Right, please don't tell me what kind of weather you are having!

I mean it, now.  We have had rain, mist, fine mist, humid and warm mist and a type of fine rain I refer to as "very thick mist"; I may be in a boat, but I am also in denial.  Not that we are letting the lack of Mediterranean sunshine get us down ("Global warming?"  says my dad who lives around here "I'd like to see some bloody global warming"), because for one thing, despite the mist I actually got a sunburnt nose yesterday.  So it's just like being on holiday in Greece, really.  But! it is important, says Alan incidentally, not to think of this as a holiday, more as a Way Of Life. I won't expect the weather to be glorious then.  This is probably true.  But I am not working (weeeeeee!) so it does feel like a bit of a holiday. 

If it is a way of life, though, then it's one that is seeming to suit us both very well.  Yesterday we travelled from Hebden Bridge to Todmorden, a distance of a little under 5 miles, but with a mean 10 locks.  It took us 5 hours, even with the help of my dad who joined us for the day.  But such is the not-so-much-laid-back-as-laid-up pace, that the hours glide by almost hypnotically with weird tumbled down cottages, ancient woodland, ancient people (walkers, mostly), wildflowers galore and the odd canalside pub (with their odd patrons).  Sitting at the tiller (less a Steering Wheel, more a Steering Stick, maritime fact fans), watching it all go by while you sup a hot cup of tea and attempt to stuff a ham sandwich sideways into your mouth in one go is, I'll wager, a little known pleasure.  If you come to visit us, I'll give you a go (but you'll have to have your own ham sandwich, you aren't having a go on mine).

We are in total cotton and agriculture country now, rolling farms and little ex-factories (not yet turned into "luxury canalside housing") punctuated by what can only be described as really wild bits.  Check out this immense curtain of creeping ivy we saw hanging free, from the branch of a beech tree 40ft up.  If the triffids had hippies, then this would've been one hell of a big kaftan-sleeve.

Oh, and as promised I also give you the deepest lock in Engand.  The photo doen't really do justice to the sheer pant-filling deepness of it, or just how rock hard I am for steering into it.  More soon, we are off to travel 3 miles to Gauxholme now where the people are lovely and the beer is cheap (and the folk night we went to last night was underwhelming). 

And I mean it, if you are nice, you won't tell me how sunny it is where you are.  I'll only be sad, or cross!

PS My lovely mum, who has just popped in to say hello to you all - and to have a cuppa made for her, cheek! - has pointed out that she took the triffid photo.  Not bad, eh?

Comments

[toast]

WOW! - that looks amazing... well i think it does because to be honest i'm having a hard time seeing my screen thanks to the intense glare of the beating hot sun down here in Poole.

I'm off to london and london without debs and alan is like chips without cheese... still nice but you think it would be better with a big lump of cheese... i might think this one through a bit better.

Debs this looks fantastic and i am enjoying the blog very much indeed.

t to the oast

[Marg and Dave]

Great to hea you are on the move - I'll keep an eye on theblog

We're in Windermere at the moment and I've just managed to attach to the wireless internet network here (amazingly without Si's help!)

See you in August

Aunty Marg and Uncle Dave

[James Robbins]

Hi To You Both,

It sounds fab! How's your ankle?
Lou sent us the link to your blog and i love it.
We had more than wimbledon finals weekend to pack our lives, but we too have been divided into 3. Shipped to Canada, On tour round Britain adn the tip it, give away or store pile - we know how you have felt.

We're just back from Ottawa in Canada where they were having an unseasonable summer - our tent got flooded in the almost tropical downpours and we narrowly escaped being struck by lightning. Mist - Pah! Hope that makes you feel better.

I love the narrow boat and bridge photo - very artistic good lighting and ultimately serene.

We're sorry to miss you on our round Britain tour - I'd love to have included you in the London leg. I'm sure you'll hear from Lou how we are getting on. And if you ever come to Canada please let us know you will be very welcome guests!

Enjoy your adventure - Keep us updated on the beard count!
James and Kal x