Milton Keynes

Brian and Jane set off to Gloucestershire in a hired baked bean tin, actually a Peugeot 107, it's a 207 with half an engine and not much in the way of padding!
Lewis stayed onboard to catch up with some Russian literature and his friend Catherine came by to check he was ok.
Hilary welcomed the travellers with her usual delicious home made bread, cheese and beer.
Jane picked about 40lb of Victoria plums, having to share a few with the wasps. Brian pruned the rest of the fruit trees and anything else that looked like it needed a trim.

Next day, the baked bean tin rattled along the M5 through wind and rain to Winsham in Dorset.
Simon, Judy and Maya were super hosts.
Simon took them for a tour of the Jurassic coast in his landrover. They shot their next album cover on the beach at Seatown!

Back in Marsworth, Emily Bronte sailed on through the very rural Buckinghamshire countryside through Leighton Buzzard, then on to Milton Keynes with its wonderful open green spaces and excellent cycle ways.

Through a hedge backwards.

With a hint of autumn in the air, chilly evenings and some heavy showers, we have a perfect excuse to light the right rosy Rayburn . Brian went out on a search for fuel, his favourite secret hobby. returned with a good stash of the finest ash, which burns hot.

Jane made a few pounds of Damson Jam  which was a beautiful colour , slightly tart, and great spread thickly on toast. Best find yet was an apple tree bearing huge unblemished cookers. with some brave acrobatics from Brian, and boat maneuvers by Jane we soon had a good few pounds.
This spot proved to be the best spot for selling crocheting so far.

 Sunset through gearing.

went for a walk along the ridge way to the Ivinghoe Beacon, had a great view of the harvested fields and shadows of clouds it really was a peaceful scene.

Here's where the peace is shattered , Jane is caught short and breaks one of her own rules , never to answer a call of nature out doors, but needs must and having carefully selected a most secluded gap in said hedge proceeded! only to fall backwards into huge visciously thorned  blackberry bush.  Scrambled out looking like she had had a fight with  a wild cat and lost, not only scratched to pieces but with a sprained little finger!limped home discovering thorns every where!! for tea and germalene.

Marvelous Marsworth

what about this location for a creative crochet heaven? This is one of the reservoirs that feed the flight of locks here on the Marsworth flight. 

Look at the view, its so beautiful. 

 The sunsets here are amazing, who needs to go any where else.

Lewis had to catch a train from Tring which was 3 miles away , carrying a huge rucksack ( as usual). Dad came to the rescue,as he ran along side Lewis, as he cycled with the trailer carrying heavy rucksack. Brian then cycled trailer back to the boat.(were there's a will there's a way)

Here's what happened to those juicy blackberries we picked. Oops some are trying to escape the pie!

 All we need now is some custard.

This flight of locks really are a joy to work, as they seem to be really well balanced, plus we are going down hill which always seems easier,  I'm sure is all in the mind!

Wendover Arm, Grand Union Canal (a journey full of fauna)

The good citizens of Berkhamsted were enamoured with Brian and Jane's workmanship and both sold out, nearly. We managed to escape after two weeks in the one pound, which is the longest we've spent anywhere since leaving Bradford on Avon. Here is an animal named Oedipus(sy).

Here is a narrowboat camouflaged for the African canals.

We very much enjoyed cruising up through the eight locks to Cowroast, where once upon a time the cows were rested, not roasted. On a splendid walk along the Chilterns Way we stopped for a quick gander at the stocks and duck pond of the little village of Aldbury. 

Along the footpath we discovered a tree. It were laden with juicy purple orbs. They were victoria plums. They joined the blackberries in the collecting receptacles. I can feel a crumble coming on.

Here is an animal that has had a close shave. Although retaining a perm on the top of its head.

The good ship Emily Bronte set off for waters new, negotiating a tricky turn onto the Wendover Arm at the Bulbourne junction.

We were pleasantly surprised (although are not all surprises a form of aggression) to find an undiscovered and unmapped (at least in our guidebook) half mile of canal. We moored with our bows touching the very terminus of the waterway, passing the last winding hole, much to the amusement of the local fisherfolk.

A Speedy Trip To Yorkshire.

Hired a car and began a week of dashing from one lovely family get-together to another.

Started by picking Lewis up from Heathrow airport, back from his summer school in the Czech Republic, which he greatly enjoyed mainly due to the fact there were 60 women to 20 men on the course. He brought us a curious cucumber-shaped present back from Germany and a weird local liquor from the Czech Republic.

The next day we picked Frances up from Maidenhead, bringing her home for the night. It was a real family night in. 

Here she is in her Mermaid dress ready for Bestival.

We all had to be up really early the next day to get Frances to work in Sheffield for 10 am. We were left to investigate her new home.She has managed to make her attic room very cozy. Meeting up after work we drove up and up into the beautiful peak district for a jolly old fashioned picnic. Lewis opened the champagne he got for his 21st birthday to celebrate.

Next we went to visit Jill and Gary where we all squashed into their pretty cozy terrace cottage complete with chickens in the yard (who escaped and had to be tempted back by Frances with speciality bread). Gary made one of his impressive pavlovas, which was yummy and we were joined by the Bithell family who had a very enjoyable time in Germany. The boys put the (ex)-smelly-armpit spell on us with their Harry Potter wands.

Liz and Ken put up with us, or put us up, which ever! in their beautiful house, we had an evening stroll around Skipton, seeing the infamous Lucy from attic24 ( Kate will be jealous!).

Took Mum out for a day in the Dales, visiting an old weaving mill on the way to Kendall. It was a bit of a busman's holiday for her at the mill but they did very nice tea and Victoria sponge cake.

We stopped at the Garsdale head Viaduct to see the glorious sight of a steam train going like the clappers.

Had a pint with Dad and Enid, they are very busy keeping the local general hospital patients in provisions.

Finally it was home via Luton . Here we had a very tasty curry at Balti Nights of Wellington Street. Frances had a very hot green bean, which made her ears go bright red.

21st Century here we come .

We took a stroll around Berkhamstead castle , there wasn't much of it left standing but we can forgive this as it was built in the 13 century.It did have a large ,deep and wet moat. As usual we spent most of this beautifully peaceful walk looking at the amount of fire wood left to rot! ,and shaking our heads.

We have dragged ourselves into the 21 st century, some kicking and screaming from Brian !
With the help, plus 3% commission of world pay zinc we can now accept card payments , no minimum amount, so the punters have no excuses!
If anyone out there wants to set up card payments with world pay zinc let us know, we can get you a discount plus we get a voucher to  spend with Amazon!

Berkhamsted.

Very nice mooring here. Convenient for shops, brilliant craft shop, which sells wool ( hooray) .

Very interesting house across, possibly an old wharehouse? Never seen so many hanging baskets, looks like the whole house is busting at the seams with plants and flowers.

Tomorrow going to investigate the castle .
Really looking forward to the weekend when we'll get to spend some time with the children and catch up with their lives.
Spent the afternoon trying to drag ourselves into the 21st century , struggling ! , let you know more soon .