Back to Braunston.

Good morning.

When I say good. It was more like morning all, because no sooner had we left our overnight mooring, the rain began to fall. So I had to don my waterproofs quick smart. Not that rain particularly bothers me much. When the weather is warm, a drop of rain is really quite refreshing.

Yesterday I spent most of the morning moping out the front locker. There was an inch of water in there and I wanted it out. I then moved some coal around in the hold, to get things a little tidier. After lunch I got the camera and tripod out to try and take some photographs of a Kestral which kept hovering near the boat, but would'nt you just know it, no sooner the camera was on display, the Kestral stopped coming by. But I did take some photos of a Brambling and a Yellow Hammer.

We are back at Braunston top lock again, 5.75 miles, 3hrs, with our friends David and Elaine on NB Patience. Yesterday afternoon David and Elaine moored behind us, which was fabulous, because it had been about year since we had seen them. Last year at this time we were cruising down to Stratford-Upon-Avon with them and a good time was most definitely had by us all. We spent yesterday afternoon catching up on all their news and of course telling them all ours. So this morning we thought we may as well travel up through the locks with them. We set off with them at 7.30am, after my alarm went off at 6am announcing it was time to crawl out of bed, after a disturbed night once more. I wish I could switch the dream button off sometimes. 7.30am on the dot we were all set to go. Engines fired up and tillers in place. Elaine and David went ahead and got to the bottom lock at Braunston, where a gentleman was waiting to go up, because he was using the dry dock. There were two boats coming down and we soon discovered they had taken the gentlemans lock. He was single handed and had set the lock and opened the gate. By the time he got back to his boat, the people on the boats above had closed the gate and started filling it with water.

Elaine asked them "Did you bother to look to see if anyone was coming up"

The reply from one woman was "Well there was no one here with a windlass, so we thought it was our lock".

Elaine said "The reason for that is because the man is single handed and had gone back to get his boat. You should always check to see if anyone is coming, before you turn around a lock".

The woman then said " Would you please say sorry to the gentleman for us".

Elaine said "Your going past him, you say sorry yourself, after all you took his lock".

With that both parties walked in different directions. The dry dock was by now also being filled to allow a boat out and a boat in, so the pound above the locks was extremely low, made worse by the stealing of the lock. Tim from the dry dock went up and let some water down as we were entering it and all seemed well. But would'nt you just know it. We got out of the Admiral Nelson Lock, and a pair of boats were coming down yayyyy. So they left the gates for us and us for them. On the towpath was a boat moored, which was not allowed as BW had asked the gentleman not to moor there, when the Rally was on over the weekend, but he was there and no sooner he saw us coming he said. "Your pinching my lock". We were'nt because he was still moored up on pins, no tiller in place or engine started. Both Elaine and I knew he was trying to pull a fast one, so just went on our way. As it turned out there was a single boat coming up behind us, and so he joined them. Some people are just so arghhhhhhhh. I have a new name for them all GOB's (Grumpy Old Boater's). Maybe they get out of the wrong side of the bed, I don't know. The locks were done and we are now moored up on the 48 hour moorings for the night. No sooner we had stopped the rain stopped and the sun came out. Elaine reckons everytime they do the Braunston Locks, it always rains, so we are blaming her for the wet start to the day. We do need the rain though, otherwise there are going to be stoppages on the system due to water shortages.

Would'nt it be fantastic if there was a weather switch. You switch it on at night for the rain and switch it off in the morning for the sunshine. That would be just perfect.

I have managed to get a half decent TV signal for the tennis later on. Andy Murray is playing, so want to see how he gets on against Rafael "Rafa" Nadal. I dare we will also be watching the football as well. After an eventful morning with the GOB's. I plan on having a quiet afternoon.