Yesterday and today…

I really couldn’t be bothered yesterday to break out the computer and do a blog, so I’m catching up today.  Yesterday we moved from Kidlington Green to Lower Heyford.  It was another beautiful morning so we got an early start to beat the Sunday rush.  We were at Thrupp before 8.30 and finally caught up with Bones, who came over to the water point and had a chat, Maffi also appeared a few minutes later.  We hung around until after 9 o’clock to see whether Annie’s Teas Room would open early as we had a hankering for bacon butties by then, but we were to be disappointed as it didn’t open until 10.  We had to move off then as we had a boat breasted up to us at the water point by then and they were about to do a pump out.  We really didn’t want to be between them and the wharf while that was happening!  We waved goodbye to Bones and continued on.  2 locks later we were even hungrier so I dashed down into the galley to make fried egg butties and eat before we arrived a Pigeon’s Lock – we needn’t have worried though as we then hit the morning queue!  This time we were fourth, and there wasn’t room for a queue that long, it was mayhem, with boats everywhere!  It was an hour before we were through.  We eventually moored at Lower Heyford, having first moored for an hour or so a little way above Dashwood’s Lock, but we were banging and crashing on a ledge which was very uncomfortable, so we moved.

Bones waving goodbye

Rog had help from these two cuties at one of the locks, about the same age as our granddaughters, Flo and Milly

Mayhem at Pigeon’s Lock

Lovely day again

This morning we set off for Aynho, where we plan to meet up with Emma and the girls for a birthday (mine) lunch tomorrow (not sure yet whether son-in-law Ben will be able to join us or not).  Just before the first lock the Anglo Welsh in front of us pulled over to let us past – and we hit the lock with another boat just setting it for themselves – I helped as Mrs didn’t seem to do anything but stand and watch, letting Mr do the work (she did make a half-hearted attempt to help with the gates).  We followed them all they way to Aynho, plenty of time for them to get ahead, but each time we arrived at a lock, there they were, only just emptying it!  We filled with fuel and bought a few provisions at Aynho Wharf and then carried on to moor a little way before the lift bridge.  When we moored here last week to await Triskaideka’s arrival, it was empty – today it was jammed when we arrived, and we have been lucky to get a space at the very end, just before the bridge.

Sunday 8.7 miles and 7 locks

Today 6.3 miles and 3 locks