Season's End

Autumn day at Lower Heyford village.

Time slips by, the leaves turn golden brown and start to fall and this year’s hire-boating season comes to an end.

Red Sky at night

The seasonal staff start to depart for pastures new, ranging from Mexico to the Midlands.
Those left are counting the days, but for the engineering staff, boat-fitters and painters new jobs are beginning.

Three new shells have arrived from Colecraft and already the fitting out, painting and engine fitting has begun and we are over-run with extra carpenters (or are they boat-fitters?) It’s going to be a busy winter I think!

We continue to learn more and more about the canal community and have found that “Dusty” is something of an institution on the Oxford Canal, Mark Boardman (07986 189 074) delivers coal, gas and diesel, by narrowboat, up and down the Oxford in all winds and weathers, and picks up his deliveries at the wharf fortnightly. So here’s this month’s feature, a fully loaded Dusty setting off on his rounds.

We are starting to make friends and contacts in the local community, both through work and through the local church at Heyford Park Chapel (on the old Upper Heyford air base) a lively group from diverse backgrounds who have made us very welcome.
Our house has had a buyer who then promptly dropped out (whoever buys a house without a firm job offer!) so it’s back on the market again 😦
Oh well, I wonder what we’ll be doing at Christmas.