I'm surprised to see that I didn't take any photos this week. I suppose the awful weather had something to do with it, as well as the fact that this is all familiar ground. So I've used some older photographs I thought you might enjoy.

Friday, 15th April
The indomitable Cherry arrived with her squad to help with the Hatton flight of locks. Her squad comprised of a French house guest and her two children aged nine and six! Emmanuelle, the mother of the girls, didn't really know what she was letting herself in for, I'm sure, and the two girls arrived full of hope and eager anticipation, having been buoyed up by Cherry that this was going to be great fun! Fortunately, the girls had brought a bag of things to do in case it all got too much. Which it did at the first lock for the little one, Emilie. When she realised that she couldn't turn the lock mechanism nor open the gates, and also how cold it was, she retired below decks, never to be seen again until the end of the trip!

In the evening our friend Gail arrived to stay overnight, and we ate at The Cape of Good Hope pub. The food was excellent and there was a good atmosphere.

Saturday, 16th, Sunday 17th April
We had to leave our mooring at the Saltisford early, as a pair of hotel boats was coming in. So we went along to see if there was any mooring at The Cape of Good Hope now. But no, of course there wasn't. We filled up with water at the water point and prayed someone would move soon, and our prayers were answered when a 70' boat moved on! We quickly snaffled his place, and then we were all set for two nights, as the moorings here are for 48 hours. The problem is, not everyone plays it by the rules, and there were boats moored there before we arrived and after we left, taking up most of the mooring spaces.

Gail and I walked in to Warwick and there was a French Market on in the square. It all looked very jolly, and the aromas took me straight back to France. I bought some cheese, which embarassed us all around the town, it smelt so! Some of it is still in the fridge, and the odour when we open the fridge door has to be inhaled to be believed. There was so much to buy, it was all very tempting, but we managed to keep ourselves under control and just bought a kg of gorgeous tomatoes.

Now, I hear you cry, what about the camping equipment and trailer? Those of you who are up to speed will remember that the ad. didn't appear last week, so we had blanket coverage this week in all the local free papers. But it didn't make any difference! We had one person who came to look and didn't want it. So it remained unsold, unwanted and unloved in Cherry's garage.

Monday, 18th April
At last, after all the socialising in our home town, we were free to set off, and we did so with a light heart. We went through the two Cape locks, and I went to pick up my computer which had been repaired. The people at the repair place were quite amused that I arrived by boat--a first for them, I think. We went through the less seemly parts of Warwick and Leamington Spa, and out in to the glorious Warwickshire countryside.

We stopped at the water point by the Fosse Way, and washed the top of the boat and one side, and also used our self pump out kit for the first time since we were on the Lee & Stort last June! Opportunities for using it are few and far between, BW wants us to pay to use their pump out facilities, So they don't provide many opportunities to do it for free.

We went on up through the locks until we came to Splash Bridge, where we moored up on one of our favourite moorings. Here it is utterly peaceful, there's no traffic noise, a very few scattered farms and houses and total peace. I had all I needed in the world right here, and there was nothing else I wanted.

Tuesday, 19th August
We spent a very peaceful night, and Trev was up early. First he mopped out the engine room, which somehow or other had got water in it, then he cleaned the brasses, You see, we're going in to Braunston tomorrow, where our boat was fitted out, and it has to look smart!

Eventually we set off and went through the Bascote Locks. We stopped at the Blue Lias water point, as it was on the other side of the canal, and meant we could wash the second side of the boat. Just as we finished, there was a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning and the heavens opened. We waited until we thought it was all over, and set off to do the Stockton Ten. Just as we went in to the first lock, the rain came down in stair rods and continued unabated for about an hour. Even afterwards it continued to rain slowly until we moored up at another favourite mooring, Kea's Gate. The views here are glorious, or would be if we could have seen through the mist, but we had the mooring to ourselves and spent another lovely evening on our own. Trev had bravely done the steering in the awful weather whilst I had stayed below in the warm. He was wet and cold and was glad to come in by the fire. Yes, I spoke too soon last week when I said we had more or less finished with fires for the winter. We've used it all the time.

Wednesday, 20th April
Before we left, Trev serviced the engine, and we eventually set off around lunchtime. We didn't have far to go--just two miles in to Braunston. There was a fine drizzle all the way. It was good to be back amongst familiar sights, though we have no wish to come back here to moor permanently. We moored up on the canal, right outside the marina where we had a mooring for the first year. Friends on "A New Song" were just on the other side of the fence and we had a quick chat, but it was too wet to stay talking for long. We made arrangements to meet later. Our friend Cherry rang to say she thinks a neighbour wants to buy our camping trailer and equipment, so that was good news--for Cherry too, as she'll get her garage back!

In the evening we went for a meal at The Admiral Nelson, one of our very favourite watering holes. we had a warm welcome from Diane and Bruce, the landlords, and were invited to sit with Carol & Fred, friends who run a canalside gift shop. It was a good evening.

Thursday, 21st April
An early start today. We took the cratch canopy to be repaired, as one of the zips had broken and a strap had come off it. Then round to our boatfitter--DBBoats-for the coolant to be changed in the engine. It took a couple of hours to do this, and the engineer also checked out the drive belts on the engine. We had a phone call from our friends Jan and Don on "Crandon", to say they were approaching Braunston on their boat and could we meet? So we invited them for lunch. The job on the boat was finished, so went back on to the main canal to moor up and prepare for our friends. We had a good lunch, lots of chat, catching up with all the gossip and then off they went towards their home mooring further along the canal.

We stayed at Braunston for the night, as our canopy will be finished tomorrow. What a service--we took it in at 9.00 a.m. this morning and they will bring it back and refit it tomorrow at 9.30. We have to meet them at bridge 91! They understand that boaters are here today and gone tomorrow, and are happy to help.