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December morning mist

Well, it's been a while. I post this at 0740 on a Saturday morning, a time I never thought I'd see at a weekend at home, rather than at a training weekend. This is a usual occurrance now that Pete is Chief Running Water for the northern Grand Union section for the Canal and River Trust. We wake at 6am every work day and once a month, he has weekend duty.

Today, he covers the canals from Hawkesbury Junction in Coventry where the Oxford canal ends and meets the Coventry Canal, through Hillmorton, bypasses Braunston, onward to Watford flight and Foxton, perhaps taking in Market Harborough, finishing up, after Kibworth flight, at Kilby bridge on the outskirts of Leicester. Tucked into all that is a peek at reservoirs at Saddington, Welford, Sulby and Naseby. Oh, and today he investigates the paddles at Cosford. By the way, he  l o v e s  this work. Countryside views as work, not lifestyle leisure, canals as challenging conundrums, water levels as puzzling management. Happy boy.

We see more of each day and are both enjoying this new world. Clearly travelling with Bella had been reduced, but with my new studio in Braunston, I can't say I'd want to be too far away. With a number of new paintings finished since I've been there, this is a creative time for us both.

We have gentle plans to travel to Braunston for Christmas, but the weather will be the decider on that front.

In the meantime, Bella stays tucked up in Hillmorton Wharf (Blue Haven Marina's new name) and we both venture to new places.