Day 15

Opening the blinds this morning revealed drizzle and then some more drizzle.

It was morning as well, about 6am. We knew we might get a bit of noise from the mainline railway nearby but hadn't bargained for the sheep with megaphones. Actually we did manage to drop off again and evenually arose about 10am....still drizzling...so a couple of cups of coffee and watched Takeshi's Castle.....Love the High Rollers.

We cast off around about 11am with yours truly fully decked out in wet weather gear. It was still drizzling and it was that fine rain.....you know...the stuff that gets you wet through.

At Gayton Junction we took on and dropped off the usual fluids and got chatting to another couple also taking on and dropping off, about sofa's, of all things, We where suddenly whistled at by a boat opposite and asked if we had finished.....ooppps, far too easy to get carried away...sorry folks.

Laura had been looking forward to the Tunnel of Doom at Blisworth and BREAKFAST IN AMERICA/lunch was delayed for it

There had been quite a fair bit of traffic this morning inspite of the rain and the tunnel mouth had the usual exhaust fumes shrouding its dark depths. We chugged through and only met one boat coming the otherway. I always think to myself what if this is a widebeam that aint arranged a passage, But no. twas a tug style Nb and we hailed each others darks shapes on the tillers as we passed.

No space at the top of Stoke Bruerne so we dropped 2 locks and tied up to cook the breakfast we had missed for the tunnel. The full works except for my black pudding which had been taken over by mico organisms turning it an interesting bluey black colour....Its my fault for it being hidden at the far end of the fridge.

Seeing the state of the sky and the prospect of further wet clothes we decided to set up the Sky Dish and close up for the day.

Nora settled down to watch Hollyoaks and I for some strange reason fell asleep for the next 2 hours....

For the evening meal we patroned the Boat Restaurant....An excellent meal of Wild mushrooms and fillet steak for Nora and Crayfish and Red Mullet for me.

We skipped pudding and had a pint outside while watching an Alvechurch boat and a Bromley Youth Trust boat negotiate the top lock.

Marstons Pedigree was very good.

Weather report shows rather promising for tomorrow

our mooring for tonight

The centre duck was the only one to take bread from Nora's fingers