..... and back again

After a few days at Napton, we turned and headed back to Brinklow, where we are booked into the marina for a few days, while we do the christmas visiting thing.   We've been cruising when it's fine, and being very lazy when it's raining (which is quite alot of the time lateley).  Watching lots of telly, though Masterchef, and The Killing (cop out ending), have finished.  We've resorted to watching cooking programmes.  Dave's favourite is Nigella (surprise surprise), I love watching it for her ridiculous phrases, here's just a few I kept a note of:  "golden gorgeousness"  "infused with holiday spirit" "lucious lovelyness", "make sure everything is shine-ily combined", and "when I feel the food, I get excited about eating it".  Don't we all lovey.  Then with one quick flick of the hair, she's ready and made up for her guests.  Yeah right.  Bring back two fat ladies I say, oh, you can't I remember now.  Oops.  Anyway, I'm rambling,  back to boaty things......

Just after leaving Napton, you pass the old Peter Nicholls yard,

where Dave's first boat Sans Souci was built. Now all derelict and overgrown since their relocation to Braunston, where they are now based.

The Bridge at Napton is under new management, as the numerous signs say.

 

 

Napton Junction or Wigrams Turn, where the Oxford canal carries on south,

and the Grand Union branches off towards Birmingham.

We passed an old sign for The Folly, when it was known as the pie pub.  There are still pies on the menu now, but they're served in an individual pie dish, where you burn your fingers trying to prise out the pie onto your plate, getting gravy everywhere, rather than have a ceramic bowl sitting on your dinner plate - or is it just me.

 

Anyone travelling from Braunston to Napton will pass this sunken boat - it's been here for years, in the same spot, with no licence.

The pic above was taken last week.....

this pic was taken on 16th December 2011. 

Still floating at that point. It didn't have a licence then either! 

 

The lovely bridges at Braunston junction, not many boats moored here either.  Again, we passed a couple of bloggers.  We had a chat with Stein as we passed NB Like Ducks 2 Water, they're staying around Braunston for Christmas, click on the link above to see generous offer from them!

 

The name says it all.....

A colourful boat, brightening up a dull day.

VERY soggy field of christmas trees of the future.

 

We didn't stop and visit  The Old Olive Bush pub at Flecknoe this time.  Well, we did stop on the way to Napton, but checked the opening times, to discover that it closed at 4pm on Sunday afternoons, and didn't open on Sunday night.  So we thought we'd call on the way back, but as it was a nice day for cruising with a very wet day to follow, we decided to keep moving.  Shame, it's a lovely little pub, it'll have to wait till next time.


Onto today's bird section......

Spot the interloper .... pink footed goose amongs the canadas. 

He's the one with the bigger white bum, bringing up the rear, boom boom.

Buzzard

A robin, singing for all he was worth, ontop of a crhistmas tree.

The colours didn't come out though i'm afraid.