Ewoks and roulette.

The next day, we needed water and David needed to go to M&S again.  We had more Fine Company due.

These days had continued in a pattern of misty starts and then unbelievable gorgeous days, made even better Reader with weather reports from home saying it was cold and damp too, nothing better than when you are on holiday to hear that it's horrid weather at home.

These little darlings were in the field opposite, they were skipping about like teddy bears do. 

Belted Galloways, what's not to love?  They remind me of Ewoks from Star Wars...

We set off heading north, right where we were it had been protected from any wind, but as we rounded the bend some north icy blasts caught us, me back inside to put on more layers.

This had been our mooring for several days.

You can't see I know but he has his thickest warmest fleece on, waterproof over trousers too, but is still wearing shorts.

This is the next little task, if you can't quite make it out its just below the sliding hatch runners.  George has told me exactly what to do.

Interior woodwork that has been completely ignored since July 2012 ummmmmmm

The idea was to pop into Aston Marina along the canal, have a much needed pump out and beg for water if indeed there is a reachable water point.  

The wind picked up steadily over the next couple of hours as we approached and as we got there it was a brute of a howling gale.  David turned in and got directions from a boater who was out securing items on his roof, he pointed to the pump out, now this marina is in two halves, almost shaped as the digit 8, and where the two sections meet is the pumpout station.  Well as we hovered looking for it, another boat called across to us to say that they were in the queue for the pump out too, the wind was so bad that she had had to go onto a mooring while she waited for a boat actually on the station to vacate.... There were a few utterances form my Captain as to where the       Beep Beep were we supposed to wait?  This was all while the wind blew WaL all over the marina getting precariously closer to other moored boats.

A few more utterances and we left, David decided that we'd come back tomorrow.  

He carefully navigated us out and back onto the cut just short of Aston Lock and apart from us having a dangerously full poo tank, I was relieved to get out.  No photos I'm afraid.

On up the lock and we approached Stone.  Wonderful, a mooring just our size in the run up to M&S.  

Off we went in David's new favourite shop.  He had previously been given two vouchers to spend sizable amounts but then you'll get 10% off.  Now this man likes a bargain so he filled the trolley with all sorts of goodies that I would never usually buy....

Well he got his 10% discount and we staggered back to the boat and I went off to post a letter only returning when I was sure that he'd had enough time to put all the shopping away.

We moved along onto the water point and started to fill.  For such a busy spot I truly thought it was a double tap but no and pretty poor water pressure taking ages.  

Two hire boats turned up, one was 68', accommodating eight but with only a couple onboard, I took a rope to squeeeeeeeze them in he said that the hire company had told him to fill up every day!!!!!  

Yonks ago when we had hired with the three children on a similar sized boat I'm not sure that we filled up again in the whole fortnight, this poor couple had had to wait almost an hour the previous day for water.

I advised a day off water duties tomorrow.

Well David reversed WaL back to the winding hole (Turny round place) David stuck her nose into the bushes and I got off with the stern rope to aid a quicker turn.  Woman power working very well here.

We headed out of Stone, every space was taken now but I can't stand being under trees so we ended up all alone, on a straight section of armco, about half a mile from Aston Lock again.  We would have gone back to the Marina this evening but it would  have been closed.

Tomorrow morning then for a re-run of Marina Roulette in another gale that was forecast.

Marvellous, can't wait.

Supper was cauliflower cheese.  Sarah from NB Hodmad'dod recipe, with olives, mushrooms and roasted baby tomatoes, I cooked while David did the first coat of polish on the other side.