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Well, what an exciting, exhausting and exhilarating five days. Our lovely daughter and son in law lent us their car (our car being unfit to drive at speed on the motorway due to a very loose bumper) and we drove to the marina near Rugby on November 30th to have an extensive boat handover of Naomhog. All quite daunting, especially as this is very much ‘my boat’ so my responsibility! This is deliberate as I do not want R feeling he has to fix everything and do all the worrying. Obviously he is an amazing support (I still have to learn how to light the woodstove and my grasp of batteries and electrical circuits is very limited, not to mention my lack of mechanical knowledge, such as how the engine works). Hu, the previous owner and his wife, have kept the boat immaculately (no pressure then!) and are selling after ten years because they are upgrading to a new boat. Naomhog (knee-vogue) was built in 2006 for a retired midwife from Woking, who then sold it to a couple living in Farnham (small world!), who then sold it to Hu who lives in Cobham. So very much a Surrey boat – must be why I like it!! It is very compact but the storage is so well thought out that there is no shortage of space. I am just so happy to only have 43ft of boat to navigate the cut. Somehow it feels much more manageable. Yet we still have a 5ft wide bed and R can stand up everywhere without hitting his head. Oh, except the shower rose – it comes up to his chin. Don’t expect to see him clean from the neck up!

So bidding farewell to Hu, the previous owner, we faced our first challenge – all our belongings, including bedding and housewares were on DayDream, 11 locks and 5 or 6 hours travel along the canal. We decided to spend the night at the very same BnB we stayed at prior to going on WindRose, over a year ago. We even ate at the same pub and discovered the village shop was in the pub carpark and opened at 8am. Useful as we had no breakfast, other than snackbars and chocolate! The forecast looked dry so I suggested to R we leave at 8am via the shop to pick up victuals and then get to the marina, ready to move asap. As daylight hours are limited getting to DayDream well before sundown was a priority because without an engine Day Dream has no power and I didn’t relish packing up by the dog chewed head torch we’d recently bought.

It didn’t bode well when we awoke to a layer of snow on the roof of the car! Then the village shop was closed – winter hours meant it opened at 9am! Fortified by chocolate we arrived at the marina only to realise we didn’t have the code to get through the gate, which would be opened at 0930. Luckily I spotted a boat owner out walking his dog who gave me the code for the security gate but the cold weather meant the gates weren’t working! I did manage to prise them open enough to squeeze us both and our belongings through. Then we set about readying snow-laden Naomhog for her maiden voyage. It was a beautiful, cold and crisp sunny morning and I was eager to get cracking as I knew I had quite a journey ahead, complicated by having to operate the locks in icy conditions, which is not ideal. I was traveling alone to begin with because R had to take the car to another marina which will be our winter quarters, and then walk along the footpath to meet me before we reached the first of the locks. As we were short of time there was no opportunity to stop for refreshments and although R managed to pick up some food, we had no means of boiling a kettle, so by the time we completed the last of the 11 locks I was truly chilled. My trusty thermals and waterproof trousers were on DayDream so I lacked the insulation I would have preferred! We only passed a couple of moving boats coming towards us but I got very excited as I spied a boat ahead – if I could catch him up, we could buddy up down the flight of locks (they were wide locks for two boats). So full speed ahead and we were on his tail. Sadly he was only going down one lock and then turning around! Still it was better than nothing as the lock gates were heavy duty and R was exhausted by the end. I offered to do some but he said my work would begin once we got to DayDream and I had to pack everything up! The locks made Naomhog look very small and it was quite hard to stop her bouncing around when the water whooshed out of the gates. Owning a boat suddenly makes you much more aware of bumps and scratches!

Despite the weather we made excellent time and by 1430 we were reversing along the narrow arm to where Day Dream awaited. Reversing is another learning curve in a new boat but we managed to do so without mishap and then we found ourselves alongside DayDream with the realisation that the only way we could get our belongings from one boat to the other was bow to bow, both boats having cratch covers which limited the freedom of access. I’m amazed the only casualty in the water was my furry hot water bottle! It was a precarious couple of hours, time being of the essence. I was amazed at the quantity of belongings we had to move (a mini houseful) and repulsed by having to throw away the contents of a fridge that had been switched off a month previously. By the time dusk had fallen we were faced with our new boat in absolute chaos. I felt incredibly daunted at the prospect of finding a home for everything and yet miraculously all our belongings were accommodated, with space to spare. Just as well as R wants to bring his accordian!

So the last task of the day was to move the boat in the dark to a proper mooring which we found opposite the Blue Lias pub. Grateful of our short length we squeezed between two bigger boats. It wasn’t until we emerged in the day light that we found we had moored in a long term permit holders only space. Fortunately noone came banging on the door! We went across to the Blue Lias for supper and I have never seen such a bedecked dazzling pub. Talk about a Santa’s grotto! It was a sight to behold. Apparently there is not a pub to match the gaudy light display when it comes to the Christmas season.

There was a niggle in the back of my mind that I had left something on the boat – I was fairly sure I had not seen my bottle of rather lovely Welsh Blue Slate gin. I recalled having hidden it in the bed before we left as it was the one thing of real value to me! So in daylight, we returned to the boatyard and asked if we could do a final sweep of DayDream fearing we may have overlooked some things in the fading light of the previous day. It involved a precarious trip across narrow steel girders and gang planks but it was worth it – there in the far corner of the bed was my bottle of gin. Phew!

Returning to Naomhog we awaited the arrival of our friends BBT and PJ. It seemed very fitting that they should be our first guests as BBT is so named because of his extensive knowledge of boats and trains. He was incredibly helpful when we first decided to become boaters and has always taken a keen interest in our progress. He is also a very willing helper when there is a flight of locks to work so he kindly agreed to come with PJ to help us up the flight we had just come down the previous day. What an amazing difference a team of four makes. A rhythm is formed with one member of the team going ahead to prepare the lock above the one that the boat is currently going through. Although the person on the helm has the least physical job, they do have to navigate the entry and exit to the lock, trying not to bang into the gates and as it is filling with water it can be quite tricky to steady a single small boat in a double lock. The force of the incoming water can push the boat sideways and even the use of the mid rope around the bollard can be insufficient in keeping the boat steady.

In no time at all we had completed our mission and all that remained was a short cruise along the cut to the marina. Feeling slightly peckish we moored up to eat and very thoughtfully BBT and PJ had come armed with their own sarnies, correctly assuming that we might have limited food aboard having had no time for a grocery shop.

Just before the marina, Jules Fuels the supply boat, was filling a boat with diesel. We manoeuvred Naomhog alongside and as well as a diesel fill-up of about 165litres of fuel, we also stocked up on coal and kindling. Thus fortified we entered the marina, quickly found our allotted berth and reversed into our mooring spot. Thinking it would be straightforward to connect to shore power we were slightly disconcerted when we discovered we just couldn’t get the electricity to work. Eventually we admitted defeat and decided instead to return BBT and PJ to their car. It’s funny when you think you haven’t traveled far and yet it takes twenty minutes by car to get back to the start of your journey. We all then went to the Potting shed at the Folly pub in Napton for supper before BBT and PJ returned home and we found out way back to Naomhog.

A lengthy and helpful telephone conversation with Hu ironed out many of our problems and soon we were confidently connected to the shoreline. His wife gave me helpful tips on organising our small galley which actually has ample cupboard space and she was very encouraging about the baking potential of the oven. It was also strongly recommended that we purchase a mattress topper to ensure a much more comfortable night’s sleep.

So this morning we headed off to Rugby to one of my favourite bargain shops and I was not disappointed, arriving back with a bamboo mattress topper, a larger duvet and cover and other ‘essentials’! A food shop completed the outing so that I could make our first home cooked meal, testing out the cooker. I then sat down to write this blog which I finished well after midnight!

Waiting, waiting, waiting!

It’s been a very strange month and seeing as we weren’t afloat, I didn’t feel you’d be interested in my day to day life. However a bit of backstory might give context to where we are now!

We had a lovely week in Ireland, visiting R’s cousins who were very hospitable and there were a lot of laughs to be had. Visiting R’s aunt for supper without an address and R thinking he’d remember where she lived proved slightly problematic, until we knocked on a stranger’s door and fortunately they knew her! We then spent a weekend in Dublin, returning to our friends, H and J in Cheshire because we had no good news re the boat, DayDream. Instead we were offered an alternative boat, Priscilla, which we could use until DayDream’s engine was sorted. All set to do this, a spanner was put in the works by R developing covid. He’d had his flu jab followed by his covid booster jab so no one was surprised he felt abit under the weather. However his cough alarmed us and following a positive PCR he had to isolate for ten days and we were going nowhere! Fortunately H, J and I remained in the clear but we were blessed that they are very good friends. Offering to have us to stay for a few days which turned into nearly a month could have tested our friendship to the limit. Instead we kept our distance from R, walked Pluto the dog daily as the rules allowed, drank plenty of liquid refreshment and binged watched TV! H found all sorts of meals in her freezer which needed eating so every night was a culinary surprise. We were very relieved to reach day ten with negative lateral flow tests. I had spent the entire time imagining what it would have been like if we had all gone down with covid one after the other. We surely would have out stayed our welcome big time! As it was H and J could not have been kinder and we certainly had plenty of time to catch up on each others lives. Pluto kept us all amused – he eats absolutely anything. I had bought a couple of beanie hats with lights attached and before we knew it Pluto had one in his mouth and at first we thought he’d eaten the batteries as there was a big hole and no light. Luckily we found the light and it still worked. I had plenty of time to mend it! Then when we had three negative lateral flow tests I decided to take a picture for posterity so lined then up on a bench in a row and went off to fetch my camera. On my return all the tests had vanished – it transpires Pluto had eaten one, which came out whole the next day – we were relieved to see it was still negative! (It goes without saying we were also relieved he had come to no harm).

So, we never got on Priscilla and to complicate matters I saw a boat in late October that I decided to buy and by the time we had finished isolating the sale had almost completed so I no longer wanted to rent anything! It was what I would call a ‘God-instance’. As we awaited the repair of Day Dream we stayed the weekend with friends near to a marina that had boats for sale. On enquiring as the availability of any 40-50ft boats, the salesperson said one had just come in, so recently that the particulars of sale were not even typed up! We viewed the boat with our friends J and M and we were all instantly captivated (well maybe R less so – he says there are only two happy days owning a boat – the day you buy it, followed by the day you sell!) and even the name seems appropriate: Naomhog (impossible to pronounce unless you are fluent in reading the Celtic language!), which means ‘little holy one’ or ‘little saint’. Not that I am!! It’s just that I have always imagined hosting a prayer boat on the waterways and this feels meant to be. My mum left me a small legacy and I like to think she’d approve of what I want to do with it.

Meanwhile Day Dream is currently in the boatyard moored next to the boat shed making her inaccessible from the shoreline, so in order to reclaim our belongings we will have to approach her on the canal once we have purchased Naomhog.

Once again on water I thought I would recommence my blog, although this time we are on a ferry crossing the sea to Ireland and going on a roadtrip, courtesy of our lovely northern friend, S, lending us her car. We’ve had fun this last week but not in the way we had planned on the waterways. The boat engine is a conundrum to all and so we wait…..

H and J rescued us last Tuesday when it was obvious nothing was going to happen fast with the engine and we decided to have a couple of nights away. We made use of our National Trust cards and visited Chirk castle in Wales. Seat of the Myddleton family we found a couple of coincidences – R and I lived in Myddleton Square when we first married and Sir Hugh Myddleton in the 18th century was responsible for the project of taking fresh water from the River Lea in Great Amwell to London. As my dad was vicar of Gt Amwell for nearly half a century, this is where I grew up. We combined our trip with lunch in Bala, so I could buy a bottle of the local Blue Slate gin, one of my favourites. The old fashioned tea shop next door served us an amazing omelette with delicious homemade chips – extremely good value but sadly rather empty. It may be my last excuse for visiting the beautiful Bala lake as my friend F, who ran a fantastic bed and breakfast overlooking the lake moved house the day after we visited. I did ascertain though that the gin can be mail ordered!

Friday we visited the Shrugborough Estate en route back to the boat. Short of time, we did not do the visit justice but as it is walking distance from the canal I am sure we will do a return visit. At Christmas they have an amazing display of decorated Christmas trees so perhaps we can time our next visit to see them. Home of the photographer Patrick Lichfield, the house boasted an extensive collection of his work and many fine paintings. Between the downpours and wind, we managed to eat a picnic in true British style outside!

Arriving back at DayDream, a day later than planned, we discovered it had been moved and the engine taken out, awaiting collection for further investigation. J was surprised to see us not realising we had only taken one change of clothing with us and that we had hoped to pick a few things up from the boat. Due to the current placing of the boat ‘health and safety’ made this inadvisable so we still only have one change of clothes and are no further forward knowing when we can return to the boat! At least we had booked, with friends J and M, two nights at The Red Lion at Hellidon, a charming country pub. We were made to feel very welcome in the recently refurbished accommodation and enjoyed some good food including an ample breakfast both mornings.

What better way to spend a Saturday than looking at secondhand narrowboats with friends who are just as keen on boats as we are (well perhaps as I am – still not sure about R!), even potentially finding a boat to buy.

Sunday there were downpours but we managed to walk to The Folly Inn at Napton escaping the worst of the weather and arrived just as their ‘Potting Shed’ opened – I’ve mentioned it before – light and airy, it is a wood and glass construction which allows far more space than the original public house although the owners are planning to reopen this in due course. When I asked for a sherry they searched around for a bottle and then gave me a drink on the house when they heard I like a Sunday tipple to toast my mum!

So near and yet so far….

Great excitement this afternoon after the engine fired up with it’s two new fuel injectors and we waited with baited breath. All was going so well. J told us he would run the engine for a couple of hours but then we should be almost set to go. Hooray! Or so we thought. A deafening silence suddenly descended on us as the engine came to an abrupt halt for no known reason. So we are back further than square one! Every one is perplexed and at a loss as to know where the fault actually is. My knowledge of engine terminology is coming on in leaps and bounds, for all the good it is doing me! Angels from the North have said they will collect us tomorrow so we can have a couple of days away whilst the saga continues. Compared to the pandemic and global warming we really have nothing to complain about and we have been able to enjoy the dry weather and do some walking. Albeit only to Southam, where I popped my head into the CoOp to see if the yogurt machine was mended. Alas not. I do feel rather guilty, especially as it’s half-term and all those little children who were probably looking forward to being treated to a frozen yoghurt!! Disappointing for them just as it is for us not to be able to get going….

On a positive note, R decided to give the stove a good clean and was amazed at the density of ash lining the base. What a difference it has made to the heat source. Suddenly we can feel the warmth all around the boat and I’m even in danger of discarding a few layers!

We agreed before we went to bed that we wouldn’t set an alarm but if we woke up in time and it wasn’t raining, we would walk the 45 minutes to a local church I had checked out on the internet, whose service began at 0945. I really should get more adept at reading webpages. Leaving the boat at 9am it took me a while to work out the direction we should be walking as my skill with Google maps is equal to my ineptness with reading webpages! Having lost vital time I then frogmarched R along the road, not wanting to be late for the start of the service. I need not have worried. The detail I failed to pick up on was that coffee was from 0945 – the actual service started at 1015! We were warmly welcomed with the bonus of coffee immediately. The 14century Anglican church of St James, Southam reminded me a little of our home church – ancient, large and costing a fortune to keep in good repair, being a grade one listed building. Interestingly one of its former vicar’s was Justin Welby, our present archbishop. S, who spoke to us, explained that even with the benefit of some large legacies, the size of congregation could not meet the present outgoings and the church could benefit with some modernisation. A few years ago a very large section of plaster just fell off one of the walls, fortunately when no one was around and on inspection it was found that the Victorian plastering was not very substantial so the whole church had to have the plaster removed. As of yet, they have not had enough money to replace it and probably never will. I mentioned crowd funding, which is something I think all beautiful old churches in need of repair could benefit from. There is no way dwindling congregations can afford to upkeep these amazing buildings and yet so many non regular church attendees want the benefit of them for weddings, baptisms and funerals.

Post church we popped into the CoOp where I was intrigued by a self service frozen yogurt machine and set about treating myself to one. Unfortunately I had no idea how to use it and managed to get the paper cup which received the yogurt stuck in the part of the machine where I should have put a frozen pod. The young manager was very good tempered with me even though his machine is now out of order until someone can come and fix it as he was unable to do this himself. I left the shop rather sheepishly!

We had a choice of three local pubs offering us Sunday lunch and choose the one some of the church members frequented, although it didn’t appear they had ever eaten at any of them! I hoped they would have a bottle of sherry, it being Sunday and wanting to toast my mother, but sadly they didn’t. They did have rice pudding and jam though, which I absolutely love and gleefully are a large bowlful. Passing another pub en route back to the boat we saw they had bingo at 6pm so R suggested we returned then and maybe could combine bingo with sherry. Not only were they bereft of sherry but the pub was packed with locals all ready for their weekly bingo session. No room at the inn for us! To be honest the moment I saw the crowds and the absence of any face masks I was quite happy to about turn and return to the boat.

R has continued to forage for small bits of wood, he just can’t help himself. He says he is having problems keeping the stove alight and he thinks this is due to using just coal. The stove was the right temperature overnight to reactivate my milk kefir, which I was worried had been killed off when I was not around to tend it earlier in the week. I now need to find ways to sneak it into our meal plan as there is rather a lot of it and only two of us to consume it. One of us is much keener on it than the other!

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An episode of the new Endeavour whiled away the evening as we wait to see what tomorrow brings. I am hoping a working engine! I also managed to measure up the old boat moored next to us which J is planning to rebuild and if I plan the interior we may be able to do some kind of deal! It’s a great way to get back to sleep in the early hours of the morning – working out the most ergonomic use of space and the most efficient and practical layout! My only concern is if it has taken J this long to fix our engine, how long will it take him to kit out a complete narrowboat!

Late evening: Awoke to lovely weather and ahead of us lay an unplanned day, hoping the fuel injectors would arrive in time for us to move before the end of the weekend. J kindly lent us his small white van and we tootled into Royal Leamington Spa, a journey of about 20minutes, to see what delights it had on offer. We were pleasantly surprised and spent an happy hour pottering. At least I did, not so sure that was R’s idea of time well spent. We were successful in finding a few more bits for the boat and we then enjoyed a great cup of coffee and a delicious pear and ginger cake in a community cafe that supported independent crafts people and sustainable projects. It has been running for three years and looked to be well frequented. I particularly liked their non gel hand sanitizer which you sprayed on with the added bonus of a pleasant fragrance. Usually in stock, it had sold out but they have given me the mail order details. Slightly tricky on a boat!

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No news was not good news and to compound matters R dropped his metal specs case with glasses into the canal as we were entering the boat. We hunted for the magnet we thought we had brought with us for emergencies such as this but to no avail. The electric cable J kindly supplied to the boat also got trodden on so we are not sure how effective it will now be in powering up the boat batteries so our mobile phones may go flat and the lights may dim before long. On the plus side, R toasted me a crumpet with nut butter and banana which made me feel very ‘at home’ as did watching an episode of ‘Vera’ from the current season. Supper was simple – heating up the frozen homemade curries we had bought in anticipation of a microwave meal at the pub we were staying in, but then got evicted because of a double booking. Never one to waste anything, I just hoped they would still be safe to eat as not only had they been unfrozen but they hadn’t been in a fridge for a day or so. R said the boat was cold enough to act like one!

1030am Sent son G a photo of the TV in our hotel room last night, to update him as to where we are (reading blog is too much effort!) and he responded with the TV in the hotel he and M happened to be staying! He also reminded me that exactly a year ago to the day we picked up WindRose for our first canal trip and with G and M aboard, we went from Braunston to the Folly Inn at Napton and had an outside supper (covid rules) and enjoyed standing around a massive firepit in the pub garden. How strange that exactly a year later R and I returned to the Folly not remembering the date. What a difference a year has made for that pub and how imaginatively they have transformed the garden to enable business to go on as normally as possible. Well worth a visit if you find yourself in the vicinity.

Back to today, in my semi wakeful state I heard the pitter patter of water and felt rather depressed at the thought of a rainy day ahead. Fortunately when I drew back the curtains a blue sky greeted me and the pitter patter was the shower next door! A message from A on mobile saying they have found another fault with the engine, something to do with a faulty injector. How I wish I understood engines but really this is all double dutch to me. Suffice to say J is confident he can get us on the boat today – whatever else, we need to visit DD to get some clean underwear! I am also worried about the health of my water and milk kefir. Both cultures I have been nurturing for the last month and encouraging all family members to indulge in a daily healthy dose! R may be relieved to find they have gone squiffy but I shall be gutted (or is that un-gutted?)! They are among our possessions on DD as I didn’t think I could carry them around with us. We have been travelling light!

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I am not a fan of taking pictures of food but decided I needed to be reminded of my very indulgent breakfast today. First surprise was that the teapot actually contained very strong coffee (ordered by R, thinking I would prefer it to tea) and then we were handed a menu, all things egg. Decided waffles, fruit and yoghurt was manageable only to be told the dairy delivery had not arrived so no yoghurt available – would I prefer ice-cream? Even I think ice cream for breakfast is maybe a little too much so compromised on a little double cream!

So here we are waiting. Room vacated, sitting in the pub lounge, perfectly content, reflecting on our walk yesterday and the interesting people we met. Memories of our last trip assail me and I realise how much, once home, I have missed the long walks, reflecting on nature and taking the time to converse with others, from whom we can learn so much. Somehow I just can’t do this in my normal life. ‘Stuff’ gets in the way, from sorting belongings to ever increasing ‘to do’ lists. I was asked recently why I liked the boating life, with all its physical discomforts and associated hassles. For me it is the relative simplicity. You just have to sort out the problems right in front of you and then continue on. With fewer strands to weave and less baggage to carry, somehow I feel I have clearer headspace. Hard to describe especially as those who know me well realise I have a house full of possessions – a lot of them not mine, I would like to add! Even so, one of my challenges ahead is to declutter my life so that I can spend more time on the things that I feel really matter. God and spirituality, people, love, creativity.

2330hrs. Quite a day but still no movement. Patience is a virtue. At least we are now settled on the boat – it just can’t move! However we were literally blessed by the arrival of Ro, my step brother. He came in his white van and put himself at our disposal. Just as well because a misunderstanding led to there being nothing useful on the boat, such as bedding, mop and bucket, floor mats etc. Al had thought we wanted to bring everything – I had assumed we had agreed it would be kitted out like WindRose, where all basics were provided but you chose whether or not you brought your own crockery and kitchenware. So off we went to the Asda superstore followed by the mega Sainsbury’s in Rugby. Arriving back at the boat, no sign of the fuel injectors but J set us up with some power and I set about unpacking. It’s a daunting task as you look at a car load of stuff and wonder where it is all going to fit. How to store it logically so you can remember where you have put it and how to make best accessibility for the things you need the most. As a newly refurbished boat, although looking beautiful, it was somewhat lacking in hooks and not quite enough kitchen cupboards. Necessity is the mother of invention so after considerable thought, tomorrow we are off to scour the shops for shelving and various items that can make best use of space available! In addition to all else that happened today, when R and Al were moving our belongings from pub garden to the boat, the car boot was left open and one box fell out – how was it possible that that was the one box-load of glasses and mugs. Suffice to say we will be charity bric-a-brac surfing tomorrow!

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Meanwhile R got to grips with the heating. The stove looks tiny so can only take coal – alas no more wood foraging for us. It also doesn’t give out nearly so much heat so there’s no danger of me stripping off as I found myself doing on WindRose! Those of you who were so concerned that we were warm enough on the boat and I kept reassuring you we were toasty warm every afternoon/evening. Am not so sure I will be giving you the same story now!

Midday: The Holly Bush Inn in Priors Marston is worth a visit, just because the landlord is such a nice man and could not be more accommodating. My main bugbear was only having a small cup and saucer for my tea so he went off and immediately produced mugs! He has only been managing the pub for under three months so he is still feeling his way and trying to turn the pub around and get more of a community focus. In the time he has been there he has run four charity events, at no profit to himself and has organised a Christmas fair with all local crafts people. He allows the villagers free use of his car park for school drop offs and when people need to collect their Chinese takeaway – it’s the only restaurant in the village and it operates out of the pub kitchen. Due to covid and all the risks involved for the hospitality sector, it makes more sense for the pub not to employ a chef and waiting staff.

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1730hrs: So the saga deepens! It became obvious late morning that we were still not going to get on the boat today so another night at a hotel was in order but I really wanted to move on from the Holly Bush as I didn’t fancy another Chinese. However it proved far more difficult to find anywhere else nearby (remember with no car we have to rely on taxi’s and don’t want to travel miles!) so I formed a new plan. We agreed with the landlord we would stay a further night and then we set off on a 4 mile walk to the Folly Inn at Napton on the Hill where we planned to have a mega sized late lunch. That way we could just have a sandwich for supper.

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However when we arrived they were not serving food until 6pm. That would mean us walking back along country lanes in the dark. So we visited the local deli and bought two frozen upmarket meals that could be easily microwaved (having ascertained earlier the pub has a microwave we could use). The four mile walk back was slightly more strenuous uphill, but it was a beautiful afternoon and we had fortified ourselves with a pork pie and two halves of cider at a local cidery that we just happened to pass en route. Thoughts of a hot bath and the GBBO kept our spirits up, even if the prospect of a ready meal was not so appealing! However panic ensued as we walked through the pub door. We were met by an extremely agitated landlord who realised that a glitch in the online booking system meant our room was now double booked and we no longer had a bed for the night!! He had been phoning around other hotels trying to find us something but to no avail. Secretly relieved I might be in for a more exciting dinner, I happily started googling BnB’s near Daventry and before long secured a room for the night with the only downside being the thirty pound taxi fare. Looking on the bright side, my lovely step brother R, who is arriving tomorrow to help us with the locks (we live in hope!) can easily pick us up from this new location as it is directly en route for him from his home further north.

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Better late than never! At last, as I write this, we are en route to Day Dream a month later than anticipated. Car is packed to the gunwales, with just enough space to pop P, our youngest in the back. We’re picking him up at the M40 motorway services so that he can help us unload and then borrow the car for the next two months, so not a bad deal!

It hasn’t been a wasted month. As well as our speed journey from Banbury to Reading, which gave us more confidence to tackle rivers whilst cruising, we were also able to spend some time with our eldest daughter before she departed for an extended trip to Jamaica. We’ve had the joy of getting to know our future daughter in law better as both she and G have been living at home and we even managed to arrange a small engagement tea party with a few local friends who have known G since he was a toddler. We had the firepit lit but needn’t have worried as the weather for October was surprisingly mild and we were able to spill out into the garden. All slightly rushed as I had forgotten I had agreed to lead evensong at church at 1830 – one way to bring a gathering to an abrupt end! I went walking for a couple of days with a cousin whilst R went and worked hard at the family seaside house during ‘maintenance week’. Think I got the better deal although he did have the fun of a visit to the cinema with his siblings to see the latest James Bond – he was so tired he slept through most of it, only waking up when there were loud bangs and car chases!! The month taught us a lot about living in the moment, not knowing how long we had at home before the boat would be ready. All to do with the delivery date of a new engine, so quite vital really! We still had no confirmation by the end of last week so I had reconciled myself to a further delay. Then a phonecall on Monday evening telling us we could go on the boat the next day! Of course, I then said I couldn’t be ready with less than 24hrs notice, although our hall has been full of boating paraphenalia for the last month. So 2pm today is kick off and I have no idea what’s missing from my packing because I can’t remember what I packed over a month ago but at least I know there’s a full bottle of whisky and a wonderful Welsh gin!

Just heard that the boat isn’t quite ready! Potentially a problem, with our car going back south today. Obviously there are still a few hiccups along the way! A, the broker, rang me half an hour ago to break the news and we are about to arrive! Two hours later and we are sitting,in the warm sun, with all our possessions on a pub table, having said goodbye to both P and the car. I’ve made friends with the pub, so worst case scenario is that all our possessions can stay overnight in their function room whilst we go off and find a local BnB for the night. Still hopeful that the boat will be fit to go. Apparently the engine has been completely rebuilt but when they started it there were some issues. Compounded by J, the ‘chief engineer’ having to go off mid morning to the doctor to sort his bad back.

The very good news is that my patient step brother is all ready to join us either tomorrow or Friday to help with the impending dozen or so locks which are up ahead. The first one is within sight so our ideal plan is to moor the boat here overnight and then retire to the pub!

Well, a few hours later and we are in a very nice pub called The Holly Bush Inn, courtesy of A, because there is a problem with the engine and tomorrow it needs more testing before we can set off. The upside is we were able to drop our belongings on the boat and it looks great. All newly fitted out including a brand new showerroom and kitchen. The downside is we are without wheels and have been dropped at a pub in the middle of the boonies! The only choice of food is a Chinese so if we are still homeless tomorrow night I think we may need to swop pubs just to have a change of cuisine. We were told it was round the corner from the boat – a twenty minute car journey later….

So now we are snuggled down for the night, 60 channels on the TV and a bath – we thought we wouldn’t have one of those for eight weeks! Who knows how much further on we will be tomorrow but no point in getting stressed – it’s all part of the boating life.