Good Bye Great Bedwyn

Friday - I used my Age Concession Bus Pass to make the journey from home to Great Bedwyn. This was so that I did not have a car to worry about as I moved westward. So, it was goodbye to my mooring above Church Lock...

Heading past Crofton...

And stopping for the night in a remote spot.

At dusk I was rewarded with a prolonged sighting of a Barn Owl swooping along the opposite bank hunting for a meal.
Saturday morning it was off down the Wootton Rivers flight and on towards Pewsey.

Just before Pewsey warnings of dredging!

And a dredger!

And proof of their endeavours, newly made up banks and towpath.

It was such a nice afternoon I stopped, walked into Pewsey and enjoyed a pint in 'The Waterfront'

'The Waterfront' at Pewsey Wharf.
My stop for the night was at Wilcot Wide Water, it was wonderfully peaceful...

 

Preparing for the 'Off'

Last minute preparations have now been made for the start of the journey westwards.
Domestic water - check!
Loos emptied - check!
Rubbish gone - -check!
Engine oil & water - check!
Engine start and run happily - check!
Everything safely stowed - check!
Ready to go...

A Weekend in London

Judy and I spent last weekend in London. London is somewhere we very rarely go, so it was a particular treat for us. The children had (for our birthdays and Christmas) bought vouchers for a West End Show and Sunday Lunch at the Ritz.
We visited St Pauls, Covent Garden and many other places.

Judy on the Easter Bunnies at Covent Garden Market

On Saturday evening we saw Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap'.

 



To the Ritz for Sunday Lunch!



We arrived for a One O' Clock Lunch - Canapés, Starter, Main Course, Sweet Course, Petit-Fours and Tea/Coffee. Wonderful as you would expect! We left about a quarter to four.

Judy with Vegetarian Gnocchi

Beautiful Roast Beef - carved at the table.

Chocolate Soufflé and Milk Ice-cream

 

Followed by Petit-fours

 

Washed down with tea and coffee

Whilst being entertained by a pianist...

 

...in beautifully opulent surroundings!

Thanks to David and Alison for the ideas and for paying for it!

 

New window blind

The kitchen window blind was looking a bit tatty and faded. Mum decided it should be replaced and kindly paid for it. Here it is - fitted and it matches the one on the other side.

Thank you Mum!!!

When will the weather improve?

It's gloomy, dull and grey. The weather forecast is for more heavy rain, then very cold. Can't be bothered to move today. I will stay in where it is lovely and warm. Got plenty of food, drink and things to do. I can catch up on the Forum messages, do a bit of washing, read, watch the wildlife - hang on a minute - what wildlife, they've sought shelter too.
If it brightens up at all I might just wrap up warm and have a short stroll.
I suppose I could just take a picture of the greyness, but then, what's the point!

Sunday surprise!

Came up to Constance Saturday afternoon late on after seeing family at home, then shopping etc. Loaded the boat by dodging between the heavy rainshowers and settled down for an evening of amateur radio. Did a bit of reading too. There was a hire boat moored opposite and he had his engine running until well after I went to bed. I guess that, unlike me, he had no other form of heating. I was toasty warm.

What a surprise to wake up to on Sunday morning, no I do not mean just that the hire boat's engine was running again, SNOW! And quite a bit of it.

The snow continued to fall throughout the morning, then it rained for a while. By 4pm it was sunny again and the solar cell was doing its stuff. The hire boat's engine was still running...

First weekend aboard - this year...

Judy and I both came to Constance this weekend. Between us we tidied up from the work that I had done over the winter period and generally got things 'ship-shape'.
I started the engine (first time!) and we motored gently down to Bedwyn Wharf.
Here we emptied the rubbish, recycling, put the excess logs in to the back of the car. Removed tools and other clutter to the back of the car, filled with water. Used the generator and the home vacuum cleaner to do a 'good job' of cleaning up inside.
After all of this we motored gently back to our mooring.
Sunday was a lazy day!