King’s Sutton Lock to Opposite the Old Foundry, Banbury

TEA in bed this morning, not Lemsip! Wonderful, if only I could actually have tasted it! It was accompanied by two paracetamol. Our drugs cupboard has sat just about unused for the last three years, looking in it for the next box of pills today it’s starting to look a bit depleted. Maybe sometime soon we’ll be able to go shopping again to restock.

All Mick’s siblings were present this morning for the zoom. Subjects included needy tomatoes in Scotland, Robins in Surrey and Eddie Reader. Whilst we were on line the two hire boats we’d been in line with yesterday came past starting their return to base, I wonder if the lady who was trying to keep her distance had lasted the night or jumped on a train back to Oxford?

The final push to Banbury today, the sun was out, blue skies and deer jumping around in the field opposite our mooring. We pushed off and pootled our way passing several familiar boats, over the last few years we’ve spent a bit of time in these parts and you get to recognise the local boats.

Plenty of lift bridges passed under on our way to Grant’s Lock.

Here the burnt out Lock Cottage has been cleared of all the debris and charred remains. It was sold last year, hopefully the new owner will start work on it soon. With the sun out reflecting off the brickwork the interior glowed looking all cosy and warm.

Now we took note of possible moorings for the next few days. New lengths of armco look inviting and the new housing estate looks to be just about finished on the outskirts of town. However a long stretch of the towpath is still having works done to it, so it is very narrow at the moment. We’ll have to choose our moorings with giraffe legs and the towpath in mind.

We hoped for a space at Tramway but the last space had been taken by a hire boat. We asked if they planned on staying the night, but it was only a half hour stop for them. Maybe we’d come back if there was nowhere else. Pulling in just before the bridge I then walked round the corner and spotted a big gap opposite the old foundry, we moved along and settled in.

Last year we’d wondered if the foundry site would end up being redeveloped for housing, but it seems as though a car body shop or garage has taken it over. Here will do us for tonight.

Much of the afternoon was spent trying to put together a Click and Collect order with Morrisons which is just across the way here. But for some reason none of our cards would be accepted on the website. The government guidance to keep away from people for five days is almost up for both of us, so Mick will do a shop tomorrow.

Time to dig out things for work. The back steps needed removing to access where I keep my paint brush bag, drawing implements were rounded up, pencils sharpened and popped in the Bourbon tin.

Tomorrow I start work painting panto in Banbury. Tomorrow we’ll see how I get on. Tomorrow I needn’t do a lateral flow test. Tomorrow I will be doing a test. Tomorrow I’ll be wearing a mask a LOT until I’m on my own again. Tomorrow the blog will go onto Panto Postcard mode for the next few weeks. Mick and Tilly will be holding the fort, moving Oleanna as needed. There are winter closures coming up that we’ll need to be through, so he’ll be single handing up to the summit and I’ll be doing my best to get home at weekends, at least this first week I’ll be able to walk to work from the boat.

1 lock, 2.01 miles, 5 minute walk to work, 2 many bags of stuff, 1 bored cat, 1 noisy garage on a Sunday, 1 boater changing hats, 2 boaters who can’t smell Banbury, having covid at least has one advantage!

https://goo.gl/maps/ScSjNKt3kZnuH9DZ6