June 15th

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However it wasn�t long after this lock before we arrived at the place where we had decided to moor up for the night, alongside the Rushden and Diamond football ground! This is actually an Environment Agency mooring and there are very good facilities here if you wish to make use of them, showers; loos; pump-out and rubbish disposal.  It was also extremely pretty.  There were several other boats moored here too, it�s obviously popular.   Monday June 15th � The weather forecast for today was for heavy showers but it wasn�t raining when we set off.  I had the waterproofs all laid out on the bed ready to put on at the arrival of the first drop, I also had the umbrella out on deck � just in case!  Once again it was very pleasant cruising along the Nene, it really is lovely around here.  We could see big black clouds looming in all directions but we somehow seemed to have a patch of blue sky above us which stayed there.  We could actually see rain falling in the distance behind us but it didn�t catch up with us, which was quite bizarre.  Finally we came around a bend in the river and headed straight into a shower so I grabbed the umbrella and we huddled under it giggling and laughing like a pair of kids, it just seemed funny at the time!  The shower was very heavy but fortunately didn�t last long and by the time it petered out we were approaching the place we wanted to moor up.    Up in front was a very old arched bridge and according to the map the moorings were near it.  We went through the largest arch and realised just as we were passing through it that we had actually missed the moorings!  We could see them through one of the smaller arches up a little backwater on the other side of the bridge!  Clive did a pirouette with Lady Arwen so we were facing the other way and we went back under the bridge.  However the turn to the right to the moorings was just too tight so he had to go back the way we had come, downriver, then do a 180o turn so we were facing back upstream again then turned left towards the moorings.  Then he decided it would be better to reverse in as it was going to be a nightmare to get out of if we were in bow first.  He got her nose into one of the small arches and then deftly reversed into the mooring � we almost filled the space and Clive jokingly said that only a very small boat would be able to fit into the space that was left!    Once the boat was secure we decided to go and find the pub which was marked on our map.  It wasn�t very far, just up the bank and across the road.  We didn�t stay very long, after a beer and a cider we headed back to the boat and found we were not alone, a very short boat (31�) called Marge was moored in front of us!  Clive went and had a chat with the two ladies who were on board and they decided to move Marge behind us so that they weren�t moored on the water point or quite so close to the bridge.  I went out to say hello and noticed that they had a large cage on board the boat, intrigued I asked what it was.  A parrot!  He is actually a Black Headed Caique (pron. cake) and his name is Jaffa! We were both invited on board Marge to make Jaffa�s acquaintance.  He is absolutely gorgeous.  Laura and Alison were lovely ladies and we spent quite a while chatting to them and being totally captivated by Jaffa, then we went back to the boat for dinner.  I was really cross with myself for not having had my camera with me earlier so after dinner I left Clive on his own and went back to Marge armed with said camera and asked if I could take some photos of Jaffa.  Well I don�t know how long I was there, at least an hour, Laura and Alison were great company and Jaffa � well all I can say is, forget the ship�s dog or cat I want a parrot now!   I have always seemed to have a strange affinity with birds.  My parents in law used to have a budgie called Bill and he loved me!  I think it is because I can speak budgie!  Anyway, I can obviously speak caique as well because Jaffa really seemed to take to me and wouldn�t leave me alone.  He was also quite fond of my silver bracelets and kept wandering down my arm to get at them � trouble is parrots have very strong beaks and he could easily have broken the links on the bracelets.  I hadn�t realised but earlier when Clive had been holding him he undid the quite complicated clasp on Clive�s watch!  Anyway, he is absolutely adorable � I�m hooked!  I finally said goodbye to Laura and Alison with an invitation to come aboard Lady Arwen in the morning � they were intrigued about our bamboo interior and wanted to have a look.   Tuesday June 16th � We were staying put on our little backwater today until Richard, the engineer, arrived to fix our bathroom tiles and one or two other little problems that need sorting out.  Laura and Alison had come on board just as he arrived at around 10.30 and we could see straight away that he was not really built for work on narrowboats � he is a big guy, very tall!  He hat to stoop all the time he was on board so we were quite surprised when he told us he and his wife used to live on a narrowboat!   We left Richard to get on with his task in the bathroom whilst we entertained Laura and Alison � they loved our boat � we have a little more space than they do on board Marge!  However they just use her for weekends and holidays, they actually live in a lovely house overlooking the Grand Union Canal, which we must have cruised past as we were heading for Leighton Buzzard!  A short while later another boat arrived and as there was no room left on the mooring Clive invited them to moor alongside us.  They were only staying for a couple of hours in order to go shopping.  Their boat is called Salamis � the emphasis being on the mis,  It was not named after a long German sausage but a sea battle which took place in the Mediterranean in 450BC between the Greeks and the Persians.  Laura and Alison went off to do some sightseeing and when Richard had finally finished his work on the boat we decided to go off to the shops ourselves.   I mentioned earlier that we had been negotiating the arches of a bridge, well this bridge is known as Nine Arch Bridge but it doesn�t have nine any more!  In 1795 a great flood destroyed several of them!  This bridge divides two villages, Islip on the left bank and Thrapston on the right bank.  The pub we went to when we arrived is The Woolpack and it has an amazing history.  In the front of their menus is a two page description of the pub�s history dating way back listing all the landlords it has had.  It was actually in the same family for many, many years.  It made very interesting reading.    However it was to the right bank we went to do our shopping, in Thrapston.  We managed to find a Co-op supermarket and got everything we needed.  We also found a pharmacy and I bought a dental repair kit to see if I could glue my gold crown back in � it�s going to be an interesting task � watch this space!   We got back to the boat and unpacked all the shopping and I heard some loud squawking � Jaffa!  I went up to have a peek and saw that Laura was outside in the sunshine with Jaffa on her shoulder!  I was a bit shocked at first, thinking he might fly away and get lost till I realised he was wearing his harness!  Yes they do make harnesses and leads for parrots! Jaffa doesn�t like having it put on and complains for a few minutes but then when he realises he is outside and can enjoy himself he relaxes.  However, he has a very sharp eye and can spot a buzzard or a kite when they are mere specks in the sky � he obviously knows that predators like these like Jaffa Caiques! (sorry!)   A short while later we said our goodbyes and Marge set off to continue her journey and we were now ready to go a little further too.  It was actually 3.00pm by this time so we knew we couldn�t go too far but we wanted to get as far as possible because we needed to be in Fotheringay by Wednesday afternoon.  That is where we had arranged for Vicki and Gareth to pick us up for the journey up to Huddersfield.   It was very pleasant, not full sunshine as it was a little bit cloudy, but it was very nice nonetheless.  We have noticed over the last few days, since we have been on the Nene, that we haven�t once met another boat on the actual river, we have only met them at locks, which of course is great because they set the lock for us.  However today we suddenly met a boat coming the other way � a first!  Whilst we were passing them we noticed a very old looking church in the distance and old churches usually mean there is an old village nearby.   According to the map we were approaching Wadenhoe and it said there were moorings.  We soon found them � oh my goodness what a beautiful spot!  The moorings were on left bank on land attached to the local pub (fortuitous!) and came off the main river into a little backwater.  There were already two or three boats moored up, including Salamis, whose crew jumped off and came to help us to moor up.  We actually moored along the backwater itself � its going to be fun getting out!   Once we were moored up we went to have a chat with some of the other boaters, including our next door neighbour who was fishing off the back of his cruiser.  He told us that the pub didn�t open till 5.30pm (it was about 5.15pm)  or when the landlord has had enough of fishing � he was the guy standing on the bank fishing right next to us!  Anyway, it opened a short while later and we went for a little aperitif!  This place is absolutely fantastic, looking out of the pub window we could see rows of lovely little terraced cottages, many with thatched roofs, it looks idyllic.  As soon as we got back to the boat we checked on the map and made the decision not to go on to Fotheringay but to stay and let the kids pick us up here.  It is so peaceful and quiet and the boat will be very safe here I am sure.  We are going to go and explore the village and check out the church to see how old it is whilst we are here.   I can�t remember whether or not I have mentioned the reason why we are going up to Huddersfield on Thursday.  Clive�s parents, Joan and Sydney, will be celebrating their Diamond Wedding Anniversary and are having an �open day� for all their friends and family.  Lets face it 60 years together is one hell of an achievement isn�t it and definitely worth celebrating.  Should be a great party.   And finally � further up this blog I mentioned I was trying to photograph a Banded Demoiselle, well I was very luck as one landed on the grass right outside our dining room window and I managed to get a really close shot of one.  They really are the most incredible blue colour.  I am not really into bugs as such but I do like dragonflies and their relatives. Some are extremely attractive and this is one is particularly gorgeous!