Pudding Lane FOTRN mooring
A cuppa in bed followed by a bacon butty.
A work day for me, even though we’d not moved anywhere this morning I still didn’t get set up until gone 10am. Last night’s hunt round for Tilly made us a touch nervous about leaving the doors open, but with it being so muggy we risked it. Thankfully she spent all morning asleep on our bed, didn’t even come through for her morning dingding.
Across the way two boats moved off from the lock island mooring, reversing out of the weir cut and then going down the lock. A while later there were conversations, NB Still-Waters was coming up the lock, another narrowboat that had moored here last night chatted with them. Presumably he headed off ahead to get the next lock ready for them. We waved as NB Still -Waters pulled away, maybe we’ll catch them up, but more likely they’ll stay ahead of us up to Northampton.
Todays mission was to get my panto floor painted. I’d come up with what I thought was a reasonably simple cobbled floor that faded out, shouldn’t take too much painting! Well it took the morning and into the afternoon. Maybe I should have done bigger cobbles!
Part way through the day a loud ‘AHOY OLEANNA!’ came from the lock. It was Jaquie from NB Mosi-Y-Tunya. We’d last passed their boat moored up at the Fish and Duck, they’d headed off to the Commonwealth Games. Another boat who will no doubt speed on ahead of us.
Tilly stirred from bed at lunchtime and ventured outside. Frequent visits inside were made, only a few Dreamies required today. Mick kept an eye on her, she didn’t venture far at all, hardly into the sideways trees closest to the boat, staying close to home and by 5:30 she was inside snoozing. We wondered if yesterday she’d used up this outside. But it felt more like she was nervous of wandering further afield, maybe yesterday she’d got lost for a while, it certainly made for a much quieter day.
During the afternoon a group of lads arrived at the lock, a down stream boat had left the lock empty but had closed the guillotine gate. The lads managed to lift a paddle and fill the lock, there was plenty of swimming going on. I think we ended up with around ten teenagers sunning themselves and having the occasional dip.
An engine noise was heard from below the lock. We wondered what would happen with the swimmers. It turned out nothing much, no boat showed itself. The swimmers left to be replaced by dressed youngsters with bottles of beer. Another engine was heard from below the lock. A chap walked up to operate the guillotine gate, saying another boater had had difficulty in opening the control panel door. This chap tried as the youngsters moved away.
The cabinet wouldn’t open, no matter what the chap did it simply wouldn’t open. He headed off to see what he might be able to use to open the door, still no luck. In the end they decided to call the EA for assistance and wait below the lock. Two chaps arrived an hour later. It seems that the cabinet is particular about the key you use as it opened straight away for the EA. The chap tried his other key and bingo it worked.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 floor, 2 ships, 1 gangplank painted, 4 hours of intermittent shore leave, 1 cat staying close, 2 troublesome keys, 10 youngsters, 1 big pile of rubbish.