Summer holidays begin.

We arrived back at Great Haywood on Saturday afternoon.  

A dreadful journey caused by the powers that be by closing both carriageways of the main A road in different places if you can believe it, causing widespread traffic queues and dreadful language from David. 

 

We had even taken avoiding action which helped but obviously all the other locals had too...

So nice to arrive at the marina where all angst and scrottiness melts away.

This upcoming trip had supposed to have been our main summer holiday, but David now is saying the weather will break up and he thinks we'll only be out a week or so.  

I on the other-hand have a vague idea that he has entered himself into some golf competition right in the middle of my summer holiday.... if this is the case and we go home early Reader I shall buy myself a new winter coat.  

That will teach him.

Unpacking didn't take very long, but I did discover that when I packed to come away a few weeks ago I'd forgotten that I'd left quite a bit of clothing here with the result that I can hardly get the drawers closed on WaL.  It's my age I'm sure making me so daft, I'd ask David to remember vital stuff like underwear levels stored on the boat but Reader he's more daft than me.

So after a mighty fine supper of steak, chips and salad followed by profiteroles, I should say that David has discovered Marks and Spencer's Food Halls, there was a wonderful surprise when he found the one in Stone a few weeks ago right next to the canal, we hadn't know it was there since we last went up the Trent & Mersey... and following on he discovered one at home only ten minutes on from his golf club.  He thinks that M&S have a bonkers way of displaying items, but I've assured him that with practice and repetition he'll soon find everything easily.

  

We had a meal deal for supper and fingers crossed we'll have another this week again, but not steak ever again on the boat, it makes such a mess and as he cooks I do the clearing up.

This morning we had planned to get away at the crack of 8am, but after David had fiddled with the wonky button on WaL that had got dislodged, again  and I had put the last of the unrequired clutter into the car boot we were late get to Weston where we were meeting John & Louise of NB Ploddin' Along, for Sunday Lunch at The Saracen's Head.  

Its only just up the canal, then we'd thought we would have time to start the dreaded sanding down of the wood on the back back doors, the back doors and if time the Pixie Seats.  (I'll take photos for clarification as it's entirely possible that these names are not the official terms used by the Boating Fraternity).

My new sander and the Pixie Seat.

Two boats waiting already at the first lock and we are informed that a vintage boat and it butty have just gone up the lock causing a backlog of boats...   I went up to help and kept as far away as possible from the other crews, several of which are loitering/mingling...  

But soon we were away again and the thin cloud began to burn off leaving patches of blue sky becoming larger.   An approaching boat yelled out in passing that there were another three boats waiting to go up at the next lock, gawd. 

  

Well we didn't see the two vintage boats but I dived inside after the second lock to get changed, David called down to say here's a mooring and to jump off with the middle rope, hahaha I was undressed.

Anyway, we almost ran in the pub and within a few minutes the Fine Company had arrived.  

A great afternoon was had relaxing, enjoying the company, the food and the view southwards over the meadows and hills.

More polishing hints and advice was sought and given.  The sanding is my job and the polishing is David's.  I'll take some before and after photos.

Sunday Lunch was calamari, roast lamb and raspberry posset, google posset if you don't know, it was a cracker.

Blast no photos of John and Louise.