Saturday 23rd - we need to wind today (turn around) and cruise back to Tesco Direct at Bulls Bridge, Hayes to collect the new vacuum cleaner. Goods ordered this way are supposed to be available after 4pm on the day of delivery but in my experience they are usually ready from just after lunch; so we didn't rush to set off. We cruised the 5 miles very slowly and arrived just before noon, I did my shopping and asked at the desk if today's delivery had arrived - 'not yet' - oh well, we'll have lunch first and try again after - still 'no'. I asked for a direct number to save time and just before 3pm rang the store - no answer - sounds good, probably sorting the delivery so off I trotted and collected my Dyson DC 26 - the smallest of the range. Great.
We backed up through the filth on the canal and went once again through Bulls Bridge back onto the Paddington Arm. We hope to reach Paddington Basin before it goes dark - 13.5 miles; I took these pictures on that return journey.
A Coot's des res.
I spy, above the trees ...
... on top of a pole ...
a Cormorant .. panting in an attempt to stay cool. It really was a scorching hot day.
5:30pm and the sky is getting dark over there - isolated short sharp showers have been forecast!
On the playground at Horsenden Hill near bridge 13
It was a few minutes after this that the heavens opened! Up with the back canopy, rush down the front to close the front flaps and the lightening came with the thunder following immediately - a long time since I've been in a thunder storm. Some of the lightening was amazing!!
We turned into Paddington Basin at about 7:45pm; the rain had eased off a bit but the visitor mooring appeared full - luckily Sue had rung us to say that there was a space opposite them and thank goodness it was still vacant. We'd not eaten since 1pm so we were starving so frozen breaded cod and home baked chips went quickly into the oven and scoffed!!
9pm - Sue and her daughter Wendy catching up with events as well as the wine as I loaded the dirty dishes into the sink - to wash tomorrow!
Sunday morning nearly 7:30 - No Problem in her mooring
and the reflection of Rock n Roll in hers.
George and I with Molly set off and walked through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park - this is Serpentine bridge taken from the cafe.
and the boat houses on the opposite shore - you can see that it's another scorcher of a day!
The air pollution is not good at all just now in London - this is Kensington Palace and the Physical Energy statue in the distance through the haze.
The Italian Gardens ..
are lovely as we pass them towards Lancaster gate.
When we got back to the basin No Problem had gone! We found them round the corner, they'd been lucky enough to find a pontoon mooring. It's the May Day weekend Carnival here this coming weekend and all boats not on pontoons must leave the basin on Wednesday as the area is needed for events. We walked round to find them and fortunately also found a space big enough for Rock n Roll, so George hurriedly went back over the bridge to bring her down while I waited hoping that no-one would pinch it meanwhile!.
Safely in our spot - the water is so clear you can see individual pebbles on the bottom.
Sue and Vic came round for a glass or two and we discussed our summer trip, but more about that at a later date.
This Cormorant landed on the unused pontoon opposite us - he's drying his wings in the sunshine - the gulls were flying at him too to make him go away!
Bank Holiday Monday and this is now the state of the water outside the galley hatch this morning - exactly the same place as the picture taken yestereday (above).
Across the scummy water of our mooring looking towards St Mary's Hospital.
We've no plans today - we'll just see how it goes!
No comments:
Post a Comment