Busking at Foxton

Not much of a view out of Herbie's window at the moment! We are hiding under the mighty bulk of NbChertsey, nicely out of view of all the folk who are here to see the historic boats at Foxton. Despite us being a pathetic little modern boat, people here have been very friendly and welcoming to us. The HNBC seem a nice lot.

We have been earning our stay by doing a bit of busking, helped no end by the fact that Sarah and Jim have kindly lent us the use of Chertsey's built-in performance stage from which we have been able to attract occasional gaggles of onlookers who all want to know what Kath's hammer dulcimer is, or failing that, what my smallpipes are. So the good folk of Leicestershire are that little bit wiser this Easter. Yesterday a man from the Leicester Mercury took our photo and our names and wrote down what a hammer dulcimer was, so maybe next week even more people will know.

Here we are in the throes of some tune or other which, looking at my hands, has a Bminor chord in it. There's posh.

Then last night the club had a shindig in the village hall where we did another bit alongside other performers including Pete Boyce, better known for owning more old boats than you can shake a stick at. On the way over to Foxton we were very proud of Herbie when we encountered Pete run fast aground on NB Renfrew. Despite Renfrew being a proper boat and fifty percent bigger than Herbie we did manage to pull her off the mud with Herbie in reverse. How come Herbie can pull a gert big boat off the mud in reverse when she can't seem to stop herself in less than fifty yards?

It's a good spot here. I like Foxton very much. It's a pity though that all these lovely old boats are out of view of the hundreds of Gongoozlers who flock to see the locks and the remains of the inclined plane boat lift.

Tonight we are joining Sarah's team in the quiz which should give us ample opportunity to show how little we know about real boats and canals in the old days.

 

 

 

 

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