Bartimaeus

On the way back from the Olive Tree pub meal I went to show Bryn and Shane a low shed with the word Nancy over it. I wondered if a goat lived there, and was amused as the beer Shane and I had just had was called goat's milk. We saw a white tail in the shed and it was twitching. It looked too fluffy for a goat tail, perhaps a collie in a kennel, but there was also a lot of hay in there. Without managing to make a positive id of the inhabitant, but at least confirming an animal lived there, Shane called my attention to a sign on the gate. I expected it to be helpful to the query before us, like "beware of the dog" but no it was an entirely new and different warning sign to watch your feet in this back yard. Nothing to do with dogs or goats though.

The yard in fact looked clean, but good to be aware, not that the sign was large or eye-catching.

We walked back as the sun cast a golden light over the land. On the towpath I saw something move. It was a large slug emerging from a hole in the ground. I had thought of them hiding under logs and slates to keep out of the sun, but not burrowing. I don't know if it made the hole itself or just hid in it, but it was a good space for it to live. They don't like it hot and dry. It was finally emerging in the warm evening away from the glare of direct sun. What a long beast it was!

The next day we had a morning start on locks with limited working hours. We headed off with the plan to get as much we could done in the time and before it was too hot, but also to get a pump out as CRT warned that there would be closures next week if there was no improvement in water levels and advised people to fill and empty tanks and be prepared in case they got stuck somewhere. Bryn and I worked a lock but had the help of a lock keeper. We shared it with another boat, then they went on and Shane turned to go to a boatyard. It was a hiring company but sold diesel and would obviously have a pump out. The lock keeper had told us that someone had already returned their boat very late. It should have been there by 9 but the lock didn't open until 10.

As Shane turned towards the boat yard, Bryn went ahead to help the other couple through the next keeperless lock, and the lock keeper kindly directed me how to get to the boatyard on foot. When I got there I asked a staff member about getting diesel and pump out. The answer was yes to diesel, however their pump out was not working but was being mended and might be ready in an hour. Meantime they moved a boat so Shane could get Bartimaeus in the best place to access both facilities. The diesel was swiftly achieved and I was directed to go to the office "where they will gladly take your money off you". I checked where the office was and he confirmed it was the building I had walked past and I should use the door by the ice-cream sign.  It was a hot day so having told Bryn how to get there, I went, paid and then Bryn joined me in the office and we chose ice creams. In the hot weather they had had a run on the ice creams so there were none Shane fancied. We cracked on with lunch while waiting for the pump out but there seemed to be no joy there. Eventually through a combination of suggestions they gave it a go on us and it worked and this time I wasn't directed to the office to pay. As we left they still seemed to be struggling to make it work for their own boats. They were a surprisingly jolly team considering the time pressure they were under with customers for the hire boats arriving at one o'clock, and some had already arrived early and they still didn't have the boats ready. 

We passed through the next two locks unaccompanied then had a lock free stretch, in which Shane spotted this sign - as if any of us intended to hit anything!

We set off down a set of locks with no lock keepers or other crew. Shane expected I would soon tire and swap over and indeed it was very hot work. After a couple though, a woman came up and said she was behind us. To save water and effort, especially theirs, as there were only two of them, waiting for them at the next lock was a good idea. Bryn went back and set their lock for them, so it wasn't against them. When they arrived, the two drivers were happy to drive out and in to locks together. The boat was called "Heidi hi" - he had done some work for Butlins and they had bought a boat called Heidi and added the 'hi' themselves.

The woman doesn't like driving so was relieved to be spared working the flight by herself. So they were both happy campers! A lock keeper had set the lock ahead too and later another joined him, so we had plenty crew to share the load and even get rests. I didn't feel the need to swap with Shane and he was getting on well with the other driver, so we were happy campers too.

As we reached the end of the Itchington locks there was an old lock cottage. I saw a gate at the cottage had a "beware of the dog" sign and a warning to stay out if the owner was not there. I liked the sign that we had reached the bottom of the Itchington locks, which was on the house, not on a separate sign. I checked with the owner he was happy about the photograph, and he was very friendly. The sign was obviously to keep us from the dog, not because the owner didn't like anyone near.

There was talk of finding a pub and we moored up in front of Heidi hi. Before going into the community, the locking crew needed a shower and change of clothes. Bryn was very keen to get a long drink in. We headed into Long Itchington through the woods. We emerged into the town and passed a very ancient house, which had a for sale sign outside it.

As we approached a pond, near the pub we wanted we passed the war memorial. It had a very different style from most, which I liked. 

We enjoyed a happy hour in The Duck In The Pond and the wafts of the curry house got the better of us and having finished my rhubarb cider, Bryn and I went in and ordered a very fine carry out. Bryn and Shane had another drink before we headed back past the beware of the duck signs, and some others. No parking on ducks, or selling them.

It was another sharing out of duties carrying it back and a delight to consume. I am very glad we explored Long Itchington. Bryn and I were back there this morning to buy milk and took a shortcut through the churchyard. The weather vane was at a jaunty angle but the church is otherwise a very attractive building.