Foxton to Stoke Bruerne ( 39 miles, 14 locks)

So we say goodbye to our loyal and loving companion of the last 14 years.  R.I.P. Scooby.

Everyone who knows us will have encountered old Scoob with his wobbly legs and permanent position at the helm of the butty or the motor boat.  We were given him as a pup and gradually realised that he had issues with his front legs.  The vet could break his front legs and reset them, but he would get arthritis when he got older, or we could just see how he coped.  We decided to do the latter and he coped very well until more recently, when he just couldn't hold himself up for long, or walk any distance.
We went over to Mum's this week and decided he had had enough.  He didn't even want to play with his squeaky toy, which was always something he wanted to 'kill'.  But he had given Mum and our youngest Ryan, lots of joy in his final weeks in his 'retirement' home and that's what matters.

Lister recovering well, still wearing his inflatable collar, wondering what all the fuss is about!

Meanwhile, our other dog, Lister is hopefully going to make a full recovery following his mauling by a Rhodesian Ridgeback cross a month ago.  He has had some stitches removed, but the central section of his scar is still open when he stands or flexes his muscle. The vet says this will just scar over and he should regain full use of his shoulder, but we are still not able to take him for his walks or let him bounce about.  It doesn't seem to hurt him at all now, but he still has to wear his vet collar to protect the wound.  Back to the vet on Monday, but we have a feeling the vet will want to leave the central remaining stitches in a little longer.  We'll have to see.

Beautiful, if not a little overgrown, Grand Union Leicester Section

We had travelled back to Norton Junction from Foxton a couple of weeks ago and then all the way down to Stoke Bruerne again.  The eagerly awaited Annual Cosgrove Canal Festival is next weekend (19th -20th July), so we only have a short distance to do before we get there.  Please help support the Buckingham Canal Society, by coming along.  I'm sure there will be plenty of stalls, trade boats and I'm told the village hall will be taken over by exhibitors as well, so a good weekend is in store!