A Perfect Day

This was the sort of day that reminds you of why you do narrowboating at all.

A strange bright and shiny round thing rose in a cloudless blue sky, and remained shiny, and the sky remained blue. The countryside was green. The birds sang. Fluffy ducklings cheeped. The locks were easy. We had amiable encounters with other boaters. Help arrived just when needed, eg an extra body to open a heavy top gate, or a hunky Belgian who was able to wind some recalcitrant paddles (under instruction). We made such good time that we were able to stop for lunch – a naughty fry up of bacon and fridge leftovers.

At one point I was thinking, this is too good to be true, and remembered how I’d put a jinx on yesterday by thinking I’d have nothing to write about in the blog. That made me more careful at the lock I was working – I was very tired (from all the locks and the unfamiliar hot weather) – but I made sure to concentrate as I jumped across the gap between the bottom gates (a gap of about 3 feet, that’s all, when one gate is open, but with a long drop below). I didn’t stumble and fall.

Ernest was right (it would be unkind to add ‘as usual’) and we found a mooring down in the Stourport Basin, where there are only two visitor moorings. So that’s one less lock to do tomorrow. And we’re moored right by the useful ‘facilities’.

Dinner was an easy peasy cottage pie made from leftover Borlotti Bean Goulash and leftover mash. While it was cooking, I was able to have a refreshing shower then enjoy a cold G&T sitting in a comfy chair on the bank – not the most picturesque setting, and not the quietest either, what with traffic noise and young people roaring around on motor bikes – but the sun is still shining and we’re going to take an evening stroll in a moment around the basin, to have a look at the other boats and see what the river looks like.