34 degrees and rising

…. Well it was inside the boat the other day when we got back from a 2 hour walk!!   When we opened the back door, the heat billowing out was like when you get off an aeroplane somewhere like Madrid in the middle of summer …. Oh boy, we had to rush in and open all the windows before it was safe enough to stay in and breathe at the same time!     

A coal/wood fire is not easy to control unless you damp it right down like we do just before we go to bed.   Trouble then is during the day when you are just sitting in the boat at this time of year, you do need a bit more heat than during the night but then it gets soooo hot, all the windows are open and I‘m down to my thin cotton nightie which must look a bit odd (and “odd“ is only as far as I am prepared to go!!) when those lovely people walking the towpath “glance“ through the windows!   

When we had Jandai built, we also had gas central heating fitted as we think it is essential to have more than one source of heating just in case one breaks down or it gets mega mega cold.     We have only ever put the central heating on twice in the bedroom for about half a hour.

We came down the 10 wide locks at Stockton yesterday - all set against us and no-one else in sight!    Hard work.   I’m trying not to think about the upcoming Hatton Flight which is I believe 21 and we’ll be going up!!     Plan is to lurk at the bottom and wait for someone else to share the locks with!!

So we are moored now at Long Itchington with its 6 pubs - unbelievable as it‘s only a village with just one shop (little Co-op with Post Office inside) so how does it support 6 pubs??    Last time we were here in 2010 there was a big sign on the road as you entered the village boosting about the number of pubs but it’s no longer there.    Perhaps some villagers aren’t as proud of this fact as others!!

Went a nice walk today along a disused railway track - these tracks are great and it does make a change to walk without the canal on one side!      Dai is out with Foxxie foraging for wood even though I don’t know where he’s going to put it - the roof is just about full !
Ah well, keeps him amused and gives me a bit of peace!

Since last blog we have done … 4 miles and 13 locks  
Total since Setting Off ….. 2052 miles and  1669 locks  

"candlestick" paddles on the GU

there is the "nut thing" hanging on the chain
 that you fix on when you've
wound up the paddle to stop it closing

Lias Line Cycleway map on the disused
rail track at Long Itchington

where's yer bike Foxxie??
This is a Cycleway - so the info board tells us

Found some - I'll have that ....
and come back for the rest

Bit too big a stick for Foxxie !
although she was pestering Dai for him to chuck it for her!