20 degrees and not a breath of a breeze

As I mentioned in my previous post, that on Friday (22 Sept) we walked into Reading.  

My MacBook had started to overheat and as it's not yet 12 months old we took it to the Apple store as soon as it opened in the hope that there was a 'genius' there who could help.  It turned out to be a very simple problem.  I hadn't realised that there was already a calculator in the package and installed a free one ages ago.  Apparently this app was going doo-lally all the time using memory and battery power like a ... don't know what! The guy at Apple deleted all traces from the machine, let it run for a while and it was as cool as a cucumber ... magic!

When we got home at about 1:30 there was a calling card on the console with a note to say, 'sorry I missed you, see you next year'.  Not knowing how long ago the message was left George texted the number on the card to say 'sorry we missed you as there's a bottle of red here'.  A message soon came back to say, 'you are a bully'.

Whilst waiting on the deck George took these photos

... it's a Natrix natrix

... in other words a common grass snake about 12" long.

... and yes our visitor retraced the earlier journey and arrived about 3pm and stayed for dinner and that red wine

... can you guess who?

Were you right?

Saturday late morning he winded in one in the sunshine and continued his journey upstream

See you next year Maffi and Molly, happy cruising

We sat on the deck for a while in 20 degrees with not a breath of a breeze wearing jeans and short-sleeved t-shirts watching the world go by on the Thames Path which was busy with happy walkers enjoying the sunshine when we spotted something unusual on the river ...

This is Dhruv Boruah cycling on the Thames from Lechlade (18 Sept) to Big Ben - 160 miles in 6 days

He is raising awareness of plastic.  He's collecting and testing plastic bottles he finds and sharing the information Thames21 and Thames Estuary Partnership.  You can support him by signing his pledge and getting involved.

An early start but longer than expected

7:15 Thursday (21 Sept) and we're on the move from Beale Park

... continuing downstream 

... into the sun as we round the bend towards Whitchurch Lock at Pangbourne where  very large single handed barge had just entered.  I said that I'd see him through and he said ok but that he'd just told a lady coming downstream with a canoe that he would help her to put the canoe back into the water below the lock so all that took longer than expected.

Just as he was bringing in Still Rockin' a boat arrives on the lock landing, it's Penarrow, so I tell George to go as far into the lock as he can and I walked down the side to let him know when to stop and  he put the stern rope on the closest bollard.  There was about 5' of water between him and the gate but he couldn't move to the next bollard along because it was about 10' in front of him.  In the meantime Penarrow was slowly coming into the lock which is not wide enough for the two boats side by side and unfortunately about 10" too short for Penarrow to fit inside properly.  As I walked back to close the gate the owner was not at all pleased that George wouldn't go further in even when I explained the situation. Grumbling under his breath he backed out again.

When I'd closed the gates, walked to the bottom gates and opened the sluices to fill the lock Mr Penarrow came towards me and started to complain. Once again I explained the situation but he was having none of it.  In the end I firmly told him that George, as helmsman of Still Rockin' was in charge and control of his boat and Mr Penarrow was in charge of his and that I was not going to argue the toss any further, what is done is done.  

Off he went muttering once again.  George told him in no uncertain terms as he walked past, not to speak to me like that. That he (George) was in charge of his boat and that if he (Penarrow) had anything to say it should have been to him.  Mr Penarrow returned to the lock landing and we descended the lock.

Mapledurham Lock next and there must be work going on there

George waiting patiently on the lock landing while I set the lock, the previous user had left the bottom (downstream) gates and sluices open so they had to be closed before I could start

... and the water gushes in to fill the lock

By the time the lock was ready and Still Rockin' was entering I could see nb Penarrow approaching and they joined us in the lock. Mrs Penarrow came to take over from me so that I could get onboard saving George having to stop outside the lock to pick me up.  She was fine and she apologised on behalf of her husband, they'd apparently had received some bad news that required them to head home earlier than planned and that he hadn't slept all night putting him into an atrocious mood this morning, but that was not really an excuse for his bad behaviour.  I did offer to stay and close the gates to enable them to get through quicker but she had remembered that I had done them the favour of locking Penarrow down this very lock in early June this year.  I thanked her and hoped that all turned out well.

So of course with all this extra palaver it took longer than expected.

And the work at the lock ... that's on the weirs ... see the safety boat on the left ... good idea!

Brilliant red creeper on on Tilehurst railway embankment

Hundreds of wild fowl round the islands upstream of Reading Marine Services

Approaching Caversham Bridge in Reading and the clouds are closing in.  Hope we can get moored up before the heavens open.

I didn't think it could get any worse on the Tesco moorings

... but it has.

We could see bbq's and people sitting on chairs out on the towpath, definitely not shoppers.

Yesterday (22 Sept) we walked into Reading and did some shopping at Tesco and saw that this was quite a community all seemingly happy in what they're doing much to the detriment of cruising boaters wishing to pull in to shop and move on again.  We also noticed that all the 'mooring' signs were gone!

Two and a bit miles and two locks this morning and it's taken us 3½ hours but at least we've arrived at Sonning at a good mooring before the rain came down.

The day ended with a lovely sunset and a cold night.

A day out ...

A lazy start yesterday (20 Sept), brunch at 11:30 of bacon and egg sandwiches!  It’s set to be a dry warm day so we're

… off for another visit to Basildon Park which is about 30 minutes walk from our mooring at Beale Park

Having coffee in the courtyard when we arrived and then to the house.  We last visited here in March this year (lots more pictures and information if you click the link)

The Reception area where you’re greeted by volunteer guides who inform you of any special events happenings and will take your bags, coats etc into safe custody if you want them to.

They have told us that the house theme is changing from Downton Abbey in early October and will then be Dinner at 8 …

The china, glassware and decorations on the dining  table have already been changed 

… from the ‘Sykes Service’ which dates back to about 1770 and is enamelled with the coat of arms of Francis Sykes before he was created a baronet in 1781, to Lord and Lady Iliffe’s everyday china depicting ivy leaves, probably manufactured by Grainger Worcester in 1833.

‘The curtains have been drawn, the crystal chandeliers are sparkling and the table is set ready for guests to arrive…' 

The two cupboards set either side of the fireplace would have been screened and hold an amusing secret.  In those days it was tradition that the ladies ‘retired’ or ‘withdrew’ after dining and the men would remain for cigars and brandy. It would not have been allowed for the men to leave the room to ‘relieve’ themselves and so inside the bottom cupboard was ...

this, for their convenience!  

Apparently, or so the room guide told us, the wine, port or brandy would have been stored on the shelf above.

The Octagonal Room

The Chinese Screen is on show for the first time in the dressing room of the Bamboo guest bedroom

Since it was our second visit to this lovely house we didn’t spend quite so much time looking at the exhibits but as it was not so busy, did spend quite a lot of the time chatting to the volunteer guides in the various rooms which was most enjoyable.

Lady Illife’s thoughts on Basildon House after WWII

A walk through the still colourful gardens

The David Austin rose beds still held their perfume

… especially this one called ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ 

Far reaching views across the Goring Gap with one of the pair of Alcibaides dogs on the left

Cyclamen shooting up from under the falling leaves as we leave the park and head home

Snug as a bug in a rug!

A fantastic weekend with family

Friday (16th Sept) we had a very slow journey north on the M42, M40 and M6 to stay with George's sister and husband for a long weekend.

 Diane had spent the whole of the day baking nearly 100 cup cakes

 ... The decorating of the cakes took up most of Saturday including lollies for the kids (both big and small) George and I helped hindered by decorating the nine minions and owls which were then delivered to the reception venue.

We had a great fun at the reception, lovely family and friends, delicious food and cakes, lots of dancing, chatter and laughter ... a thoroughly good time was had by all.

All too soon it was well after midnight and the room was cleared and packed into car boots though the father of the groom was having some difficulty with the balloons ...

 Oops ... well that solved that problem!

Sunday was a lazy day for most of us except for sister-in-law Bev who cooked an amazing roast dinner for 11 after which one by one most of us dozed off and on.  Thank you to the bride Anna and groom Matt for inviting us and to Di and Bev for looking after us so well, we had a fantastic weekend and were sorry to have to say cheerio for now.

Monday we had a much better journey south where we rejoined Still Rockin' which we'd moved on Friday morning to Goring lock landing where she was hitched up to the electric whilst we were away...

 After the hire car had been returned to Enterprise in Reading it was time to move on, Still Rockin' was winded and we descended Goring lock and were on our way

 We're only going two and a bit miles downstream

 ... to a favourite meadow at Beale Park

After a busy few days it was time to relax.