10 day trip to Market Harborough & Back

Owing to a funeral next week of one of Viv’s old school friends, we’re not out for the Summer, not just yet but are doing a short trip to Market Harborough & back. Happily coinciding with Summer – for yes, the single figure temperatures melt away to give us values in the high twenties! So chance to do some boat cleaning &  polishing plus give those solar panels a rare treat – some sun! The new weather station in also lapping it up (weather.vivatek.co.uk) – recording all these new temperatures. Nice to see all the trees & plants beginning to bloom too – a whole month behind, we reckon. Steve is growing some peppers (again) – this time some lemon flavoured hot peppers, jalapeno and even the dreaded naga jolokia ones, hmm.

Chance to do, well, not very much. Met some nice, friendly boaters – Gll & Stuart on Auntie Rincal (fellow Yelvertofties) plus a chap on his own, John on Hermione. There’s a new Co-op halfway into town, which is nice and a visit to the Beerhouse is a must. So many nice shops and things to do – corset museum? Can you see a Toby, just peering out? He’s got a swollen ankle – arthritis? So only short walks for him. Had a great lunch in the market at the Master Dim Sum – a very small but very efficient dim sum cafe – scoring the #1 spot in Harborough for restaurants, which is good going since it only opens 10-5, when the market is open. In the evening we had some beers at Beerhouse (again) and then an excellent takeaway from Rainbow – good old TripAdvisor does help! The best spare ribs ever (garlic & chilli “hot hot” but nice).

Friday,  off at 9. Up thru Foxton – had to wait for some boats to come down – so, a pint of Inclined Plane in the Bridge 61 pub then. Such hardship. Up at the top and moored for the night – Not quite as blisteringly hot as yesterday (28 inside & out). A nice 22-24.