Introducing Nat to boating

We set of from Milton Keynes on Saturday morning, re-tracing our steps southwards as far as the ‘The Globe’, where we where had booked a table for dinner. We lunched in the ‘Three Locks’ at Soulbury locks – very expensive but very good.

The weather was reasonably kind to us, just a few spits and spots until later, after we were moored up, when Russ and Nat took Cassie for a walk – then the heavens opened and they got soaked, without a jacket between them!

We had our dinner in the Globe – but were all still so full from lunch that we didn’t really do it justice.  It’s a lovely old pub with a great atmosphere.

On Sunday morning we carried on to Leighton Buzzard to wind, and to visit Tesco’s as Russ had a yen for bacon, egg and black pudding rolls for lunch!  Likes his food, does our Russ, and he always wants the same when boating – it goes back to the early days of our boating history, when we were queuing for the locks at ‘The Bratch’ on the Staffs and Worcester, and I did bacon, egg and black pudding rolls for brunch!

We came across Carol and George on nb Rock' ‘n Roll again, and stopped to have a glass of wine with them this time – we have been dogging each others steps for several weeks now, but won’t be seeing them again for a while, as they are heading south now and we will continue north.  Nice to see you again, and we hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.

In the afternoon, Russ persuaded Nat to have a go at driving, I don’t think she enjoyed it very much though!!

   Cassie obviously knew we had a novice driver as she disappeared inside!

         

Nat and Russ working a lock

The ‘Smithy’ boat – makes lots of great metal sculptures – including things made from old gas bottles – I wanted a couple of the planters for the roof – but there was nobody about when we came past.  We love the exploding gas bottles though!Mum and foal in a field – what impossibly long legs that foal has!

We returned Russ and Nat to Milton Keynes Marina at about 5.30 for them to pick up the car and wend their weary way home to Lincoln.  They were both exhausted - I don’t think they slept very well on the dinette – it was a bit narrow for my hulking great 6ft 3in son – although we did make it 6ft 6in long especially for him!