Friday 22nd July

We woke up to some blue sky :-) Which was a pleasant change. We filled up with water and were just about to set off when Richard asked me to check that Millie was on board. Normally we don’t worry about her but, for some reason, this morning she had been ashore and brought us a mouse for our breakfast! It’s just as well I checked as she was missing!! I walked up and down calling and eventually a little black head popped out from the long grass – I picked her up and put her on board and Richard quickly set off. Millie then proceeded to walk through the boat to the front and stood on the seat watching the land slipping away! We will have to watch her more closely from now one. We passed the entrance to the Stratford Canal and noticed just how bashed up the sides of the bridge are! We just had five locks to do today which where the Knowle Flight and all very close together. We were lucky as we met other boats coming towards us and had left gates open for us and all the locks were empty. We had a set destination which was Catherine de Barnes or more commonly known to locals as Catney. Its name originates from Ketelberne, the man who owned it after the Norman Conquest in 1066. However it is mainly a later settlement probably dating from the building of the Grand Union Canal there and the present St Catherine's church. There is a very handy Spar just over the bridge where we bought some milk and a paper! I’m afraid the lovely day turned to rain during the evening and boy did it rain :-( Millie had a shock this evening as a boat pulled up behind us and off jumped two rather large black and white cats – she was terrified! Richard put her cat flat door in and she sat on the top step of the companionway and looked at the door and saw one enormous black and white face peering in at her!! I doubt if she will go out tonight.