Thursday 27 February 2014

Collecting the problems

Sorry, I meant we collected No Problem's crew on Friday morning from Hillmorton Locks and loaded them all up to take back to MR for a long weekend. Via, of course, the Nether Heford butcher and the Bugbrooke pet shop.

Sue auditions for the open mic night later on on Friday evening whilst Vic 'turns' the music
 Not one of us remembered to take a proper camera to the gig - so this pic is all I have (probably just as well) and G did a great job with the band until the early hours of the morning.
 When we, eventually, returned to MR G broke the fire glass so we had no overnight heat and the airbed covering Sue and Vics bed collapsed during the night, so they kept rolling into the middle (likely story, but I'll believe them). Neither incident drove them ou put them off so we replaced the glass, re-lit the fire and fixed their bed!
When we arrived at Stoke Bruerne we moored on the '2 day' mooring by the tunnel and I met the warden who told us not to worry about moving until Monday as there was no-one else about. On Saturday morning, a different warden with a snotty attitude and letter chucked a, "you've got to move tomorrow" message into our bacon and eggs. Charming!
So Sunday morning we moved down 2 locks onto the 2 day/7 day (14 in winter) to find all the available mooring taken up by fisherman having a match

You can imagine how delighted to see 66 foot of MR arriving can't you?
 Fortunately the boat behind moved back and we sort of stuffed ourselves in - quite tricky in the strong wind. So we continued with the Sunday dinner after a pint. 
Well done Graham - excellent as always
Baxter managed to grab 'his' chair back when Sue lent forward to stroke Penny. I have to say all four dogs and the cat behaved impeccably - shame about the 4 adults
 So in the summer you have 3 moorings for 7 days below the first two locks and the bulk are 2 day as per above the top lock
 Below all 7 locks ALL YEAR round you have 2 day and then way down even further where this boat is it is 14 days. Not surprising that Stoke Bruerne is empty and the businesses are complaining -whilst boaters themselves might not contribute hugely; it is their presence that (used to) bring in the gongoozlers
We had a brilliant time and, as always in their company, spent most of the week-end in fits of giggles. 

9 comments:

  1. Oh dear... there are tears in my eyes after reading that... LOL

    I'm in total awe at you hosting Ike & Tina Turner and how lucky were you to hear them sing "Help Me Make It (Through The Night)". Oh dear is that what made the air bed deflate... LOL

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    1. Could have been - either that, or Baxter punctured it with a claw as the snoring was keeping him awake.

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    2. Oi You! :D

      HE kept rolling on me and pinning me to the bulkhead! I didn't have my puncture repair kit with me!

      Mind it did make a change from our 5ft wide bed on NP, a different errrrrr sort of sleep! :-D

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    3. Who was rolling on you and pinning you to the bulkhead; Baxter or Vic? If it was Vic you'd better cut down on his Sanotogen!

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  2. What a confusing array of mooring restrictions! I hope you don't have similar issues in France - imagine having to translate all that!

    Best wishes
    Alistair

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    1. Oh Alistair don't even think about it, although the French encourage the business, often providing free electric.
      In essence, April to Sept there are only 3 mooring slots that are longer than 2 days in Stoke Bruerne.

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    2. Alistair,

      The new mooring zones are very complicated. When I was with Matilda Rose I could hardly understand them myself at Stoke Breurne. It is a crazy system they have on trial.

      I say 'on trial' but maybe not because they have spent a lot of money on huge new signs maybe 4ft high by 3ft wide trying to explain it all at the beginning and ends of the zone.

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  3. We had the most wonderful weekend my voice is only just returning to normal.. Not because of singing but laughing!

    Thank you so much you two, will never be forgotten.. I mean that! xx

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    1. Couldn't have had such easy boat guests.
      That last sentence sounded a bit like a eulogy - do you know something we don't? Anyway, you don't get rid of us that easily xxx

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