I never get to Banbury when expected

The walls in the lounge are finally dry. Jonathan arrived, the owner of the business, to pick up the driers and test the walls. He tried to force probes into a brick, they wouldn’t go, I wouldn’t expect them to. He tried another, then a third without success. “How about trying between the bricks?” I suggested, the same as the other guys had done. Success. He might own the business, but he didn’t know what he was doing.

“When you issue the certificate of dryness can you send me a copy?” I asked.

“No problem, I can get it emailed to you this afternoon.”

It never arrived. It didn’t arrive the following day. I rang the office.

“Okay, I’ll send it to you again.” I refrained from telling her she couldn’t send it again, until she sent it the first time. It never arrived. Why am I not surprised?

It was hard leaving Thrupp, I was getting to know people and besides, it’s an area I know well and feel at home. Still, that’s the joy of boating, I can return when I’m ready.

First obstacle was a couple of hundred metres along the canal in the shape of a lift bridge. Since my arrival I had acquired a pole about 8ft long, so I moored up, lifted the bridge from the towpath side rather than pulling down on the balancing arms on the opposite side, then wedged the pole in. So much easier than fiddling around stepping off the bow, pulling the boat through, then dragging the stern back. Okay, so I had to moor before and after the bridge, but it was far less hassle. Maffi told he always did the lift bridge that way, so thanks goes to him.

Not set off until early afternoon meant it was late afternoon before I reached Lower Heyford where I ran aground on a bend, well away from the edge. I suspect it was submerged trees roots as the guy on the moored boat beside said I wasn’t the first to have problems. He pulled me off with a rope. Later the chain on my front fender broke. Thankfully it was an easy repair as it really cushions the knock when filling locks going uphill.

The advantage of starting late is that from around five o’clock I had the canal to

myself, wonderful. The disadvantage was that all the mooring spots were full, there was no other choice than to press on. Not a problem, it meant I wouldn't have to go so far to Banbury the following day.

Terry and Brian rang, they were in Oxford. Oops, I had just left! It meant a quick run to Banbury never happened as I decided to wait a day a little further up the canal at Adderbury for them to visit.

Another lift bridge first thing in the morning was well timed, a boat was passing through and waited for me to go through as well, even easier than a pole.

On a straight a narrowboat was heading towards me, clearly distracted by a mobile phone. The closer we got a collision looked inevitable unless he decided to steer the thing. Was I being impatient? How long do I leave it before yelling? He did nothing, he was coming across the canal towards my bow, “OI!” I yelled, he quickly corrected avoiding contact. How can people say talking on a phone is not distracting? If this guy would have had an accident at 3mph in a boat, what chance was there for him in a car?

Right, I’ve got that of my chest. I am turning into a right grumpy old bastard!

Leaving early I knew I would get a mooring near Adderbury at midday, last time I moored there, there were only two of us. I rounded the corner, the place was packed, about ten boats moored. Luckily I took the one remaini

ng place.

Behind me were Paul and Rosemary, names I could remember for a change, the same as my brother and sister in law.

The best bit about stopping longer at Adderbury was stocking up on sausages and duck eggs from the farm shop across the canal. Goose eggs are out of season. Poo!

New born chicks are still roaming the canal in places, what a waste of good eggs!