Perfect Harmony

Perfect Harmony
Moored at Huntingdon

Wednesday 21 June 2017

Wednesday 21sy June '17

The longest day and also the hottest June day since 1976. The difference then was that it went on for weeks and by all accounts it's going to rain tonight or tomorrow.

Yesterday I walked back to Benson Lock so that I could  meet one of my ex-students (and friends ) Mahala. It was lovely to see her again and although she only had a half hour lunch break we had a good catch up. She left college 10 years ago and the following day married Steve. I sang a solo at their wedding during the signing of the register so it was quite a special day for me as well. We also went along to their elder son's naming day, so we've kept in touch through the miracle that is Facebook. I know a lot of people don't like it but I can stay connected to so many special people who I wouldn't be able to keep in touch with in the old ways, so I love it.

This morning I went along to the Slimming World meeting at Wallingford. It was the nearest I've been to my usual one at Willington. Unfortunately I'd put on a pound but I now have three weeks to lose three pounds, so I'm going to try really hard. To be honest I'd have thought I'd have melted at least a stone off but apparently it doesn't work like that!


This was looking back towards the moorings - you can't even see it under the trees. John had swept the roof a bit and was moaning about being under trees, but the shade was bliss.


This is the pub that was by the official moorings. You can moor free during the day but they charge £5 a night, it's also in full sun and there's a high climb up to get off the boat so we were much better off where we were.

When we arrived we'd said that we'd go there for a drink on Tuesday evening but then John was too tired, While I was off visiting Mahala he managed to get himself there and have some beer and chips for lunch but said we'd go back last night. He was tired again. So it's a pub I never got into.....not that I'm feeling badly used or anything.......


Once I got back to the boat we headed off downstream. We had to re-do our Thames licence as it had lapsed but now we are all legal again, once we'd got to the first lock. We also had to fill up the water, as we'd had a couple of days of showers etc and I'd done a load of washing as well.

While we were filling up, a boat called Penguin went through, no problem but when we got to Goring, they'd got the last mooring, where we'd been hoping to get in. To add insult to injury they didn't even stay there as now they are moored a bit behind us. Such is life.


Once we were full we had to wait for another boat to go down plus two to come up and as the lock-keeper had gone for lunch John took over and helped them all through! I think he's found his vocation in life, at least it didn't involve standing in the heat turning paddles as they were electric, and he utilised the lock-keepers parasol!


While John was off enjoying himself the star-board lookout gave himself some time off to enjoy the shade!


The old 'ferry' cottage. So beautiful, we decided that if we win the lottery (we don't do it) we'd like to buy it and have the boat moored outside. It would be plenty big enough after the boat, and a tad cooler at the moment.


After everything that John has said about people swimming in the river, tonight the heat got to him and he had a (very quick) dip in himself! It gave him a chance to try out our safety ladder, the first time it's been used, as the bank is vertical here. He got out and had a shower straight away by the way.


We are moored at Beale Park tonight, couldn't be much more different than the last two nights. We're in full sunshine and I checked the bedroom temperature earlier and it was 35 degrees, plenty hot enough I feel. We need to get a pumpout in the next couple of days as we are going into Reading for the weekend. Our friends Jess and Ju are coming up to see us and stay overnight so it will be easier for them to find somewhere to park and I desperately need to do some 'heavy' shopping so am hoping for a lift! The Tesco is the other side of town from the moorings.

Time for me to go and have MY shower I think, but I'll do without the dip in the river first!

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