Cropredy (garden envy)

We get a lot of nice compliments about our boat flowers from passing boaters and walkers alike.  On Sunday, a boat had gone past us with sunflowers on the roof and immediately made Karen determined to grow mini sunflowers next year.  We did try one plant this year but I think we started it too early as it died off after producing a few flowers.  Anyway, the boat passed me again yesterday and the girl driving told me she tries every year but is only successful every other year.

Mini sunflowers on a boat – quite a different idea

Cropredy is one of those places that is notoriously bad for TV and phone signal.  We have had no TV signal since being here but our broadband receiver has been fine.  It seems, wherever we are in the country, that even when the TV and/or phone signals are bad we still get good broadband internet.

A boat moored opposite us yesterday and they were well prepared for the poor TV signal.  Mike and Mary are in their early fifties and are in their first year of living on their boat.  They have taken career breaks but they are enjoying it so much that they have put their house on the market so they don’t have to go back to work.

Mike and Mary’s solution to poor TV signals - the pole is as long as the boat!

Yesterday, whilst working out where we will cruise after leaving Copredy, it occurred to me that Karen only has six months until she gives up work again.  Knowing that we are going to be in Birmingham in November brings that February date even closer.  Having been cruising around the Warwickshire area for two years we have both been wondering how we will feel when we start travelling the country again like we did before Karen went back to work.  Of course, it’ll be exciting but it may also feel like a holiday to start with as we will be leaving Warwickshire which has become our home.  Actually, thinking about it, before Karen went back to work, every day felt like a holiday 😊

 

During Tuesday I went for a few little walks as has become the habit of the last three weeks due to my back.  On one of them we saw the boat that the Mikron theatre cast use to travel the country whilst giving their shows.

The Mikron theatre boat built as a working boat in 1936

Sign detailing the boat’s history

They are touring two different plays this year on alternate nights.  The first gives a history of the YHA in a comic and musical setting and the second looks at how to assemble RNLI crews in the electronic games age.  We have often wanted to see one of the productions when we have passed the boat before but have never got around to it, so as they were performing right next to us we joined Mike and Lesley and other villagers to see their Tuesday production.

It was good evening and, as it was outside, I could stand or kneel at the back of the audience to ease my back without getting in people’s way.

The current cast of the Mikron theatre performing on Tuesday evening