I shall return, now who said that?

I thought I'd have a change of font.  Ummm, we'll see.

So David went out a biking this morning very early and reported back that there were a few spaces in Fradley.  Now I wanted to go to Fradley  because I wanted to see the Wimbledon finals and I didn't want to risk no signal.  We do have a TV on WaL, the TV system cost a small fortune as we had a split wire which meant that David could watch the cricket in one room and I could watch something else in the fold down mini TV in the bedroom.  This has never happened in the twelve years.  But way back then it was the up to date system.

Anyone want a fold down TV? 

 

I was really upset when some years ago David Lewis got the actual TV working again as I really wanted to convert the cabinet into a drinks cabinet. Now we watch TV only a bit and on either our phones or a iPad.

So back to Fradley, to secure one of the two spaces available big enough for WaL we wanted to leave straight away.

 We did at about 7am,  it's only a hop skip and a jump and we arrived, the first boat the jolly volunteer helped.  He even radioed ahead to see if there were any other moorings further through Fradley at Shade Lock which there were so we were confident of getting in. 

This is the (fairly) new marina at Fradley, I quite liked it, not to big, not a ton of facilities that we would never use, I wonder how it compares price wise...

Action shot of David winding down the paddle on his side.

What a prize Git Gap, the moorings start at the post.

We shoehorned into a gap.  Had breakfast and set off for the post office in Alrewas to return a parcel.  David knew the way on the country lanes, at one point a herd of Mamils came haring towards us, but they were a friendly lot all saying Good Morning.  We arrived in Alrewas.  Now I have to tell you something Reader, it's usually me who says this but today David said Alrewas is lovely I COULD RETIRE HERE!!!!!

I did see a lovely cottage for sale too but it's too far from those priceless Grandchildren. 

My first bike ride since last summer

We cycled into Post Office Road, couldn't see it.  I asked a lady where the post office was please, Oh it was in the Pharmacy but it's gone now.  It's now in South Fradley at the Butchers, next to Co-Op.  So Reader now you know.

The butcher served me sausages and took the parcel.

We got back to WaL.  The plan was to watch the tennis and then go to the pub for supper.

Three of these things with drivers well older than David and myself, or rather they looked much older.  Huge noisey things called "Trikes" evidently they are great fun. 

The Jam Butty was here and we couldn't resist.

Well the tennis was very exciting and we celebrated with a proper afternoon tea.

We'd spent a couple of days here so time to move.  We shifted off at 06:30, as quietly as we could drifted over to the service point for water, it took 25 minutes, David got fed up waiting by then, the tank was only on 8/10,  meanwhile I prepped the lock and was quite convinced another boat would come and I would have to turn it but luckily not.  

Reader don't bother with this water tap.  

Our mooring on the left.  The motorbikes were a bit noisy on the road, but good people watching.

David finally leaving the service and coming along as quietly as possible.  Not a soul about.

The very beginnings of Cannock Chase, a sign to me that we are nearly back.   

O

And here we are at Great Haywood, just done the last lock.

 

So Reader an early departure from cruising for now, there is a good reason.

Frequent Flyers here might remember two years ago that our dearly beloved youngest daughter and her husband have gone to live in New Zealand, the country of his birth and the place she decided to spend the Second Lockdown in when we were all cold.

In August they are expecting their first baby and our 5th Grandchild.

I am flying out to "Lindahand" as we say in our house and David is staying home to help with the school holiday child care and mind my mother.  

He also thinks he'll play golf. Ha!!

So this is all from me for now, I have to pack and cram into a case all she wants me to bring out with me...