Braunston sojourn for socialites

On texting and then consulting the Memory Map some time after we left Blisworth, I discovered that the lovely Dale was moored up near Bugbrooke, so decided to stop and see him. Of course, I didn't inform Neill and Neil that I wanted to make scones until we were about one bridge away. So I thought it would be a scone-less gathering. Wrong! Dale had told his friend Jenny that I make the best cheese scones and that they would be a treat.

So after we had been given this guilt-inducing news, Little Neill and I set to and made some pronto. I did try to inveigle Liz and Barry to stop and join us but they decided to plough on - and guess what: no scones were left on our boat when we said goodbye to Dale. There were two left on Dale's boat though ...

It was great to see Dale again - since he had to close down his business, David and I had been worrying about him. However, he was looking 10 years younger, having sloughed off all the worry. He told me he had had 6 job offers as soon as people knew he was finishing up - such is the skill and work ethic of the man. He is now working at the marine engineers at Gayton - right next door to the CRT services block. So if you need anything done, then you will find him there with Steve.

So then, replete with scones, we made our way to the Buckby flight. Big Neil was on steering as we approached, and somewhere along the way, we passed Lizzie and Barry. I think they had stopped for lunch - we didn't need lunch as we'd had scones ...

A shout out for Big Neil - his steering is impeccable - great skills in coming alongside the towpath in parallel to it, as well as negotiating tricky situations with other boats in bridgeholes and passing moored boats with almost no space. Not to take anything away from him, but I do think that being 6'4" helps ...

You can see by the trees how tall Big Neill is!

David got the bike out for the Buckby flight, and Lizzie and I breasted up all the way. We tied up together before we got to the first lock, I think. Then some guy watching said something insulting about women drivers - do men not read the stats about motor vehicle accidents, fatalities, insurance claims?

David and Barry, along with N&N were super efficient and we scooted up quick as a snail's wink. At the top, we untied and Lizzie went on (while we stopped for water and I had a shower - leaving Little Neill to get us out of the lock and on to the water point ...). Lizzie's task was to find suitable mooring for both boats. But as we were late, very late by our practice and still boating at about 6pm, IIRC, all the moorings near Bridge 9 were taken, and she (and then David) walked on to check other suitable places.

Lizzie took their boat hook (long) and had a long walk, while David had a shorter walk with our short boat hook. From after Bridge 9 the concrete filled sacks and the sloping rocks below them meant it was too shallow to moor, and because Barry's phone was down at the bow of their boat, and Lizzie wasn't getting any response from him, the phone communication was between her and me. In the end, I told her that Memory Map shows there is good mooring down at Bridge 6, before the tunnel. And YAY, two lovely spaces for us. David was getting stressed as he walked, following in Lizzie's footsteps, so once she and I had decided on pre-Bridge 6 as the mooring spot to be aimed for, I yelled to him "Get on the boat, David!!" He did, but reluctantly, and then he stayed down in the boat till he had recovered his equilibrium ...

G&Ts were required after such a busy and long day, and they were much more than doubles - probably at least triples ... I somehow think that I was the discrepant event and drank chardonnay.

Little Neill, Big Neill, me drinking chardonnay, Barry and David. Enzo, the wuss, being cuddled, Kai on a lead that meant she couldn't get too close to the food ...

I think Lizzie and David must have been playing musical chairs while the rest of us stayed put.

And now Kai's turn for a cuddle

When we were all fairly sozzled, I suggested to Lizzie that she and Barry bring their intended dinner over to ours and add it to the food on offer here - so over they came with their vege curry, and I added the leftover nasi goreng to our dinner: braised pork strips in a bbq sauce mix (home made of course), mashed potatoes, carrots, peas, and probably the broccoli that I cannot find in the fridge now ...

Lizzie complained of a hangover the next day ...

In the morning, Neil steered expertly through the tunnel - and it's one of the few times I have sat inside. So cool! I need more visitors who will do the tunnels for me! Little Neill and I looked after the dogs - Kai was chilled and Enzo 'needed' a cuddle ...

Down through the first four locks we went, Lizzie and I breasted up again. Because we had Wendi coming for dinner, and wanted a nice place to be, we all moored below the Admiral Nelson. Of course, Big Neil had been complaining that I never stopped near a pub, so we trundled off to the Admiral Nelson for chips and a pint for lunch - paid for by N&N - what lovely chaps! Chips weren't bad either!

Throughout that day, Neill and I had made crabapple and elderberry jelly - first thing in the morning, I chopped the apples and put them and the elderberries on to boil; we found a thin teatowel that could be volunteered into service as the muslin bag once all the fruit was suitably mushy. Then it was tied up and hung from the plate rack over the bowl to strain. I had to borrow a cup of sugar from Barry and Lizzie as we didn't have enough, so that qualified them for one of the three jars that resulted after Neill boiled the sugar and juice together with a few sprigs of mint. The pectin in the apples meant it set very easily.

Now isn't that beautifully clear and colourful? And it tastes great too.

I think I need to find more of both fruits and make some more - there are plenty of jars in the cupboard as I find myself unable to throw them out!