Lovely lovely crew

Wednesday I had crew that I had collected Tuesday evening.  She first insisted that she cook for me before we left her house (never one to refuse someone else's cooking I accepted with alacrity!) we then repaired to the boat and I experimented with setting the sofabed up for one person.  It seems to work so just need to get some foam to fill the 'gap' and I can maybe squeeze three guests that know each other well on board!  We went for a walk in the gloaming which was full dark by the time we returned.  Spooky.

Wednesday we set off from Rodley at 10.30 and arrived in Shipley around 4pm.  As it was slightly windy we decided that she would operate all the locks and swing bridges and I would be in charge of not letting the boat get stuck!

Slight kerfuffle at the first double lock we came to as I let her go up without instruction thinking that a) she would read the instructions b) that the crews working down would tell her what to do.  Not a bit of it so halfway through filling the bottom lock she and man from house nearby said they were going to have to fill top lock as it didn't have enough water in it!!!! Oh dear how embarrassing.  Eventually we got through and she helped the lockkeeper at the next triple so she is now aware of what should have happened!  No chance of any practice though as the Bingley 3 and 5 have lockkeepers on them.  Still she is a sucker for punishment and has offered her services for the next section too.

We cycled back to the car using both elec and normal bike which took just 50 mins and we got to the car just as the heavens opened which was good.  The rain had passed on by the time we returned to the boat to drop off the bikes and pick up her stuff before I took her home again.

Thursday I drove home in order to see my son play one of the Antipholus's in the Comedy of Errors in Sheffield.  This was very funny especially as the visiting set of separated twins from Syracuse were played by women.  The female Antipholus had to copy my son's mannerisms and she did it brilliantly.  Very talented.  The courtesan was played by a 6'4'' skinny bloke with huge shoulders and very high heels.  We repaired to the pub with the cast for a quick drink before driving home again.

All in all a good week.