Farewell to Jon and Panutcha

Tuesday 17th May, 2016 in Braunston.
We have been so lucky with the weather for Jon and Panutcha's anniversary visit. Yet another pretty morning.

Daddy Swan decided that we should provide some breakfast for his young family, so he knocked firmly at the window to get our attention.

So, we obliged and fed them the last of our special wildfowl food.

Jon and Panutcha arrived about 9:30 and we set off for the Gongoozler's Rest, where Jon treated us to breakfast - what a treat!

This is definitely our favourite place for breakfast (and, when possible, second breakfast!).

After breakfast, we walked up to the village with them to pick up their car. On the way, as we walked over the canal, we ended up playing "pooh sticks" with the little ducklings that were chasing after their mother. Unfortunately, as they all looked the same, we don't know who won!

The walk from the canal to the village crosses a beautiful meadow full of buttercups.

In the High Street, they stopped off in the family butcher to buy some bacon and other bits. The butcher's shop is well known to the boating community and has an excellent and well deserved reputation.

Finally we said farewell to them outside their lovely B&B cottage.

We walked back to the canal once more through the field of buttercups. To follow this path is almost irresistible!

We had a quiet afternoon, which included a short walk across the fields and a visit to the marina office to try (unsuccessfully) to replenish our stock of wildfowl food.
The sunset behind the spire of St. Peter's Church rounded off the day beautifully.

We enjoyed the last few days with Jon and Panutcha so very much. For us, the greatest pleasure was seeing the joy on their faces and the delight which so many aspects of our boating life afforded them.  It truly has been a very special time.
Today: 4.4 hours for power.
Trip: 81 miles, 36 locks and 56.3 hours.