An early flit

07:07 start this morning, for David of course, needless to say I wasn't entirely ready...

We went through Hopwas, a dad and his little boy were walking to school, the school is on the canal side and the little chap called out to us with a beaming smile that he liked our boat! That started the day very nicely. 

Approaching Hopwas, going under Hopwas Wood Bridge

The run down was slightly chilly and uneventful, other than at Hopwas there were a pair of my favourite ducks, Aylesbury ducks.  These are the ones I used to keep when my children were tiny, happy memories of the girls and I scooting around the garden trying to round them up.  Horrid fox finished them off in the end.  
Since then I have not been a fox lover.

We passed NB Olive moored up here too.   HERE   There isn't too much information here, does anyone know more?  She was looking very smart today.

On and into Tamworth.  I hadn't noticed these murals before.  

And I had't noticed the completion of this smart development on the canal side either.  Its situated right on the junction of the Fazely Canal junction which goes down into Birmingham.  We had toyed with the idea of finishing off in Birmingham but not to be this year.

Add captionThis caught my eye on one of the two locks in Tamworth, exactly 100 years old.

Out of Tamworth and on towards Atherstone where on arrival I thought this was a rather attractive water garden feature.....  but no, it is an almost sunken hull with weeds growing out of it, moored up against a nice looking garden.  When do these vintage hulks become unsightly wrecks beyond saving?  I love the vintage boats, but I don't think I would tolerate this one at the bottom of my garden. 
Unreasonable woman....?

We got a good mooring by the road bridge,  very handy as Fine Company was arriving later on.  Musical cars was played by David and in time for supper he met the Boat Sharers Amanda and David in Braunston.

Supper was sausages five veg and Amanda brought to the party a raspberry and pistachio Semi Freddo  if you don't know what that is then look here...   HERE  
Fantastic