Through St Ives lock, a tight squeeze, and then on through Brownshill Staunch and Hermitage Lock afterwards
Through St Ives lock, a tight squeeze, and then on through Brownshill Staunch and Hermitage Lock afterwards

After making up with Diana after she had felt unwanted and not needed yesterday, we all had a cooked breakfast at the "Harvest Bakery" which cheered her up and then I managed to move the boat round to Waites Quay and rigged up a sunshade whilst Di did some shopping. Dan met Jason there and, after lunch, we set off in mid-afternoon. 

Through St Ives lock, a tight squeeze, and then on through Brownshill Staunch and Hermitage Lock after which we cruised along to moor up at The Twentypence Inn for dinner with Paxton Princess coping with the shallows of The Old West river well. A slight breeze made for better comfort but it was so warm and still tonight that we left the boat hood down tonight for the first time

There was quite a scene with Diana on she woke up insisting that she was going to pack her bags and go home as she felt she was not wanted or needed on the boat. I persuaded her that this was not so, and we made a fresh start at trying to manage an acceptable routine for both of us. We only got going at 8.30am as a result of all this and so I suggested that we all had a cooked breakfast at the "Harvest Bakery" and we thoroughly enjoyed it and it helped to cheer Di up. The I managed to move the boat round to Waites Quay and, whilst Di did some shopping, I rigged up a sunshade on the boat and it was needed as it was another very hot day. We met Jason Chambers in St Ives with his new car and this kept Daniel occupied for a while. We also stayed in St Ives for lunch and then set off in mid-afternoon and locked through St Ives lock.

** "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **

It was another tight squeeze for the Paxton Princess but it was safely through before long. Then on through Brownshill Staunch and Hermitage Lock after which we cruised along to moor up at The Twentypence Inn. We found very little water in The Old West, but the shallow draft of the new boat coped quite well. There, the children watched a TV film whilst I took Diana to the pub and we had a nice meal on the veranda as the day cooled off a little. A slight breeze had started to blow, and we were beginning to feel comfortable at last. I had a telephone call from Joan today about the workmen and gardener and received details of the payments I had to make to them both. I also learnt that our friends and neighbours are making use of our swimming pool even though we had switched the heating off. It was so warm and still tonight that we left the boat hood down tonight for the first time.