who's for Desperate Dan Pie ?

….. and very good it was too at our nominated Pub of the Week !     At The New Inn at Top Lock no.7 after Norton Junction, polished off with a pint or two of Frog Ale.    Went to bed that night with feelings of a brick in my belly!

Done two big tunnels this week - Braunston at 2042 yards and Blisworth at 3057 yards.    Torrents of water cascading down the ventilation holes in Blisworth but Braunston was very dry.   Foxxie has to be shut down in the boat thru the tunnels as she doesn’t enjoy them!  

Having fun with the wide locks - I’ll soon have muscles like Popeye!   Just wish they’d all react same going up when filling!   Oh - President (steam narrowboat) and Kildare (butty) came by us last Friday, President towing Kildare.    For our non-boatie friends here’s a link to read all about these 2 historic boats http://www.nb-president.org.uk/index.php    Then the next day they passed us again although this time breasted up (tied together, so side by side).

Bought 3 different types of cheese off the Cheese Boat which was moored at Stoke Bruerne last Saturday.  Tried one that evening which Dai liked and I didn't particularily but then again it was a soft cream cheese (bit Brie like).  We also - for first time since Setting Off - had a lunchtime pint at The Boat Inn in Stoke Bruerne.    Well the sun was shining and we were thirsty.

Saw first moorhen chicks this week and I can now say that I can recognise the call of an adult moorhen as I was studying it with another moorhen who had built her nest in the lower reaches of a tree on the opposite bank to where we were moored.    She kept calling her mate to come and relieve her for a bit !

We’ve had lovely sunshine most days this week - we’re both starting to look like we’ve been living out-of-doors for months.    In fact, 3 nights this last week we haven’t lit the fire so that’s pretty good going for April.     Long may it last !

My daughter Amy arrived back home last Thursday night - only 6 days late from her uni field trip to Spain.   They bussed from southern Spain up to Calais to get the ferry and then bus back up to Nottingham.   Not too happy about everything but at least she is back safe and sound.

Today we are moored - still on the Grand Union - at Marsworth, Buckinghamshire which is where the Aylesbury Arm goes off (we’re going to do this Arm on way back up from London).  

Since last blog we have done 50 miles and  37 locks. This makes total since Setting Off ….. 228 miles and  149 locks.   Average speed of  2.84 lock miles a hour !  

sorry, can't upload any photos today - internet link not strong enough.   Next time we are in a big town (which is going to be Hemel Hempstead probably by end of this week), going to see if we can get a longer cable to connect the dongle to laptop so I can then hang it out the window to get a stronger signal !