Prison release date.

Jaq was in her element this week as visitors from America stopped by. Our friends Sally and Joe Horton from Pullman, Washington were over to visit Sally's brother Peter and his wife Rhona. Sally is Scottish and her husband Joe is American.  It was Joe that took me on the air boat ride up the Snake River back in 2011 while we waited for Jaq's spouse visa to arrive.  Sally and Jaq worked together for a decade at Washington State University. Over the years we've become good friends and while Sally wouldn't mind a narrow boat holiday, Joe is totally nuts about narrow boats.

So it was with great joy that we finally met Peter and Rhona, and caught up once more with Sally and Joe at dinner on Tuesday night at the Kings Head Inn in Warwick. The next morning they all came over to NB Valerie and we went for a short cruise. Joe reminded Jaq of a dog with its head out the window of a car going 60 MPH. He was over the moon to be out back even in the rain--and the huge smile on his face made us happy indeed. Many thanks for dinner and for the care package of Constant Comment and Good Earth tea for Jaq.

Around the table: Jaq with a bottle of Pear Cider (Perry), Joe, Peter, Rhona and Sally. Slainte!!

It`s that time of year again and the swans are nesting. This section of towpath at Radford like many others is a very busy walking and cycling
 route but Swans will nest wherever they please. I have seen nests built in worse places and at least here there is some room to pass by

although when the male is around it is a question of timing your walk by. I watched fascinated as the male picked up twigs and placed them close enough for the female to reach without leaving the nest. I found a few hand fulls of long dry grass that I placed next to the nest and watched her gathering it all around her.

Not tried video on the blog for quite some time so hope it works. Just 15 seconds. Thursday was a day of flooding with the river Leam bursting it`s banks and flooding the park in Leamington town centre. The point the Leam flows into the Avon can be viewed from the aqueduct carrying the canal over it and all the surrounding fields had become a lake.
The video is the water flowing off the canal at Radford. At several points along the canal the towpath had become slightly flooded.


Jaq had one of her many physio sessions today and now has 100 degree bend back in her knee. Two more weekly physio classes and her treatment is completed. 
She has a return appointment in six months to talk about a right knee replacement. Say this quietly: 6 months to go cruising.

On the left not the latest Tesco shopping trolleys but wheelchairs in the hospital. £1 in the slot refunded when you bring it back. Receptionist said it might stop the selfish idiots leaving them in the middle of the car park. Mmmm perhaps a £5 deposit would guarantee the return.