Wednesday 21st May 2008 - JONATHAN'S BIRTHDAY TODAY (MY SON)

Happy birthday son.  However, he's still not picking up my calls so left a message and got on with my day.  Bounced Bill around the meadow for a while and set off for Lechlade.  Again, fabulous scenery and weather on a VERY windy Thames.  There's even a hairpin bend where you end up going back on yourself just before St John's Lock at Lechlade.  Took Beau right up to the Round House which marks the end of the navigable Upper Thames.  Tied up just below Ha' Penny Bridge next to a massive meadow with lovely short grass for Bill to play in.  Explored Lechlade to find a Christmas Shop (Eh!), at least six pubs an Indian, a Chinese and a fish and chip shop and even a Tattoo parlour!  What more could a hungry, thirsty, masochist want.  Oh yes a bank to pay for it all.  Had a few beers in the Swan and ordered and Indian from next door - the tattoo comes tomorrow.

Thursday 22nd May 2008

Walked Bill up to the town to get the papers and check what time the Tattoo Parlour opens.  Have to come back at 12 o'clock.  Talked to Dan at 12pm regarding the tattoo I want.  Once chosen Dan traced the pattern and then transferred it onto special carbon paper.  This was then transferred to my left shoulder.  Then the pain began at 1pm.  In the chair for FOUR HOURS!! - ouch - finished at 5pm and it looks fantastic.  Back to the boat to let Bill out as he'd been on his own all pm.  He'd been brilliant so took him for a walk and then for a beer in the Swan.

Friday 23rd May 2008

Quietish day with a few long walks with Bill.  Early doors at the Swan and fish and chips on the way home.

Saturday 24th May 2008

Similar day to yesterday but weather has turned miserable, very wet.  Still took Bill for a couple of long walks and a few beers with a chap called Ray who knows Jericho very well.  Good natter, nice guy.

Sunday 25th May 2008

Walked Bill up to town to get the Sundays and spent the rest of the morning reading through them.  Spent the afternoon at the Swan with Ray again and a group of other boaters.

Monday 26th May 2008 - BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY

Wandered up to town again for the papers and walked down to St John's Lock and met a couple on Nb F.U.B.B which I've seen on more than a few occasions so had to ask what F.U.B.B means and of course it's F**cked Up Beyond Belief and we all know that situation.  Spent pm in the Swan with Ray and nattered to the landlady and her sister.

Tuesday 27th May 2008 - MY BIRTHDAY TODAY - YIPPEE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.  Walked Bill up to town for the papers and some supplies.  Finally cast off at 10am in awful weather, and the river has RISEN about a FOOT.  Yikes time to get off the Thames and head back towards Oxford.  As the river is up because of all the rain I want to get as far as I can - travelled 24 miles in 8 hours as the current is very strong now which made steering Beau quite a challenge.  Actually lost it on two bends where the current span me round 360 degrees, quite exciting really, glad there was nothing coming the other way.  Tied up just above Pinkhill Lock by 6pm.  Only another 4 miles and 4 locks to go to get back onto the South Oxford canal.

Wednesday 28th May 2008

Rained ALL night so with little or no sleep I got up at 5.30am to move Beau off the river bank onto the lock moorings for safety.  Rain cleared by 7am so locked down and set off for Swinford and Swinford Bridge, which is the last possible problem before Dukes Cut and the South Oxford canal or so I thought!  However, the last bend before Swinford Bridge caused the biggest problem - a new SANDBAR had formed OUTSIDE of the marker buoy and guess who got stuck aground - yup yours truly.  So what the hell do I do now?  I couldn't shift Beau at all so I called the Environment Agency Emergency Hotline to try and get help.  Would you believe that when I told the very nice Irish lady that I was stuck on the River Thames she asked "where's the River Thames?" - well she was Irish.  However, I did manage to get the number of the Anglo Welsh Boatyard I'd just passed and they came out, for £25, with a tug to get me afloat again.  Thanks lads.  Thankfully relatively uneventful, apart from another 360 spin, all the way back up to Thrupp.  Oh and it poured all the way.

Thursday 29th May 2008

Walked Bill down to Kidlington to the Coop and also found a car parts wholesaler who can get me the belts and oil for my engine.  Beta Marine wanted £35 for the two belts alone whereas I paid that for the two belts AND 10 litres of oil!!!  Back to Beau for breakfast and then moved Beau down onto a seven day mooring.  Don't want to upset that nice moorings officer.  Early doors in the Boat for a few.  Ali, my daughter and Paul,  her boyfriend are coming down to visit for the weekend tomorrow.

Friday 30th May 2008

Walked Bill to the Coop again and picked up the belts and oil.  Later in the afternoon Bill and I found a lovely circular walk past the lift bridge, up to the church bridge, through the church and back down the other side to the pub, well fancy that?  Ali and Paul arrived about 5pm and got them settled in.  Off to the Boat for a few beers and something to eat.  Great evening, good fun.

Saturday 31st May 2008

Took Bill on the new circular walk.  Sadly had to leave him on Beau as we were going into Oxford for a few hours.  Ali drove to the Park and Ride and we got the bus into the town centre.  Ali, Paul and I explored Oxford and I won a lovely (????) silver (?????) bracelet of the Oxfam stall.  Bought lots of lovely stuff for the barbeque planned for this evening including a goat chop!  Had lunch in Yo Sushi, obviously a sushi bar, mmmm scrummy.  Got back to a very excited Bill.  Took him for a walk and a few beers in the Boat.  Fantastic barbeque on a lovely summers evening with great company.

Sunday 11th May 2008

Scrounged another day here in Cropredy as the weather is so fantastic as is the village itself.  Much the same routine as yesterday with a long walk along the towpath with Bill then to the shop for the Sunday papers and a lazy morning reading them.  Off to the Brasenose for 2pm and then on to the Red Lion.  Early dinner and an even lazier evening in front of the TV.

Monday 12th May 2008

Finally dragged myself away from Cropredy aiming for Banbury which isn't that far to go.  Tied up in the town centre and had to leave Bill on the boat to do some shopping in the precinct.  Didn't fancy stopping in the town centre after all so set off for the countryside.  It seems I'm really becoming anti anything to do with big towns, cities and built up areas - much prefer the countryside now and very small villages.  Long, though leisurely, cruise to Aynho Wharf but well worthwhile.  Took Bill over to the Great Western Pub for early doors at 6pm.  Lovely pub looks like excellent food too.

Tuesday 13th May 2008

Decided to stay for the full 48h here and get on with the blog as I can get on the internet here.  Took Bill across to the shop after being down the towpath for about half a mile.  Finally published April's episodes of my blog and retrieved my emails.  Finally polished the starboard side of Beau with baby oil (yes again baby oil really does work) and it looks brill.  Early doors in the Great Western where I met a couple who want to buy a narrowboat so nattered to them for a couple of hours.  Good company.

Wednesday 14th May 2008

Walked Bill down the towpath then over to the shop for the papers.  Weather fine again but very windy.  Had a hell of a job to get off the canal side and moving as we set off for Lower Hayford.  BW lads caused a bit of a hold up at Somerton Lock by bringing up a barge then emptying the lock to bring up the tug, at least 6 boats waiting to go down with one guy beginning to annoy everyone by trying to speed up the process.  Told to go back to his boat and wait.  No probs after that except at Allen's Lock above Upper Hayford where there were SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS at the lock side.  Nothing serious though as it turned out they were 3 instructors and four driving candidates having a break - phew, thought I'd been speeding!!!  Tied up in Lower Hayford after a kind postman crossed the lift bridge and came back to open it for me - thanks matey.  Took Bill along the towpath to the marina and through the village to find the pub, The Bell, and back to the boat.  Beautiful village with narrow windy streets and mellow stone and thatched cottages.  Back to the Bell for early doors where a constant stream of dogs followed with no less than FIVE Border Collies all alike - could have held sheep dog trials.  Good laugh.

Thursday 15th May 2008

Absolutely pouring down with rain but had to take Bill out.  So suitably dressed we walked up to the marina for a paper and some bread.  Got totally soaked anyway so total change for me and a good rub down for Bill - we looked like a couple of drowned rats.  Spent most of the day indoors 'till the rain stopped then took Bill for another walk and to the Bell at 6pm for a couple of pints.

Friday 16th May 2008

Damp day but we're moving on anyway.  Walked down to the shop again and dumped the rubbish.  Left at 9.30am and stopped just below the boatyard to water up, where someone had moored overnight and was taking up half the water point - naughty naughty.  Lovely cruise down to Thrupp through beautiful countryside and many forested lengths of canal.  Dieseled up at Kingsground Narrowboats.  Turned Beau around at the lift bridge turn, Aubury's Lift Bridge, so that I could pump out at the BW point,  another £15 saved - teehee.  Kind spectator opened the lift bridge for me to go through.  Tied up right opposite the Boat Inn, which is where an episode of Morse was filmed - ah fame at last!

Walked Bill down to the other pub here, the Jolly Boatman, and had a quick brace.

Tried the Boat, which by now was open.  Bill welcome in both even treated myself to a steak dinner for a change.

Saturday 17th May 2008

Walked Bill down to the BW point and then all the way into Kidlington which took about an hour.  Lovely little market for veg and an excellent butchers too.  Got back via the Jolly Boatman where I watched the first half of the FA CUP with a bunch of Portsmouth supporters - great laugh.  Back to Beau and unpacked all the shopping.  Walked Bill down to the BW point again and into the Boat early doors with a gong of other boaters I keep meeting off Nb Jake etc.  Nuther good evening.

Sunday 18th May 2008

Quiet day today - long walk with Bill into Kidlington to get the papers then much coffee and reading.  Over to the Boat for 2pm and the company of another gang of bikers (or rather trikers) this time

Seumas and his partner who were great fun to natter with and got some very good book references to try and find.  Already got one, 'The Shadow of the Wind' a very good read.  Again good fun.

Monday 19th May 2008

Why are all moorings officers miserable and rude?  Greeted this morning with a loud banging on the roof at 8am and not with a cheery good morning but ' are you moving today as you had your 48 hours' - well good morning to you too, and yes I'll be moving along today, thank you for asking.  Hope you have a nice day too - pratt!  So of we go heading for Jericho in Oxford.  OK cruise, not the prettiest part of the South Oxford canal.  Also had help with some of the lift bridges from another boat with four people aboard.  At one lift bridge, the last before Jericho, being on my own now did the usual of getting off Beau on the towpath side taking the centre line with me over the bridge and opening it only to find there was no way to hold it open!  Unfortunately, Beau had drifted forwards partly under the open bridge upon which I was sat and couldn't move - HELP!  what now?  Anyway before anyone arrived for some unknown reason Beau drifted backwards from under the bridge so that I could get off and let it down.  Phew!  However, I managed to waylay a couple of cyclists and got them to open the bridge for me to go through - thanks friends and guess where they were from - yup Barrow upon Soar! Spooky.  Took Beau right to the very end of the navigation and reversed back to just above the winding hole at Isis Lock for the night.

Tuesday 20th May 2008

Walked Bill up to Jericho to do some shopping and saw some nutter blowing his horn and walking in circles (not really).  Cor I remember this area from years ago when I was with 3M Vision Care and the Eye Unit was in the Radcliffe Infirmary - looks closed now though.  Dropped down through Isis Lock onto the mighty Thames and set off upstream only to get mugged at the first lock, Godstow Lock, to the tune of £112 by the Environment Agency lock keeper for a 15 day permit to be on the Thames, b*gger!  Fabulous cruise on the now benign Thames, the only problem being mooring sites and where I planned to stop I couldn't get Bill off cos the bank was above the ROOF!!! So I had to carry on all the way to a meadow just up from Shifford Lock where the meadow edge was only two feet high and made an excellent mooring to be able to get Bill off for a much needed pee.  16 miles we've had to travel today but, hey ho, it was beautiful.  Bill had a great time in the long meadow grass bouncing around where you could barely see the tip of his tail.  Miles from nowhere, absolute peace and quiet, apart from the wildlife, fantastic.