Feline story solved

 Sept 22nd

Hasn't the weather been awful? and blooming cold too... so far the stove remains cold, not for the want of mentioning getting it lit to Ian, but no, he being completely oblivious to the cold, thinks the month of September is far too early for such luxuries and has vowed not to have it lit until after the equinox! (Spring not Autumns!) So for me, I have found my thermal vest, T-Shirt over the top, a jumper and THEN a cardi..I can just about keep the chill from my bones!

Below are a couple of photos of the torrential rain experienced on Wednesday and it was this downpour that eventually made the cat decided enough was enough.

Note, the cat has vanished.

 Thursday morning and no sign of the cat, That historic boat was still locked so the owner had not returned. But was this where the cat resided? All day we saw no sign of it and to be fair I hardly even popped my head out of the back cabin slide so wouldn't have seen it anyway. 

So today (Sept 22nd) and with the start of the morning dry, we walked towards the Junction to see if we could find anyone to give us a boaters pack. 

Not far from that historic boat was a sight we hate to see, a sunken boat. Apparently it had been there for quite a while, the owner having been in poor health and now taken to a home. I wondered if he knew his boat was now sitting on the bottom?

  A lady was seen handing out envelopes at the historic boat section, could she be the person we needed? It appeared so. 

 

So we were given the envelope that contained the Heritage Boat Gathering plaque as well as the program, Of course I had to open the envelope to see what was in there, and then, as I opened the program with the entry armband inside, the wind chose that particular moment to grab hold of it and into the canal it went! Quick as a flash Ian knelt down and grabbed the band from sinking below the waves. Phew...that was lucky but his quick thinking had consequences.

The plaque was lovely, another one to hang on the back cabin door!

 

Took a lot longer to get back to FS, plenty of folk we knew and had to talk too. Before we knew it nearly 2 hours had passed. So back at the boat and Ian checked for the key, look of horror as he suddenly realised it was no longer in his pocket. Strange he hadn't noticed it missing, a cork ball banging against his thigh attached to the key (in case it fell into the water) was always on show outside his trousers. There is a saying us narrow boaters  use.... you always know one cos his balls hang out of his pocket!

Anyway,,,,many years ago a spare key for the padlock was well hidden somewhere on the outside of the boat (not going to say where). We had a moment to try and remember. and remember we did, moments later we were in. But that lost key had to be found so off Ian went in search.

  In the meantime I walked to the end of the moored boats to see if any spaces were available for when friends Carol and Michael arrived and there, sitting in a chair in the cratch of a boat, was that cat! The person who I thought was the owner was stroking it. I was so relieved and told him the tale of the cat and the rain but before I could finish my story, he corrected me and said this cat did not belong to him! So I was none the wiser, or so I thought, to whom it belonged but then he informed me the cat came from the boat moored in front and how the back door was always open for the cat to come and go as it pleased. Gosh that must mean the cat enjoyed being out in all that wind and rain! When I returned from the walk there was the cat in hunting mode right by that boat. Hmm..I must remind myself not to worry about this species any more in the future.

Ian was still not back by the time I returned. I was starting to worry, lunch had been made but then I felt the boat rock. Sure enough in his hand was the missing key! It was found right where he had knelt down to retrieve that armband. For it to still be there was amazing, it had lain where it had fallen for over 2 hours! 

I took a few photos (below) earlier in the day, the rain hadn't started then! We hope to go to the clubhouse tonight, I think wet weather gear will have to be worn, its tipping it down and I can't see it ending any time soon.