A morning’s gentle potter in improving weather, with the intention of meeting some friends at The Great House on Sonning Bridge for a Sunday lunchtime drink. For those old enough to remember, it used to be called The White Hart. It was shut for refurbishment. There’s a lot of it about.

Fortunately said friends came equipped with ample provisions for lunch on board. Unsurprisingly for a warm and sunny bank holiday Sunday, there was plenty of traffic about.

Sonning also seemed to have a number of strange signs: must be something in the water. (Click on the photos to enlarge them if you can’t read the words).

It’s a long time since we’ve seen Uri Geller’s name carved in iron.

Monday morning, and some emergency washing necessitated a hook-up: nearby Shiplake Lock had some facilities for electric boats, and Andy the lock keeper said we could use them if no-one else needed them. It was a pleasant spot on the weir island (shades of Abingdon), and the Captain approved.

Our old friend the mis-spelt and mis-coloured Amerthyst tipped up for some fresh water. And to continue the theme, there was a slightly odd Danger: Shallow Water sign. It’s normally deep water that’s dangerous.