Odds and Sods and a surprise

Since my post of 1st June (Monday) at Kings Langley ...

 We took a walk between showers to a green area to give Molly a blow-out

 … where we saw these two birds having a bit of a tussle - one is a red kite, not sure about the other though, perhaps a sparrow hawk or harrier - any ideas?

We pulled the pins on Wednesday, winded (turned) Still Rockin’ and headed back to Hemel

 … through Nash Mills Lock where the Laburnum is making a wonderful display

 … and negotiated George’s favourite worst nightmare of a bridge by Apsley Marina.

I attended my consultant appointment at Hemel hospital and he was so pleased with the progress on my hand that I don’t need to see him again but to continue with the hand therapy as required.

The centre of Hemel is coming along very nicely, it will be lovely for families to be entertained whilst Mum or Dad is shopping and there is plenty of seating areas to sit and people watch.

That afternoon we were on the move again and I’m sure you’ve guessed the plan …

… through Winkwell where amongst other information this notice board tells the story of Lock Keeper Joseph Buck who in 1898 drowned in his own lock.  It suggests that as it happened on Christmas day and because he lived next-door-but-one from the Three Horseshoes public house and it would have been a dark walk home that night!

 … to the lovely moorings opposite Pix’s Farm at Bourne End

… where we were able to have a bbq on the wide towpath (too smokey to be at the stern today hence George has his back to me!)

We walked into Berkhamstead to collect post including a package from my sister containing this beautifully knitted cover for the anchor which sits in the front conservatory cratch (the cover stops the metal of the anchor from discolouring the plastic window).  It certainly brightens up the bow of Still Rockin’ and I love it!  Thanks Sandra!

On Friday 5th June I was having great trouble loading the blog post of the first anniversary of the launch and living on Still Rockin’ and we later found out that 3 was doing some maintenance on the local mast and this would not be complete for another five days.  I couldn’t wait that long without posting a blog so we decided it was time to move.

So we were up at 5am on Sunday to a chilly sunrise, only 0.3 degrees, so we wrapped up warm and set off up two locks, which we left open, to wind (turn) and back down again.  Our planned destination was back to Hemel but as we arrived at The Three Horseshoes in Winkwell at 9am we decided to pull over and have lunch in the sunshine - it was lovely, especially because no cooking and washing up was required by us!


We were glad that we did because the next boat through the swing bridge was unable to close it and it took some time for C&RT to attend and fix it.

And low and behold just after we’d returned to the boat after lunch it broke down again. The pub manager wasn’t happy and neither were the pedestrians who’d parked in the pub carpark, gone for a walk and were unable to get back to their cars.




We were relaxing after our Sunday lunch when there was a knock on the boat side and this diminutive lady with a strange accent was telling George that she followed our blog.  It was of course Marilyn from Waka Huia who a short time later came onboard with hubby David for drinks and a look around their first wide beam boat ... I think they liked it.

Lots of stories and laughter ensued … I think this was when Marilyn was telling us that she doesn’t ‘do’ locks as she’s always on the stern in charge of the ‘big dick’ whilst David, well …. I’ll just leave it there!  It was brilliant to meet up with them both and I’m sure they will become good friends in future.