Blimey no frost last night, we must have had some cloud cover, but it was still blooming cold. When you went outside it was freezing. So it was a stay in day today. Del sorted out the pipe he got yesterday and sorted out the bilge while Al......hmm got back into her book.. You can't avoid going outside, you still have ashes to empty, coal buckets to fill, and Derwent6 can get so hot you just have to get some air.... In the afternoon we had an invite to go round to Paul and Lynn on n.b. Piston Broke for tea. Al had made some shortbread and Lynn had made some scones, so we had a bit of a feast... 
We talked about everybody and everything. Then Al got a phone call to say her mum had fallen over and had to be taken into hospital by ambulance. So we went back to Derwent6 at 6.00pm, and waited for the news as to what the verdict was, and were on tender hooks all evening waiting for a phone call from Al's sister Jo. She had to have some X rays and loads of other checks, but after getting back home at 11.00pm, she seems ok .. It seems a clear night tonight, so we might be iced in in the morning, best get the spare water container inside....
We talked about everybody and everything. Then Al got a phone call to say her mum had fallen over and had to be taken into hospital by ambulance. So we went back to Derwent6 at 6.00pm, and waited for the news as to what the verdict was, and were on tender hooks all evening waiting for a phone call from Al's sister Jo. She had to have some X rays and loads of other checks, but after getting back home at 11.00pm, she seems ok .. It seems a clear night tonight, so we might be iced in in the morning, best get the spare water container inside....
The ice was not thick, as you could see it rippling on the water, but it was still difficult for the ducks and swans. We then had an old boat which hadn't been painted or blacked for years break through the ice leaving a trail behind it. 
The sun was out and it was turning into a nice day, so Del went out on his bike to pick up the pipe fitting that broke the other day. He ended up in Braunston at Union Carriers. They couldn't find the plastic version of what we had but did manage to find a brass one which will be a lot better and won't go brittle through the winter months like the other one did. 
Del biked back along the canal and found it very hard going due to it being very sticky, but the ice had all gone though. He got back to Derwent6 at 4.00pm. Al had her head in a book for the best part of the day and enjoyed herself in the warmth of Derwent6. In the evening we listened to music............. still reading. 
As they went into the distance Jaq and Les on n.b Valerie came by. They stopped for a chat and were enjoying some time to themselves and in good spirits.
We then left there to arrive just in time to meet up with our goddaughter Hannah who is eighteen today and she had just got in from her studies...it was a nice surprise for her!!! We all went out in the evening to a local pub where she brought her first round of drinks (and long may it continue....)
We then all had food and carried on celebrating till late into the evening, I'm sure she will be out with all her mates in the local town of Maidstone over the weekend and probably won't want another drink after that...
We stayed the night at our friends Sarah and Bernie's, Hannah's mum and dad.
The girls arrived back at around 1.00pm and we had some lunch. Then Del did the brasses in the afternoon... In the evening we met up with Keith & Ann off n.b Oakfield and Paul & Lynne of n.b. Piston Broke at 6.15pm. We all walked up to the the Stag and Pheasant where we had a few pints and a lovely meal. 
It was good fun catching up with all the local gossip and taking the mickey out of each other. We managed to get back at 10.00pm just before it started to rain. 
We trickled up the canal till we got to the locks soaking up the scenery, sitting on our new seats on the stern.
The locks were in our favour and we soon made our way through them. Someone had left these nice little memento's tied to the lock gates, there are some nice people about...... 
At the next lock BW helped us through as they were working on the lock next door. The guy helping turned out to be the nice lock keeper who used to manage Foxton Locks, so we stopped for a chat. 
We got to the top and thought we would soak up some of the sunshine, we had also caught up with n.b Oakfield and n.b Piston Broke, so we moored up just in front of them. 
We had our lunch out on our new cratch seats and were met by the girls Ann and Lynne walking the dogs. We just chilled in the afternoon in the quiet of the countryside and the sun beaming through the portholes till the sun went down.
All was going so well, turned OK (even in strong winds) got water, (even though it was flooded round the water point) and got in OK at the elsan at Brownsover. 
Then the pipe broke which fits on the stern of Derwent6 to drain into our container. Hmm .. We tried super glue and managed to get one container out before we had to stop.
With Clifton Cruisers closed on Sunday (which we thought would be one of their busiest days) we decided to stay put and try and get a replacement one in Wickes ( it's got our name on it). Well not in this case as they didn't have one... So Plan B is to stay here till Monday and go along to Clifton in the hope we can get a pumpout there and pick up the new part we require at Hillmorton. It was a good job really as the wind had got up even more and it would have made the locks tricky. 
We had a call yesterday saying our cushions were ready so we got the bus into Rugby and collected them. Chris (the guy who made them) kindly gave us a lift back to Derwent6 in his van, so we didn't have far to walk with them. 
We are so pleased with the outcome, and he did some other cushions as well for us. The weather was iffy all afternoon, and we wanted to move on, but the wind just got worse so we sat tight. Del wanted to get a new Antifreeze tester and they have a good little one in Halfords for just £1.99. 
So we listened to the radio in the late afternoon and chilled with a film in the evening. 
We bought five bags of coal, something we had never done before as we try to use wood when we can. I guess we have just got a bit lazy!! That's why we had one of those lazy days, reading and gaming... Good fun really!.........and we do need the rain!
We are down to our last few bags of coal and diesel is running a bit low, but rumour has it Gosty the coal boat should be through tomorrow (what we gonna do without them?)
We got up to the Tesco's moorings and used the spot that Paul & Lynn and Keith & Ann had just vacated. After setting up the telly Al walked to the store and picked up some essentials. 
The big heavy stuff, we will both pick up tomorrow. We had a lovely lunch and then decided to go to the cinema. We both wanted to see Spielberg's "WarHorse". 
The screen was packed, the busiest we had seen it for a long time. We thought it was very well made and very moving in places. Al cried all the way through it, Del said Rolf Harris's "Two Little Boys" comes to mind...........
We had a Chinese lunch and played games with all the family together. Friday we had to sort out bits and pieces for Saturday, like balloons, cards and table plans. Saturday we took Pam and Alf to a hotel in Tenterden where we had a 60th Wedding Anniversary celebration. 
Joining us was Pam's bridesmaid and also their nephew, the son of the best man, together with seventeen friends and family. 
It started with a lovely afternoon tea followed by a meal in the evening with us all staying overnight. We had breakfast on the Sunday morning and said our goodbyes to everyone. We then took Pam and Alf to Hastings (an old haunt of theirs) where they watched the sea and walked through the old town reminiscing. 
On Monday we sadly had a funeral in the local church, of a close neighbour of theirs, Vera, and afterwards we were at the village pub for the wake. 
With the news of their 60th anniversary in the paper and on the bill board outside the village store they become sort of celebrities. Just what Vera would have wanted!! 
This was quite a draining weekend and we were pleased to get back to Derwent6 on the Tuesday. It had been so cold while we were away and Derwent6 really took some warming up; in fact it took four hours. The fridge gauge was showing the coldest it had been for a long time and the cupboards had condensation in them and had to be left open for a while. We were also iced in, so we couldn't go anywhere anyway.
We did manage to collect our licence for this year so we are legal again. 
We followed n.b Oakfield through the first of the three single locks and were surprised that there were two other boats queuing behind us. 
We were even more surprised when we saw two hire boats trying to get into the single lock in between us and n.b. Oakfield. This would have taken all the water out of the middle pound between the locks. 
Al managed to persuade the hire company to let us through, after the first of their boats had gone through. Phew!
We passed n.b Oakfield at the water point and we took a steady pace up to Clifton where we spotted a nice mooring and decided to moor up for the day. We had done all of three miles!!!
We had been given a tip that there was a good upholsterers nearby so we decided to give them a ring to see if they could do our cratch cushion covers. They had been cracking and falling to bits since we had a water leak problem from new in the cratch from the roof. Our boat builders fitted a wooden rail to stop the water coming in but it had already soaked the covers which eventually got into the foam and damaged them. We use this area all the time and just wanted new covers so we could sit out there again without getting a damp bum. Chris, the guy from Manor Upholstery said he could fit them in for us if we could get them down to him today. We had to walk about a mile and a half with them, but we managed to find and get them there. 
He works in a garage in his garden and has a nice little business going. He was really helpful and said he will get them done as quickly as possible, good news!!!