Sunday 28 July 2013

A day in port - Braunston

Another lovely day of English summer.  It's so much nicer now that the temperature is a few degrees less and we're enjoying it.  Being in Braunston for the weekend in such weather is a bonus. Late yesterday a pretty pair chugged by.  On the calm and peaceful canal it was lovely to watch.  I wonder how those unpowered butty boats stop when they have to?!




We've chatted to some lovely folk today.  First there was the lady living by herself on her boat, then there was a lady we bumped into in the marina office/store who wanted a piece of wood cut and Mick volunteered to cut it for her, we met Wally from South Africa who is doing up the rather neglected boat he and his wife have bought and finally there was Colin and his wife on nb Just Ruby who we first met at Napton.  Then, later today we got chatting to 6 Canadians on a hire boat moored a couple of boats down from us..... Carol, Terry, Doug, Geoff, Greg and Lynn.  How fantastic to meet people from so many different countries.

It was very enjoyable wandering around having a look at the boats for sale and browsing the little store and watching the progress through the locks.  While we stood looking at the brochures of the boats on brokerage, one name jumped out at us.  It was nb Northern Pride.  She's sold already.

We had a grocery order due for delivery between 6-7pm.  Unfortunately I get absolutely no phone reception here so would not receive messages about the delivery.  Just before 6pm we went and sat by the roadside at the entrance to the workshop area that we'd asked for the delivery to come to.  After about 10 minutes my phone beeped as it finally got a weak signal up high by the road.  The message said that our delivery would be over an hour late!  We came back to the boat to have some dinner and half an hour later... about 6.30pm... the Ocado delivery fellow appeared at our door.  Honestly, you can't fault the service.  He was full of apologies about the confusion and drove his van right down to below the little gate from the towpath. 

As we sit here now it is pouring rain and rumbling thunder.  A bit of rain will be welcome..... I've heard talk that the lack of rain could cause problems with the water levels in the canals.  Hope not!







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