After the warm sunny Easter Sunday I could not believe we actually did wake to a snow flurry and a blanket of cloud. Not the kind of weather you rush out of bed for on a boat so I didn’t! R wanted a catch up on my blog entries for the week. He usually comments before I publish; when I read them to him today I realise why – quite a few typo’s, a sentence that made no sense at all and even worse, a paragraph I manged to move into a different place so that I told you all about my log carrying before I had even picked the log up!
Having tidied the blog I got going on the day which miraculously had brightened considerably with blue sky and sun peeping through. Off to the quarry we went, quite a novelty going by car. R thought I should drive, to keep in practice. Never good for our relationship as he’s a practiced back seat driver! However the quarry was well worth visiting. Apparently when it was originally dug out a complete dinosaur was discovered and it is now in a museum in Oxford. I had seen the quarry from the boat en route to Thrupp and it looked intriguing with woodland paths to explore. ‘Jane’s Enchanted tearoom’ was sadly closed, as it’s only open weekends I think, with a notice saying that they are now fully booked for the remainder of the year! I had seen the tea room from the canal and it looked very inviting – comfy sofa’s, armchairs, cushions, all very pink under marquee coverings and outdoor heaters. I imagine it was like this pre Covid, more of an outdoor than an indoor cafe.
As the sun had warmed considerably we went and visited our friends O and S in their garden, for tea. The visit had been on and off all day, partly because where they live there was more wind to contend with and they thought it might be too cold sitting outside. First off, we went for a walk around the village with O. Passing the church O pointed out a mott & ballie defence rampart, presumably built in the Norman era. The village was gaily decorated with daffodils along its verges which brightened the dat considerably. There was a field shared by llamas and horses. Allegedly llamas are often used as lookouts to protect herds of sheep and goats. Returning to tea, we found a less windy corner to retreat to, so we were able to chat for about half an hour before deciding it was time to return to the boat and let O and S retreat back into the warmth of their house!
Supper was quite late as I wanted to try out a couple of Indian recipes I had seen in the Saturday paper and I had quite a bit of prepping to do. It was worth the wait – a red lentil daal with coconut and an aubergine and fresh tomato curry. They complimented each other well and served with a hot wrap, warmed on the top of the wood burner, we were eventually well fed! R found a film which I really would recommend as very gentle and heart warming. ‘Our Souls at Night’ I think it was called. Directed by Robert Redford and starring him and Jane Fonda, it was a thoughtful look at late love. Reminded me a little of my mother falling in love after my dad died and remarrying in her early 80’s! It also examined the vital role grandparents can play in the life of their grandchildren and what a unique relationship this can be. Certainly our children I am sure remember the hours of play R’s mum used to devote to them and all her 19 grandkids as they were growing up. Something I think she had little time for when she had her own brood, at one stage 5 children under 4 years old!
Also did a spot of retail therapy – Lands End having a mega clear out, slashing prices considerably. I actually was looking for a jumper for R to replace the one he shrunk, that now fits me! Did not find that but purchased, among other things, some new trousers for R. I think the one’s he has had on the boat all this time will not pass muster back home – far too many stains that are impossible to remove! They will definitely remain ‘boat trousers’!
NarrowboatTLC 