Happy New Year.....

.....well for me it’s started with a cold so hopefully it can only get better.

Friday was a bit of a pea souper, the view of the lock had disappeared into the mist.

My view on arrival

My view on departure

As I was so close to the lock I walked up and set it before casting off, returning to the boat I saw another approaching and for a moment I thought they would pass me and go straight into the lock first, but they turned into Denham Marina for fuel. I moved off and into the lock and just as I was closing my gate I heard a ‘toot’, looking under the bridge I saw they were now approaching, the Marina was closed, so I opened the other gate for them.

We shared the next  three locks with them opening up and me closing after, the tunnel light needed to be on, to warn approaching boats, as the fog was thick and although they weren’t far ahead I could not see them.

My locking partners just ahead, somewhere.

There were some nice properties but most were shrouded in fog, this one wasn't bad.

At Copper Mill Lock we parted company as I wanted to fill the water tank.

I then continued alone and reaching Rickmansworth I took a chance there would be a mooring close to the town knowing that I could wind (turn around) if there wasn’t, luck was with me and I got the last free space opposite Tesco.

Current Mooring

Totals Friday: 6.5 miles : 7 locks

I did a quick shop for milk and bread before showering and settling down to read, there is no TV or radio signal where I am which is curious because there was when I was moored 100yards further along, something must be blocking my aerials view of the transmitter.

New Years Eve I woke feeling a bit rough due to the cold but I made a start on the shower room floor, stripping out doors, cassette WC and partition first, it was slow going, I was not in the mood but by 5pm I had finished most of it and got the bits put back in place.

I celebrated New Years with a medicinal brandy and went to bed around 10:45, fireworks briefly woke me just after midnight but I soon dropped off again.

This morning I was going to do the 1000hour service on the engine, having sorted everything ready I discovered I have no Oil, doh! I could have sworn I had 5ltrs but if I have I can’t find it now. So instead I finished the floor putting the threshold strips across the doorways, I’m not in the mood for tiling, the next job, behind the WC so will see how I feel tomorrow, I then need to source a small vanity unit or basin, I did say it was a big project :-)

Happy New Year all.