Can you believe we had another sunny weekend

I picked the boat up at MK. I swapped it for the car. I cruised up beyond Stoke Hammond - 2 locks and 7 miles. At Stoke H the lock was set for boats coming down and 2 boats entered while I was hanging around there. On one, a hire boat, were at least 6 burly beer swilling rugby types. While I set one side, the mother and small son of the second boat set the other. Throughout the whole process the beer swillers did not lift a finger to help - they didn't even get off their boat! Laughable. You meet all sorts on the canals. On the Saturday morning I set off for the 3 locks at Soulbury. The IWA were out in force helping all boats through the flight. Most of the helpers were dressed as boaters from the past and this time I didn't have to lift a finger. I did put some small change in their collecting bucket at the end though. So you see, you lose some but then you win some. At Leighton Linslade I tied up opposite a guy and his gang of charges who were learning kayak suvival skills. They must be mad voluntarily falling into that murky water. I went into the town to get a bus back to MK for the car. I parked up an hour's walk ahead of the boat so that the next day I would be cruising towards the car instead of away from it. Started out again that evening but only moved up to a less lonely mooring for the night as by that time there was quite a crosswind and it was catching Olvia's bow. On Sunday I started out early through 2 locks with "Tartan Rose" but left them to carry on while I moored up near the car, in order to pick up and drop off some of my kit. I carried on to the spot I call Peacock Place because you can hear peacocks calling. We stopped there for the night when I last went down to London. It was somewere on this stretch that Rose hurt her foot so I will have to be careful. After a short break I went through the next three Seabrook locks and a swing bridge. I went through 2 locks on my own absolutely perfectly but at the third lock there was quite an audience so of course that is the one where I slipped and fell over. It's one way to get some help but is not the recommended approach. Luckily I didn't break anything fo a change :~). At the swing bridge a chap who was out for a relaxing Sunday afternoon with his lady friend, helped open the bridge and as I ran back for the boat, I fell down a hole. Silly place to put one, I say. Recall earlier I decided I must be careful on this stretch! Still not hurt but one very wet leg, sock and plimsoll! After mooring up at Marsworth I walked back the 3 miles for the car and then went for drink in the Red Lion. Felt I had earned it.