Humans (and dogs) are adaptable beings. We’ve slotted comfortably back into our usual move-moor routine after the winter mooring and winter stoppage delays.
The weather has been glorious, which has made boatlife and the usual chores that go with it, a delight. Cleaning windows in the sun is a pleasure. Watching the sunlight stream through clean panes makes one nothing less than smug. Washing can hang straight out and dry on the line in just an hour or so. Locks are easier when walk boards are dry and the sun delivers a vital top-up of Vitamin D during any waits for lock filling or emptying.
It seems a long time since a hugely sociable trading day last Saturday at Foxton Locks where clothes pegs were the essential order of the day, stopping crafts from vanishing in the blowy conditions. The only thing I lost was the “Cash or Card” sign which was easily fished out and soon dried off!
There were fascinating people to talk to; boaters from Yorkshire and Northamptonshire; customers from Turkey, Poland, Japan, and Leicester; and the very welcome visit of a friend bearing chocolate biscuits. Trading was surprisingly brisk, and so part of this week has been making more to restock Moving Crafts.
We indulged ourselves on Sunday with a trip to moor just past the Welford Arm junction, and a chance to take a long country walk into Northamptonshire alongside sprouting fields of wheat, through villages with honey coloured ironstone cottages topped with thatch, via a shop for essential provisions and a pub for essential refuelling, and all under a brilliant blue sky.
From there, we made it to Crick, home of the Crick Boat Show in May, and we’re delighted to discover the village book exchange in a phone box still going strong. We also found a new-to-us cafe with utterly awesome breakfasts. Pickle and Pie at 23 is definitely an address to remember!
Over the years we’ve passed Cracks Hill, a domed mound created during the past ice age. Those remembering GCSE geography might recall moraines formed from the debris of a retreating glacier. The Romans are later believed to have used the hill as a sentry point, and it certainly gives a great view.
On the way back, I spotted the first tiny ducklings I’ve seen this year. A welcome reminder of Spring, and as we’ve passed the Equinox I’ve taken time to begin sowing the veg roof garden. Spinach (don’t tell the Skipper – it’ll be smuggled into dishes), coriander, cornflowers, calendula, and salad leaves outside with basil and chillies inside. Flower seeds courtesy of the amazing Higgledy Garden – if you don’t know them there’s still plenty of time to find them and order your seeds for a stunning show. I planted some of their sweet peas in the tins that used to hold all our cutlery in the old kitchen, and tucked them up in a recycled plastic bag I found. I’m delighted to say they are sprouting with alacrity and will provide some of the spillers’ colour for the roof garden in time. The garden relies for spillers, thrillers and fillers – everything that can spill over is preferred as we ruefully remember the first year of continuous cruising when we grew things that actually prevented safe navigation – we couldn’t see over the plants and in some cases ended up having to take certain items ( like potatoes) off the roof into the cratch when we cruised, for safety!
Tumbling tomatoes, strawberries, nasturtiums, and of course trailing plants are welcome. Low growing veg and flowers are great too, and this year I’m searching for a suitable tyre to recycle into a courgette planter.
The Skipper has begun the annual repainting task with a start on the roof (that roof I’m hellbent on covering in plants!). Sanding off and treating rust spots, applying primer, and then a top coat. The roof is grey, and going through Watford Locks proved a great opportunity to admire the new paintwork.
The dog was particularly pleased to leave Crick, although we’ve no idea why, but she was a nervous wreck while we were there, hiding in corners and unhappy to jump onto the boat. Was it the bright night lights from the marina? The distant noise of the road? Some strange smell we couldn’t scent? No idea.
We had forgotten how wet Crick Tunnel is – does it take the wettest tunnel on the network prize? But the dog was unfazed – just delighted to be leaving Crick appeared. We moored up again by Welton Hythe and she was instantly back to her usual happy self, contentedly sitting with us as we worked, enthusiastically walking miles in the evenings and sunning herself with glee. By the time we turned off the Leicester Line onto the Grand Union, her Crick terrors were long gone.
More painting, prep for a possible stall on Saturday near Whilton Marina, a bit of work, and a chance to talk with CRT about volunteering en route as well as completing more training for new roles, has kept us busy.
The seven locks of the Buckby Lock Flight were done in the company of nb One Day. There was a crew of 4 on board their boat so with me setting ahead we came down without a hitch, crossing with nb Poshratz and her butty being ably steered by a small, capable and confident Skipper. It’s great to see youngsters, from who’ve been brought up on the waterways to those being newly introduced, enjoying them. They are the key to the flourishing future we all want to see. On that note, part of the Fund Britain’s Waterways flotilla passed us at Whilton, heading for Little Venice raising the profile of the vital campaign to keep investment in our waterways to maintain them for their value in terms of economic, environmental and social well-being.
Every day back moving as continuous cruisers after a winter mooring pause makes us grateful for the waterways, that we’ve made this floating life work for us, that we live and work as we move, and of course we are now working in the glorious surroundings of our awesome kitchen crafted by Ben from Holm Oak Trading.
Pickingupducks 