Underway!

She slipped silently into the muddy waters of the cut as you would expect of someone who "used to be a dancer"!

" Sid!" she yelled!  Sid meanwhile was busy preparing the lock!
Dom, Dom dimmer Dom......(EastEnders!) Next chapter to follow shortly!..........

In glorious warm spring sunshine we set off southward! For those of you taking any notice yes, we were supposed to be heading north!

 A phone call on Sunday evening from Simon changed our plans for a few days. Simon thought he would like to come on board for a couple of days and Banbury Station sounded a good place to pick him up. So to Banbury we headed.

A lovely evening was spent on a tranquil mooring at the foot of Clayson locks and we had decided that Jenny would take the helm and Sid would be her crew so she was feeling very pleased with herself. A good day.

'Sid turned and expected to see Hunters Moon gliding into the lock. He thought to himself "something's missing!" Seconds later he realised it was Jenny! He spied the centre line but not where he expected it to be! "Where is she?". Oh no!!!!!'.......

On waking to a glorious but very cold morning we slipped our lines early - for us and continued on our way as yesterday I.e Jenny at the helm. Through the first lock and all went well again.

Then, it happened and Jenny still is unsure how it happened but she can now testify that the water is very, very cold. She held on to the rope and managed to get hold of a fender ring because, being very little her feet didn't touch the bottom!

Fortunately, the folk from the upstream boat that had just departed the lock heard the cuffufle and came to help retrieve the cold, soggy person from the icy water - Sid would have been unable on his own - and we would have had to revert to plan B ! Sid was shaken and Jenny was a bit shaky as well, so she went below to get out of her wet gear and have a hot shower whilst Sid, who didn't want to waste the waiting lock, took the boat through with the help of fellow boaters.

Except for an unscheduled washing machine cycle, and a rather wet camera and walkie talkie and some loss of pride all ended well and we are sitting in Wetherspoons in Banbury ready to meet Simon off the train tomorrow at midday.