A merry life indeed

Not long after I’d finished blogging yesterday, there came a knocking on the roof. Lo and behold, it was Liz off Just Siviting back again. They’d had a change of plan to do with getting a new water pump from Peter at Braidbar instead of going on to Kings Lock and so had turned round and were now heading the other way.

It meant that we could have an impromptu session in Sanity Again until quite late in the evening, a merry meeting indeed.

Things were a bit blurry first thing this morning (lack of sleep, you know) but we still managed to get going before seven. Since it was my turn to steer, Sheila worked us up the three locks to the water point, where we got the hose rigged and started the washing machine running, it being just on eight so that we could leave the engine on.

Tank full, off we went again, up the final three locks, taking care with the two with ridged babbies, and made the turn into the Macc without too much grief.

By now it was feeling quite cool and a little bit damp, so I was glad when we got to Hall Green Stop. I had to hover below the lock for a while, waiting for a boat to come down; why, oh why can’t CRT sort the lock landing below here? It’s not at all unusual to have to queue, and although there are bollards just visible in the overgrowth, the edge is so broken down you can’t get onto them.

No matter, there was plenty of room on the 48 hour moorings above, indeed they were empty when we arrived. We’ve been to the Co-op and stocked up and I’ve texted Elanor with an address and postcode to aim for tomorrow morning. We also booked a table in the Bleeding Wolf for tonight.

I’d just put the kettle on for afternoon tea when a hoot from outside drew our attention to Dolce Far Niente sliding past. Jayne and Stephen have tied just in front of us; they've had a cup of tea and a natter and are joining us in the Wolf later on.

It’s likely to be another merry meeting; at least we’re not in a rush to get up tomorrow.

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