Welcome home

As Simon has already told you, I have been away on holiday boating with some friends.

We left Enfield on the River Lee on the morning of Monday 10th June, heading across the Duckett's Cut (Hertford Union Canal), along the Regents Canal, across the Paddington arm and onto the Grand Union. The first night we tied above Widewater lock, Harefield. Next day saw us to Berkhamsted, then to below Talbot's lock before arriving at Stoke Bruerne in the early afternoon of Thursday. We spent the weekend at the Gala weekend there, seeing many friends and displaying the boats. Monday morning saw us heading through the villages of Blisworth, Bugbrooke, Stowe Hill, Buckby, Braunston and onto our overnight stop at Hillmorton. Next day it was onwards to Alvecote Marina before returning home.

Here's a picture of us slacked at Braunston for supplies with the motor alongside ex-FMC motor boats France and Holland.

A good time was had by all, and it was good to see so many friends, customer's and blog readers alike on my travels. As much as I enjoyed being away, it's now good to be home and getting back into the daily routine here at Norbury. Simon is now away so I'm straight back in at the deep end.

I spent yesterday catching up on news, works and general stuff! It was a good day really, but a really long one! I came into the office before 8am to get my head round things before the rest of the staff came in. I thought the day was going well until I was about to lock up and one of the hire boats called to say they had no power. A quick telephone call to our engineer Simon and I thought it was all going to be sorted. I took Annie out for a walk with her friends Tilly and Dexter and settled down in the Junction to have dinner. How wrong could I be? Simon had got caught in traffic and then dreadfully lost somewhere near Chester. A process of elimination worked out his location and I directed him to Golden Nook moorings which is on the long pound between Beeston and Christleton on the Shroppie. An alternator was needed so I hoped in the Landrover with a replacement. Simon had virtually run out of fuel in his car so whilst he went back to fit the new alternator I headed to Chester to get him some fuel and returned to the boat. We got the boat up and running with power again. Simon followed me back to the main road (so he didn't get lost again) and we headed off home in separate directions. I eventually got back at quarter to midnight, so it was a late one. Yesterday was a real Welcome Home to me - but I'm happy to be home :-)

I've been on emails, website updates etc. today and you will be pleased to know that our WharfCam is back up and running. Please visit our homepage for the link and don't forget to use the Username: guest and Password: guest.

All the best, David.