Fingers crossed

We've all come to accept that the weather forecasts in the UK are no longer as unreliable as they used to be - they are worse! So I don't give too much credence to the BBC's assertion that the next four days are going to be rainy (though my fingers are tightly crossed).

In the light of that, we're setting out tomorrow for our first real cruise - around the Leicester Ring, clockwise.

• We'll head off south down the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union Canal to Norton Junction, west along to Braunston Turn, and off towards Napton Junction. Somewhere around there we'll have to about-turn to get back to Braunston for next Thursday, where we'll be stopping off for a day for Roy to fit new bow deck seating/locker covers, and Colin to fit a new battery charger, and repair a stern deck hatch cover.
• On the Friday, we'll turn north up the Oxford Canal, through Rugby
• turning north at the junction with the Coventry Canal, and on through Nuneaton, Atherstone and Tamworth
• joining the Birmingham and Fazely Canal and continuing north
• to rejoin the Coventry Canal to Fradley Junction.
• Here, we go east onto the Trent and Mersey Canal, bearing north and on through Burton Upon Trent.
• After a short trip along the River Trent, we head south on the River Soar
• rejoining the Grand Union through Loughborough and Leicester, and beyond.
• Days later at Foxton Locks, we turn right and head back to the marina.

We have no idea how long this will take us - that's part of the fun!

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.