Seventeen of us on two narrow-boats for the weekend in glorious weather. Lots of cheese sandwiches were made and consumed along with packets of crisps and enormous quantities of kit kats. Birthday cake was eaten. Vast piles of washing up was done. Fry-ups were enjoyed. The Teenage Contingent played cards all crammed together around one tiny table. Or perched next to one another on the roof and talked. The two littlies joined in, when they weren't busy throwing ropes to catch sharks and octopuses. Mothers' hearts and stomachs flipped over more than once at the carefree antics of cherished offspring in too-close proximity to roof edges surrounded by water. Husbands did broadly well at steering. Grandad tended to steer into banks (perhaps by virtue of being pickled in gin for most of the weekend). Occasional Grounding Occurred. Poles proved useful. Granny narrowly avoided decapitation by a very exciting but a-little-too-close-for-comfort Swing Bridge Incident. Screens/ mobiles/ TV/ notepads/ ipods and ipads were barely looked at or touched. Books were read instead. Ice cold Vodka was enjoyed up on the roof in the sun. G&T, champagne and homebrew were all drunk. Some Other Boats were gently bumped into by accident. More than once. Heads were shaken and one or two fists too. Two aqueducts were admired. Wych Elm was pointed out. Herons were observed. Three Twenty-Something Damsels In Distress were towed to meet their friends amid great hilarity (and frankly quite a bit of flirting. Husbands were admonished and had the grace to look Sheepish). Quiet contemplation was had in bucket fulls. Locks were navigated while eager onlookers looked on, eagerly, and offered help that wasn't always helpful. Giggles were had and rest was achieved. Overall, very little washing occurred. People were waved at, greeted and responded in kind. Warmth was shared. Bath stone was admired. Swing bridges were eventually mastered without the requirement for taking Granny's head off. A pair of beaten silver earrings and some stocking fillers were purchased. Children were told not to scamper along the roof but it proved to be just too much fun to resist. Adults didn't resist either. The technique of chucking milk cartons between boats without loosing them in the canal was perfected. Banjos being played along the towpath were bopped to on the roof, spontaneously. Banjo-players smiled in reply. A little bit of sunbathing was had. Stories were swapped and news exchanged. Digby Hound was walked and mastered The Plank, despite expressing Serious Reservations. Tow paths were run along and bridges waved from. Boats were moored outside the pub. Further family members arrived and much hugging and kissing ensued. Glasses of the cold bubbly stuff were handed out and raised to the Three Birthday People (80, 85 & 18) in whose honour the trip was held. Presents were unwrapped and ooh and ahhed over. A couple on a Tandem stopped and offered to take photos. A man on a unicycle came past. Supper was eaten in the pub and local beers were tried out. Worn out littlies fell asleep on their mothers' laps very suddenly and completely. Teenagers drooped. Head torches were donned and boats were regained safely. No one fell in but there was one torch fatality. The next morning mist was admired, fog braved and the chill air of early October mornings was shivered in. Velvet shawls proved useful buffers against the cold. Lamps were lit and the small beams shone out across the water. Layers were worn and then peeled off as the sun climbed and the fog dissipated. Tousled heads emerged and yawns and stretching occured. Breath unfurled slowly on the air like wreaths of smoke and voices echoed. The roof slowly dried and all the children climbed back on it one last time. Home, once regained, was all the more lovely for a beautiful weekend away with family and friends.
CT.
I've been let loose on the first years. I should have been let loose on them last week but the concussion forced me to take the day off. Very Grumpy about it I was. Anyway, they are a lovely bunch and we had a nice hour together being creative about approaching degrees, which worked well and I now feel I know them a little better (even some of their fifteen names- by which I mean there are fifteen of them, not that they have fifteen names each. That would not be good for learning, especially when you are a person who can do faces with ease but really struggles to remember names. I frequently call Ted L and L Ted, you see). Anyhoo, I'm looking forward to next week. I think they enjoyed it- they all said goodbye and see you next week anyway :o)
Earlier in the week I did a two hour lecture on Dormice for the second years which was also fun. I shared it with my boss, who is a lovely chap. I think we made an OK Double Act. And then on Weds I took T & P to a local wood and met up with everyone to do a nut search as Dormice leave a tell-tale munching pattern on hazelnuts which is different to wood mice or voles. The dogs had a ball, largely because pretty much every one of the 24 students gave them Constant Cuddles :o) We didn't find any signs of Dormice, but it was Perfect Weather and a treat to spend three hours in Ancient Woodland beneath the dappled shade. I'm off to the Isle of Wight later this month to do a Dormouse search in a wood which has a healthy population, including babies! (I shall take pictures).
Today, M has a day off work and has timed it perfectly with the most gorgeous weather. I have just succumbed to another new plant for the garden- a Dwarf Aster. It was covered in bees when I picked it up and I apologised profusely to them for disturbing them. M wondered if the bees came free with it but I left them there. I've put it next to the Caryopteris and already a bee person has visited...
This is largely thanks to CJ who mentioned seeing Asters covered in bees. I have been determined to get one since :o)
Ragged Robin's Apple On A Stick has worked!
Our resident Comma has been on it all day, apart from when a Humongous Hornet came along and unceremoniously shoved her off. She bravely flicked her wings at it but it just literally pushed her off the apple. I was so incensed I got a stick and ooshed the hornet away. At which point it turned round and went straight for me and chased me round the garden. I was accompanied by gales of laughter from M who was watching. It worked thought- I escaped, the hornet flew off over the roof and the Comma returned to her apple, rather beautifully showing off just why they are called commas... M asked whether there were any other Grammatically Correct flutterbys but I don't think there are, not in the UK anyway :o)
Dew lies heavy on the ground-level plants despite the sunshine, it being October and all.....
And the leaves in the beech hedge are turning....
The apples continue to fall from the tree although there are fewer of them now...
And the Dahlias continue to bloom, as they have all summer long, bless them...
Other signs of the turning season are the Michaelmas Daisies who have just come into bloom...
And the number of Southern Hawker Dragonflies who are about, like this one who landed right next to me in the garden just now. They'll be here until November, as long as the weather remains clement...
Have I mentioned my Callicarpa.....? :o) It now has a spider web adornment.
Poppy has been right as rain this week. How strange it all is. I caught her fast asleep in a pool of sunlight on the back of the sofa yesterday with her chin resting on the duck cushion. She looked so comfy I didn't have the heart to move her...
And today she's decided her favourite place to be is in my flower bed!
I've been doing a little sewing this week, making birthday presents for one of my nieces who will soon be eighteen. A Foxy shopping bag lined with brightly coloured stars and a little purse..
You can't beat homemade. M has taken this to heart and is giving her a bottle of his homebrew, complete with her own personalised label... (ignore the toast behind it, that's for something else).
I think that's about all from here for now. I am on Imminent Taxi Duty this afternoon and am expecting a 'pick me up now' message from L at any moment, so I'll love you and leave you and wish you all a Happy Weekend. Hope you have a lovely one, whatever you are doing.
CT :o)
