Geoff’s new toy Meg-A-Star

Time seems to go so fast, we have been in the Uk for nearly a week. Geoff left on Thursday 19th April, and stayed with Mark, Paula and the girls, he also got to explore Mark’s factory Hendrickson’s, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

The survey on Meg-A-Star (Meg) was being done on Friday and he wanted to watch the surveyor (Ian) look over the new toy, and explain what everything did, by lunchtime she was given a clean bill of health, so we can now pay and get on with living on her.

Saturday I flew to Gatwick, where I was greeted by a grumpy old man! Apparently there was a hold up on M25 which made him late, but it didn’t take long for him to cheer up, and we drove to our favourite place to have bacon baguettes, and a flying visit to Petersfield to collect some jewellery, then onto to Dave and Jane’s where we were expected for dinner.

Sunday, back to Nether Heyford, to unpack our suitcases, fill

the wardrobes, find out what we need on board, a home at-last, maybe not in Spain, but I am fed up with living out of suitcases, it’s five months now, and I have had enough! Back to Essex, where we had a lovely dinner, with lots of naughties, diet starts Monday.

Monday, we woke early, last minute packing and we were away by 9.30am, Geoff went to the bank, whilst I did the shopping, we had to buy everything, from coat hangers to everything you need to cater, exciting, but expensive! Geoff then had to take car back to hire company, taxi, three trains, back by 6.30pm, where we sat down and had our first meal on board, and slept in our 4′ bed, amazingly very well.

Tuesday, we were going to leave, but it rained and rained, what a miserable day, I forgot, we are back in England, still, gave us chance to explore the boat.

Wednesday, the sun is shining, so we are off, we have to be back by next Monday, to have some jobs done, so we are

pottering to Northampton and back. I forgot the last time we did this trip, we had Mark, Paula and the girls helping to do the seventeen locks, no such luck today, we were on our own. When we were on the tenth lock the heavens opened, and we got soaked, sadly we couldn’t just stop, no stopping places, the joys of owning a narrow boat! The weather at one point was really bad with hail stones, and high winds, reminded me of my sailing days! We eventually found a stopping place, secured for the night, the central heating had come on, we had two hot showers, dinner, and a couple of ibuprofen, no booze on board, but we were both smiling, we must be mad.

Thursday, a bright but chilly day, so we set off again, towards Northampton, only four locks today, which is just as well, as we are a bit stiff, from our antics yesterday, breakfast consisted of cereals and ibuprofen, as we reached the last lock, we were warned that there was a supermarket trolley in the lock, and yes we found it, resting on the bottom, at one point we were stuck, but Geoff gave Meg a blast and we were free, why do people do these things, probably kids I guess. We moored up besides Morrison’s and did more shopping, I had forgotten the salt and pepper, fully stocked, back to Meg, and into the lock with the trolley in again, easier this time, as we had lots of water, but it could have caused some damage. Found a nice place to moor up, then walked to B&Q and

Curry’s for mats and a hoover, back to boat, for dinner and game of cards.