Rain and poor signal.

Hello Friends.

I was going to post some photographs of today's cruise, but we only have a GPRS signal and it is only just creeping along, so I could end up old and grey before a photograph has loaded. So sorry no piccies today.

Yesterday ended with us chatting to some people hiring a boat from Gayton. At first it did not bode well as one of the couples was having a row, which was loud enough for me to hear. The wife was not at all happy that her husband was taking sides with the friends they were sharing the boat with. She most definitely wanted him to know how upset she was and then said "I am going to say no more about it" But went on to say lots more and then repeated that she was going to say no more. Obviously things were a little icy on their boat. When we got chatting to the couple later on, it was clear she was not happy with the boat, the moorings or the work the locks take. I get a feeling she will not be doing it again.
As the afternoon moved into the evening Jenny and Colin pulled in on NB Kismet. They had been at The Village at War with their son Michael who owns Historic working boat Victoria. We stood having a good old natter about the weekend, before realising it was time to walk Paddy and do dinner. Time lies when your having fun. No sooner Keith was back with Paddy, we closed up the boat to the evening chill and sat down to dinner in front of the TV.

Awake nice and early this morning, after what was a lovely nights sleep, we were up and ready to head off at 8am. First destination was to turn on to the Leicester Line at Norton Junction and head to the Watford Flight of locks. When we got there, I stepped off with the centre line, which I wrapped around a bollard, which Keith bought the boat into the mooring. I then walked up to find the Lock Keeper who was sitting in his office wrapped up against the rain, which was falling steadily, but was no where near as bad as the forecaster had said last night. I was instructed to come up the first two locks and wait in the lay-by for the two hire boats to come down. As instructed we started up the first two locks and I then took the centre line off and pulled the boat into the lay-by. With the bow and stern ropes secured, we waited for the hire boats to come down through the staircase. It was not long before we were on our way. As we exited the top lock a boat was coming in the opposite direction, so we left the lock gate open ready for them. We waved to the Lock Keeper as we passed, he was still in his office, sitting in the warm and dry and yet contractors were outside mowing the grass and strimming the edges in the rain. Rain never really bothers me. The only time it can get on my nerves is if I get cold as well. Then it is time to go down into the back cabin for a warm.
Despite the weather, this part of the canal still looks pretty. We were hailed by a couple of boats requiring coal, so we pulled in and unloaded several bags of coal. I carried one bag on my shoulder, whilst Keith took the rest on the sack truck. Coal delivered and paid for, we were now heading for Crick, with a hope that we could moor up, so that I could get some shopping from the Co-op. We had the tunnel to ourselves, not even the bats came out to greet us. As we exited the tunnel the sun came out to say hello which was very welcome. What was not so welcome was the fact that there was no room on the 14 day moorings and we could not get into the bank on another mooring, so we decided to moor up on the Winter moorings opposite Crick Marina, which are normally 14 day moorings. But from the 1st of Oct to the 31 March they become Winter moorings, so not for visiting boats. I took off to the Co-op whilst Keith stayed on the boat, just in case anyone should come and complain. When I got back, I did us a quick lunch and we set off once more. I cannot understand why the Crick Winter moorings start on the 1st Oct, when other British Waterways Winter moorings usually begin on the 1st November. They take up such a long stretch, which visitors need to use, especially if, as today the 14 day moorings are full. It will be interesting to see how many take up the Winter Moorings this year because British Waterway's are doing it on a first come first served basis. We are now moored opposite the new Yelvertoft Marina where we are just about in enough that we do not need to get the gang plank out for Paddy. He can leap off of the boat through the engine room door tonight for his walk. NB Naiad pull in for some coal and a natter, before heading off to their mooring at Welton. Tonights dinner is cooking in the back cabin stove and I am feeling everso slightly shattered. As I draw to a close on this posting, the contractors are mowing the grass outside of our boat. There is a lovely perfume of mown grass coming in through the engine room doors. Ok I am off now. Have a good evening.