Under The Cover.....

Of Darkness we moved down to the water point to top up the tank tonight.
Because we havn't been around much during the day of late and a morning fill would require a 6am start, bugger that, a decision was made after dinner to go for it.
We had to reverse back down through the lift bridge to the water point then return to our mooring forwards. The good thing about the time is no one is likekly to be moving and pinch our mooring while we fill.

After filling with water....

Leaving the Thrupp basin...

 

 Steering toward the lift bridge....


I must say that in the dark distances and margins look a bit different to day time..

Successfully  through the lift bridge.....

When we arrived at the mooring earlier this evening narrow boat....

 

No Problem had not long arrived followed by NB Matilda Rose..... They had all done a big day on fire wood.....

An interesting building caught my eye, not 75 metres from where I'm helping Spence in the panel shop.

Seems it houses...

A Roman water well several hundred years old.....  

The building may not be as old as the well within. This whole country has these amazing finds many hundreds of years old.
A lot of structures still standing and working date before NZ history began.
Back home in Taradale finding any history near work doesn't exist unless you count Harold still working at the dentists.... 

Talking about being at work, sort of anyway, at the mechanics workshop next door an elderly Indian man drove up in a London Cab vehicle. It is a working Oxford cab..
He explained to the mechanic it had failed a MOT, said he'd been in the UK since 1959 which is usually the start of asking for discount,  and upon  passing over the MOT report which stated rust  in the chassis the mechanic went to some lengths trying to find the said rusty section. No luck.
The Indian driver then said " oh sorry I bought the wrong car to you"
At this stage the mechanics thinking "What The ..."
But hey if he's got a couple of cabs, they usually have a monopoly on the job, then OK...
"I be back soon" he reverses out the drive..
He also said to the mechanic he was 89yrs old...  NA you cant't drive at that age, not a cab...
Well he looked pretty crap reversing between cars...
After about 20 minutes he returns..


The cab that he got confused with the other car.....

 

 Easy to do if you got more than one....


The......

OTHER car.....  Like a curry and lamb roast are the same to look at.....

Starting to believe the age thing as well..

Here..... There........

Had a few sunny days with some showers chucked in just to make getting the washing dry a bit like a game of chess. How Stupid is that, I don't even know how to play chess.

Dropped Leonie off at her "place of employment" on Friday, a phone call to her on Thursday sort of twisted her arm to start a day early. Well what a Waste of time that was as the Lady in charge of her section took the day off. Result, a days pay but a frustrating day and could be termed as a Waste of time. Back tomorrow so lets hope a better day...

Anyway we are moored at Thrupp which is an  easy commute into Oxford then we'll head to our winter mooring at Aynho for 1st Nov,...

It's easy to see why Thrupp probably has the best gardens and tidiest surroundings  on the "Cut" when....

A working bee on Sat, see's a large turnout of volunteers.... There were many more workers....

Lawns mowed the length of the canal road, gardens done, rubbish picked up and while fences and posts were being painted ......

This "Fella" sat unrestrained as his owner toiled nearby.....

After a few wet days the sun shining made....

 

These alpacas, opposite our mooring,  look less Bedraglled  than when drenched from the rain....


Our mate Spencer was going to see long time friends race at Donnington Park race track today so I went too.
It was the final round of the championship.
Into the pits and first stop was to the team garage, Father & son racing.... The Mighty Mini class...

The two mini team were.....

Rearing to go.......


With a couple of hours to go before the mini race we, me & Spence, ventured out to watch from the Pit lane wall. You know, where on TV you see Christian Horner, Red Bull F1 team Principle operating from.

I'll take a photo I think..... through the gaps where they show the pit boards...

This one.....

And this one.... Porsche race cars.....

And then  " OOIIIIHHHH", a big man approaches in official looking gear, had one of those Dangler things around his neck with ID incase he gets lost and ends up at the dog pound..
"What you doing then"?
"I'm taking a photo"  I'm thinking is this a secret test session or something. Christ I'm happy to  sell the photos back to whoever but I'm not going to jail.
"You can't take photos from the pit wall unless you've got  an accredited media pass"
Just then out of sight on another stretch of the track a racer went off and the Red lights and flags came on and this dude with the Dangler and all his other Dangler Endowered mates went into panic and Over Power Control Mode.
So I made my Escape with the "crap photos anyway".....

 

The Mini race was good and Dad....

 

Drove his Mini like it was 16 foot wide holding the main rival 3-4 places behind which secured the achievable 2nd place in the Championship for his, son, team mate.....

 

 

In another Class of racing a competitor in an MR2 lost control, in front of us, coming off the main straight, into the gravel trap.... out of the gravel, foot hard down......

 

Across the track ... UUUHHOOOO 9 cars coming,  Slam into the side of a Mazda.... still doing about 60mph...
This MR2 came off worse....


Managed a photo with... to say we were there...

Spencer...

Just before some members of his "Fan Club" came along...

 

 

"Didn't you ride for Oxford Cheetahs in the speedway league?".....
"Yeah Yeah"...


In the pits in a VIP park was this Cool looking.....

 

 

Late model Morgan....

With a.....

 

Boat Tail rear end....

An enjoyable day for sure......