Dead Slow and now Stop

The Skipper and I are on our own again as Janis has gone off to Newark for a few days.

Of course chivalrous, big hearted Arthur, when asked by her whether he would look after ‘Roots and Wings’ while she was away, said “Yes of course I will.”

Yuk! It makes you sick, doesn’t it?

“You go and have a lovely time.” he added, with the usual silly grin on his silly face.

So there you are. I’m stuck in Uxbridge, waiting for them to get themselves organised again.

I know, I quite enjoy the slow, peaceful mode of travel that he’s been doing this year but now he’s taking the mickey I’m sure!   Having a big laugh!

What is to become of the man?

It’s not as if he’s done anything since we arrived here on Monday. He’s been blaming the wet weather for it, but I’ve never known him to be so far behind with his jobs by this time of the year before. My red raddle roof needs repainting, it’s been like it all winter, and he’s not even begun to prepare it yet, so it isn’t that he’s had nothing to do.

It’s disgusting! In fact it's a disgrace I think. I must look terrible!

He spent all day yesterday going around the town looking to buy a new camera. I don’t know what for, ‘cos the one he’s got now is perfectly okay I think.

But there we are! The things a girl has to put up with eh?

And I’d begun to think we were doing so well till we arrived here. Okay, we were dawdling but that’s alright. The countryside was wonderful whilst coming past the lakes just south of Rickmansworth. Its been lovely in fact ever since we left Cassiobury Park at Watford and I was beginning to enjoy it. The weather was fine, not like it is now, and the evenings were still and quiet.

In fact I heard and saw the Cuckoo last Sunday evening just before sunset. It’s the first I’ve come across for some years now. He flew up and settled in the ash tree by my mooring at Widewater Lock. I thought he was a pigeon at first but then heard his distinctive call. There was no mistaking him.

It was super!

Of course Janis and the Skipper missed it. By that time they were inside, and on their gin and tonic I expect, probably their second. They may have heard him, being so close like, but you don’t very often see a Cuckoo and they missed that.

I think the weather is due to brighten up a bit tomorrow and for the rest of the week too, so hopefully the Old Man will get on with some of the jobs that need doing.

There’ll be no excuse not to anyway.