And it's the grandsons

We've now arrived in Loughborough; Olek is reading, I am blogging and David and Karol are involved in a blood match of Connect4 - the score when they started today was 7-7, and it is now 9-7 to Karol, as the condition they set the other day was that there needed to be a gap of at least 2 in the final score. However, they are still playing and are now working on the first to 15...

Marta brought the boys down to the bottom of Foxton Locks on Wednesday evening last week, and the three of them stayed wi (A break in creative writing - score is now 10-7) th us until Friday when Tim collected them all, dropped Marta at her car and then he took the boys back to Manchester for the weekend. We had moved on to Kilby Bridge with Marta and the boys, with Marta doing almost all of the steering except when we were locking, when she and the boys were expertly on lock duty.

First morning's breakfast - pikelets, of course!

Marta steering very competently from Foxton all the way through Saddington Tunnel.

Boy, does she look cold in the tunnel!

Still looking cold ...

On our way towards there the previous day, we decided to visit to the Toast Office at Fleckney however that meant we had to move the boat Yavas Yavas and add a pin and another rope to make them secure, so that we could squidge in to the only-just-big-enough space.

And there we all are!

Hot chocolates with multiple marshmallows on top!

Full to overflowing

David's drink - some kind of milkshake smoothie thing. Healthy of course, up to and including the whipped cream from a can on top!

On our return to the boat (after yummy food at Toast Office) we waited for Mick and Julia to come along - they'd had a problem with their gas line that morning on their way from Market Harborough and had to replace the pigtails at Debdale Marina (I tooted loudly as we went past so they would know it was us, as our horn is rather distinctive .... Apparently they did remark in the Debdale office that that would be Team NZ.) As we waited for them we heard them coming from out of the Saddington Tunnel, so it was all hands on deck to get untied and ready to move.

Karol shares the load these days.

I think that is Olek walking across the lock after closing it. He is chief windlass hand this trip - David just helps with closing the gate afterwards if need be - some of them are very, very heavy.

Chris and Willie brought this wine with them and I want to find more - it is yummy. Very oaky, just the way I like it!

We didn't travel far - we moored up later that afternoon quite close to the railway line by Newton Harcourt. (Connect4 score: 10-8; oops, while I was editing it became 10-9.) Nibbles and drinks on the wide towpath with lots of dog visits. (Score 10-10 - Grandad is fighting back and Karol isn't happy. 8 years olds are VERY competitive!)

And then on to Kilby Bridge for the family pick up ...

After Tim had collected Marta and the kids, the four oldies went into Wigston on the bus. While the direct route is 2kms, I am sure the bus did about 10kms. David and I did a shop at Aldi and then walked back - probably as fast as the bus trip would have been. That evening after dinner and a bit of marital discord, I repaired to Mick and Julia's boat complete with a full bottle of chardonnay. Then I talked loudly about divorce and 5 minutes later sent Julia over to fetch the husband. A very raucous and funny night followed. You can tell by the out of focus nature of this photo that I was the worse for wear, and you can tell by the posture of the subjects that they weren't crash hot either. Mick was stunned that I thought Level 1 was too loud for the music he had on when I arrived, but that I rapidly moved it up to level 23 when I found something I liked - Cat Stevens, Dire Straits, ...

We had planned an early start from Kilby Bridge and David and I were ready to move over to get water at 6.30am; however by the time Mick and Julia had watered up too it was about 8am. The guy in Koha Aroha (not an NZer but he bought it off one) 'let' Mick move to get water first so we were at least first into the locks. (Score 11-10).

Vapour trails and power lines in the early(ish) sky

We stopped at Spinney Lock (I think) to collect Steve and Zoe - Steve took over Mick's slating/roofing business when he retired - for a day's outing. We moved on through some quite low water between about 3 locks (same ones that had the problems last year on our return to Debdale) and we both got grounded at least once. Strategically placing the human ballast got us off unscathed and without embarrassment - not sure why I feel embarrassed about getting grounded - if it can happen to a person of Mick's experience, then I cannot possibly be immune!

The level is a good 8 - 12 inches down

In Leicester, we managed to moor up in Castle Gardens with a combination of Mick's thinking and my cheek/project management - there was enough room (almost) for one of us, but not quite. Mick asked me if there'd be enough room if the guy on the end in nb Yarra moved forward. Yes, I said and trotted off down the towpath side to call out to ask him if he'd mind moving forward. No worries he said, and did. We came in, with me on the inside and Mick and Julia breasted up beside us. Our bows were well over the end of the pontoon, but we were securely tied on - to the pontoon, the ring on the wall, each other ...

David and I had an afternoon nap while Mick, Julia, Steve and Zoe went out for a pint or so, then they came back to get us for going out to dinner. We went to Jamal Indian Restaurant across the bridge (Score 14-10) which was very lovely - we'd go again anytime. And best of all, Mick and Julia paid. And second best - it was a BYOA, which certainly keeps the cost down.

As it turned out, it was a very good thing that David (originally from Lancashire) and Georgina (from South Melbourne) on nb Yarra moved forward for us - later that evening they could not make their CRT key work on the gate lock and Mick and Julia rescued them by letting them in...

Final score 15-10 to Karol - he's the champion!

The next day we moved on to Birstal for Julia's birthday dinner on board Waka Huia. The main was asparagus in butter and lemon, with salmon marinated in sweet chilli sauce, soy and lemon juice; plus coriander, kumara, orange and walnut salad; potato salad. Dessert was orange syrup cakes with freshly picked blackberries and whipped cream.

Alison and Simon Holst Orange Syrup Cakes - look it up - yummy and simple. There are freshly picked blackberries (from by the river at Birstal), and it was all served with whipped cream.

 Tim dropped the boys off early on Monday morning. So early that they went straight to bed and slept till 9.30 ...

Olek, steering from Birstal, like a champion!

Concentrating and doing a really good job. He only got me to take over when we came to kayakers hiding in the bushes or crossing in front of us!

I think this was as we left Birstal, but cannot be sure. Karol likes his pole position. I am impressed that he just appears in the morning with his life jacket on - no argument, no discussion, just suited up ready to go. Lovely kid!

A short trip yesterday to Wanlip, next to the water park. David took the kids out to run and play and then for a lemonade at the pub (so they could play on the playground equipment). Burgers for dinner (cooked by Grammy but purchased from the Braunston Butchers) and off again early this morning to get water at the Hope and Anchor pub and then we moved on to Loughborough.

Karol and I walked over to Aldi this afternoon - he towed that trolley all the way back (about 500m at least) and it weighed about 30kg. Kept saying 'I can't give up now, not far to go...' while I carried two bags - not quite so heavy but awkward. Of course, the trolley did have chocolate in it ...

And we are staying here for a couple of days, with a trip on a steam train tomorrow from Loughborough Railway Museum ...