To there and back again

 We waited out the rain this morning, pulling the pins at about 10:30am.  I like leisurely mornings, David not quite so keen.  He was up dressed and wiping down the roof of the boat which in places is green.  

A boat did go past before 7am.  I peeped a look out the porthole and I'm sorry to say the helmsman didn't look terribly happy, but that's boating for you.

I forgot to say that down at Weston David had nipped up on the bike to his favourite shop that is to say Marks and Spencers Food hall at Stone.  Because he had done so there wasn't an awful lot of point in going up to Stone.  David was content to sacrifice Joules pub on the town waterfront with the nice beer.  So today a shortened run up the way to Aston Marina, turn in their entrance (I bet they don't like that) and be facing south to get sunshine, should we get any, in the catch in the afternoon.

We think all this out you know Reader...

Now then, as I'm learning to helm I get to ask David annoying questions such as "Why have you done that?"  and "Wouldn't it be better to have done this the other way?" mostly he's patient and explains his thinking but I do truly believe that men are hard wired differently to women. 

 

A case in point this morning, I helpfully suggested in passing that would you go slightly past the turning place, reverse into the entrance and bring the bow round with the help of the wind....

No was the reply.

As we made our way south again a glance behind showed a big black cloud that had appeared out of an almost blue sky 

Oh gawd says I, moor up at will!

Well we did get to an ear marked mooring, got the tonneau cover on, bingo.

Raining hard but luckily not for long.  The cratch warmed up by and by so we got books out, coffee served and some more serious relaxing.

We stayed thus for a few hours and at about 4pm we decided to walk towards the river Trent.  Here there's a footbridge over the river and then a raised walkway over some very wet boggy ground the sign called it a "New pond", the land is owned by a waterboard, maybe Severn Water... they seem to have been encouraging wildlife.  

Well I really wanted to see were the Lapwings in the shallows there as we had seen them before and also today on a field of stubble.  But no nothing, another twitcher was there looking too.  Even though it was chilly we followed our noses and kept walking, we walked to Aston village over the fields and during this walk we saw Swans flying overhead, heard a woodpecker but didn't see it and a pair of Buzzards, Grey Wagtails, Blue Tits, a pair of Buzzards.  But no Lapwings. 

It was a fabulous evening as the photos show how the weather changed.

The river Trent tonight, high but not flooding.

David on the river footbridge and the pond behind.

River Trent.

The path we followed through a field of Oilseed Rape, pigeon's favourite.

Trent and Mersey canal tonight, all peace and calm.

Late Lunch was smoked salmon and horseradish with a cheeky chenin blanc and chocolate.