Market Harborough.

Brrrr after another night of minus temperatures, we are surrounded by ice again, but it is no where near as bad as last winter. We were awake before 6am, which is completely ridiculous when we have no need to be up so early, but a lot of it has to do with going to bed at 9.30pm. Keith had been snoozing in his chair from 8pm and I was left watching "Romancing The Stone" on E4, whilst also listening to Keith snoring. As 9pm approached I was also beginning to nod off, so at 9.30pm I gave in and woke Keith to let him know I was off to my bed and that he should also follow, which he did. Snuggled down in the back cabin beneath the duvet, I was soon in dream land.

Waking up so early meant the only thing to do was to make a cup of tea and put the TV on. I also got up and riddled the fire in the back cabin to generate a little more heat. Marmite clearly felt the warmest place was the back cabin, because she snuggled down beneath the duvet when Keith got up to go to the toilet. Watching the news I always find so depressing these days and this morning was no different what with the violence in Egypt and the Argentinian's getting on their high horse about the Falklands and Prince William going to the Falklands to do his training. No wonder I am not politically minded, but I do like to know what's going on in the world and the best way to do that is in bed with a hot cuppa and some toast, which I got up and made.

Finally out from beneath the duvet, Paddy was the first to get my attention, with his morning walk along a frozen towpath and snow flurries in the air. I was definitely crisp, but not get deep and even, but who knows we may get some of the lovely white stuff for the weekend. Back on the boat I stoked up the saloon stove, whilst Keith went off with the full cassette to the sanitary station, he also checked our post box for any mail. Unfortunately the letters we were expecting have not arrived grrrrr, he also collected a parcel from the hire company office, which Debbie took in for us. After getting the jobs done, we decided to walk into town, but not before giving a Tesco petrol voucher to our friends Jo and John on NB Acen, who are moored in the basin for the winter. When ever we get given fuel vouchers we always give them away, as we have no car. We had a chat with Jo and John and got to see their new designed galley which is stunning before heading down to the town to get a few bits. In fact we bought a new dustpan and brush, a mop, sink plunger, cod lover oil tablets and primrose oil tablets, so nothing exciting.

With lunchtime upon us, we went and had something in The Sugar Loaf a Wetherspoons Pub. Like so many Wetherspoons, it is housed in an old building this one dating back to 1810. It used to be Thomas Goward's grocery shop, where he traded until 1910. We had never been inside before, but had walked past it many times. Inside it is really lovely, we enjoyed our meals and two halves of Ruddles for just over £8. The place was pretty much full with people. After a very nice lunch we then wandered back up the hill to the boat, which felt lovely and warm as I opened the slide on the back cabin.

I do not think I will be venturing out again today. I will be sitting in a nice warm cabin with the TV on I reckon.

Chat soon xx