Bluebells and Grey Furgies.. Convoy ahoy through Pewsey!!

Devizes to Nr Wootton Rivers Bottom Lock, Kennet and Avon Canal, 13 miles 0 locks

All great plans are meant to be broken.. for better of course!

Richard Poole of Devizes Marina did his last job for us today and fitted the cratch frame to the front of No Problem.. all we need now is Tim Salt of Staffordshire Canopies to cover it.. must contact him soon to arrange that..

With fond farewells to the team there, hugs all round even for the lads Jamie who did the main paint job on No Problem and Ray, who did the dirty work of welding and blackening both boats, and for Debbie too who works tirelessly in reception.. “Are you off then?” She greeted me with this morning.. “Hey Debbie, I will be out of your hair in about 10 minutes” Says I.. Great gal is Debbie, always cheerie whatever.. and a hand shake for ‘the boss’.. Thanks Richard you did us proud..

So pins were pulled and we strapped both boats together to travel along upsides.. errrrrr until the first bridge when we realised it just wasn’t going to work.. too slow.. No Problem is looking to be a slower boat than Tara (NP1), not that I am bothered.. “She is like a bloomin’ donkey compared to the greyhound of Tara” retorted Vic.. OK, OK, so at the bridge decisions were made, and Vic felt able enough to captain No Problem for the day while I took ‘the greyhound’.  I nipped inside to make him a sandwich and cuppa which would have to last him most of the day.. so here we are in convoy at the first swing bridge..

You can see the the new cratch boarding for the first time.. tis a nice one, and when the covers are done we will be able to see even out of the ikkly side windows.  I want to have the cover so it rolls right over the top of the bit of wood that comes from the roof if you see what I mean..

Anyway….

The day was pleasant enough, although we missed each other…. awwwwww!

We had some fun, and chatted on our radios pointing out buzzards, house martins, swallows and even a lovely grey massey ferguson mowing a field..

We have a grey fergie.. well Wendie does now.. and when the kids were really young I remember Vic towing them around with it when the snow was down as they sat on the toboggan!

And so on through Pewsey, and a wood absolutely covered in bluebells, I have never seen so many in one wood, awesome.. I don’t think this pic really does it justice, but it will remind me..

No Problem was turning heads in her new paint job around Pewsey.. being well admired, and so she should be!..

Tara (Np1) has not done so many miles for ages, and as the day got later she decided she had had enough…. off came the gear lever in my hand, and with all the tools now on the new No Problem I had no alternative but to try steer for the bank, leap off and pull her in.. no radio in hand so frantically waving to Vic behind to stop also!..

So here we stayed.. another day tomorrow..