25th June '15

We woke late today, probably after the locks yesterday. Another glorious sunny day and we got through all the locks and numerous swing bridges that is canal throws at you ( with alarming regularity) with another couple to share the load.
One lock we arrived at as another boat was about to come up. From where I was with the boat, all I could see was a young lad, about 13ish. Pulling ropes, yelling furiously and achieving little. He spent a lot of the time jumping from the lock onto the roof and back again, so John and the lady from the other boat did the lock for them.
As they came past, there were 2 women on the front and an older man steering, I calked out " just a friendly word of warning, but it's not a good idea to let your lad jump about like that, he could get himself killed". Well you'd have thought I'd insulted them and their ancestors for 7 generations! I got a mouthful of abuse about how she had her eye on him, he was fine, none of my business, keep my nose out of it. So ( because I can't shut up when I probably should) I called that we'd lived on boats for years, and we wouldn't act like that as we knew the dangers. So then I got told that these people who live on boats should maybe move off them and live in the real world. I wished her a happy holiday!
Apparently they'd been out all week, grandad said they couldn't get the hang of it, and the lad had done all the work! Oh well.
John had allocated this as oil change day, and planned to do it at Hilperton, as he knew he could get everything in the chandlers. Could we moor? No, we tried umpteen times but it was so shallow we couldn't get close. We moored here 2 years ago with no trouble. Eventually we pulled in just past a bridge but still couldn't get near the side, but John managed to moor us and secure the ropes, and we've got the gangplank out (again). Have I said that we won't do the K&A again?
Anyway, John has completed his oil change so all is well with our world.
The weather outlook is a bit varied tomorrow, some say rain, some not so much. We've got yo get on yo Bath, but it may be a short stage again if the rain does come as the weekend is set to be better again.