Leaving Rugeley

Morning all, 

Another change of font here, I'll see how we go....

We set off this morning a bit on the later side, David had moved the car onwards and I, well frankly Reader I was reading a really good book so stayed where I was, snugged in bed.  

However, on we went, through the drag that is Rugeley apart from mooring on the northern outskirts we haven't yet in 13 years stopped in Rugeley.  

So this regime I'm on involves walking.... I'm having a bash at doing 10,000 steps a day.  This is quite new to me, I am usually to be found sitting chatting to my one true love (He often has his hearing aids switched to bluetooth and listening to the cricket, football or some podcast).

So heading south I hopped off of WaL before the permanent moorings on the offside before Plum Pudding not getting on again until the woods started, I then got off again from Shade House lock  

I'm a fairly brisk walker it seems, David is much slower so I am happy with my headphones, my podcasts and no rain.

We headed out of Rugeley and onto Fradley, nice volunteers who said they hadn't been that busy, we turned at the junction onto the Coventry canal.  Although the moorings were full at Shade Lock with boaters many of whom knew each other and were out helping a new arrival who was mooring up completely in the rough and using the boat in front of him to secure himself onto, the visitor moorings on the Coventry were almost empty, something I haven't seen in years.

Lots of colour along the way, I'm very partial to a purple Beech. 

Bit fuzzy as it was breezy when I snapped this Hawthorne/Blackthorne is it?

Pretty Blues

The first Bluebells I saw but plenty since

Gorse but still a nice burst of colour.

I was trying to capture the bright greens of the new leaves coming out.  In the sun they were vibrant.

Shade House Lock.  The cottage still looking sad, it is supposed to be let again after HS2 is completed and its access road reinstated.

You don't often see Mallards on a house roof.

WaL coming around the bend again.

I know this as Red Robin.

We carried on without stopping to Willingdon, it had made quite a long day for us finally mooring up about 4pm.  I couldn't wait to put the heating on and we almost lit the Lockgate.

Supper was a pasta cheese spinach and chicken dish!  It was delicious even if it does not sound it.  

  

New Adventure ; cancelled or just postponed

Welcome, welcome Reader,

Its been a while I know but here I am.  Actually there are fewer and fewer of me left.... Bloggers I mean to say.  All my old favourites have ceased blogging (Not died) but I keep tapping away, I do wonder how "Vloggers" manage so much work, 

I'm far to lazy.

Now for my birthday "Month" in March, I used to have a Birthday Week but now it's been upgraded, we went to my favourite hotel in Buxton for a couple of nights (Highly recommended if you want to curry favour with your wife) afterwards we nipped over the hill on a most beautiful scenic drive to our marina to meet the mechanic who serviced WaL and then luckily the weather was FAB so we took her out on a jaunt on our favourite pub run northwards.

Fabulous spa hotel in Buxton, can't wait for my next birthday.

The turn at Aston marina was interesting as one of the bow thrusters had failed of course this was when the breeze picked up.  I offered and offered to hop off either the front or back (Stern or bow for purists) but after only a couple of clunks darling made the turn.

We met up with the gorgeous John and Louise who motored over from their home (Remember now boatless...?) and had a lovely lunch at The Dog and Doublet at Sandon, followed by an evening of cards, apricot tart, champagne and just a few beers.  

Anyway back to now.

We had planned a super trip to Gloucester and the Sharpness canal but it's all to cock, that caused by all the closures, the Tardebigge Flight, The Stratford canal, a bridge on the Sharpness and sadly The Macclesfield not that that one effected us such a pity as we were to have been a three boat convoy.

The Yars, the 'Ex-Boat Sharers'.  For those new here The Yars are Joe and Lesley, we go back a long way to 2010 I think when their new build NB Caxton was exhibited at Crick when we were looking to have our boat built.  Lesley and Joe so called Yars to us because their second boat was NB Yarwood, however after a break from boating, buying another home they have completely redecorated they have come back to boating and now own a very gleaming and comfortable boat NB Hogarth.

Now the Ex Boat-Sharers Amanda and David now own NB Caxton although several other owners have had her in between. 

Got all that?

Well the Caxton owners are delayed in France with a new bathroom so while we all shuffle our collective feet, we set off to rendezvous with the Yars.  

Perhaps they should be renamed The Hogs but somehow I prefer Yars.

Always a joy to see natural Primroses.

Someone has been busy, could be the National Trust as this bit of laid hedging, can you see how the expert has partially cut through the tall stems and bent them over?  Long may the practice continue as I personally hate tall hedges but we all want solar power these days. 

Great Haywood lock is just out of sight to the right but goodness another leaning tree.

Just before Colwich lock these gardens are gorgeous and reclaimed over recent years.

We pootled down towards Rugeley, hoping to get onto a charming single mooring out in the countryside but not this time so ended up in the outskirts of Rugeley.

Supper was Haddock in breadcrumbs with green veg.

I'm on a new regime..... more of that next time.