Off to Hawkesbury Junction ...

Elaine here ...

Last night we ended up mooring just a little way past the M6 bridge on the Oxford Canal and, much to Paul's delight, right opposite a train line !!  Despite this we had another excellent night's sleep and managed to 'sleep in' again this morning!  Just a note aside ... since we have given up work and arrived in the UK we have adopted what must be our natural daily 'rhythm' because we are not going to sleep until about 11.30 pm even midnight and waking up ... well, when we wake up !!  In Aus, when - and because - we were working - we would go to bed no later than 9 pm during the week!  We are feeling like naughty schoolkids at the moment - as, all of a sudden we are allowed to stay up late !  Great fun :)

Anyway, talking of sleep, I would like to mention Paul's dream last night - he dreamt he was at his old work, talking to his boss and their accountant (who is coming out from Oz for a narrowboat holiday this year).  Paul mentioned that we went past Rose narrowboats yesterday (where he thought the Accountant would be collecting his hire boat) - when his boss and the Accountant both gave him a strange look and said words to the effect "What are you on about - you were here at work yesterday?"  Poor Paul - he woke up with such a fright this morning - checking out his new surroundings thoroughly - as he thought the whole lot had just been a dream !!  He said it was so real, he was even feeling the walls of the boat this morning, to make sure they were solid !!!

Anyway - Paul took the dogs for a walk this morning along the towpath ... they love all the smells and the freedom - so much so that they are permanently exhausted - which is great to see ...

Morning walkies and 'sniffies'

Sammy kipping after his walk ! (He is upside down !)

Bombo - crashed out - been awake for at least an hour !

We set off and along the way we stopped for water - poor Sammy was beside himself looking at the geese at the back of the boat (yeah - I know 'stern' - you're lucky I didn't say front - keep getting so confused which is which !!) 

Moving on ... we saw Winston Churchill sticking his head out of a boat ...

We also saw an alien spaceship ... !

Martians on the move

We carried on our merry way and reached the Hawkesbury junction 'stop lock' - I must say it actually' did my head in' doing this lock - there is only about 6" difference in water level at the lock - it was really wierd ! Some people at the lock were telling me about the why's and wherefore's of stop locks and still don't really get it !  Something to do with not nicking another canal owner's water or some such ??  How on earth did all that work / was designed???

Paul coming out of the lock ...

After the lock, you have to do a sharp right turn to get onto the Coventry Canal ...

Paul had to practice his best manoeuvring skills ... he did good !!!!

Turning right ...

Coming through ...  

Almost round ...

We carried on and moored up a little way past the junction then went for a walk back up to check it all out ... what a lovely picturesque spot.  We also popped in the Greyhound pub -with the dogs - for an afternoon drink.  We needed to go to a shop to get some milk after our visit, so the barman directed us to the closest place!  As we ventured out onto the road and into civilisation, we felt like little hobbits or something in an alien environment !  We got the milk and scarpered back to our little den - and onto a much needed cuppa !

On the way back we saw this strange sight ... a squashed hedgehog - what on earth would have squashed a hedgehog?  He was very dead --- very wierd !

We also saw this boat with these brilliant back doors ...

I think I've got a Union Jack thing happening !!!
There's a theme here ... the toilet seat, my wellies, now this !

Pic of the Hawkesbury stop lock with no-one about ... very pretty !

When  we got back to the boat and recovered from our venture out into the real world - Paul sorted out some bits and bobs on the boat - he used the commando saw for the first time - and chopped heaps of stuff off of the prop - old bags, rags, ropes !!!  While he was doing that I got my fix of Home and Away - after he got the tele. working !

This evening we went to the Greyhound for dinner - beautiful food - Paul had a Steak and Ale pie and I had fish cakes made with Mackeral, beetroot and blue cheese - with a pear and rocket salad and chips ... sooooo yummy !!  We  - once again - met some brilliant characters !  There was a lovely lady who has just been made redundant and who is planning a big trip to India - Thailand - maybe Bali (after our recommendations !) and then New Zealand.  Then there was the chap and his friends, plus his dog - who was a massive French Mastiff and who lay under our table sleeping the whole time ... I wasn't going to argue with him !



He was laying on my foot all the way through my dinner !
Soooo cute !

Just brilliant !  Apparently there is rain forecast for tomorrow ... we'll see how it looks in the morning and see if we set off !!!