May 15

What a week! I moseyed back to Braunston and was able to meet up with the local bell-ringers who invited me to assist with their celebrations of VE day (also coinciding with the Daventry Branch bell-ringing outing). I rang in Willoughby on the 8th, then in 6 churches in the north Cotswolds on the 9th and in Daventry, Braunston, and Byfield on the 10th. I had a great time both ringing and in chatting with many people as we met in the various towers.

I spent the first days of this week in boat maintenance (oil change, cleaning, laundry, etc.- the fun stuff!), then drove in pouring rain to Birmingham to meet my parents who have joined me for the next two weeks from Barrhead, Alberta, Canada. We left Braunston this morning after a celebration last night at the local pub. Now a year older, I was able to navigate the boat up the Braunston 6 locks, through the Braunston tunnel, and then down the Buckby locks to our mooring just south of Flore, where we’ll spend the night opposite a gorgeous large estate, with impeccably manicured lawns and trees (the British call this the garden, even though no veggies grow here). We’re off to the Northampton arm of the Grand Union Canal tomorrow, and new territory for me.