Stoke Bruerne to Foxton (39 miles, 14 locks)

What a horrible week we've had!

Lister recovering after his ordeal at the mercy of a rhodesian ridgeback cross

So we spent a wonderful, if slightly slow starting, weekend at Stoke Bruerne with the Family Festival. Thanks to everyone who came to see us, especially those who became owners of a Chamberlain Carrying Co. product!

Alan and Kath Fincher and crew of Vikings aboard their boat Sickle create a spectacular for the festival

Sunday night, we, the Cheese Boat and All Things Spanish (Icecream Boat) set off to get through the tunnel, in an effort to beat the queue on the following morning.

Approaching Gayton Junction

We spun the boats around at Gayton Junction, backing up onto the waterpoint for a much needed topup and necessary ablutions.  Mooring a bit further on, for the evening.

The Cheese Boat overtaking us - well we are a bit slow!

A beautiful morning, on Monday meant we could plough on and get up the flight to Norton Junction, to round off the day.

Leaving a lock on the Buckby flight

We made steady progress up the locks as we were following another 2 boats, single manning, so I ended up helping them finish the lock routine,a little, before helping our our own boats up.

Richard waits in the pound with the boats for me, to open the lock gates

Mooring mid afternoon around on the Leicester arm of the Grand Union, we left the boats and zoomed to Milton Keynes in the car, to collect my undelivered Card Machine from Parcelforce.  This has been a saga in itself, changing both our mobiles in an attempt to get a 'compliant' one with the Bluetooth Card Machine.  We can now take card payments from customers from our gift shop on the butty, as well as the existing facility of paying by Paypal, if the customer has an account.

That evening, we decided to go for a walk down to Bridge 12 below the top lock to try to find our painted watercan with the magnet, which had taken a tumble after getting caught on a branch.

I sat on the grass next to the towpath with Lister, whilst Richard 'fished' with no success.  To cut a long story short, a couple with a Rhodesian Ridgeback cross became responsible for a horrific attack on Lister, totally unprevoked and completely sickening.  The dog wasn't muzzled.

Special thanks go to 2 kind and generous ladies (Helen and Lois) from a house nearby, for their emergency help getting Lister to a local vets.

Lister is still under the vets until they are happy his skin has 'knitted' back together properly and the stitches are out.  He has become withdrawn and super jumpy especially if he sees any other dog and then just wants to get back aboard the boat.  We are devastated and still reeling from the attack, and only time will tell if we get the old fuss loving List back ....

This afternoon, we arrived a day late, to our reserved slot at Foxton for the Foxton Locks Festival.