On 09/03/07, David Sullivan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > How things change... > (and not all for the worse - I can remember when there > were restrictions on the Grand Union EVERY YEAR because > of water shortage. Many a merry evening I've spent tied > at the bottom of Stoke Bruerne or the top of Buckby for > the night because the locks were padlocked)
One year, because there'd been so many complaints, they made restrictions 'advisory' ie you were asked not to cruise outside certain hours unless there were pressing reasons. That year I heard my mother was seriously ill and we got up at sparrow's fart to rush the boat back to the mooring and the car. Coming up Stockton flight there was an a**hole of a lockkeeper who - without even passing the time of day - suddenly started having a go at us. 'There's always one,' I remember him saying, 'one who spoils it for everyone else...' I was already understandably tense. Believe me, if he'd have been anywhere near me, I'd have spoiled his nose, I can tell you. Steve [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
