A bit of sun goes a long way.

So on the farming front, the potatoes are in flower and doing quite nicely along here.

Nice crop of spuds for later in the year.

We wanted to tackle the roof first.  When we arrived at Great Haywood Marina last week, the ladder looked as if someone had tried to steal it off of the roof, it was off of it stand and in two sections.  But it turned out that the nice gentleman who lives aboard, opposite WaL had retrieved the ladder in a storm when it was dangling over the side.  How kind of him.  But the ladder has managed to inflict several more large chips of paint off the handrail.

Repaint coming sooner than you think David.  

When we got to this lock, I can't remember the name but its the one with the very recently CLOSED Midland Chandlers, in fact as we were there the staff were shifting out what I took to be the last pieces of stock into a couple of waiting cars, off they drove and locked the gates.  We had wanted to go in there....  So sad when these shops close and Chandlers are disappearing FAST.  Yes you are correct Reader, this was from the day before prior to arriving at Penkridge....

David fighting with an uncooperative ladder, the ladder seemed to be winning.

This was a boat that we passed this morning leaving Penkridge, it was a glorious mass of blooms and veg, but, I ask myself, how does the helm possibly see whats coming?  Smelt nice though.

  

It was a nice gently run along to Gailey, as we are getting over Lockdown it really is a pleasure to be chatting away to people again at locks and along the towpath, I met two ladies just outside Penkridge who were both in a similar position (and age bracket to my mum) and they hadn't seen their children for months, their social clubs had closed and they took taxi's now to each others houses.  both clutching masks, both charming and both indefatigable. 

Wonderful. 

Now is it me or is windmill a whopper?

Oh my goodness, Blackberries starting soon and we haven't finished the ones in the freezer yet from last year and the year before. 

We moored up here, it was the first open away from trees mooring after Gailey, I was hungry.  Then I heard a curious sound and I was surprised to spot in the field with the white cows, Oyster Catchers, surprised because we have them at home on the coast, I reckon we are as far away from the coast here as you can get but there they are, parents feeding a loudly squawking baby. 

Oyster Catchers, the baby I reckoned was the one with grey stockings.

Pretty isn't it?  In the hedge next to us as we sat in the evening sun.

Supper was wild salmon and this little dessert I knocked up from the fridge, its blackberry and apple surprise, the surprise is guessing how old the fruit is.  

David is very hardy, I have fed him things months and months out of date.

What the heck is he doing?

I forgot to tell you yesterday that as we were coming up to a bend around Stafford yesterday, a boat came into view, he straightened up after the bend and then something curious, he pointed his bow at us from his side of the canal and just kept coming, yes he just kept coming right at us, had David not been on the ball, frankly he would have rammed us no question, as it was David put WaL's 50hp engine in full reverse and applied the bow thruster to put us on the wrong side of the canal just slipping past his bow.  

Without slowing down at all he passed by us, just saying, "Sorry but there's silt there so I just had to keep going" Now I don't know about you but this seems to me to be madness.  

I think he should have just stopped not aimed at us and kept going without even slowing down.

Remarkable.

So the following morning, at length, we set off, we hadn't gone more than 300 metres when almost the exact same thing happened, a narrow boat was coming at us, this time the lady on the back was waving crossed hands above her head to us, STOP! I yelled to David they must have problems... Only to see it was Pauline & Neil on NB Waterlily, now without looking back yet over this blog I reckon that we haven't seen them for three or four years, we first met them on the Thames at Teddington Lock waiting to go down the tidal section to Brentford on 2013.  So having cruised all of 300 metres we pulled over and sat in the sun for a couple of hours chewing the fat and showing each other photos of new grandchildren.  

I just love it when sort of thing happens with boating, a day either side and we would have missed them.

Pauline and Neil setting off again for Cheshire. 

Hope to see you sooner than 3 years next time.

Penkridge, empty!  We decided to land next to these gorgeous gardens.

Well we finally set off and had a lovely hot and sunny cruise to Penkridge.  It was a Saturday night and I was in the mood to party party so we went to Co-Op and brought new door mats for WaL.  Usually each time we pass through Penkridge we make a point of going to The Littleton Arms, but not today, maybe next time, I'll make do with new mats this time.

Supper was baked beans on toast with melted cheese on the top. 

 

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. 

 

 

Wide Beam for sale

Dear Reader, 

It came as a bit of a surprise/shock, but our friends George and Carol owners of the wide beam Still Rockin' have decided to leave the water born life and return to dry land.   
The wonderful vessel is now on the market.

I just wanted to remind you Reader that said boat, 
Still Rockin' was indeed the boat we had the pleasure of borrowing last summer and experienced living on a wide beam.   Here's a couple of photos of our time on the Thames in 2019 to remind you.

You'll have to go a long way to find a wide beam as attractive as this one that's for sure.


Hers's the link to look at the advert;


HERE


Tell your friends

Bloody knots and Poles.

The next morning, at length, we loosened the ropes and set off.  Well David took a while to undo my rope but he managed it after a fashion.  We winded here (Turned around) and started the short-ish run back towards Great Haywood.

Things to consider today, 

a)   That we wanted to meet up with NB Steadfast tomorrow night.

b)  We wanted to stay dry.

c)  We needed to test out the television reception to watch the Rugby World Cup Final on Saturday am.

Our television is a bit of a story, when the boat was launched way way back in 2012, we had the old TV from our lounge put onto WaL.  Its small alright and also old.  In fact every season its a surprise if it works.  One spring it failed and in my head I had already converted the TV cabinet into a drinks cabinet.  Then David Lewis visited and pushed the plug in more firmly so we still have the TV....  The only thing is we actually hardly ever watch it!

Today we wanted a clear signal for the TV or good 4G to watch the match on the laptop.

Here's darling in his Noddy Hat.

Pretty fierce flow here too.

Wonderful colour here.

A pretty uneventful hop, we passed a few more boats going north, mostly hire boats.

We reached the junction at Great Haywood with the Staffs to Worcester canal,  we travelled all along it this spring where we had our solar panels fitted.  Fabulous canal.

We made the turn slowly but nothing was coming.

We pitched up here at the lovely Tixell Wide.  A night here then we planned to return to the junction to meet NB Steadfast.   HERE   We learnt that they had set off but had had a breakdown so our meeting looked in jeopardy.

Pity.

Nice reflection thing going on here.

The gap David had chosen here was clear of trees for the TV signal.  Not that we watched anything.  We snugged up.

Supper was Lamb Biryani.

The next morning we pootled back to the junction.  Disappointingly the mooring that we thought would have to best reception for the Rugby was still occupied by a boat we had walked past three nights previously despite the 48 Hrs mooring.  We reversed onto a spot closer to the trees.  We walked up to the farm shop and had breakfast, David had poached eggs and I had Staffordshire Oatcakes with mushrooms. 

Leaving Tixell

David untying the bow ropes.

That evening in a monsoon we drove up to Penkridge to meet NB Steadfast's crew.  That is to say Joe, Lesley and Amanda who was staying onboard to help with the locks for their journey from Gailey to Tamworth.  But it was not to be this time the breakdown couldn't be mended so instead of eating at Great Haywood we all went to The Littleton Arms at Penkridge.
Very good it was too.
I drove them back to their boat still in a monsoon but before we arrived back again at Great Haywood it was dry, just a few miles away.

The Rugby Final the next morning was a loss of course, but being British we are used to that.  We tried to cheer ourselves up by eating bacon sandwiches....  A valiant effort and we'll have to look forward to four years time.

We waited until the rain had stopped to move the boat back into the marina.  Vague smears of blue skies seem to appear and as we moved off of course it poured with rain again.

We topped right up to the brim with diesel with David holding an umbrella over the tank and then pulled into our new mooring slot.  
We must remember to take in the boat pole and boat hook said David and lets not forget to empty the water tank either....
We have to leave the boat tomorrow, stopping off in London to babysit for a gorgeous baby.

The last night onboard for us this year.  Not too much to pack this time.  Just as I put my coat on and pick up my handbag David remembers that we haven't emptied the water tank.  This takes considerably longer to empty despite it hardly having much water left in the tank but it was finally done and we drove off.

Half way home.... "Bloody hell I forgot to put the boat pole and hook inside the boat!"   
I fear it's our age. 

  

What do you mean you can't find any tonic water?

So the next morning bright and late after a most pleasant lie-in, the purchasing of some engine stuff from the marina and most vital of all, an emergency dash to the village store for tonic water (I'm not often caught out without gin), then we made a move.  
After much dithering and undecidedness on which direction to go (We have a choice of three directions from here), we went north. 

David was out and undid the tonneau cover which is the waterproof covering to protect the back of WaL from the weather, we put it on when we leave the boat.  He said as he took it off several hundred bluebottle flies were underneath it!   So that's where they had come from and possibly down the ventilation mushrooms.  All morning we swatted them and fed them to the fish.  They didn't put up much of a fight.  I can't imagine what has sustained them all these weeks under there.

So going north we have the choice of The Saracens Head, The Woolpack, The Dog and Doublet and The Holly Bush Pubs.  
David claims the discovery of the latter on one of his dawn recces on his bike but I was of the opinion that it was John of NB Ploddin' Along who showed us it.  
However tonight we had made a date with the afore mentioned John&Louise at the Dog and Doublet pub at Sandon, that is three locks northwards.

First lock for me in ages and ages.  So glad I grabbed this shot of this tree as on the way back many of the leaves had gone.

One of very many.

An orange carpet, beautiful leaves aren't they, but I have a fit if they land on WaL's roof!

In he comes.

So the farming news, these hills were freshly cultivated, not many fields have this good drainage to allow it.

No that's not a river, just a field.

Now tell me HOWEVER did this farm get planning permission to put this barn there on the skyline?  Planning Officers here must be from "Del Monte" they aren't where we come from.

Sandon Lock, I love these echo's of it's former life.

I had good winter kit on, fleecy lined boating trousers, long sleeved thermal top and furry hat but even so, two hours was plenty for me to be out in the cold wind.  

Three locks, almost had the sun at one point but most importantly no rain.  We moored up, I tied the bow rope, well I had three goes at tying the bow rope before I called to him that I had forgotten how to do knots.....  

I resorted to doing a Lisa Special, guaranteed not to come undone, least of all by the man the next morning.  We moored up here on a long stretch of straight armco, we snuggled up me to have a nap but on waking we saw that another NB had moored up directly in front of our nose, now you will remember I have strong views on leaving "Git Gaps" but really?  In the last days of October...?  Well that's folk for you.

The tow path was very wet and very muddy all along.  In places coming along from Great Haywood you could see where the water from the rivers and streams has flowed into the canal submerging the towpath I was grateful for my wellies, in fact I only have wellies and cute navy suede ankle boots with me on the boat here, so that it was the wellies I wore to the pub!

It was lovely to catch up with good friends John and Louise again.  We had seen them in May  HERE  in the spring, stupidly enough I didn't take a photo of them, daft really as if I had done you could see how young we are all getting.....

Look forward to seeing you both again.  

We walked back along the tow path up to WaL, there was an old vintage boat actually in the lock, he had all his lights on and the lock was full and ready to have the top gate opened but no sign of the captain, we walked on up to WaL.   Some ten or fifteen minutes along the boat came past.  I do wonder what compels some people to move at night, in the cold, alone with the increased risk of collisions or falling in,   just ask George and Carol HERE   about that...  

But I do appreciate that many working boats did move at nights, I just wonder why today in the C21st elderly single handed chaps are.  But free will and all that.

So supper was, mussels, fish pie and black forest brownie, and very good it was too.

Let's run away from it all!

Here we are Reader, aboard What-a-Lark again.  It's been a while, 
a very good while since we were here....Four months if you can believe it!  I couldn't and got David to count up again, yes four months.

So in the mean time David has been away with his boyfriends to play golf in Florida.   I don't know if he missed me or anything but he says he won't go to Florida again....  Too hot, too bloody humid and too many ghastly wealthy Americans but apart from that he had a good time.
(Oh he thinks the restaurants were dire too).

The babies continue to thrive and as soon as someone can figure out how to get them to sleep in the day time please let their mothers know.  
David answered an SOS last week, I was in London with the other daughter, he came and walked his grandson around the village for two hours giving this daughter a well earned sleep.  This daughter has a bad knee so can't do long distances.  
Now this is something pretty new to David as he never did this for his own children, too busy down the pub, I kid you of course, too busy working on the farm 700 hours a week.

So we are away from it all, enjoying being alone on the waterways just us.... except its surprisingly busy!  Turns out that the one lock here at Great Haywood is closing Monday for three weeks maintenance and loadsa boats are making a dash for the other side of it. 

We unpacked, joke, I unpacked the one bag each we have brought up.  More food than clothes.... Well, I do hate to be hungry.  

I just rolled up the duvet from our bed at home and brought that, so the usual fight to get the cover on in a small space was avoided.  

Surprisingly there were two big bluebottle flies in the boat, I would have thought tit was far too chilly for them now, I caught one and under the influence of Autumn Watch (my favourite TV programme after Spring Watch) I fed it to the fish.

We spent the first evening in the marina as it was about 3pm when we arrived.  I had had the heads up about flooding in this area.  So instead of boating we wandered down to Shrugborough to have a look at the water features, and most attractive they are too.

So here you can see how far the river has risen and spread.  Normally the river is quite a bit narrower, people can walk and climb the rocks alongside. 

The last gasps of autumn colours.

Nice chap, but the river is about four or fives its usual width here.

So for those of you that are familiar with the front grounds of NT Shrugborough   HERE  you can look  HERE  for some Google images before the rains came.

Personally I think it adds a sense of romanticism but I expect the NT to disagree.

So the river flowed over and washed away the fencing.

Look closely for a narrowboat on the canal out of sight.

Shrugborough Hall, wet version.

He was nicely in focus against the colours behind then he moved his head....

Sun disappearing now.

Out of shot a couple of swans liked it as I do.

At the height of the floods the water rose to cover the two ends of the bridge.

Walking back towards Great Haywood, a beautiful vista.

Quite a flow on this normally gentle river.

Now can someone clever tell me what tree this is?  Very lovely in the late afternoon sunshine....

Supper was soup with olive rolls and cheeses.

Lovely to get into bed tonight except for two more really annoying big flies buzzed about.