Down Fradley for the weekend

13th & 14th February

Yesterday was a much milder start than had been forecast, and we woke to find no ice on the cut. Since the water tank was getting low, and Elanor was due to join us for the night, we decided that moving down to the visitor moorings by the water point would be a good idea.

It was Sheila's turn to steer, and since she still felt a bit groggy after her dental work, we agreed that me working the locks was the sensible way forward. However, when we got below Middle Lock, and with the prospect of winding in the junction and reversing down Junction Lock, Sheila felt that she wasn't really up to it, as she was leaning on the tiller for support.

I took over the helm, after lifting the bottom paddles on Middle, and she closed up behind me and went and opened Junction. Meanwhile, I had pulled off an immaculate manoeuvre for once, and backed Sanity into the lock when it opened. I hopped off and drew the paddles for her, then popped back onto the stern as we descended.

A passing gongoozling cyclist helpfully opened one of the bottom gates, and I managed to reverse out and down to the water point without trouble. We filled up and ran a washload, then pushed across to the moorings.

I spent a bit of time setting up the new blog, which is here, but does not yet have any posts bar a holding one. Strangely, it already has a follower, namely Tom, but I don't know how he knew it was there.

Hopefully I'll get some stuff on it tomorrow.

Elanor duly rolled up at the end of the day, and we had a very pleasant family evening of nattering and discussing design ideas for Sanity Again. ("What are you going to call your new boat?" "Oh we're calling it Sanity Again." Hmmm... should it have a comma i.e. Sanity, Again?)

Today was a reasonably prompt start for a Saturday. Elanor needed to go into the bank in Burton to open a new account, and I had cajoled her into giving me a lift in to buy oil and a filter in Shobnall and to do some shopping.

She left me in Shobnall admiring a gas hob, nipped home to feed the cats and get the paper work she needed for the bank, then collected and abandoned me at Sainsbury's whilst she went off and did her stuff.

We got back to the boat by lunchtime, and had a relaxed meal. Just at the end, I realised I'd forgotten to pick up my prescription from the Alrewas Pharmacy, so hitched another lift with Elanor when she left to go home mid afternoon.

This didn't work as well as it might have, as the pharmacy had closed at lunch time. (It's not the hardest working pharmacy in the world.) It looks as if we'll have to overstay here for one night so that I can walk back into Alrewas on Monday morning to get my drugs.

It's probably just as well; it will let Sheila recover fully, hopefully, and we can enjoy some serious boating again next week. At least the weather forecast is for milder if damper weather for a bit. As I say, I should get some content up on the other blog tomorrow; if so, I'll mention the fact here.