Plan B

Hi Folks.

I told you didn't I.

Yep Plan A, became plan be at 6am this morning. We were awake at 5.30am, so after some tossing and turning, I got up and made a cup of tea, to warm us both us, as it was rather chilly in the back cabin. Whilst drinking our brew, we chatted about what the plan was for the day and decided that Plan A was going to be put on the back burner, so we would go to Plan B and stay put for another day. So Plan B included a trip to the shop in the village, which is not a Co-Op but a Londis, we then wanted to go to the canal shop at the bottom of the locks, Keith also wanted to visit tradline to look at rope.

Whilst we finished our tea, Marmite thought the bed was a good place to curl up and go to sleep, so she buried herself beneath the crocheted blanket and fell asleep, by 7am I was bored with sitting in bed, so got up and dressed. Paddy was by then up and about and ready for his walk. Whilst I was out walking the mutt, Keith laid up the breakfast for my return.I then donned my rucksack and strolled off up the hill towards Braunston Church and onward to the village store, which had been open since 6am. So I could have gone earlier, if I had thought about it. I do love Braunston, it is such a pretty little village with lots of history to it. I bought a few supplies from the store and then humped my way back to the boat, the church looked stunning in the morning sunshine. Keith was still feeling the chill of the morning. The sun had not reached the boat yet, but would soon warm up when it did.

After a coffee we walked up to the shop at the bottom of the lock and were amazed to see the 48 hour moorings were completely empty. There was not a boat to be seen.
I do not think, I have ever seen the moorings at Braunston empty in all the years we have been coming through. Because of the lack of boats, we decided that on our return to the boat, we would move off of the pub moorings and move onto the 48 moorings, where we would get a bit of sun and a nice mooring.

Having bought some bits at the Lock shop, we went to Tradline, and on the way back to the boat met up with Tim and Jo on Hampton, who were heading off back to Cowroast, we wished them a safe journey as they went on their way. We moved Hadar onto the moorings between the 2 marina entrance bridges which was completely empty, very different from when we passed through Thursday. Just after we had moved here from the Boathouse moorings, "Dover" came out of the marina, winded and returned into the marina. Had we just witnessed it's annual journey?

After lunch, we set about putting the sound proof boarding in front of the generator, just as we were about to finish a head appeared through the engine room door and said "hello what are you doing here", it was Ray off of NB Roehaise. Ray and Jackie are about to come off of the water after 4 years, Roehaise is going into Braunston to be sold, which is a real shame as Ray and jackie are a lovely couple. Ray went off to get rid of rubbish and on the way back we shut up our boat and walked with him back to Roehaise where we enjoyed a couple of coffee and a lovely chat with them about their plans for life back on the land. We have offered them a boat trip during the winter, should they feel the need to be on the water. They can help with the coal run. After a lovely couple of hours passing the time of day, it was time to head back home.

Dinner is now cooking. The generator is now on with its new sound proofing board and we have a TV signal, which is not perfect, but we are only staying here tonight, then we will be going up the locks tomorrow morning and that plan is definite.

Chat soon xx