Well on the way!

I have just heard from the crew that they are moored up on the Tring summit ready to start the long descent into the Thames valley down the Marsworth flight.

Back in Banbury we are getting ready to go to the Cavalcade. We need to sort out the boat decoration. I took the christmas lights off our flat balcony yesterday to take with us. Some flashing lights will jolly the rigging and will make it look fun. We have entered the illuminated parade. Whether we parade or not is in the balance. We would have to devise a way of getting the rigging demountable to get under the bridges of Little Venice and we haven't time to work on it. Also we have had the bad news that the head has come off our broom. The broom is an integral part of our normal rig, supporting the bunting at the aft end! Hopefully the stick is still intact.

Also needing prep is a song to perform during the boaters entertainment on Saturday Evening. I have a song written but it needs working on.


I am expecting to have fun whatever happens.

Off and Away

I am sorry that I haven't blogged for a while. There needs to be something to blog about and quite honestly there has been little that caught my imagination.

Since we came back from Tooley's we have only poodled about the Banbury area between Cropredy and Nell Bridge. Everything on the boat was working well enough and we found the new calorifier system was great at getting hot water without gas, a luxury we haven't had before. So all is set for the summer.

After the final pit stop on Monday to fill the diesel tanks, take on water and empty the toilet tank the boat was ready to go.

On Tuesday I cruised with friends to Cropredy and left SONFLOWER in their good hands to take her up the Oxford and down the GUC to London for the IWA Cavalcade. So, once more, if you see SONFLOWER with a clean shaven man and a slim woman aboard it isn't her usual crew!

Today she is between Napton and Braunston. The sun is shining and our prayer and hope is that our friends will be enjoying the holiday they deserve. Give them your best smile and wave to help them on their way. They have rarely had a boat on their own so we hope that they team up with good and friendly partners through the wide GU locks.