Sunday 20th July 2008

Cruising remains in limbo, very much like the weather. Tied up with houses, our life aboard remains on hold. Our minds are still set on the Grand Union and the Northampton Arm and the start of an adventure in the Fens.

Loughborough lock is closed for emergency repairs which means very few boats come down the Leicester line which benefits the fish because the water has cleared which means I waste time hanging over the side teasing them with lumps of stale bread.

What started with a few tiddlers became a few dozen and has now turned into a right fish monger’s slab. Species, I’ve no idea. The books don’t seem to draw pictures of fish pointing at you, only swimming past but these are monsters from the murky deep. Mouths the size of 50 pence pieces and eyes like saucers they appear from nowhere and suck the breadcrumbs away from the tiddlers. Not having the benefit of a ‘close season’ I’m surprised the canals are so well populated.

When I asked V if my birthday anti-sagging cream was working I was greeted by a long pause and then her answer - it makes you smell nicer.

We’ve all seen BW cutting the towpaths in previous years. This year seems to be the turn of contractors again but with further cost cutting they have turned to cheaper and more sustainable grass cutting machines – sheep. This fella adopted our stretch of canal and was doing a very good job until the farmer caught up with him.
sheep

And that’s where we must leave it. No cruising means no news. A few more days or a couple of weeks at the most should see the thing done and us back in harness - Balmaha underway again. Can’t wait.