Thursday 14th May

We have reached Staines and Angelus is snug against Daybreak on Church Island.

On Monday 11th, we were at Marlow and Sue was to do a painting of Baglady but the weather was awful, mainly because of the high wind. We had a wonderful walk, though, to Cookham and then up to the house at Clivedon. This is not on the official Path but we didn't want to miss an opportunity and, by the afternoon, the sun was shining in a bright blue sky. We were not disappointed, reaching the house through a stunning beech wood. Diana Grant was with us that day and her husband, Chris, kindly picked us up from Cookham to drive us back to their mooring and to Angelus, alongside. The Grants also provided a splendid evening meal.

After a lift back to Cookham the following morning, Sue and I visited the Stanley Spencer gallery and then made that wonderful walk to Clivedon Deep and ultimately Boulter's lock, where we explored Ray Mill island. Edward then picked us up on Angelus and we went back to "our" island in Clivedon reach and had a sparkling sunny afternoon there with a bit of a sunset to top it all off.

On Wednesday 13th, it was a grey, misty, damp day - made sunny by having Sally Woodward's company. Sally works as a volunteer on the Venturer (as well as being a long time friend) and bravely did the walk from Boulter's to Windsor having recently had a knee operation. Unfortunately for her, we did not have any painting pauses because the weather was horrible!

We walked today from Windsor in the company of Ali Taylor and her brother Willy. They brought along their inflatable double canoe and Ali even had an intentional swim at one point! They also brought a wonderful lunch, including wine, which we enjoyed at Runnymeade. So, back to Staines where Sue is painting as I type, her fourth one today! We arrived back at around 4.30pm and Edward had made scones for a cream tea. This is the life!

The walk today was lovely, as ever, but we are very aware that we are about to embark on "stage three" of the Thames Path. Our book tells us that tomorrow, we shall see the last of our buttercup meadows. And the places we now pass are much more familiar to us.



Also, Angelus will not be following us any more. She will return to our mooring in Sunbury and from then on, we shall be commuting or staying with friends. On Saturday we shall walk from Hampton Court to Teddington and Miranda (from the Boat Project) is joining us. Sunday we are snatching a day of rest, a reward for getting along so well! Which puts us back on the schedule for Teddington to Kew on Monday 18th.



From Teddington the Path could be either side of the river so we have some swatting to do - and, no, we will not be taking a side each!

And, as we walk, we do remember that Miranda and her team are taking kids out on the Venturer and trying to give them a small taste of this wonderful river. We have met some lovely people along the route. When we stop along the way we always prop up our sign explaining what we are doing and it often attracts interest - and cash into the tin!

And now that we are back in the land of electricity, you may get to see a photo on this blog at last! But not tonight.

Pamela, Sue and Edward