Battered Whale and Fat Chips anyone?

Four days of brilliant sunshine and very hot this week (Fri to Mon).    Dai burnt his feet and ankles cos he gave in and put on his sandals and shorts, so believe me, it was hot !    In fact last Monday we had to moor early under a tree to give some shade - especially for Foxxie Dog who really did need some respite !   Glorious weather ….. but its now cloudy days and cooling off - ready for the Bank Holiday weekend coming up I’m sure.

Today we are moored just before the Top Lock at Buckby Flight on GU about 4 miles from Braunston having gone thru miles of open countryside in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire passing thru Leighton Buzzard, Milton Keynes, Stoke Bruerne, Blisworth Tunnel, Gayton Junction and Bugbrooke.

I have to tell you about The Grove Lock pub.    Miles from anywhere right by the canal at Grove Lock 28.  The food there is fantastic and the real ale pretty good too!    Fullers ESB, London Pride and 2 Fullers blonde beers plus Seafarer by George Gale.    Extensive menu - we both went for cod & chips.    Biggest portion I have ever seen - talk about battered whale!   Two fish each and a mountain of hugely fat chips served on newspaper on a wooden tray!     And we even managed a pudding each - Dai had profiteroles and I had Berry Cheesecake.  Excellent service even though they were mega busy (loads of tables outside and more inside) and really good value for money.     Well recommended.

This week I have seen 2 events never witnessed by me before!
1.   A grass snake swimming in the canal (well, even snakes must need cooling off sometimes)
2.   A mummy swan carrying her 5 cygnets on her back (although one was scrabbling to stay on!)

Today is Day 60 since we Set Off  ----- we still lovin it !    Dai is so much more relaxed than I have ever seen him and he’s just about doubled the amount of sleep he does every night …. and Dai tells me that I am such  a beaming, chilled out creature these days.    Something’s doing us both the world of good !

The thing I am missing most is my big hugs with Amy, closely followed by the power shower (yes, we do have a full sized shower on Jandai with good enough water pressure but its just not a power shower like we had in the house!!)      Dai’s biggest miss is the craic he had with his work mates.    Not the actual work you understand - just the laughs with his old male mates.  

Well, we off to the pub tonight - one we called in on our way south on the GU.      The Desperate Dan Pie they do is calling Dai !     I had it too last time but won’t tonight - when they say  “Desperate Dan” they aren’t joking ….. it reminded me of the DD Pies that Mandie (my wonderful sister-in-law) makes.    You don’t need anything else to eat for a week!

Since last blog we have done  47 miles and 35 locks. This makes total since Setting Off ….. 384 miles and  316 locks.

                                         Golden fields of yellow rape

                                          So that's how they fill the canal

                                          Traffic jam on the Grand Union

I just never appreciated how beautiful hawthorn blossom is before but now I have time to actually look at it

                                           Go on - jump - now - now - jump