Bronny to Bluey

We expected to lie in a bit, but we heard the weather forecast and saw the sky turning a threatening and familiar dark grey. Pewter - beautiful to paint with Ultramarine Blue and Payne's Grey with a hint of Titanium White, but a git to travel through if the promised water started to fall. So we turned on the engine at 7:35 and were moored up in Blue Haven by 9:45. It was a slightly easier mooring than previous ones, as the rain had truly filled the pound. But with the marina still needing to be dredged, there was still quite a bit of effort from tillerman Pete. Yet - perfect timing! No sooner had we tied up, set the garden from the roof to the deck, opened the garden bench from the roof to the quayside and plugged in the electrics than the skies opened. The rest of the day was heaven for the weary ducks and we were happy to be dry inside.

From Fenny to Bronney

What a hoot of a day. We set out from Fenny just after 9:00 to meet Helen with her friend, Lorraine, and Helen and Dom's dogs, Defa and Trio at Marston Doles, the top of the Napton flight. In between much conversation, cups of coffee, various walks with dogs and chats with other boaters, we finally made it down the flight of nine locks just before 2pm. It would have been faster but for the great conversations when someone needed reminding to lower a paddle or open a gate. It was a blazing warm day, still a relief from so much rain.

We got to Braunston just before 5, fully prepared to carry on to Blue Haven and then thought, why? We pulled in to a mooring just north of the Braunston turn on the north Oxford canal and had a wonderfully peaceful night. We put on the engine again for an hour or so for the bread machine to make the dough, then sat down for our usual Friday pizza night.

From Banbury to Fenny

What a beautiful day! What with all the rain, this day was a treat. We pulled in to the services point in Banbury about 7:45, in time to enjoy watching the commuters catch buses from the station seen through the fence from the canal, commuters walking to the rail station, glimpses caught along the left of us as we looked toward the lock and commuters walking over the lock bridge and alongside the canal. And there were we, filling with water, putting off waste and watching Josie wander about the quayside not barking at any commuters. Wonders do happen.

We travelled along the glorious Oxford Canal, seldom seen by us in dry weather, with Elizabeth on deck knitting while Pete held his beloved tiller. Josie has now found ways to curl up on deck, so you can imagine the scene of the three of us, toddling off into the canal sunset. Wonderful. Occasionally, we saw more modern transport and enjoyed the juxtaposition.

We moored up in Fenny Compton just past the Wharf Inn and bridge around 3pm. Tea on deck, then collected by our friend, Helen, for a trip to Avon Dassett and the wonderful Avon pub to meet Dom with their neighbour and friends. What a good day!

From Aynho to south of Banbury

Today we travelled just a bit. Elizabeth took Reg to Rugby, having stopped off for a new ear piercing in honour of her 21st Ordination Anniversary. When she got back to Nell's Bridge Acre via train to Coventry and Kings Sutton then car collection by NB Acre's Sara, we dropped lines and took off north. After 10 days in one place, we were ready to move!!! It was at least a dry day after so much rain and we moored up south of Banbury just before 7pm.

On the way, we saw this highly unusual corral. This is the bridge of the M40 crossing the canal. A new bridge compared to the 18th century ones we usually use, this one is very wide and has a wide tow path. Except it has been corralled for a coral. If you enlarge it, you'll see that there are fences and the cows are being led to what, we never found out. A farmer - notably female - was on her way to meet them as we travelled by and all seemed quite peaceful. All but for the roar of the above motorway.

Billy hopes for food

This is Billy, one of the three dogs at Nell's Bridge Acre. He has just spotted that we are eating dinner and is standing on the jetty, staring down at our dining table... His dog family is made of Maisie, the tiny Lurcher/Whippet puppy and Rosie, the bouncy Jack Russell. Up on the hill behind him are the Arks for the pigs and if you enlarge the photo, you can see Clarissa staring down at Billy staring down at our table. You can also see the heavily grey sky.... Very (v V v) wet during our week and a bit at Nell's Bridge Acre.

Sewing and lock walls

This is really catch up time!! We've not blogged properly for weeks and for that we apologise and blame the good weather, the bad weather, too much work and hugely enjoyable time off. So we just haven't added blogging for a bit - sorry!

So, to backtrack to real content, but before we do - two more images of life here che Bella. One, the sewing room, just so you know that Elizabeth still sews (lots). You may recognise it as the dining room and you may recognise the closed cupboards behind as the office, shut away. But just to be clear, this is the sewing room.

The very very green shot is not the sewing room. It is one of the insides of a lock wall. So much grows on them! Sometimes they are a glorious blend of shiny olive green and copper coloured mud, sometimes they are soft green moss like this one. In Autumn, they catch transparent golden leaves and look like fine sculpture. The fragrance is deep dark forest marsh, heavy with aroma. Pete notices the frangrance of the damp weed clinging to the lock gates whilst Elizabeth breathes in the fragrance like rich aromatherapy. Ahhhhh.

In Blue Haven until Saturday EARLY

Just to let you know, we've been moored up here for a bit since July 26th, with a little spell to Braunston to meet up with Charis and her travellers, Jenny and Clive. Heads down in work meant no inspiration to turn on the computer to blog! But we will upload lots of phots from the journey north in a bit. Today as we travelled by car back from a whiz to Oxford, we stopped off to see Sybill's brood of 11 piglets at Nell's Bridge Acre. Mum and offspring were doing wonderfully! Saturday sees us set off early to the Grand Union with Ravenspur and her travellers, Dom and Helen. Ravenspur is off to live at Stowe Hill for a bit and we're helping through the Braunston and Wilton locks. We'll moor there for a while to keep her company.

Do forgive the sparse posts! Normal service will resume...