Day 14 - Newbury to Hungerford Prime directive this morning was grocery shopping and other retail therapy. I participated in the first, but volunteered to haul the provisions back to the boat while Lynne raided various other emporia. At about 12:00 I set off and single-handed up Newbury Town Lock to pause on the VMs for half an hour or so. Once the other new purchases had been admired, we untied at just before 13:00 and wandered westwards in brilliant sunshine. Waited in Guyers Lock for nb Lottie [Carol & Jenny] to catch up and they proved able companions for most of the rest of the afternoon. Found the Kintbury horse boat winding above Hamstead Lock and followed it at a safe distance to Kintbury Lock which we worked and then stopped on the VMs above it at 16:55. Pleasant interlude in the warm afternoon but wanderlust persisted and at 18:00 we set off again, squinting into the sun but otherwise enjoying an evening cruise to Hungerford, mooring below the lock [after a little gardening] at 19:40. Lynne then did something magical with the leftovers from yesterday's Chinese and we dined rather well. A swan crept up behind her while she was sat at the front of the boat with a book and a passing child was heard to remark 'This swan's trying to read'. Lynne heard it as 'This one's trying to read' and took umbrage - until she realised the swan was there. A lovely day's boating - pity about tomorrow's weather forecast.
9mi 0fl; 11 locks; 1 bridge; 5.75 engine hours. Baz
