Athy

i'S LIKE TO RECOMMEND A TRIP QHICH mRS. aTHY AND i HAVE DONE TWICE, FROM THE lOCABOAT BASE AT aGEN [AN EASY WALK FROM THE STATION] BY PENICHETTE ALONG THE cANAL DE gARONNE TO bUZET. hERE, DROP DOWN THE STAIRCASE AND TURN RIGHT TO FOLLOW THE UTTERLY DELIGHTFUL rIVER bAISE ON ITS RURAL CLIMB TO THE HEAD OF NAVIGATION [IT DOES SPORT ONE ATTRACTIVE TOWN, nERAC. FOR MOORING, SHOPPING AND NOSHING]. yOU MIGHT PREFER TO STOP BELOW THE TOP LOCK WHICH IS A RATHER DAUNTING 35 feet riaw...oh, hello xaps loxk/// WE BOOKED THROUGH bLUE wATER hOLIDAYS IN yORKSHIRE WHO WERE EFFICIENT AND HELPFUL/

On the conytaty: as has been pointed out earlirt in the thread, boaters get angry about slolen boats and will do what they can to help. Kindly refrain from using personally insulting language about fellow members.

Which marina are you talking about, Erica?

Last weekend we went down to The Pig Place on the South Oxford. It was open, but there were no pigs in the enclosured. According to a spokesman [oh all right, the bloke behind the gat] the local abattoir has closed and there is no other within forty miles, which is the maximum distance animals may be transported;, so they have had to stop rearing pigs. The bar is still open and has now been joined by the Saucy Hound food caravan which previously traded at the old coal wharf in Cropredy.

The Globe by rgw road bridge in Upwell is closed again. After Duncan and Lessley, who had run it for twenty-five years, reitired, the brewery spent a lot of money om refurbishing it. A new couple moved in but now, after about ten minutes - well, a few months - they have now gone, not to the surprise of locals. The pub is, one hopes, not lost fo

We use carpet tiles to cover the floor. They look like carpet [because they are] but can be easily cut to shape with a craft knife. If they get damp or mucky we take them up, dry them on the roof and brush them clean.

Welcome to the forum, Ching. I wish my Chinese was as good as your English! What particular aspects of our canals do you seek help with?

It's not the NB 'Solomon Grundy', is it?

Nothing that a 12 bore wouldn't cure. Recent visitors to our garden include chaffinches, tits both great and blue, and a goldfinch. I love birds, but for swans I'll ake an exception.

I never got that far! For quite a while, three of us handled moddy duties - self, Magpie Patrick and the former Buccaneer. The arrival of two new ones, Jen and Ade, was succour indeed [as in, only a succour would do this job]/ Midway through last year I was, as Nicj Noeman says, beset by a truly exciting cocktail of eye conditions which made long spells of reading irksome. These are mow controlled by medicayion, and my eyes are not deteria...er, daterior...er, getting worse. I'm still taking part in moddy duties, but more in behind the scenes discussions than dront of house. Thanks!

Why 'Spud'? Does he give other dogs a frite?

We have mootrd kn the area for some years and Have seen these signs many times. I thonk, though I can; be sure. that they have been there longer than we have.

Ian, unless you take great pains to enhance the neaiuy of your engine. you may have,meany 'dipsstick' rather than ''lipsticl'.