Bartimaeus

It was good to see a brighter day today. I was working on getting the bird ID app Europe package downloaded. It takes a while so meantime I went out to enjoy the pleasant weather. It is always a sign of of a good day when the dragon flies and damsel flies can be seen. I always associate them with canal boat holidays as they need both warmth and water. It is normal to see them flying quickly around then disappearing, but today more were settling and I got a closer look. I love the colours.

I had a go at trying out the app, now the European package had downloaded, but still my mic let me down. I went a short walk around trying in different places but to no avail. I didn’t see any birds either , but later on I got a great view of a kestrel hunting in the field next to us.

From up on the bridge I looked down and Shane had taken the notion to go on the roof with a bucket and scrubbing brush, a strange creature indeed. When I told him I had a picture of the step in use, he decided to demonstrate it in full..

After lunch we set off and went through the flood lock which requires no working by us as it was not at all flooded and so the gates are completely open.

Shane saw a small horse and wondered if it might have a bit of growing to do to become a large horse, based on its hairy hooves. When I took a picture it chose to scratch itself and its shape and piebald patterning made it quite hard to make out its shape at all.

We reached the actual lock and saw a boat was just about to go in, so I went up to join the locking crew. It was a boat that had passed us when we were moored and the woman had been particularly jaunty in her greeting. She sounded delighted to share the lock with us. It reduces the work and stops the boat being flung around and as it was hot, having less work to do was even better. We had both dressed in a long sleeved top prepared for cooler weather, and it was now hot. I had tied my hair up and rolled up my sleeves in readiness for the labour of the lock. Later Shane told me he had been confused to see a strange woman on his side of the lock and even more confused to still see a strange woman on the other side: with a new top and hairdo, he hadn’t recognised me!

As we left the lock a local said to look out for the alpacas round the corner. If we were lucky they would be near the fence. They were not very near, but what he hadn’t mentioned was the tiny ponies and a foal in the same field. They were a bit away but when we went a walk later, we saw them. One of the other ponies did come over to “see” me, but I am not sure it could see at all.

We didn’t go far past the ponies, so that we could check out the village. As we passed under a bridge by a pub, I thought it looked good with red roses, but looking at it after, it looks a bit like Shane is wearing a crown with flowers.

In our walk, we found that there were some strange creature shaped boats too as there were swan and flamingo pedalos and assorted other water craft for pedalling, paddling or rowing. Now we understood the warning sign about unpowered craft. 

On a permanent mooring nearby there was a boat  with interesting paintwork with a fantasy theme. Even stranger, the design even covered the windows. There is always something new and different to see, but you won’t see it if you cover your windows.