete went to collect her while Elizabeth shone the torch on to where she had arrived. She was not best pleased that Pete trespassed into a garden to find her and legal arguments aside, decided to walk home with him rather than swim back the way she came. We need to point out that this was the first time ever (!) that Josie has swum. A few years ago, her friend Twix led her to the water in Devon and after the first jaunt, she retreated with a few balletic shakes of paws and a gentle but haughty expression saying that swimming was just not her thing. After a few clutched withdrawals from the canal before swimming even was an option, we are relieved to know that when needs must, swimming is an acceptible form of survival.
The Famous Eve brought nibbles on Bella, dinner on Ravenspur and the new year cheer brought in at the Brasenose pub with a final toast on board Bella. Cropredy is a wonderful place for New Year's Eve. The bell ringers practice early, parties then take over with music from all around and then the midnight peal of bells is stunning. We think we prefer all this to fireworks!!!
