Creative knitting!

If you read my post about G Dad's Collectables back in June, then I apologise for showing the same photos here as I did then. Grace and I paid G Dad's a return visit the other day. It's at Old Wolverton, near Milton Keynes, and right next to the Grand Union Canal.

This time, we went to their furniture warehouse as well, which was full of all sorts of fascinating, retro furniture and objets d'art. I really regret not having taken photos this time. I had my camera with me, but just got too carried away with the looking to think about the recording.

We spent several hours there, taking a break for lunch at the next-door Galleon Inn.

G Dad's stock had changed a lot since we were there last, but it was still the most amazing collection of ephemera and oddities that we've ever seen. It's not at all difficult to spend ages there. Surprisingly, we actually bought nothing this time, but we do highly recommend the place to readers who enjoy browsing and buying fascinating objects from past decades. And some of the prices are just stupidly low!

Returning from Sainsbury's on Friday, we stopped off at Kilsby village to investigate something we saw on our way out.

All of the knitting was in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Women's Institute. It put big smiles on our faces. A brilliant concept, very well executed.

Day 5

The weather today has been colder and cloudy, and started off quite breezy, but at least it was dry, and we had a day of locks!

Starting off with the five Kibworth Locks, moving on to the three just south and west of Newton, and then the three north of Kilby, we moored for the rest of the day and night just above Tythorn Lock. All are double-width locks, most fairly deep, and we descended the lot solo, where it would have been quicker and less effort if we'd had another boat with us, sharing the locks and the locking. It was slow going, but I enjoy the effort of the locks, and the walking between them, so it was a day well spent.

Since Spinney Lock, where we turned around on our trip last year with Christine and Michael, we've been in new territory.

Better weather is forecast for tomorrow!

Back on Kantara

Thursday morning was dental checkups and hygienist treatments and gardening. Friday was service and MoT for the car, and gardening. Saturday was shopping and gardening. Sunday afternoon was the annual Redbourn Folk and Blues Festival.

The location was perfect, the weather was perfect (it often threatened to rain on this outdoor gathering, but didn't once), the attendance was excellent, the music was mostly good, spirits were high, food and drink available in abundance, and, best of all, Said the Maiden were phenomenal! Steve recorded them, and Naomi photographed and videod them. What a good way to spend Father's Day!

Said the Maiden is a folk trio of our daughter Jess and two friends, Hannah and Kathy, who hadn't even formed this time last year. They now have a good following, an excellent and ever-growing repertoire of folk songs, a good deal of club experience in and around London and the Three Counties (Beds, Herts & Bucks), and a demo CD in preparation. Visit their website, and follow them on Twitter - they have a great deal of potential, and should go far.

We're back on the boat now. The weather is calm and warm, and we're planning our first proper cruise, to start in the next few days. Fingers crossed for lots of good weather. Feeling lazy this evening, we're off to The George for a meal.