Category Archives: Gluten Free Cooking

A Straight Course. 17th September

Sainsburys, Aspley to Cassiobury Park

Thankfully those people who like to leave rubber on tarmac stopped their screeching around the car parks before we went to bed which left us with just the noise of water over flowing the lock. When we’ve moored here before Mick has walked back and emptied it for a quieter nights sleep, but at the moment we don’t have any difficulty dropping of to zzz land.

We were on our way after Mick succeeded in buying a full Saturday newspaper and some firelighters. The nice lady in Sainsburys tracked him down once she’d found all the bits that come with a Saturday paper.

Brrr chilly! Might have to get the hand warmers out if it carries on like this. Fewer dog walkers this morning but more boats on the move. We dipped under the larger of the two arches at Bridge 154, passing where we’d watched a Kingfisher fishing years ago.

Nash Mills Lock 68 had a new blue sign as others had yesterday. Then Red Lion Lock had one two, but it wasn’t Red Lion anymore! Nash Mills Lock 69?! We wonder why locks along this stretch have had a change of name. Then we must have crossed a C&RT border of some sort as at Lock 69A there was no sign at the lock and Home Park Lock 70 still has a black and white swan and bridge logo.

We were following another boat, the off side paddle at 69A was dropped. When I came to close it I realised why. I’d only just walked past it on the beam and the catch jumped out of the teeth, the paddle rushing to the ground. A lot of the teeth have been lost, a tweet was sent to C&RT as the paddle is on a suicide mission.

Paddle boarders passed us at Home Park Lock. I waited until they’d got far enough ahead and steady on their feet for me to lift the paddles to empty the lock. The scaffolding on the M25 viaduct has now mostly been removed, some left at the far end for comfort. It all looks very smart under there now.

A boat came towards us from the lock, they seemed to want to pass on our right, but then we twigged that they were picking up crew some distance away from the lock. They pulled in only to get grounded at the stern. With plenty of people on board they needed to move the weight to the bow to help rather than everyone come to the back to try to push them off. They managed it in the end.

We just beat a widebeam to the two Hunton Bridge Locks, the chap kindly walked ahead to set the lower one for us, so in return I lifted a paddle for them once we were through. Under Lady Capel’s Bridge a cyclist in red a bright contrast to the white and green. Past the posh golf course and a huge pile of rubbish left around the dog pooh bin, such skuzzy boaters!

Now the two Cassiobury Locks. This is where we caught up with the boat ahead. The crew chatted and informed me they were letting water down into the pound between the locks, it is quite often low due to leaky gates and having to leave the bottom lock empty.

Their boat was just a rusty hull, filled with all sorts of rubbish, no roof, just plenty of beer cans. The boat was bow hauled out of the bottom of the first lock and I half expected them to wait for us at the second lock as they pulled themselves between the locks. But no. We waited for them to close up after themselves, me closing a half lifted paddle and helping with gates. I got a very slurred thank you from them and comments about the gates not opening fully, they suggested that the next lock was totally blocked. We’d wait and see how many boats were moored waiting for it to open, hopefully we’d find room for ourselves to moor.

We were fortunate, a length of armco vacant before the line of boats before the lock. We’d reached our destination for the day and before lunchtime. I walked up towards the lock to check if there was anywhere nicer, but we’d actually got a really good spot. Five and a half hours in Tilly wonderland.

There was a cake to bake, pasta dough to finish off. I’d decided to make three times the quantities of pasta I normally do in case two was a little bit short, but couldn’t find a new bag of tapioca starch, a main ingredient in many gluten free things. Thankfully we’re close to Watford, with several Asian shops, so Mick was dispatched on a bike.

During the afternoon we were passed by several boats, one being NB Avalon Two, They stopped for a quick hello but as they were sharing locks with another boat they needed to be on their way. Lovely to see you Helen and Pete.

Later on, the boat we’d followed down Cassiobury Locks came past breasted up with another boat. Music, smoky engine, shouting, I hoped they’d keep going. Their course was a surprisingly straight one, they’d been drinking for at least 5 hours by now, but this actually meant they didn’t manage to negotiate the bend, getting stuck on the bank for a while. But thankfully they managed to correct their course and headed back up the locks and out of ear shot.

**Steering with the aid of poles and beer**

Three dough balls resting in the fridge, one cake iced, bathroom given a good going over, clean pooh box for Tilly and all windows washed inside. The props list for panto was updated then we could relax in front of the TV and stove with a glass of wine.

11 locks, 5.42 miles, 1 newspaper, 500grams tapioca starch, 5.5 hours shore leave, 1 clean bathroom, 1 location relayed, 1 cake, 2 much pasta, I hope it freezes!

https://goo.gl/maps/pY7FrJaRgwAuS1oH7

Up Then Down 15th September

Lock 37 to Berkhamsted

Another 8am start, no tea in bed since Northampton!

Lock 37 was empty but thankfully Lock 38 was full, the pound between them short and in the past has been quite low. When we came up sharing with NB Tyseley a few years ago it was touch and go if there would be enough water to get her into the second lock. Today our only problem was the amount the bottom gates at Lock 37 were leaking. Mick had started to close the paddles to open the gate, but the amount of water flowing out between the gates was so great the top gate needed opening whilst all the paddles were still up.

Signs on lock gates yesterday had warned us that the Marsworth flight was locked overnight, Cowroast end of the summit pound was also locked and that moorings in Marsworth might be a touch busy. There were certainly quite a few boats, but we’d have found a space.

As we turned the bend towards the bottom of the flight a C&RT Lock Keeper was stood at the top of the Aylesbury Arm. We waved, maybe the next time we come this way we should take Oleanna down there as she’s not been as yet.

The start of Marsworth, 7 locks up to the summit. The first lock is a little away from the others. A Grandad stood with twin girls watching as Oleanna rose up. I took the high path to the next lock, saying hello to Les as I walked. The water levels in the reservoirs low but not alarmingly.

As I set the next lock I could see two volunteers walking towards us. The lady asked if we’d like some assistance, today that would be very welcome. After a while they walked ahead and set the locks for us, another four blue sweatshirts arriving, but walking down the flight.

We stuck to our routine, ground paddle same side, gate opposite, ground that side followed by the gate paddle on the same side as the boat, slowly.

**The lock cottage half way up the flight**

A couple of locks from the top a Wyvern boat sat in the pound and waited for us to ascend the lock in our favour. As we ascended the penultimate lock I could see that above there was another boat coming down. A chap could be seen winding paddles. Then he could be seen winding them again. The sound of a paddle being dropped in between times recurring.

As I walked up to join the lock keepers, one whispered in my ear that this was a new boater and he’d requested to do the lock without any assistance. I couldn’t help myself, I suggested putting the catch on the paddle gear was a good thing, the ‘clicking noise is a good noise’, it also saves the paddle gear from being dropped constantly!

**No time for the Wendover Arm this time**

We all watched as he ran around the lock, opening both gates, dropping paddles, climbing back onto his boat to head down passing Mick where one gate was left open for him. His trip down the flight was going to be a lengthy one without any assistance.

**The new houses at the old yard due to be finished September 2022!**

Thanking the Lockies we waved them goodbye as they sat on the lock beam waiting for someone else to help. They’d be keeping an eye on their TV on the 24th in case the flotilla made it onto the news.

A cuppa was very much needed. I remembered that there was still a bit of cookie dough in the freezer, a cookie would be just the right thing whilst crossing the summit. The oven was turned on, frozen dough cut up and popped in the oven and baked for 12 minutes. The hardest bit was leaving them long enough to cool.

Once we’d come through the dark cutting and back out into the light we spotted a coal boat, NB Stratford, a new one to us. They seemed to be untying. I spotted their price for diesel £1.30, 10p cheaper than in Uxbridge at the moment. We stopped and breasted up for a fill of the tank, two bags of Excel put on the roof. Mick would have liked to buy more coal, but I was reluctant to fill the roof with bags before the flotilla. What coal we have we’ll wrap in one of our heat wave white sheets so it doesn’t stand out like a soar thumb.

NB Stratford trades between Bulbourne and Harefield, we’d not come across them before as they’ve only been trading for about 18 months. They’d seen us coming and were hoping to share the locks with us down the other side. We filled up and both boats headed towards Cowroast. A top up of water and empty of yellow water were done whilst waiting then both boats descended in the lock. A bottle of gas was precariously lifted out from the hold as the boats started to sink, this was for a boat that had arrived on the lock landing below.

We led the way down through the next couple of locks, Emma with windlass in hand very chatty, the chap giving orders, he seemed to like things done his way! We met another boat requiring a bottle of gas at Dunswell Bottom Lock then we were on our way again. NB Stratford pulled over just before Northchurch Lock, tomorrow they were expecting a delivery of coal, so this was as far as they’d be going today.

Just departing the lock was a single hander, we caught him up at Bushes Lock and shared the remaining three locks into Berko. He was carrying on to just outside town today, we’d had enough and pulled into the first space we found.

Spikes hammered in, then a quick cat health and safety check revealed a footbridge leading to a road with cars. We decided to move up to past the shopping mooring where the stream would keep Tilly out of Waitrose car park. Only problem was we didn’t seem to have the mallet anymore! Mick walked back to where we’d first pulled in, luckily no one had found it and taken claim.

I wanted to visit the excellent art and craft shop for some card, but checking it’s whereabouts on line discovered that they had closed in July. Brexit then the pandemic had done for them sadly. My purchase will have to wait for London now.

This evening I finished re-reading the newest version of the panto script. Two things jumped out at me, all the savoury puddings Jo and I have been discussing over the last week have been cut. The other is that a panto sized Christmas Pudding had been added. I sent the director a quick email to double check before stopping Jo in her tracks making up Boiled Egg Ice Cream and Sardine Jelly. The director confirmed the savouries had been cut, but had no idea about the Christmas Pudding, turns out I had a newer version of the script than she did!

Today we had notification of the changes to the Reflections Flotilla. The organisers have asked us all to dress and behave in a way appropriate for a memorial event, the boats will move down the river in silence. Tower Bridge will open in salute and it is hoped that the event will be seen as a fitting conclusion to the events of the next few days.

16 locks, 7.4 miles, 6 locks shared, 6 Lockies, 1 pair of twins, 70 litres, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 50kgs of coal, 1 stove lit, 1 happy Tilly.

https://goo.gl/maps/oCcWCzuaZ8m7KdD1A

No Weather Today. 9th September

Clive’s Retreat FOTRN mooring to Manor Farm FOTRN mooring

Alarm was set for an hour later than yesterday. We need to keep our cruising hours up and starting early in the day hopefully means that Tilly will be able to have a few hours shore leave after we’ve moored up each day. We pushed off a little later than planned another day of getting damp feet. Last night the extended news had meant we retired to bed not having seen the weather for today. Maybe there wouldn’t be any weather, maybe it had been cancelled.

Not far ahead was the last of the wheel operated guillotine gates, Mick came to lift the gate then I was left to drop it back in behind Oleanna.

Next was Irthlingborough Lock, a small cruiser was just leaving above. This lock was the first to have a fault recently thankfully today the gates worked. As we rose in the deep lock a boat pulled into the lock landing behind us, shame they hadn’t been five minutes earlier as we’d have been able to share. The bottom gate was leaking so the second top paddle required opening just to get us up the last inch or so and be able to open the gates.

Old Station and New Station Road Bridges were ducked under, the approach to the old bridge a little awkward to get the right line.

Higham Ferrers Lock needed setting the cruiser still ahead of us. We emptied it, opened both gates and awaited for our new locking partners NB Red October to join us.

**Ditchford Lock with it’s radial gate**

We were sharing with two of the founding members of the FOTRN, the phone number for help on the signs would ring on this boat. We shared tales of trips, how the guillotine locks used to be operated by winding a handle, but then someone broke their nose and the handles were replaced with the wheels. I heard stories of extra weight being added to the guillotine gates to make them move faster, all a complete NO no now!

Each lock we came to the cruiser was just pulling out of. Each lock needing to be reset. At Ditchford Lock we paused once Oleanna and Red October had risen, the radial gate shut behind us, so that Mick could retrieve what was round the prop, thankfully only a load of weed but removing it eased our journey onwards.

Onwards past the jet ski lake where Fran was just opening up her stern doors on NB Atropos, we’d shared the really hot days with her on the Great Ouse. At the Chester House mooring a new bridge over the river has been installed a second one just visible through the fencing which must lead up to the buildings.

Now in towards Wellingborough embankment. I started to count the swans, 48 in the first batch. Have to say I gave up as we rounded the next bend to see the next group. Ladies were feeding them, one lady backing away throwing bread out across the park, she must have had at least 50 following her!

**Maybe she’s trying to take them home with her**

Upper Wellingborough was the last we shared with Red October as when we arrived at Wollaston Lock the cruiser was waiting with both gates open. Maybe we would be able to fit all three boats in the lock together, but we were a little apprehensive to be tightly packed in with a plastic boat. Our locking partners were on a bit more of a mission than we were, aiming to reach their home mooring up near Northampton today, so we waved them into the lock to share with the cruiser. This of course meant the heavens now opened as the two boats pulled out of the lock, leaving us to reset it and get wet. Todays weather hadn’t been cancelled after all!

Our planned mooring was only a little bit further on Manor Farm FOTRN mooring. We pulled in at the nearest end and let Tilly out. Four hours of shore leave with some tufty grass to run around in and find friends. At first she wasn’t too impressed as the door opened to torrential rain, but she soon got over it and headed off.

A big vat of chilli was put on the stove late afternoon to gently bubble away. A handy three meals in one pan which will come in handy on long days of cruising. We have decided to keep up our rate of cruising, our next appointment may go ahead or be cancelled, but there is also a rendez vous arranged with family, so it’s important to keep going.

7 locks, 10.62 miles, 3 locks on our own, 4 shared, 6 hours cruising, 4 hours shore leave, 543627 swans, 15:37 model delivered, 1 silent boat, 3 meals 1 pan, 1 plan still in operation.

https://goo.gl/maps/Z2PCJU54dQvN8eCP6

Jobs. 2nd September

Peartree Farm FOTRN mooring

Job 1. Encourage the cat to use shore based facilities. Failed!

Job 2. Eat breakfast. Yum.

Job 3. Do a colour call for panto paints. Tick

This takes quite a bit of time, working out which colours are needed, then reducing them to an affordable quantity. I’ll also need to check what there already is at the theatre.

Looking through my old Flints Hire and Supply catalogue I came across an entry for Owatrol. Life changing experience apparently. I tend to use a bit of it in with paint when touching up Oleanna, but never used it on a theatre set. I’m not sure I’m going to get time to repaint the gunnels before going of to panto. Then there’s the grab rail too!

Job 4. Try to spruce up the model box. Partly achieved.

A length of wood was glued to the inside of the proscenium arch, but I’m not sure the glue is suitable for sticking wood to foam cor. We’ll see tomorrow when the tape is removed.

**The extra weight of bay leaves assisting**

Job 5. Tack glue the floor into the model box. Tick.

Small blobs of glue used to hold the floor in position, stop the edges from curling up, so that it looks good. But so that it is also easily removable for when I come to paint the floor. Encouraging the glue to stick required clearing some of the galley work top and using Hemsley and Hemsley along with the River Cottage GF recipe book and the largest jar of bay leaves in the world to weight it down. Thank you Frank.

Job 6. Other small painting jobs. Tick.

Job 7. Sort out when to show the model to everyone else and be included in a budget meeting. Half Tick.

Job 8. Everything else. That can wait for tomorrow.

Boats have come today. Boats have left.

The grass has been cut, edges stimmed.

Fires lit, conversations had.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 arrivals, 1 departure, 1 more woofer, 2 jobs left to do, 1 model so nearly there, 3 days since I last stepped of the boat!

Clinging On In The Wind. 30th August

Oundle Marina to Pear Tree arm FOTRN mooring

Just before 9am a Sainsburys van arrived with a big order for us, a good stock up especially when we had a voucher for triple nectar points to use. Everything was brought in through the side hatch and then stowed away. Good job Mick had gone through the stash of cat food the other day and donated brands and flavours Tilly turns her nose up at to the RSPCA in March. The space is now filled with porridge oats, oat milk and wine.

Time to return the van. I caught a lift into Oundle to have a bit of a look around and see if the Co-op had a few things that Sainsburys didn’t. I don’t know what I’d been expecting but it wasn’t such a large fine town. Georgian buildings with bold chimney stacks limestone everywhere. Plenty of independent shops. A prescription was collected, cat food and ketchup purchased then I headed back to Oleanna.

Ken and Sue had their hoses out so it made sense to fill our tank up too. Mick was given a lift to the bus station in Peterborough by Enterprise, they weren’t keen on bringing him all the way to Oundle. Then we made ready to push off.

Word on the towpath was that the levels above Islip Lock had dropped 18″ overnight. Someone had left the top paddles up on the broken lock. Engineers had been to site and removed the gear box and taken it away for investigation in the mean time a replacement was being sought. EA notices came out confirming what we’d heard, the next update may be midday tomorrow via one of the engineers.

Despite the unknown length of stoppage we decided to push onwards and cover a few locks and miles, but most importantly moor up somewhere Tilly could go out. We pushed back and pulled onto the service mooring just as it was starting to rain!

The diesel tank was filled, £1.45 a litre. We thanked Mark and Jacqui who had been very welcoming and helpful. This is their last week in charge as they are retiring after many many years running Oundle Marina. Then it was time to say goodbye to Ken and Sue, although if Islip Lock reopens soon we’ll be seeing them shortly, or if it is doomed to be a long closure we’ll be returning in a few days as I’ll be needing to get to London for meetings.

Across the pool, right out of the narrow entrance. Soon at Upper Barnwell Lock. Todays locks would all have powered guillotine gates, each of them sat open waiting for an uphill boat to arrive. Lunch was eaten on the go to be able to maximise shore leave for Tilly. It was windy!

We passed one boat NB Orinoco whom we’d shared a lock with on our way downstream. There was space at Wadenhoe. We considered mooring there and going for a pub meal, but instead I prepared a joint of pork, after all we’d just spent quite a bit of money on food.

As we rounded the big curve of the river, in one direction we could see Wadenhoe Church high on the hill, the other direction a triangle of tall trees, Pear Tree Farm mooring. We were quite surprised to find no other boats moored up, it meant we could pick the sunniest spot for our solar panels we pulled into Harpers Brook.

It took quite a bit to moor up as the wind was pushing Oleanna away from the bank constantly. First we tied to trees, then hammered spikes in and pulled Oleanna as close to the bank as possible at one end and then the other. Then Tilly could be let out.

Straight up one of the many trees. This mooring had many things to climb, but very little friendly cover, so Tilly came and went numerous times topping up on Dreamies.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent working, roasting the pork joint and trying to arrange rendez vous whilst we still don’t know how long we’ll be held up by Islip Lock. At around 7pm we were joined by another narrowboat who also pulled up on the sunny side of the triangle.

3 locks, 4.59 miles, 89.3 litres, 1 full water tank, 1 farewell wave, 1 triangle, 1.5 miles of low water, 1 gear box, quite a few boaters with fingers crossed, 1 approval, 800 lights, 1 front cloth, 1 big joint of pork, 2 windy for a stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/phVg3eigL1NzPcPu8

Another Day Another Stoppage. 28th August

Oundle Marina

Ken very kindly gave Mick a lift back to Peterborough today so that he could pick up a hire car, well van. Today would be a trip to Scarborough for a change over of lodgers and an opportunity to add to the compost wheelie bins at the house, three full buckets to deposit. Mick had hunted round for a good deal on a car, it being Bank Holiday weekend meant it wouldn’t be cheap, but luckily he found that the Peterborough branch of Enterprise would be open today, saving us another days hire which we wouldn’t need.

I signed into the Geraghty zoom, changed to Sundays hoping that more people would be able to join, Saturday morning activities popular for both young and old. Subjects covered were good places to go on holiday, awol cats, and watering trees.

Mick soon returned, boat chores, water, yellow water all done. The van was loaded up and after breakfast he was on his way up to Scarborough, leaving Tilly and me to hold the fort.

Being on Oleanna on my own (apart from my feline assistant) meant I could take over pretty much all of the boat. Drawing board set out on the sofa, model box on the table where Mick usually is allowed a few inches, boxes of model bits and paints here there and everywhere. I hoped today would be a productive day.

Boats came and went all day. A cruiser was put in the water. Others arrived to fill with diesel, all the time I kept my head down working, all the time Tilly closed her eyes, a shame the mooring here isn’t cat friendly.

Late afternoon Sue from NB Cleddau popped her head up to the mesh in our hatch and asked if I’d like a cuppa. A break would have been nice, but I was doing my best to make use of the extra space and a day sitting still, that list of notes slowly getting worked through. She did however bring the news that Islip Lock was closed due to a mechanical failure and would be closed until further notice. Islip is closer to us than Irthlingborough Lock which was closed until a couple of days ago. We’ll keep an eye on notices and hope it opens quickly, we’ve places to be!

I worked on into the evening, stopping for a Co-op chicken tikka masala with a homemade gf nan bread. Then I continued for a while longer, my front cloth my main aim of the day and still in need of more work.

In Scarborough, Mick met one of our lodgers, cut the grass (it actually needed cutting!), made up a bed for the night and did some laundry. All the familiar feline neighbours were still about suggesting the human neighbours haven’t moved house yet.

Just as I was packing up for the night emails started to come in from the Director, she has a young family so tends to do work after their bedtime. This did mean I didn’t get to turn the TV on and have a cuddle with Tilly until after 10pm!

0 locks, 1 broken, 0 miles, 1 van, 3 buckets, 3 feline neighbours, 0.75 front cloth done, 10.5 hours work, 1 very bored cat.

Sky, Family, Design, Dishoom, 40th. 8th August

Ely

The alarm was set and we were breakfasted, none boating clothes on and walking to the station by 8:20am. Mick had forgotten to bring with him a mask so did a quick dash into Tescos. Then we were on our way to London for the day.

A tube ride and a short walk brought us to the Walkie Talkie building where we joined the queue to head up to the Sky Garden. After security checks we zipped up to the 35th floor to join Marion, John and most importantly Fran, Mick’s niece who turns 40 tomorrow.

The first section of the viewing gallery really needs a good window wash as dribbles disturb the view across the river. What a view it was! My photos don’t do it justice.

360 degrees of London, all of it.

We paused for a sit down and a young lad was asking his mum what a flower in the garden was, a large yellow lavish affair with bright red stamen. She didn’t know and was suggesting they took a photo and found out later. My app came in handy and we discovered it was a Ginger Lily, the little lad was very pleased.

Next was a recce of Borough Street Market where we met up with Kath another sibling of Mick’s. A sit down whilst we considered what to have for lunch meant we had to have a drink!

The Wheatsheaf came up trumps with one of Mick’s old favourites, Young’s Original. They also had a couple of gluten free beers to choose from.

Fran and I had our eyes on the paella with giant langoustine, although the chap in front managed to get the last one! Mick and Kath had huge salt beef sandwiches, whilst Marion and John had empanadas.

A saunter along the south bank followed as we’d need to work off lunch. Mick pointed out YET again which buildings he used to work in along the river, along with all the pubs that he used to frequent when he was a yuppy!

Across the wibbley Millennium Bridge towards St Pauls to catch the tube out to High Street Kensington and The Design Museum.

A cuppa and a sit down before some headed off to look round the Football: Designing the beautiful game exhibition, Kath headed into Holland Park to people watch whilst Mick and I looked round the rest of the displays.

Bethany Williams is a fashion and textile designer. She reuses waste in her work and involves communities. Several items were made from tents that had been abandoned at festivals, others are overprinted with bright bold designs.

She was one of the three designers who in 2020 founded the EDN (Emergency Designer Network). Using their knowledge of textile manufacturing they created a network that galvanised over 200 UK volunteers who made approximately 12,000 scrubs, 100,000 masks and 4,000 gowns for frontline staff. They created their own pattern for ease of manufacture, had factories cut out the fabric and assembled kits for them to be made up.

The top floor houses an exhibition called Designer Maker User. Here items are displayed to illustrate how important each element of their creation is, whether it be design for a wonderful looking item or a user suggesting an item should be a certain size, each stage is as important as each other. Chairs, Telephones, logos, all sorts of things.

Time for another sit down in another pub The Prince of Wales where we all congregated and refreshed ourselves before crossing the road to eat at Dishoom. Here we were joined by Richard (Fran’s brother), Christine and Paul, leaving only one of Fran’s Aunts missing Anne who is currently with grandchildren in Wales.

**Marion, Paul, Richard, Fran, Christine, John**

Dishoom is a chain of restaurants based on the old Irani Cafes of Bombay. They serve breakfast, chai, lunch and evening meals. Here the restaurant is based in the old Barkers Department store, 1930’s decor surrounded us. For every meal they serve they donate one to a child who would otherwise go hungry. So far they’ve donated 13 million meals.

The menu took a little bit to understand as the dishes don’t tend to be quite the size of your normal Indian restaurant, so you are encouraged to order a couple each. There was a good gluten free menu, from which Mick and I chose a good selection. At the other end of the table a Lamb Biryani with a pastry crust resembled a cow pie.

Paneer Tikka, Chicken Ruby, Bowl of Greens, Steamed rice, a roti for Mick and Kala Chana Salad, all very very tasty. I may have to put the Dishoom cookery book on my Christmas list. Oh and some Indian Chilled Medication of the mango variety.

A very lovely day to celebrate Fran’s 40th birthday, thank you for inviting us.

We made our way back to Kings Cross believing there to be a train every half hour back to Ely. But two disruptions had occurred earlier in the day with overhead power lines so the departure board looked a touch discouraging with cancellations and delayed trains. We toyed with going to Liverpool Street Station for a train which would get us to at least Cambridge, but then the board changed showing a slow train to Cambridge. A later train was still showing as heading through Ely an hour later. We boarded the stopping service and hoped the later train would still run so we could change trains at Cambridge. We were fortunate that our plan worked, arriving back in Ely just gone midnight. Tilly was very pleased to see us even though we’d left her with her magic food bowl.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 3 tubes, 7 miles walked, 3 out of 4 aunts, 1 uncle, 1 nephew, 1 40 year old niece, 1 very lovely day with family, 1 Indian chilled medication.

Bedford River Festival, Day 2. 24th July

Priory Marina

Our sun cream would be working harder today as the sky was blue and the temperature higher than yesterday.

Today we’d explore a bit more, well quite a bit more, but not all of the festival sight. It really is huge! Before arriving we’d imagined the festival to be big, but in our minds big was actually about a fifth the size it actually is.

**That’s what the scaffolding was for**!

We ear marked things we wanted to see during the day, the raft race and the Newfoundland Dog Rescue Team. Then we bimbled round the islands between the upper and lower river.

Plenty to keep old and young busy. How many inflatables?

The bandstand area was by far the coolest place to be.

A craft tent, Psychics.

Anglian Waterways tent where we asked about how to sign up for the stoppage notices via email. This was explained and we were handed over a goody bag with an extra mug so that we wouldn’t fight over one. No-one was manning the Waterways Chaplain part of the stand so we didn’t get chance to say hello to Sallyanne who we’d met in Ely weeks ago.

Then a hunt round for lunch. One stand looked a possible for me, but when I asked if anything was gluten free, they said no! What did they do to their roast potatoes! Thankfully a little further there was a Paella stand with a big sign saying Gluten Free. We took our foil tins to stand and watch the Newfoundland dogs.

With a team of five or six dogs various rescues were displayed to us. Basically the dogs love being in the water, in fact they have webbed paws and an extra joint in their legs which allows them to do breast stroke. They saved the best till last, the dog pulling nine people, a boat and engine back to safety.

Yesterday we’d spotted some chilled medication that wasn’t of the Mr Whippy variety, so we called in for some. The flavours gave away the fact that this wouldn’t be fantastic ice cream but still better than what was on offer elsewhere.

A more comprehensive look around the cars today. A lovely Ford Anglia, more mini’s, a Morris 1000 that must have come from the marina, a Tesla car that did a light and window display to music and Prudence a Triumph Herald!

We then found ourselves a space to watch the raft race heats. On our maps this was meant to take place upstream of Town Bridge, all the teams headed down stream to a muster point. There were to be two heats followed by the final which would be against the flow upstream. But hang on they’d all gone through Town Bridge! The course had been altered an hour earlier and we’d not heard the announcements.

**The pink handbag not really helping them to make headway**

The last raft took it’s time, in the end it had to be towed to the start line, it’s crew really not helping! One with a handbag that was being used to slap the surface of the water. Another lady at the front using her inadequate oar to move water back and forth in front of the raft, maybe this was their steering method, it certainly wasn’t assisting them any down stream!

Most effort had been put in by one team in creating a Truck, if it hadn’t had the annoying airhorn they’d have got top prize from us. But another team stood on top of their raft with a wavy scene between them, at the top was a whale spouting water, very good.

We caught up with Sue and Ken again and made use of their very comfy chairs and another glass of cordial. They had plenty of visitors keeping them busy with tours through Cleddau and I suspect the tally of Monkton Moments and Tudor Rose explanations will have shot up, I’ll have to wait for Sue’s next post to see by how much.

Time to head back to Oleanna. Thank you so much Ken and Sue for your hospitality during the festival and it was lovely to get chance to know you both a touch better. We’ll both be heading the same way this week, so we may even get to share a lock or two.

Back at pontoon C a black cat sat right in the middle. I suspect Tilly and this feline will have had words through the windows over the last few days, we’ve certainly had someone scratching around in one of the troughs of wild strawberries!

At around 8:30pm the music from the festival lowered and then stopped. The end of the festivities for another two years. We’ve enjoyed ourselves and have been impressed at the immense organisation of such a huge event.

Tomorrow it will be time to move on and for me to knuckle down to some serious work. I will endeavour to keep posting every day, but the time to write a post will be much reduced whilst I catch up on Panto.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2nd festival day, 2 paellas, 2 scoops of chilled medication each, 1 handbag, 1 whale, 5 newfies, 2 more loads washing, 1 tank water to top up, 2 boaters ready to move on.

He’ll Drown Soon. 3rd July

One Pound GOBA Mooring

Nine hours!

Brilliant, a Sausage Day, well that’s what She said it would be.

All the doors were opened whilst Tom cooked their morning dingding and I could come and go as I liked, I went for a couple of hours and had a very good time. No photographic evidence of what I got up to so that’s for me and my friends to know. I returned to Tom and She who were just sitting tipperty tapping, I had a snooze then went out again.

This time it was different! Huge big cows filled the outside. Today had just turned from a Sausage Day into a Beef Burger Day!

Cows smell and poo everywhere! They must have had a conversation with She as they wouldn’t let me near the tree that overhangs the river, I could have easily watched them from up there, but no! Instead I hid just out of view.

Tom came out when all the cows had gone, but the cows had taken the sun with them, so it was a touch chilly. We had quite a pleasant time, me doing my thing and Tom listening to cricket in his ears, that must be so uncomfortable.

Meanwhile She did some baking. She says if you click on the photo it will tell you how to make them.

***Shew, go away! It’s my outside today, all day!!!***

We’ve had loads of boats come past us today. Some fast, some slow. Some big, some paddleboards. We’re glad we’d claimed our mooring early on yesterday.

Two inflatable canoes came past, a mother and daughter in one (quite competent and making good progress), the other with father and son (Dad reclined at an odd angle, son doing all the work). A while later when they returned there was a discussion going on about how far it was to get back, He said a mile, She said a fraction of a mile.

The back of the chaps inflatable didn’t seem to be that inflated anymore, he was still lying down, his and his son’s paddling only digging them deeper into the reeds on the otherside of the river from us. The son was obviously miffed at Dad who was excelling himself having a strop that you’d see in a toddler, he’d obviously not wanted to go canoeing in the first place! Discussions were on going about how they’d get back to land, ‘It’s a MILE!’ he said. ‘Well what do you think you’ll do?’ Mum asked. ‘I think we’ll swim’ came the reply. Very soon afterwards the reclined figure slipped into the water in a haruff sulky way.

Eventually the chaps both in the water clung onto the inflatable and trailed behind Mum. Dad kicking to aid movement, Mum shouting ‘Who ever is kicking STOP IT!‘

I said, ‘He’ll drown soon, if she holds his head under for long enough!’ I can hear the arguments in the car going home now.

The day had started off sunny, we’d defrosted food with a barbeque in mind, but had we miscalculated? We decided to battle on creating a wind break with our chairs and pop jumpers on, such a lovely mooring couldn’t be wasted.

As the charcoals turned white hot, the sun returned, the breeze subsided into a wonderful evening. Add into the mix the high pitched tweet of a Kingfisher darting up the river. Wonderful.

Then add another two Kingfishers darting back and forth in front of us, three all at once. Wow!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 sausages, 1 rasher of bacon each, 0 burgers, 432 cows, 64 boats, 7 paddleboarders, 7 canoes, 1 lawnmower, 2 inflatables, 1 deflating, 40 year old sulking dad acting like a 2 year old, 1 Mum wondering why she married him, 9 hours turned into 10.5, 3 Kingfishers, 2 pork steaks, 4 veg kebabs, 11 cheese scones.

Waterbeach 20th June

Clayhithe Bridge

Last night we were treated to a rather good sunset. The trees across the way glowed from the setting sun and the sky looked like dragons had been breathed a huge smoky sigh.

A slow start to the day, yesterday we’d decided to wait another day before heading into Cambridge. I’d hunted around places that we could visit locally. Anglesey Abbey 4 miles away, too far to walk there and back and using public transport would take well over an hour. Another Abbey, Denny, still a 3 mile walk and only open Thursday to Sunday.

Then Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum caught my eye. Sadly only currently open on the first Sunday and Wednesday of every month. Oh well, we’d go and see what we could see in Waterbeach, maybe try to find the airfield.

From Clayhithe Bridge you can walk through Cow Hollow Wood a local nature reserve. We took the path to the Remarkable Reedbed, not very remarkable, but the areas were named by school kids when it was first put together in 2000. It makes a nice walk into the village avoiding the road.

We followed Station Road into the village, now classed as a new town since 2018. Plenty of nice looking smart houses around the place. A triangular village green with a post office, convenience store and a couple of pubs.

A stop to look round St John the Evangelist, dating back to the 12th Century the tower and spire collapsed and were replaced in 1821. It undertook a Victorian restoration in 1871 by JM Fawcett and John Ladds in 1878. The mosaics on the pulpit and behind the alter most probably date from this time.

There was a plaque and book of remembrance for 514 Squadron Bomber Command who were stationed at RAF Waterbeach between 1943 and 45, just how many had given their lives.

We carried on walking through the centre to try to reach the airfield which is quite obvious on Google maps. But today an area of it is now used for NHS staff accommodation. We walked down to the cemetery to see if we could see anything from there, sadly failing. It kind of looks like the airfield is being redeveloped, most probably for housing.

We walked back to the river on Bannold Road crossing the railway line which brought us to Bottisham Lock. A wonderful view upstream to be had from the weir.

Today there was plenty of space on the GOBA mooring, NB Cleddau and the others having moved off this morning. We then followed the flood bank back to Clayhithe, at times having to lift our arms to avoid the masses of nettles.

The list of places to visit in Cambridge is long and could get expensive. I think this evening we will have to pin the tail on the donkey to choose which things we’re going to do and see.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 miles walk, 1 church, 17 hollyhocks, 0 airfield, 2 abbeys 2 far away on foot, 2 far away for the bus, 2 sessions of shore leave, 8 times no, 8 courgette and pea fritters for the first time.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna