Bartimaeus

Coming back to our mooring last night, after buying ice cream, Shane noticed a kestrel. We could hear other birds twittering, possibly  telling each other to watch out. We watched the kestrel hover then drop down into the field. Recently we had seen two buzzards so the little creatures are having to be alert in these parts.

This morning I opened the blinds and could see it was misty. I had just changed into a slightly lighter outfit than the day before so hoped it wasn’t taking a cold turn. In Edinburgh haar can make for a cold damp day. Outside the sun was shining so I reckoned it would burn off soon enough and it wouldn’t be dreich after all.

After breakfast Shane looked  up to see a boat passing. We saw it was the man, who had been in front of us yesterday but stopped at the pub, while we moved on to a less treelined spot. Remembering how the chap had seemed beleaguered yesterday, Shane suggested we grab windlasses and help him through the locks ahead. I agreed to come along and with my own reservation about a staircase lock ahead made me think he would be grateful of help there. The night before when we had walked up past them to get ice cream, there had been a big sign warning that in the absence of volunteers, inexperienced boaters should read the signs carefully. If he had a bit of brain fog, he could easily get in a fankle. 

I passed him as I walked up and he gave me a cheery wave, then an extra nod and a grin of recognition as he realised I was the person he already knew.  I was in a different outfit  with my hair tied back so no wonder he didn’t recognise me straight away. He seemed very grateful of the help through the locks, three single locks and then a three step staircase lock. I hoped he didn’t feel he was missing the experience of winding and lock working, but single handling is a lot more hassle and slower going. He needed his boat gently raised, if he wasn’t aboard to control the boat. If he was on, we could fill up more quickly. 

As he drove in I asked if he’d had a nice meal at the pub, but he said he’d missed it as the kitchen closed earlier than he expected. He might have liked the offer of a portion of risotto after all. Anyway he was smiling and enjoying the sun coming out and looking forward to meeting a friend – he had told me yesterday that he was working his way towards him. 

As I walked towards the next lock I saw a traffic cone on the steps. They are normally telling motorists to steer clear. But this was to warning pedestrians to watch their step.

At the top of the staircase lock, we saw him hail his mate walking down the towpath. We were at the top winding gradually, the friend stopped beside me and said, “I hope you’re looking after him through the locks,” I said we had helped him through yesterday since we’d caught up with him. He remarked that he was still a good bloke but much changed since his brain tumour,” A tumour hadn’t been mentioned – he had said a blood clot, and an “accident” and being in hospital. He may have had a series of different things …  all three of those mentioned and more. No wonder his confidence had taken a bashing. His friend greeted him and we waved them off, with our friend on the boat asking if we were going in anywhere for a drink, so he could buy us one. Shane said this was its own reward but we appreciated the offer. I had told him a couple of times that Shane really enjoyed doing a staircase lock and Shane had already said to him that he liked getting to play with locks. We were glad to see his friend was watching out for him.

On the way back to the boat I noticed a front feature on a boat that I had missed yesterday – a friendly Welsh dragon, or one to watch out for. The spike on its head and sharp teeth appeared like a fearsome beast.

After lunch we decided to get through those locks ourselves. As we stepped out to cast off we saw another boat coming. It was going to get to the first lock just before us, so they would all be set against us. We weren’t in a hurry though. 

Luckily the wind was generally keeping me near the bank as I waited outside each one. We were getting through slightly faster than they were since the woman locking, like me walks round to open the gates at the other side at the bottom of the lock. My heart is in my mouth watching Shane stride across. I started to imagine him missing his step or hand hold and me having to cut the throttle and should I throw him the ring or expect he could swim to the lock ladder himself? He’s a couple of metres above the water.

I am not risking that move. I also didn’t want to risk messing up the staircase lock so scared as I was to watch him, I was happy for him to lock while I drove today.

There was quite a wait at the staircase lock as another boat was coming down first and it is a slow procedure getting through them all. While I waited a woman with a lanyard and a man in a wheelchair came up. They were clearly trying to read “Bartimaeus”, but she said she couldn’t pronounce it so I told her the name and she asked if she could take a photo as she liked taking photos of what she sawand that she had a collection of pictures in a scrap book. I showed her the Bartimaeus book with the same writing and she seemed keen to read the books about a genie. She has the name now so doesn’t have to try to remember the spelling. That can trip anyone up, even if they know how to say it.

When the boat coming the other way came through I recognised it as one I had seen before. The woman of the couple was walking while he drove. Shane had mentioned seeing he wore a life jacket. These are advised in rivers and hire boats issue them for children aboard, but most adults don’t wear them, but they can be advisable if you have epilepsy or are prone to falls. The driver had shorts on today and perhaps on previous encounters he didn’t as he had an artificial leg, which I had certainly not noticed before. Perhaps he does watch his step with more care than most.

Once we got into the staircase lock, Shane asked if I would buy him an ice cream when the level raised me up enough. I hopped off and found the staff rather busy. I could see Shane looking like he might be preparing to drive it in, by the time I emerged and took the helm again. At the middle chamber there was too little water to drive in, but the woman from the boat ahead sorted it out for us by letting more through. 

I was noticing a man at the house beside the lock was prepared for water hazards with a life belt on his wall. He was up a ladder painting, further along his wall. I hope he was watching out for himself too, as he didn’t have anyone holding his ladder. I watch him moving his pot around and stretching his brush. I am not happy up a ladder myself.

As the boat came up I could see there had been an earlier overflowing as the sides were wet. The volunteer we had seen yesterday had said he had been called out once as there was a punch up starting with two boats trying to do the staircase in both directions and neither prepared to back off. Thankfully most boaters are friendly and the splash at the side was the only sign of an issue there today.