Thrupp is aways delightful and the Cherwell is almost in the red..

Today – Thrupp to Nethercott, S Oxford Canal, 5 miles 3 locks
Weekend – Moored Thrupp

A very wet weekend it was too!

Chas and Ann of NB Moore2Life caught us up on Friday after leaving Devizes some 2 weeks after us.  They travelled every day, and had two wonderfully sunny days on the Thames, unlike us who had pouring rain!

Tara’s future new owner came over at the weekend to get a taster of his new boat to be, bringing a friend with him.  They enjoyed very much the calm and tranquility of the canals for a couple of days, staying on Tara.  It was also good of them to offer me a lift to Kidlington, where I visited the market and stocked up on loads of really nice veg.. and spoilt I was too, a lift back in a car instead of having to traipse on the bus and a longish walk.

They also enjoyed a walking around Thrupp and visiting the local pub of the Jolly Boatman Pub.. oh and of course watching the footy on Friday night! Glad you enjoyed yourselves Dennis and Fred

Saturday word had got around Thrupp that I had a few bits for sale.. and I managed to raise about £60 on items no long required but that were useful to others.. so that will buy me something nice for No Problem in Banbury I am sure!

We did relax a bit over the weekend, well I certainly did.. but Vic did a few bits and bobs of trimmings and the like, and we ate out a couple of times.. well we have a problem with the cooker at the moment.  It is not working properly and too much gas is coming out of the jets when we switch it on, it sounds like too much high pressure, so we decided to switch the gas off all together for now and go and seek out a corgi gas man this week to get it all checked out.  There is one at Oxfordshire Narrowboats at Lower Heyford, a few miles up the canal, and I have booked No Problem in for Thursday.

It is funny at the moment, we are having to do all the cooking on Tara and eating on No Problem.  There is nothing left on Tara now.. well not plate or utensil wise, so it is a bit difficult, but we will get round it, and anyway it should all be fixed on Thursday with a bit of luck..

So today on the move after Tesco delivered some groceries to the boat, and we slowly move off and through the moorings at Thrupp.. in the pic above, the Boat Inn is just a bit further on the left.. A stop at the services for some much needed water.. the last water was put on 9 days ago at Aldermaston on the K&A Canal.. this narrowboat must have a big watertank! .. then away again..

Through the northern part of Thrupp and more moorings.. on the left is the warden’s moorings with a garden shed and a big George Cross Flag..

Wasn’t long till we were on the delightful River Cherwell.. just a smidge off being in the red zone, I wasn’t surprised to see that as the River Thames was closed today so we heard, .. but the river wasn’t angry at all, just a bit full, and No Problem easily punched against the flow and round the tight bends..

It was a sort of sit back and enjoy day today, very pleasant indeed. I was lucky with the locks, boats just coming out as I approached with other boats waiting to come down, they were happy to lock me through as I was a ‘single handed boat man/woman/person’.. it’s quicker to lock a single handed one through than to let them do them on their own.. I was grateful to the two ladies at Blakes Lock who did just that from NB Cassie’s Dream.. thanks ladies

Just before knocking the pins in on a lovely day, I spied this wonderful arrangement for drying clothes on a day when showers spoilt the warm sunshine..

Reminded me of similar days last year when we lit the bbq under the brolly on showery days!