Early Rain

Hello Readers.

We have an invader. Nuts whole Hazel Nuts comes to mind, the only difference is these are Beech Nuts and the invader is a bushy tailed Squirrel, who I think sits up in the tree, giggling as it drops the nuts on to the roof of our boat. This was just the start of the bombardment. We are now gathering up a nice little pile of disgarded food. Listening inside the boat to these light weight missiles dropping on us, it sounds like huge great stones are being thrown. I sat outside yesterday afternoon and watched as the bandit went about attacking the roof of our boat, it was really quite funny. The other half said "Shall we move", but it really does not bother me. I am more interested in watching the Squirrels antics.

Saturday is here and the Squirrel was after more nuts early on this morning, but it got put off when the rain came. We had a lovely downpour, which really freshened the air. Our next door neighbour, who is moored in front of us, tried to start up their gas generator, but after Five attempts gave up and started their boats engine instead. I wonder if the rain got into the generator, because it is out in the elements.
Awake early, so we enjoyed a cup of tea in bed, before I got up. The better half stayed in bed as he is still feeling the affects from an earlier cold.
Why is it, that women, just carry on as normal when they have a cold and yet men cannot cope?
I gathered up the mutts lead and poo bags and took Pad for his morning walk. We walked down the towpath and then came back through the woods, which was beautiful. It made me want to lay on the floor and look up at the canopy, which is a vibrant Green at the moment. Knowing my luck if I had done that, a bird would have deposited something in my eye ha ha ha.
Breakfast for us this morning was Mushroom's on toast. I love the huge breakfast Mushroom's, which I do under the grill and then have on buttered toast with some Brown sauce mmmmm a good way to begin my day.
Boat jobs have to be done today. I need to clean and tidy as it is beginning to look a bit of a mess. Because we only have a small area to live in, I tend to only clean and tidy at weekends. There is also a smell which needs sorting, no sooner I get off of this laptop. The smell is coming from Marmite's litter tray. Marmite is a boat cat and as such she does not go off outside and do her business, so she has a litter tray, which today needs sorting out. Marmite does get off of the boat, but she has a harness and a lead on when the boat is open.
Why your asking, I know?
When we got Marmite at 12 weeks old, we took the decision to use a harness and lead on her when the boat is open. At 12 weeks old she was extremely tiny. So tiny that she fitted in the palm of my hand. She was a poorly kitten and we almost lost her. Many people on boats have cats and they let them wander etc. But then spend hours waiting for their cat to come back, so they can move their boat. We also see many posters on poles, telling the stories of lost cats. The saddest thing though is the cats we see that have drowned in the canal. They drown because they cannot get out of the water, due to the piling and concrete banks. So it is our choice to keep Marmite safe and sound. She is very happy on her lead and still manages to wander when she has her flexible lead on. This is only used when we are in an area where there are not many dogs, cyclists or walkers. In the old day's boaters used to have cats on their boats. But because they had to move everyday, if the cat did not come home for when they had to leave, they would leave the cat behind and just get another one. They would do this until they found a cat that would actually stay with the boat. This would not be allowed today, the RSPCA would be straight round if boaters did this today. But that is how things were in the old days.

There was I about to do some chores, when a change of mind had us out for a walk, through the Nature Reserve. We dodged the rain and landed up near the sports ground and Cassiobury Pair (Locks). These are also known as Albert's Pair. He used to or still does live in the lock cottage and the locks were named after him, so I am told. Having walked back down the towpath to the boat, a gentleman coming up through the lock informed us that we were moored on the winding point, which was news to us, as there are no tell tale signs. But as not to upset the natives, we let him wind his boat and then we moved to below the Cassiobury Pair out of the way of any other miserable person who should just come a long and feel they can have a moan. It is actually lovely here and very quiet, apart from the moving boats, walker's, jogger's and cyclist's ha ha ha. Right I am going now to make us some lunch and then I may just have to go out with my camera. Have a good Sunday afternoon.