A Walk in the Park.

Hi Friends.

Late yesterday afternoon, I took Pad for a walk around the lakes at the Aquadrome, and enjoyed watching the young man in the photograph above water ski-ing. I would never be able to stand up on water ski's of any sort. Infact I think there would a catastrophic accident if I ever tried anything like that. This young man was very good though. Pad enjoy his walk, but was not impressed by the water lapping at his feet as we watched the water skier. Pad does not do water in any shape or form. The only water he likes, is the water he drink.

Despite staying up late last night, neither K or I got off to a good start, when it came to sleeping. I was wide awake no sooner my head was on the pillow. I was almost tempted to get up and have a cup of tea, but I knew if I did that, I would be up for hours, so I tossed and turned and finally fell asleep.

We were awake at 6.30am and lay awake listening to the Geese hooting, something has clearly upset them. After the hooting from the Geese, came people walking past the boat chatting very loudly. They do not always realise that there maybe people sleeping on the boats. I have been known to hear someones very personal conversation. Just as well I do not blush easily. Not longer after the dog walkers pass by.

Your wondering how I know they are dog walkers?

I can hear the clanging of the lead chains.

It was time to rise and shine. I did breakfast and a cuppa, before walking Pad once again around part of the Aquadrome. It is a lovely walk for anyone, so do go and visit the Aquadrome at Rickmansworth. We then got our boat underway and reversed over to Tesco to do a food shop. It was very quiet, which suited us fine. Back onboard having bought Tesco's out, I put all the food away, whilst K sorted the boat out ready for the off to Batchworth Lock, where we emptied one of the toilet cassettes. We had a quiet jaunt really. There was no one to share the 5 locks with, which was a shame. But we were fortunate that a boat was coming in the opposite direction, so the locks were pretty much with us.

We came up therough Ironbridge lock with lots of people watching us. This is when you hope you do not do anything stupid. Phew all went well, and I managed to get a couple of the children involved with opening one of the gates, which they got very excited about. We managed to find a deep water mooring in Cassiobury Park, just above Ironbridge lock, having done 3.4 miles, 5 locks, in 2hrs 20mins. We will be here for the weekend.

After some lunch, we took a walk through the park. K was last here in the 70's and wanted to see if it had changed any. It seems it had, because there was a large area for children, which was heaving with children and their parents. All the children were playing in large paddling pools, on bouncy castles and swings. Following a £200,000 rebuild in time for the 2009 school summer holidays this is now the best playarea in the town. It is suitable for children up to the age of 14 and contains swings, numerous climbing frames and slides, a granite stone maze and even a trampoline and zip wire. It was a real treat to see some many enjoying a lovely afternoon. I am hoping to take more photos over the weekend, as I go an explore the park more.

As many of us boaters know, it can be a dangerous passtime or lifestyle and this was born out with a report I have just seen on The Telegraph Online News. Grandmother killed after being knocked into canal by falling tree. My thoughts and prayers go out the the family and friends of this dearly loved lady. No one should ever under estimate the dangers of boating and yet there seems to be a minority who think nothing will ever happen to them. Clearly that is not the case and non of us know what each day will bring. This is such a sad story for all concerned.

Chinese Buffet and Thunderstorms.

Hi Friends.

After I left off yesterday, we had a visit from the British Waterway's Licence Warden, who was checking to make sure we and everyone else was up to date. Thankfully our new licence arrived a few days ago, so we are legal. The warden was actually someone we know very well, who has been moved on to the Grand Union again, having been down on the Oxford. It seems that P is moved to problem arrears, as BW know's he will soon get the problem hot spots under control. It was lovely to see him again, because the last time we saw him was on the Oxford at Thrupp, whilst we visited K's sister, which was well over a year ago. We spent well over an hour chatting to him about the going's on, on the cut and he told us some of the new ideas about to come into force within the year, which should sort a few of the hot spots out. Well that is the hope. Only time will tell if that is the case. P is certainly still enjoying his job and all it entails. He was asked the other day to discribed his job. he told them he is a Patrol office, who also does a bit of councilling, law inforcement, baliff, he is also an agony aunt, and much more. if he got paid the same money as all those jobs get paid he would be rich.

I would love to say that I enjoyed a good nights sleep, but grrrrrr I cannot. I went to bed just after 10pm and was awake at 12.40am. Infact we were both awake. I could not believe that it was only that time. I felt sure I had been asleep for hours. I know I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours, before going off into a restless sleep. The next time I looked at the clock it was 7am and I was wide awake. I eventually got up at 8am, to make a cuppa and take the hound out for his walk. I love walking around the Aquadrome with him, because I get to enjoy the waterfowl and he gets to enjoy all the new smells. I reckon I get the better deal, but I am not a dog, so who knows.

Whilst here at Rickmansworth, we wanted to get some plumbing jobs done in the engine room. K wants to change some bits. So we stripped the tool boxes and shelving out of the engine room, to get to the pipework, only to find we had the wrong bits, which we bought from Braunston. This meant we could not do the job we wanted to do. I had a brain wave to go to Travis Perkins to see if they had the bits, so we locked the boat up and walked to TP, but they do not do the fitting we need, they have to come from a Chandlery. Oh well never mind, we just put everything back together in the engine room and went off to Tangs the Chinese Buffet for lunch in the rain, eating out was some con solation for not being able to do the plumbing jobs. Actually we had planned to have lunch there anyway. We always love to go there when we are in Ricky. You can eat as much as you like for £5 each at lunctimes. When I go to places like this I always end up people watching, and today was no exception. I find it facinating as to the types of people who eat in Chinese Buffets. Today there were business men, having a working lunch. There was three women with their five very young children, who I have to say were all very well behaved and there were the mature generation, who were meeting up over lunch. We were all there for the same reason, to eat lunch, but they all bought their own different ways with them, it was really quite amusing to watch. You can learn so much by watch people and their behaviour. I just love it. With lunch over, we headed to Iceland to buy some bits for the freezer. I like to stock up when I am near an Iceland, as it is cheaper than the supermarkets.

Walking back to the boat, we noticed a significant drop in the temperature and in the distance dark clouds were looming. K took one of the toilet cassettes to the sanitary station and no sooner he had put the trolley in the hold, there was a huge clap of thunder and the heavens opened. We had a hum dinger of a thunderstorm for half and hour, with lashings of heavy rain, which is oh so welcome. I stood in the galley watching the water dancing, as the rain drips as big as saucers hit the surface. It had me almost in a trance, which was broken by the squealing of the kettle as it boiled on the gas cooker. As I sit here now, the rain has stopped and I can hear the roar of a boat on the Aquadrome lake, which means only one thing. There are water skiers out on the lake. So I am gonna sign off now and go and watch them. I may even take Pad with me. So have a lovely day folks, even if it is raining.