WHAT A DIFFERENCE A WEEK MAKES...

Last week our visitors were greeted by 50mph winds and horizontal rain today the weather has been really pleasant. 

Yesterday Jess text me to let me know there was a lunar event due. The full moon was due and it was going to be at its closest to the earth until next year and appear about 14% bigger. A quick check of my app showed that the moon was actually full at about 03.50. I checked the weather and although cold it was due to clear up by 03.00. Alarm set I had a sleepless couple of hours waiting for the alarm, I didn't need it I was wide awake. Camera and binos ready I snuck out the bough doors to start my stargazing in earnest. I was met with a really eerie silence and a lot of cloud. It was still very strangely bright, enough to read the names of other boats across the canal. Not a ripple on the canal and not a breath of wind or tweet of a night bird. Worth getting up for but sadly no pictures of full moons over the canal.

Bumped in to walkie man this morning, he was walking with his dog to the bottom lock in Braunston, he has already been to the village once today (about a four mile round trip each time!) He is going to meet up with an old friend who has a working boat, walkie man will accompany his friend towards the west (he doesn't quite know where or care either). He has had an early lunch today him and the dog sharing a leg of roast lamb (lucky bug...s) and he is ready for the next part of his journey. His boat has had its thorough clean out, dogs bed aired (not a happy dog now) and three loads of washing done.

Thought I would catch him out yesterday. We were up and about early but It does take a little while to get the boat all up and running. He said he was moored a little further up (away from the village) than us so we decided as the weather was good that we would go out his direction so he could see that we are not permanently attached to LJ. As we strolled quietly past, all was quiet (got him - he is probably still in bed as it's only just gone 8)

A short while later he walked past towards us in the direction of the village. "going up for your paper?" I asked "oh no" he said got that when I went up this morning 'bout 7ish, ...hour or so after I got back from taking the dog for a walk" - Give up!

There doesn't seem to be a farewell or goodbye here just "see you next time"

We are off to the chandlers to buy some batteries now, there is no way round it they are not even lasting half a day at the moment. And then from Braunston towards Rugby. But first a cheese and pickle sarnie sat in the sun watching the gongoozalers (tourists up here - grockles where I come from)

More on the trip tomorrow if I get a mo from fitting batteries (square pegs round holes!)