Thursday, 7th January

Reminded me of growing up in The Vicarage this morning as I donned my clothes under the duvet! R usually gets up first – we can’t get up together, not enough space. So I snuggle down in the hopes a cup of tea will miraculously appear and it nearly always does! Although R’s first task of the day has now become the wiping off of condensation, which otherwise drips from the windows and ceiling vents! Like it’s raining inside. A bit disconcerting when you don’t expect it! Anyway, it was a chilly morning and we had planned a late start because our tasks were to top up the water, empty the potty cassette whilst we had the opportunity and then head along the Tring cutting which would take under two hours. However the phone did ring at 0830 (I am sure many of you think that’s a lie in!) – it was daughter C, checking how much ibuprofen she can have in 24hrs as suddenly worried she had taken too much. Her back’s in spasm so she can’t get out of bed without severe pain. A physio thinks it’s a bulging disc and it’s a recurrent problem – so a virtual doctor’s appointment for her today which I hope will lead to a scan. Not the best time to have to be investigated! R also suffering back pain. May be a disadvantage of being tall, says the short one of the family. Although my mum was tiny by her 90’s in height terms – most noticeable in a family wedding photo. Although in a wheelchair by then, she was determined to stand unaided for her photo!

The Tring cutting was cold but I had prepared – full thermals, cotton top and trousers; cashmere jumper, fur lined waterproof fleece and poncho, leg warmers, 2 pairs of socks, scarf, two pairs of gloves and a hat! I was in there somewhere amongst the layers. And I was not cold apart from my hands because I kept exposing my fingers to take photos! We were joined on the towpath by a very chatty lad who delivers beer all around the South for a big brewery and has taken to walking miles in lockdown to keep himself fit and purposeful. He was a fount of knowledge on local walks and pubs, although currently the pub knowledge is of no value! He kept abreast of the speed we were doing, occasionally hampered by very wet and boggy towpath conditions. He left us at the turnoff to Tring Station but we had enjoyed his company.

Before we knew it we had arrived at Bulbourne Junction and had to do a quick reverse as the towpath ahead looked chocca with boats. Luckily the boat R decided to walk along to reach the towpath and pull us in, was unoccupied or we may have had another frosty encounter! I walked on to see if there was a better mooring ahead, before the first lock of Marsworth (think there are 6 in close succession so we don’t want to start them today as you can’t moor up between them) and found one where the towpath was no longer a mud bath. However it is the first mooring we have had where we need to use our ‘plank’ to get safely ashore.

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We walked along the Wendover Arm towards Tring having learnt our lesson about taking a long narrowboat down shallow, thin Arms! When we arrived in Tring we found the coffee.shop we had frequented when we walked all the way from Berko to Tring in the second lockdown and enjoyed just as good.a cup of coffee alongside a piece of pear and almond cake – shared. Although R unbeknownst to me also bought an almond croissant so not quite as abstemious as I had planned! I made an ‘essential’ purchase at a hardware store and found a novel way to transport it home!

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Tomorrow is looking snowy according to the forecast whereas Saturday is full sunshine so we will hunker down tomorrow (may even have a full duvet day!) and do the locks on Saturday that await us! I think the boat is in need of some tlc so housework and tidying up will be the order of the day. We really can’t allow ourselves to get too untidy – there just isn’t the space!

To our great surprise we heard voices on the water after sunset this evening. Looking out of the window we saw a couple of canoeists setting off along the canal with head torches. It reminded me that this morning going along the Tring cutting we saw a lone, late middle aged man standing on a paddle board gracefully gliding past us. I couldn’t help but wonder how often he has capsized as you really don’t want a mouthful of canal water if you can avoid it.