Still heading South

Yelvetoft Marina has its own wind turbine which can be seen from quite some distance away. 

Not many photos today, Saturday, as we are covering the same ground as we did a few weeks ago. 

Another local landmark that can also be seen from some distance is Crack's Hill. The canal almost completes a full circle around it. 

Through Crick and into the tunnel.

Not too bad this time and not too wet either. 

We carried on down the Watford Flight passing a field of woolly sheep near the Watford Gap Motorway Services. 

Stopped for the night at Norton Junction and finished off a rather warm day with our Saturday night favourite steak and chips. 

We're on our way North

We're back out on the cut, heading South. 

I know, I know, we should be going North. Well, we are but in a slightly different way. We didn't fancy going through Leicester with all the wide locks so we're going down to Braunston and then heading up North along narrow routes. We'll keep you updated on our progress. 

We stopped in the afternoon outside Yelvetoft Marina and we were dying for a cuppa. It's been a hot day, the fridge is working overtime and we've got all windows and doors open. 

Luckily, our friend Ann had given us a lovely fruit cake. What more could you want with a nice cup of tea? (Or coffee!) 

In the evening we've been catching up with a programme on Channel 4 called Narrow Escapes. We enjoy it because there are no celebrities, just everyday boaters sharing their lives on the canal. Many times we comment that we've done that or that we've been there. It's fascinating to see how other boaters live. Another programme is Canal Boat Diaries with Robbie Cummin on U. This is a vlog of Robbie as he goes around the waterways. Seems a bit like coals to Newcastle sitting in a narrowboat watching programmes about narrowboats. 

Right, that's all for now, we'll be back in the morning. 

Back until September

Well, we're back on Polgara at North Kilworth Marina but the last couple of days have been spent cleaning the boat, storing all the clothes we've brought with us and filling up the pantry. 

We still don't know which way we are going when we set off but, like Mary Poppins, we'll see which way the wind blows. 

Yesterday, Thursday, we went into Lutterworth and had lunch in E & R Tearooms. 

Another lovely little café with oodles of homemade cakes. 

Will update you on our travels when we finally get our act together and set off. 

Home for 10 days

Sorry everyone, I should have said that we were returning home for about 10 days. 

We have lined up a series of appointments: car service and MOT; blood test; hygienist; nephew's birthday celebration; bible study group; grass cutting; etc. Phew, we'll be glad to get back to the boat for a rest. 

See you soon. 

Last weekend

 On Saturday we decided to set off for the Laughton Hills which are a couple of miles before Foxton Locks. 

But first we needed to take on water. Luckily we were moored right next to the water point but the boat was the wrong way round to fill up from where we were. So, reverse out, out with the hose and wait for quite a while because it's a slow fill. The one at Braunston was so fast that the hose kept blowing itself out of the filler tube. 

After that a turn around and off we go.

Bye, bye Welford, we'll be back soon. 

I keep trying to catch the heron taking off. Nearly got it this time. 

We had to go through Husbands Bosworth tunnel which was comparatively dry for a change. After that only a couple of miles until we stopped at our mooring.

All very quiet. Until we got the pressure washer out. We worked our way down one side of the boat, cleaned all the windows and washed down the back deck. Everything looking a bit better. 

Sunday 

After breakfast we nipped up to the winding hole, spun the boat round, moored up again and washed the other side of the boat and the front deck. 

Much better, we've got rid of all the leaves, cobwebs and dirt that collects in all the holes. 

After lunch we set off back to the marina.

North Kilworth Wharf is fairly busy so a slow chug through. 

Back safely in the marina in time to cook our Sunday roast for supper. 

Hiho, hiho

It's off to work we go. 

Tuesday was a much needed work day inside the boat. 

In the bedroom there's some tongue and groove cladding that's come adrift. Also, we decided to paint the wall behind the bed head. 

Now, to attend to all this means taking down shelves, removing the bed head and various edging strips first. That all took a while cos it's all a fiddle. Then the tongue and groove didn't want to cooperate, not enough room to swing a cat and getting hotter and hotter in a confined space. 

Anyway, enough of that, in the end out came the nails and a heavy hammer and the tongue and groove was beaten into submission. 

Round 1 to me. 

Getting a bit late in the day to start painting, that's tomorrow's challenge. But, for now, just put the shelves and head board back and make the bedroom feel like a bedroom again. 

Then we had a fantastic thunderstorm. 

We could see blue sky ahead and behind the bank of storm clouds as they rolled across. It was the full works, thunder, lightning, rain, hail - you name it, we had it. All calm now, looks like being a peaceful evening. 

A day out

On Monday we decided that a bit of retail therapy would be the order of the day. 

So, after breakfast, we set off for Market Harborough. 

There are a fair selection of shops around here and I particularly wanted to get a new pair of walking shoes from Mountain Warehouse. Well we did that OK but we also came out with a fair bit of kit for the captain as well. 

We had a good old mooch around and ended up in Louisa's for lunch. 

We always pop in here when we can but it's not that often and our loyalty card is taking some time to fill up. 

After that, into the supermarket for supplies and then back to the boat for a quiet evening aboard.