False start.

We were up with the alarm at 0630 and had breakfast and were all ready for just after 0700. 

Looking west along the Stainforth and Keadby Canal at 0645.

Looking east to Keadby Lock. The early fog is just lifting and it was already getting warm.

We waited some more and still nobody arrived. After a while we went to the lock and nobody was there. By this time we knew we wouldn't be going this morning as we would now arrive after HW at West Stockwith. I took the opportunity of the low level of the quay and the nice day to wash the st'bd side of the boat. I had down the port side earlier in the week. After doing that I decided that I would paint the blacking on the side. I had painted the blacking up to the side deck all round when in dry dock last September and was in need of a good touch up. After I started the lock keeper strolled up about 0900 and asked when we were going! Various reasons were given for us not leaving earlier and we were told that we could leave at 1700 if we wished but as I had started I declined and we are now set to leave 0800 on Wednesday morning. With a bit of luck.

After finishing one side I decided to go the whole hog and get the other side blacking done too so turned the boat round.

Swing the boat round on ropes.

The cherry tree next to the berth covered the boat with blossom once the breeze got up, fortunately after the paint had dried.

For some reason by backside is aching but I have hardly sat down. It must be the bend up and down all the time to do the rollering. Helen is busy knitting a tea pot cover for our new tea pot.. The trouble with completing the blacking is that the rest of the paintwork looks ordinary. I will have to give it a polish but I don't think it will recover very well. I will have to keep touching up until we can have the whole boat completely redone. I think that we would keep the same colour scheme though.

It sounds as though it will be another cold night tonight. It was down to 2 deg outside here. We are still snug inside though.