Market Harborough here we come.

Hi Friends.

The over night temperature got down to at least -2.6c, so we woke up to a nice crisp white morning. This also meant the sun was also shining. See the sun shining through the port holes on the pigeon box, certainly made me feel glad to be alive. Due to a chilly back cabin, after getting dressed my first job was to get the back stove fire going. I raked out all of the old ash and topped the fire up with some more coal. It was not long before the fire was roaring away and plumes of smoke were wafting out of the chimney. Fires all stoked up, it was time for some breakfast and a cuppa. Paddy was next on my list, he was sitting in the back cabin waiting patiently for his walk. Because it was so nice out, I let him run off down the field. He roared off after the Rabbits munching on the grass, but of course he did not catch anything. Even if he had caught up with a Rabbit, he would not have had a clue what to do with it. The Rabbit's all dived for cover down their burrow's, probably quaking in case Paddy started digging again.

Having sorted ourselves out, we got prepared for the off, destination Market Harborough and our waiting customers. I needed Popeye's muscles to move the Foxton Village swingbridge, which is very heavy and an absolute pain in the arse to move. British Waterway's in their wisdom worked on the bridge over the winter, and magnitised the barriers, so you do not have to undo padlocks anymore, you just put your BW key into a box and it allows you to work the barriers. This has not solved the problem of the bridge though and I have serious doubts that it will ever be sorted out properly. I have visions of me struggling with the swingbridge in my old age. We had a nice sunny mornings trip to Union Wharf there was not another soul moving and not many people on the towpath either. When we arrived at Union Wharf, Market Harborough, there was plenty of space on the towpath moorings, in fact no one else here! Maybe they heard we were coming ;0). Having moored up, turned the engine off, I suggested we had our second discounted lunch at the Angel Hotel today, 15% off. Keith thought that was a great idea, so we did a quick clothes change and headed down to the hotel for a fantastic lunch. After lunch we did some general shopping, but mostly stocking up with rollers, paint brushes, etc. ready for when we dry dock in May to black the boats hull. Keith called into the computer shop to see if they had sorted out his computer, but alas no nothing has been sorted out with Dell yet, so we have given them till tomorrow to get things sorted, as they have had over a month. Fingers crossed Keith will get his money back tomorrow. Rarely is our shopping exciting for either of us, even though we enjoy shopping, we do not buy exciting things very often and I am not into shoes and handbags, infact I am not really into girlie things, there is little point when you spend most of your year covered in coal dust ;0).

So back on the boat the sun is still shining, so we have the doors open to allow the sun and fresh air in. There are lots of people strolling along the towpath with their dogs and children. We are going to enjoy a quiet evening on board and possibly an early night ;0).

Chat soon xx