Its been a while...

So Reader here we are back from hibernation from what feels like a ice-age but and on the other hand no time at all. 

I was pretty horrified at the prospect of Lockdown, not just for myself but for my mother who very shortly celebrate her 10th decade, don't tell her I told you.    She has come up trumps keeping herself busy with knitting and quilting and very slowly spring cleaning her bungalow.  I think its something to do with how that generation was formed that it seems to me there is an indomitable spirit, indeed my sister-in-law who's mum is well into her 90's told her daughter "I lived through the Blitz and I can beat this Covid".  

Impressive eh?.

So finally finally I have been dragged away kicking and screaming from our beloved grandchildren who are now ten months and very mobile, back onto WaL.  

So,  in unison with many boat owners on first viewing their boats after these months, what a state she is in. The ropes are green, as are the gunnels, there were forty dozen spiders living in the cratch, dusty dirt is all over the roof, so we'll be joining my mother in spring cleaning.

We are only out for a fortnight this time, after what seemed like weeks of discussion between us of where to go and then reasons not to go there......  we have decided on our old favourite of wafting down the Staffs to Worcester canal, now we are handily based at Great Haywood marina its our local canal.  As time is limited for this visit, we are probably not going to get the whole way down but you never know, we may get a spurt on.

As we often do we came up to WaL loaded the fridge and freezer on the mains before going our the next day.  This was also combined with the four yearly Boat Safety Check postponed from March.  

The following morning, when David was out on his bike, well before 8am there was a hell of a wallop then another on WaL, the bed shook then next the ROAR of a revving trad engine next to my bedroom window and the whole bloody boat vibrated.  Our neighbour had arrived back on his mooring driving his Steve Hudson boat. 

He gleefully announced later as we were leaving that "Its a bit tight getting in here isn't it?"

I didn't quite know how to respond...... 

So in a vest and my thick winter fleece we set off, out of the front gates of the marina and turn left, first right onto the Staffs to Worcester canal.  Usually I am off the boat to make the turn, I'm on the bridge checking the traffic but only two boats even in view we took a chance.

See the dirt??????

The river Trent below, last October there was serious flooding here.

This is for Louise, we saw Hares on the same day. Gorgeous.

 

So after a cruise of barely three hours, we arrived at Acton Trussell,  usually there are dairy cows for David to cast his opinion quietly on, but not today, instead fields ready for mowing second cut silage (winter food of pickled grass, cows love it) and he was impressed. 
In the evening I spotted a hare.  I could watch hares for ages, but not this one, he must have heard me and hunkered down out of sight.

Supper was chicken salad with lentil, beetroot and feta, plus a Sainsbury's gooseberry fool which was delicious, David had something else so I ate his too.

Its nice to be back Reader.