Missing them a little

We have been dog sitting these two Patterdale Terriers for the last 10 days.  We renamed them Crank Shaft and Kick Start so we could tell them apart as their real names were Shadow and Shady.

Guarding the front door.  

As our garden is not fenced they either had to be on running lines or indoors.  The front door was open for fresh air and their bedtime cage put in the doorway to stop them escaping.  It was their favourite place   

A bed with a view

Their favourite occupation

Blending in with the rest of the motorbike spares!

View over Carsington Reservoir

I don't miss the 6.30am walks though.  Had a lovely lie in this morning.

How pleased am I

This has been my mooring since being kicked out of City Road Basin.

Very pleasant in an up and coming area of London.

Hip and happening

Friday we went to the Canal Museum then had a sandwich on the canal bank at Kings Cross.

We watched the man climb up the crane pausing for a rest halfway up.

Hanging off the hook had been a bag of some sort that I thought was a weight.

But once he got up there he turned the cabin , brought the hook in close and leaned out and grabbed the bag.

As far as we could tell he wasn't clipped on but he might have been.

That is the crane he was playing on.

We then walked into Kings Cross via a new walkway

but then changed our minds and had a look at St Pancras instead and Rob tried to see what John was looking at.

We then did a whistle stop tour of the Natural History and Science Museum.

Saturday I took the overland train to Camden and spent the day wandering the market.

I kept getting mislaid but eventually found my way back.

With some jesus sandals like what I wore in my yoof.

a hippy wrap around skirt and top

and a very nice jumper from one of the more

upmarket shops.

A goodly haul.

Today I persuaded my nieces to assist with my passage back through Camden.

They were wonderful.  Here they are operating St Pancreas Lock

While I lurked by the floating allotment, as there was nowhere to moor so not sure how I would have managed solo.

The above is why I didn't want to do Camden locks by myself!

We managed to meet up with my very first best friend from back when I was 3 and she was 2.

Famously we ran away AND crossed the main road at the end of our cul de sac - setting up camp in the back garden of a total stranger!!!

Escapees from Regents Park Zoo

and the reason I am so pleased?

Well the sun shone the whole day having started off wet, I have the last vacant spot in Paddington

and it has just started raining again.

Islington City Road Basin

Fireman playing with their hoses

Cormorant

Big enough to share ?

According to my map it should be long term down the left and visitor on the right where we are

can you see us?

there we are!

We have now moved to near Kingsland Basin and there are

lovely cafe's etc 

This one rob is in is no longer Portuguese / Brazilian 

and the name is changing from Ribeira to The Barge

We boris biked to the 39 steps play.  

and while missing intended routes we found this

We recommend the 39 steps it is hilarious.

That there lunnon

Spent 7 days in Paddington Basin and it is superb.  We stopped overnight at Alperton then moved up to Kensal Green and visited the cemetary and nearly got locked in.  Spooky.

On leaving Paddington our two boats (I have been in convoy since Paddington) filled up with water and stopped at a private mooring outside Kings Cross.  Free but only 24 hours.  They took our contact details etc.  We then spotted a lovely mooring in Islington Basin - bit confused as to why it was empty.  My map says should have long term and visitor moorings.  We were on what were the visitor moorings  at 5pm we were asked to move as apparently the charity has sole use of the whole basin - which is enormous.  Rob persuaded the man that was too late to move now and we would go in the morning early.  Fine.  Then at 9.30pm we got a knock and a woman said we had to go.  On hearing that 'john' had given us permission she was furious as he hadn't got the right and also hadn't told her.  Again we convinced her that we would be leaving early and 8am was agreed.  To sweeten the deal the donation we were going to put through the letterbox was handed across to her.  Then at 10.30 I got a text from Alan on the other boat saying a very irate man had thrown the donation back at him and said 'he 'john' was going to get into trouble.  Not sure who he was maybe the top boss or perhaps John himself?  Alan didn't recognise him.

 oh well maybe they will put up some signs now.  Even if it is just laminated paper cable tied to the bollards.

We have squeezed ourselves into a 14 day spot and will see what happens now.  The convoy has broken up and Alan is continuing on the Lee and Stort.