Late rain washes out wallet

Friday 6^th September to Saturday 7^th September 2013

We awoke on Friday morning to the quiet of a non-raining morning – where was that rain that had been so much spoken about – we waited and waited but there was not so much as the sound of even one raindrop.

Instead all we got was overcast – what sort of weather prediction is that.

Anyway so as not to waste it entirely we ventured off to do some shopping in Market Harborough albeit a late start – still waiting to check if it would rain or not.

Diane did however manage to find a homeware shop with cast iron cookware – the le Creuset range at heavy discounted prices – too much of a bargain to pass up – or so she tells me.

She did however want to consider it all and make sure that it was the right size to fit on the new stove.

After a Sainsbury shop where we needed more alcohol to replenish the stocks – it just keeps evaporating – I must invest in a good seal for those bottles – and the stocks of Sainburys increasing with the additional money in the register – we met up with Mike.

There was a bit more umming and aahhing about the cookware, at which point with measurements in hand the breakthrough came – Mike and I would stay in town whilst Diane went back to the boat to check on the size and she could phone through the result and I would purchase the agreed cookware – then she wouldn’t need to come back into town – what better outcome could she want.

So off she went and with Mike and I being at a loose end whilst we waited for the call, we decided that some long overdue research on Market Harborough pubs was needed – starting at the nearest one to the cookware shop we waited and waited and then waited some more.

The call came through – there had been a delay as she discussed with Linda about travelling on this overcast (and getting darker) day; they needed somewhere a bit brighter than where they were moored – it was a bit dark and enclosing – so they were off whilst there was still no rain.

But the call gave us the size needed and confirmation of the colour; purchase made but we needed just to finish off our drinks and we left almost immediately.

Trouble was that by this time, because Diane had taken so long to ring back and we needed to keep the publican interested in our business, the long-promised rains had arrived and we did get a little wet with the trek back up the hill to the wharf and the moorings beyond.

The new pot did look quite good on the stove.

Not only had the rain started but the temperature dropped – dropped so much that we needed to light the stove and test that out as well – very easy to light and within about 20 minutes the boat was very cosy indeed.

Saturday was much brighter and certainly warmer out of the wind.

Once we had watered and winded (Mike needed to take care of cassettes as well) we headed off in search of nb Mary ‘H’ and Richard, Linda and Muffin – 2 hours later we were all at the bottom of the Foxton Locks together – bacon sandwiches (via Diane) and coffees (via Richard) having been made – morning break if you like.

a lovely morning for a cruise - wind was a bit chilly but the
sun was magnificent

Mike on Isobel shadowing our every move

moored up at the bottom of the locks awating morning tea -
and of course the go ahead for the ascent

Word came down from the lockies that we were next to go up and so about an hour and 15 minutes later we had worked our way through the locks – really quite enjoyable and of course there were just so many gongoozlers about that we managed to get a few of the gates opened and closed with their help.

guess who did the locks?

Malcolm - one of the volunteers - and Mike's friend from Barby Marina

The top reached and the view is the reward

After helping us through the last lock Linda managed to get a lift
to where we all moored - Richard had taken off with the boat

A further 20 minutes and we were all moored up – Mike had made a hasty retreat indoors – something about Grand Prix qualifying – but after that we headed down the hill – via the Canal Museum – to the Foxton Locks Inn for a quiet drink and to watch the other boats begin or end their lock journey.

Only problem was that the rain from Friday morning – that didn’t come – came on Saturday afternoon – but at least it was relatively shortlived, but meant an extra pint or two at the pub.

So all in all the lack of rain on Friday meant that we went shopping and the wallet was a bit lighter; and then the rain on Saturday meant a longer stay at the pub – wallet lighter again.

Can I put a claim into the Bureau of Meteorology for expenses caused by their inaccurate forecasting?

6 Miles, 10 Locks, 2 Swing Bridges

Totals: 2062 Miles, 1510 Locks, 64 Tunnels, 29 Lift Bridges, 145 Swing Bridges