On to Burton, then Willington

It was another A-team day, when the plan came together in a very gratifying way. We got up in good time and arrived at Shobnall just before nine. Into Cooper's Square we went, and chose some frames for new glasses at Vision Express. Then came the painful bit, agreeing what lenses we needed and which arm and leg were going to have to go to pay for them…

We're getting two pairs each, of which the simpler ones will be ready by Wednesday (they couldn't do them in the spot, the machine had broken down) and the varifocals will take a week or so longer. After giving the credit card a fright, we went back to Shobnall where we bought some more kindling and four bags of mixed ovals to keep us going until we get into Mercia.

By now it was after eleven, so we set off for the last stretch to Willington, lunching on the way. In fact, Sheila was in the middle of hers when we arrived, to find the moorings incredibly busy. We've ended up just off the end of the visitor moorings. Initially, we had a rather grotty bit of towpath to tie on, and indeed I took a tumble getting off the bow; it had drifted out, so I made a big jump, put my foot down a hole and fell flat on my face, skidding briefly along still clutching the whirligig support pole I'd been fetching.

The good news is that the pole was undamaged, and I'd been planning to put that hoodie and pair of trousers out for the wash anyway. A bit later, the boat in front left, and we were able to pull forward onto a better bit of towpath.

Once we were all sorted, we popped back along the moorings for a good old natter with Ivor Batchelor, who's swapped his working pair, Mountbatten and Jellicoe for a single motor, in fact a butty converted into a motor, Lepus. The pair are up for sale on Apollo Duck.

Ivor's no longer trading in coal, but Mel is still painting and selling canalware.

Tomorrow, we're having a family get together; Elanor has a free voucher for one of the Burton photographers, so Graeme, Cathy and the boys are coming over and we're all going to get our photies took.