Sunday 20th May
We had a day off today, well I did, Ken did an oil change and checked the batteries. My back was not very good again, I had to go for the full Monty – 3 different tablets, back brace and TENS machine today. I had mistakenly thought the electrically operated, usually BW manned locks on the Thames would be easy but they are nearly as difficult as doing locks yourself! Hanging on to the ropes while they fill, especially if they are side filling, is hard and I had been doing this without wearing my back brace. But I have been having a bit of a problem since we walked round Hampton Court really.
So I sat and looked at the ironing pile and the dust on the shelves and the dirt on the outside of the boat! After Ken had finished his tasks we walked in to Henley again and did a bit of shopping, not supermarket stuff because we are going to Tesco’s at Reading tomorrow but Boot’s and Robert Dyas and WH Smith stuff. Then we went in the pub so I could sit down (obviously not for a drink) and it was absolutely packed.
When I had recovered we walked back to the boat, a really cold wind had got up and we were frozen by the time we got back, good job I hadn’t let the fire go out! We could have taken the boat a lot closer to Henley if we had wanted to as there are moorings almost all the way down to Henley Bridge (for the regatta) but the exercise did us good.
So it’s an early start tomorrow as we leave the Thames and start the K and A.
