And so to Oxfordshire...

... to meet up with Maffi and Bones. First, though, I woke up on Shadow, moored, you recall, outside Stockton Top Marina on the Grand Union. The fire had gone out overnight, and it was cold on board. Got dressed, had breakfast. No toast (why did you take all the bread, David?) Carried on with cleaning, including emptying the stove and ash pan etc. When I tried to slide the slide open it was stuck fast. I didn't immediately realise why this was so; then I noticed that all the puddles of water were solid. No wonder I'd woken up cold: the whole place was frozen up (apart from the canal). I was so keen to finish cleaning and packing and get going that I neglected to take any photos.

At last (1030) I'd finished loading up and I could drive away. Only I couldn't: the car was iced up. It took so many attempts to start the engine that I thought the battery would surely die and I'd have to get assistance. Finally it fired, and kept going. Good. Now all I have to do is navigate my way south through the thick fog.

Which I did, with the bicycle hanging out of the boot as on the way here. A sat nav would have been handy as I found that there's probably been a new road built bypassing Southam since my map was printed. Never mind: Southam wasn't busy, and there were some nice old buildings.

In an hour or so I was driving alongside the Oxford Canal. Yes - there was Millie M... and NB Bones. And there, too, was Maffi himself. I unloaded one or two things, then drove Maffi to the shop for some doughnuts which we ate on his boat with a couple of cups of very welcome coffee. Takes it out of one, driving through fog! While we waited for Bones to be let out of work Maffi and I walked down to their new moorings, complete with private car park - very nice! We found a kayak in the undergrowth with Maffi's name on it (metaphorically speaking). We walked back to the pub, and had just sat down with our drinks, when the leather-clad Bones arrived (fresh from her motorbike, that is.) We had lunch (ham, egg and chips for me, very good) and then repaired to NB Bones for coffee. Actually, I should be careful about saying the word "repaired" in relation to Bones: we did a little "unrepairing" (tearing away some lining in the bedroom) in readiness for her rebuilding of it.

I was fortunate not to be embarrased with the discovery that it was Bones's birthday as I had brought a few small gifts, Just no birthday wrapping paper.

While it was still light Bones suggested a trip on her dinghy. Of course, we all agreed it would be a splendid thing to do, especially with the outboard engine. To prepare the outboard it had to be given a drink of gearbox oil. It's very thirsty, apparently.


Maffi with outboard engine and funnel for feeding it

And then we wobbled away from the bank and motored past huge narrowboats, their blackened steel hulls towering above us. And I took a few piccies.


sunset over Millie M and Bones


the Yellow Peril powering along the Oxford Canal


Dusty trying to swamp us with wash (or should that be trying to wash us with swamp?)






more sunset pictures over Maffi's and Bones's moorings

We managed not to fall in, even when disembarking. I thought we were safe, but then Bones wanted to try one of her birthday presents: a lethal-looking device for making fire! This was a sort of everlasting match which produced enormous sparks. The idea was to try to ignite some special tinder and thence paper etc.


After much persistence Bones got this to work. This was thankfully on the bow and not inside (where are the gas bottles?)


I had promised Jan I wouldn't be too late, so, after a most enjoyable few hours, I dragged myself away and drove home via Milton Keynes. Thanks Maffi and Bones, I look forward to our next encounter. One of these days it really will be by boat!