We had a great family Christmas Day and as you can see a great time was had by all.
Moira did well to last as she had a late night not getting in until 3am.
The dirty stop out!!!!!

This is the river that runs through Braintree after the recent rain.
The night before I thought I would be able to take a short cut across the field to home with Cassie.

This is a little stream in Bocking after last night and today's rain.

I am little behind in posting,last Sunday we went to the Cross Roads pub in Flore to celebrate Jackie and Johns 40th wedding anniversary.

Stowe Hill looking very wintery this morning glad I got those extra radiator's working

With the forecast of the weather getting colder I have decided to fit a couple Finrads in the bedroom.
They both fit in the kick boards of the wardrobe and dressing table.

 

Today we had the first snow of the winter, I had to travel to Gayton Marina to put up some tiles for John and Jackie and the roads proved trickey as we travelled back tonight.

Last week we went back to Essex to catch up with all the family and those doctor appointments.
On Sunday we went for a walk in the woods in Colchester with Claire,Darren and Maisie.

As the sun sets on our weekend with Sue and Dave it also sets on our summer trip as we return to winter moorings at Stowe Hill

We started our journey back to get ready for winter on a misty morning at Fenny Stratford.
After getting grounded after trying to moor at New Bradwell we travelled on to Cosgrove.
Tomorrow Sue and Dave join us to help us back to Stowe Hill.                                                                           



After staying overnight at Cosgrove and taking a walk through the horse tunnel that passes under the canal we cruised on to Milton Keynes.
We arrived at Milton Keynes yesterday mooring at Campbell Park and today Helen,Tim,Dominic and Heather visited.

 

After having a dip in the lock at Whilton we have spent a few days at Stowe Hill and are now heading to Milton Keynes with John and Jackie.

The autum sun made cruising pleasant today as we made our way to Rugby passing through the Newbold Tunnel

Today we reached the end of the Ashby canal, the picture below shows the future restoration route which will eventually go through Measham where the hull of The Maisibert was completed



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As we travel down the Ashby Canal it is noticeable the Autumn colours in the tree's.

The Maisibert is now back in the water after having its stern gear replaced at Star Line in Nuneaton.

 

Maisie had her first day at nursery today looking smart in her uniform.

I don't normally blog whilst off the boat but whilst we are in Essex celebrating Maisies's second birthday The Maisibert is in dry dock being repaired.
We have received the news that due to damage by getting vinyl lay on the prop we have to replace the stern gear.

Today as we travelled along the Coventry Canal we noticed on the horizon this model of a church made of straw.

 

Tonight it was drinks in the pub at Fradely Junction as we prepare to go our separate ways tomorrow.

We left Stone after last nights rain only to find the fields adjacent to the canal flooded for miles and at one point the water flowing off the fields into the canal.

We have now moved on to Stone where we met Maria for a Thai meal.
Friday we start our way back to prepare for winter.

Make my day and fly.

We returned to The Maisibert after celebrating Hilary's Birthday around Claire's and Darren's who made wonderful cup cakes.

We are currently travelling with Peter and Diane to Stone.

Today at Trent Lock on one side of the river was the Scouts having fun in canoes and rafts and the other side was the modern version of Morris Dancer's strutting their stuff.

The last week we have prepared for The Maisibert to have its bottom blacked on the River Soar, we have cruised on to river Trent today in the rain with the hope of painting the gunnels before she goes in for blacking.

 

 Whilst we were away The Maisibert was moored in Mercia Marina opposite her sister boat Intrepid, for a little while the twins were together again.



Last week we travelled back to Essex to attend a friends tribunal which had a good result, this gave us a chance to catch up with family.         Maisie has really grown and is forward for her age,thats due to  the hard work of Claire and Darren.

  In this picture Hilary tries her first nappie                                                                                                                             

         





Last night we moored in Alrewas and as their week for the arts come to an end they were completing a murial on a road bridge over the canal, as you leave Alrewas via a lock you drop on to the river Trent and the bottom picture shows us rejoining the manmade section as the river carries on forward.

 



Since the last post we stayed a couple days in Stone, mainly because we had arranged to meet Maria and Paul our boat builder and because once again the weather was bad.

But it did give us a little rest before we set off for some long cruising days.

The Maisibert returned to where it all started as we cruised through Stoke on Trent and Fenton .
Today we have had a lovely sunny cruise to Stone.

Today we managed a large percentage of our journey before the rain set in.
We had a bit of a wait at the Harecastle Tunnel, in the bottom picture we are just leaving the tunnel and you can just make out the doors which they shut during the passage through the tunnel to assist in the extraction of exhaust fumes.