Retirement with No Problem

Bourne End to Sonning, River Thames, 17 miles 6 locks

Unbelievable goings on last night.. I had put up our mossie screen in place of one of the window panes by the dinette so that we can get some air through the boat, and within 1 hour of doing that a spider had spun a large web inside the boat attaching one side to the curtain.. Sometimes on this river we get tiny weeny white insects, gawd knows what they are, but they are so small they can get through the holes of the net.. Well this spider had a field day!….

It looks like a starry night, but spot the spider in the middle with all the prey!  How on earth he managed to build this thing in such a short time is beyond me!

Wonderful cruise today upstream after taking the boat right across the river to say farewell and best wishes to Sheena and Jim who we met last evening when we chatted about the start of their new life as continuous cruisers.. Their narrowboat Dogma is just being finished off before they set off…  Oh and a well written blog that you might like to bookmark.. an interesting read for the future I think..

Plenty more unusual boats on the river today, and this little interesting steam boat came past us near Marlow..

It was all wood and so well looked after.. it was obviously the guy’s pride and joy.. “I have had her for over 20 years now”.. we had a good chat at the next lock.. and here at Henley going down the rowing course…

Balcony on the move!.. a few bits of scaffold on top of the wide beam gave these folks a wonderful trip… might be a thought for No Problem if we go on the Thames again!..

Ah, one of my blog readers today on the Thames Path.. how wonderful, a call across from the towpath as he walked his dog.. Please tell me who you were.. I think I picked up ‘Matt’? as you shouted across.. I was hoping to have a chat at the next lock, but you didn’t appear!..

Henley, the place to be on the Thames, and there you go Wendie, this is where we were when you phoned!.. Then as we passed through this fella decided to land onboard…

This is, I believe, a Gomphus vulgatissimus otherwise known as a Common Club-Tailed dragonfly, I had to Google for that! .

I gently asked him to leave thinking that it was not too smart to sit on a bit of boiling hot brass, but he was very reluctant, deciding then to sit on the stern seat.. still he wouldn’t abandon ship.. “Needs a rest” said Vic helpfully.. “OK”… then after a couple of minutes off he went!.. Vic was quite right!