Hello Finno. !

 The one at the back is all mine. !!!  slurp.

 

The rest of our trip was fairly uneventful.  Except a lot of boats moving along the Nene were trying to find a friends contraption that she uses to turn the big wheels on some of the locks.  she had lent it to someone and they left it behind.  Then a boat called  Willow coming down the Nene and friends of the bloke that left it behind, was asked to pick it up, and try and pass it to us, by which time we were ensconced in the basin mooring at Islip. so it was a no-go. Are you keeping up.

 

So we arrived Northampton, and couldn't get onto Midsummer Meadow Mooring, as there was a small boat one end, and a large tree in the water at the other end, which Jim was unable to shift.  Ok we thought lets go up and Pump Out and water up.   Shock Horror, all the services had been dismantled. !!   So we and our poop are stuck together for a bit longer. We all have the hump, so a big shop up at Morrisons( don't like), and straight up the flight of locks. to Gayton.  Started at 12 midday and finished at 3.45pm.  Last night we all had a large drink before dinner.

The twonk in front of us going up the flight was leaving all the gates open. so before I could address the lock, I had to close the gate.   I shouted at him at one point, and he closed one gate.  As we got to the top of the flight, where it gets a bit slower going, he actually closed a gate, and lifted a paddle for me.  Ha, too little, too late Sonny. !!!

 

Oooh it feels so good to be on the canal and I always love the first morning. So, we awoke to the sound of birdsong and ...............................RAIN. Great !.  stayed in bed with tea, and a new Henning Mansell book.  Then Finlay announced he wanted a wee, so.     what am I talking about?  Finlay cannot actually speak, He's a dog. !