Sunny weekend

Gosh, it's good to see the sun again. After several days of cloud and cold wind, yesterday and today have been classic high pressure winter weather with sun and blue sky during the day and frost at night.

Visited Sheila's Mum yesterday - she's much as she was, but at least not in pain, particularly. Looked very drowsy though. Just hope it stays like that for her.

High spots of the last two days - my Blake's 7 DVD set came, so good service there. We pulled the boat out of the yard on Friday afternoon as last week, but this time went down the canal to Lyme View, where there's a good food pub, the Miner's Arms. Had a good meal there, though I succumbed to the temptation of the mixed grill, so spent the rest of the night feeling very full. Washed it down with a couple of pints of Old Speckled Hen. This used to be too strong to drink as a session beer, but they've reduced the strength of the draught version.

Today we came back to Poynton and moored on the widened section of canal, created by subsidence from the local coal mine, but known as "The Deeps" (which is ironic as it's no more deep water than the equivalent flashes are further north in Cheshire, where they are caused by salt mining). We had to be back to entertain Chris and Liz Birks, a nice couple who are having boat number 101 built, which they are calling Shimshams. They were about for a couple of hours, and generally very pleased with the way the boat is shaping up.

We'll close up the office shortly and go back to the boat to cook - spaghetti bolognese tonight, I think.