The trip to new home-home

The first two pics are Braunston - the boatyard and the bottom lock. It was a good day with a warm fine mizzle. Perfect. Elizabeth boated with Pete up to the top of the flight of 6 locks then left him to do the tunnel alone. She walked back to Reg (parked at the studio) then drove to Weltonfields and walked back along the towpath to meet the family. The next shot is Pete at the helm just before he pulled Bella alongside at the bridgehole to collect E. Travelling together again, we rounded Norton Junction and were delighted to again pass Glad, our neighbours from our old mooring.

The next sequence of pics show us coming out of the woods (wonderfully named Cornerwell Spinney) and seeing the light at Weltonfields, cruising alongside the Marina, then turning and coming in to berth. The final shot is the new view from deck.

Wonderful.

Moving Day begins

Here we are, moored up at the watering point in Braunston, where the Oxford Canal moves south after iron bridge and the Grand Union Canal moves east. We set out just after 8. It's one of Pete's rest days, having worked the weekend, and it's a studio day for Elizabeth. She's being alternatively creative.

What fun to move home without moving vans and boxes!

Swift and Bella

We do love this life.  This morning, whilst Elizabeth was just prepping her desk work day after the domestic bits, along comes an engine and hey, presto, it's Pete on Swift.  He and Neil were moving her from her work at Hillmorton Locks to her next bit of work on the Buckby flight (Whilton locks).  It is such fun to have home and work so incredibly integrated!  The bottom pic is where Bella and Swift crossed paths - the little nesting of the Oxford Canal, north section just by Bridge 89 in Braunston.

Braunston again for another week

We used Hillmorton to turn around yesterday and head south again. Last night we moored in between Bridges 80 & 81 on the Oxford, just an hour south of Hillmorton. A lovely quiet spot where we've moored before. Knowing Braunston and mooring habits of boaters as we do, we knew that we had to turn up in Braunston early enough for travellers not to have arrived yet and for over-nighters to have left. So after Hillmorton, we had to stay out in the gorgeous middle of nowhere, as if we'd arrived in Braunston last night around 6pm, there would have been no free moorings.

As it was, we pulled into Braunston by bridge 89, just near where we'd left yesterday, and a boat was just pulling out. Ideal. Moored up in a glorious spot by 11:30. Brunch next, then off to get Reg and buy a few pieces of wood. Our afternoon was the fun of shelf building!

Today's new sets of shelves

Suddenly we spotted gaps. Around the same time as digging out the tea and coffee pots really got on our nerves. So here are two new sets of shelves on either side of the kitchen/galley port side cupboards. We like them. A. Lot.

A farewell to Hillmorton

We set off to a mizzly day just after the Braunston morning traffic. We knew we needed to turn around and the nearest winding hole was just outside our old Marina. So we decided to turn in the Marina and take on some of our coal now stored behind the office. We'll collect the rest once we're at Weltonfields.

The rain held off and we had a lovely cruise. We were delighted to slide into Hillmorton Wharf on the visitor side. Pete walked the mile to the shops to fill up for the weekend whilst Elizabeth did laundry and changed around the bow storage ready for the winter.

The pics are variously travelling north, prepping for and then taking on coal, and then waving goodbye to Hillmorton. The last shot is tonight's evening mooring in between Bridges 80 & 81 on the Oxford. Lovely.

Warmth for the season

Here we are, Squirrel lit for the first time this season. We were so damp, the laundry couldn't dry outside and the inside was too cool. One simple answer - dear Squirrel, our Morso stove. Yes, we're now a bit too toasty, but how wonderful. Josie's happy!