Losing track of time

I  seem to be losing all track of time. I haven't been able to wear a watch recently due to an allergy flair up and, anyway, the battery has gone flat. Then last night I asked G to record a movie for me, but it wasn't on because I'd been looking in last week's TV guide. Then I arranged to meet my cousins for the day next Monday but we both had a different date - I was looking at the calendar for January 2015. Talking of meeting the cousins, we need somewhere for lunch - has anyone tried The Black Horse in Foxton? Last time we were through here it had been taken over and was closed for refurb.

Awoke to a hard frost yesterday - very beautiful with mist hanging in the valley as it dropped away from the canal

 and from our side hatch this fabulous reflected tangle of tree limbs

I walked the dogs to the top of Foxton Locks and left G watering whilst I went in search of the Lockie - I checked the office and walked down to the bottom of the flight and checked the shop. No sign of him anywhere and the boys were getting very bored

G eventually tracked him down in the museum and we quickly made our way down exchanging a lot of banter with the Lockie and the inevitable gaggle of gongoozlers

It doesn't matter how many times you do this flight you never tire of the views. On a day like today they are sublime

Down the flight and hang a right through the swing bridge (no key needed to operate it now) onto the Market Harborough Arm. Although it was lunchtime we left Bridge 61 un visited as it was a 'fast' day

I felt very virtuous as a pint after a lock flight always goes down well - on reflection, a pint always goes down well even if there is no flight

The swing bridge at Foxton village was a nightmare - I tried to operate it and gave up, taking the tiller and letting G have a go. He couldn't work it either. Then some guys who were doing clearance work turned up and operated it; evidently you have to line things up manually before the electric bit makes contact. It was quite difficult picking G and the boys up the other side as I couldn't put my nose to the bank without sticking MR's bum in the overgrown trees and bushes - not good for the paintwork or my head

This space hopper had been strategically hung to warn of a very thick and low level branch

Gorgeous - not another moving boat seen all day, nor yesterday

Guess which idiot left the bird-feeding gear on the wrong side

Although I put the feeders up at 2 o'clock, the only bird seen was a Moorhen who rather liked the seed and grain I put out on the log. Probably because Daisy was out all afternoon (although she leaves the birds alone), it took her less than 5 mins to catch her first mouse

10 locks and 4 miles today - nicely positioned to meet up with Yarwood tomorrow in Market Harborough