No Trolls

Sloooowly does it....

Snug and Comfy

All of the moorings above Days lock were completely stuffed when we came through on saturday. Well, it was late afternoon, and we should probably have known better. Maybe we will be able to get on there next year...

Thanks to Brian (Nb Harnser) for pointing out that we can moor just around the corner, on the mouth of the River Thame. A really snug and comfy fit under the bridge. Sometimes, being only 53ft has it's definite advantages. Had a great night's sleep, undisturbed by any trolls. Something of a novelty too. Had our picture taken so many times. I guess it's unusual to see a boat here..

Thames Treasures

Sheena's latest haul

 We found a dredged spoil heap. Which has been supplying Sheena with many an afternoon's amateur archeological entertainment. It's fun and fascinating to imagine how these artifacts ended up in the river. Where they deliberately thrown? Or did they fall overboard? No Saxon horde this year. But we will keep looking..




Misty morning at Abingdon Lock



I enjoy this time of year immensely. There is still no flow on the river. The going is easy. And there are plenty of moorings to go around. 99% of the ignorant 'in a hurry' folk have buggered off back to wherever it is that they came from. So, it really is quite peaceful out and about. It's also been good that Sheena has been able to enjoy a whole summer with us. Naturally, we miss Nora (Sheena's mum) and Sumo (our previous lab) very much. But we are also enjoying our new life chapter together.




4 in a bed

 Bryn has a nice folded duvet dog cushion to sleep on. Olly has his own little house. But, last night, they both decided to camp out on our bed. Notice me.. stuffed up under the gunwales. Not the best night's sleep ever.

Little Ols

Cute... while he's asleep.

You awake yet?

Sadly, there will be no lab party this year. Lesley, Joe, Floyd and Fletcher (Nb 'Yarwood') were in a hurry to get back to Thrupp for sunday. Lesley says they will be back on the river again next year. Hopefully, we will be able to bump into them then. Sorry we missed you, guys. Hope you had a nice time on the Thames.

Top Chap!

Delighted to see that great uncle Millican possessed the ability to keep a lit cigarette burning between his toes, while he sorted out his coffee and campfire with his two free hands. Priorities, sorted. The person who said that men are unable to multitask properly, are definitely misinformed. :)

Trying to track down the rest of the film footage. It's from a 30 second newsreel clip, apparently. Stored in the imperial war museum, because it was shot during the war years. They also have the budget to restore old film stock before it disintegrates forever and the images contained on it, lost.

HYETOLOGY

Today, we have seen seven different types of rain.

All Wetness Outside

Closed the hatches.
Lit the stove.
Snug and cosy.
Not a problem.

Comfy

Brave Olly

Today, Olly overcame his Gephyrophobia (fear of bridges).

Not so brave Olly

He'd baulked at this one last month. Today he was offlead. We all just bimbled across, while he mustered up the courage. After he'd seen that we'd all gotten across safely, he gave a couple of woofs, pawed the ground, then went for it. With no commando crawling or apparent anxiety. On the way back, he was in front of us, and did it again without any prompting. The next one to try is Wallingford road bridge. He didn't like being able to see over the sides.

Today must have been an enormous boost to his confidence levels. He's also figured out how to clamber up the back steps and off the boat. And how to jump on the kitchen work surfaces. We are going to have to watch him.

Tonight

BBC Countryfile...

Eh up!

Ratty's House



How to get through Benson Lock

The lock keeper at Cleeve gave us this handy map, for how to negotiate the buoys at Benson lock. It reminded me of the pirate treasure maps we drew as kids, and I personally, found it confusing.

However, when it came time to negotiate it.... I...



Steamed straight through it

Waiting for Sheena to open the Gates

 

Hi everyone. We're upstream. Moored up next to our favourite coriander field. The location of which, will have to remain a well guarded and precious secret. Sorry.

The last week has been very nice. A mixed bag of rain on the roof in Wallingford, with a comforting fire in the evenings. Or days where the sun has been out, and bimbling upriver on tickover has been good for the soul. Stopped at all of our favourite places on the way up. Mostly, wide open meadows, where the boys can run around to their hearts content.

Sadly, we could not stop anywhere near Day's lock. Or climb the Bubs of Berkshire. But hoping to do that on the way back down.

Wallingford Meadow sunset

Relaxing Upstream

Left Reading after stocking up on supplies, and headed up the river again. There's hardly any flow on at the moment, and there were about 3 other boats moving. It is all very leisurely and a marked contrast to the height of summer. Spent a couple of days at Beale park, then bimbled our way up to Wallingford. The boys, of course, don't give "a monkeys" that it's cloudy, rainy, and that the sun is not out. They're enjoying running around the meadows like idiots. And hogging the heat of the stove in the evening.