Busy, busy as we climb to Norton Junction

Whilton Bottom Lock to Norton Junction, Grand Union Canal, 1.25 miles, 7 locks

Bottom to top today of the Whilton/Buckby lock flight.  The weather stated off just fine, but it wasn’t long before those locking were getting very wet indeed.. I was OK… Ah that pram canopy on the back of No Problem is a dream!

On the way up, I popped in to see Richard of Bedazzled.com, I had seen one of his adverts on the side of the canal at the bottom lock.  He showed me the most awesome display of LED lighting for a narrowboat.  I have always been interested in this type of lighting, but always thought that the white light would be too ‘blue’ to be any good.  But things have changed.. the white light really is quite white now.  I suppose the technology has got better.  I saw this type of lighting on Mo and Vanessa’s narrowboat Balmaha, Mo had fitted some strips of LED bulbs under the gunnels in the saloon, and it looked absolutely fantastic.. it is on my wish list now..

So we pulled the pins this morning mid morning to make our way up the locks to Norton Junction some 2 hours away.. Lucy is enjoying locking No Problem through here….

“Ha, here’s me looking at you!” Lucy seems to be saying!   I’ll tell you what though, the bottom gates on this flight are sooooo heavy, in fact there was one gate that was impossible to move, Vic and Ann of NB Moore2Life couldn’t shift it between them!.. There were a lot of boats on this flight today, in fact we passed 10 boats coming in the opposite direction through the 7 locks, but we eventually reached the top with the rain still coming down..

Mr Tesco delivered a home delivery order to us along the towpath here at Norton Junction.  It is handy for his van, he can drive right along beside all the boats moored up, so we really do get a doorstep delivery.  But oh dear, oh dear.. on putting all the goodies away Vic said “A punnet of Tomatoes”… “Err Another punnet of tomatoes”.. then “Opps tomatoes again” .. “Ah three more punnets in this bag”… EEK!

I had done the classic.. I only wanted 6 tomatoes, but had ordered punnets of instead of single ones!!  Now normally I do a quick check of what is in the bags when Mr Tesco delivers, this evening I didn’t.. more interested in chatting to Mr Tesco I was.  He remembered delivering to No Problem when we were moored in Rugby last year..

So this evening I have made a huge pot of homemade soup… yes tomato of course!.. It won’t go to waste, John Sinclair is lending a hand tomorrow to see us down the Braunston Flight, and I expect I can persuade Chas and Ann to have a bowl.. I will make a loaf of bread to go with it in the morning too..  Its the tunnel tomorrow, but an incentive to get through.. I do believe Les of NB Valerie is in Braunston!