Skid Pan, Napton, Pheasant

I had a brilliant time on the skip pan at Silverstone the other day.  It was a fabulous two hours of learning to control a car in a skid.  I have always been a bit nervous driving in bad weather (not helped by a mean person being an idiot at high speeds in a car on some narrow suffolk roads in the snow once) and this was a super way to gain some confidence and learn what to do if I find myself in a skid.  It was great fun.

 It was quite unnerving to start off  but clearly, by the end, I was feeling quite pleased with myself!

A group of us met at Napton to help lock a friends friend down the flight. I tried to park in the carpark which I have often used before but a local boater told me off.  Apparently it is only for the moorers - is he right? Have the rules changed, or has it never been for the use of any old passing boater ?

 It was a glorious day:

And the flight is incredibly picturesque under blue skies:

After that I headed off to Shropshire for a week in a country cottage. It was delightful reading by oil lamp light sitting by the range listening to the silence. Wonderful.  I picked up some Pheasants. Miss T was rather unnerved when supper didn't arrive in a packet, but she dressed and cooked them beautifully once Pa and I had done the deed.

After a fantastic week I am feeling rather worse for wear having been struck by the lurgy.  I am now home lounging around admiring all the work I have been doing on the boat.