Two days of RT

We've come on to Sutton Road Bridge and plan to have a couple of days of intensive retail therapy, restocking after running out of almost everything (there were only two bottles of red left in the wine cellar) and with some non-food stuff to get as well.

It was a pretty straightforward run through Amington and down the Glascote Two, crossing with boats above both locks. Heading into Fazeley, we met a lot of traffic coming the other way, partly because some members of Stafford Boat Club were cruising in consort. Things had been held up for a while just before that when Sanity Again collected something heavy on the prop.

Without any drive at all, we drifted about until the stern got close enough to the towpath for me to hop off with the centreline, whilst Sheila wielded the long shaft at the bow. The problem proved to be a lump of felt underlay or similar, which clung lovingly to the prop for quite a while whilst I groped and cursed. At last it was free and we could proceed.

We've done two trips to the shops already, getting things like a new pair of boat shoes for me and some light, summer weight nighties for Sheila. I know, if the weather now turns unseasonably cold, you'll know who to blame.

Finally, I'm afraid that we had a rather disappointing meal at the Samuel Barlow last night. It looks as if standards have slipped a bit with Paul's departure, I'm sorry to say. For a start, we got there when food is supposed to be available in the evening, six o'clock, but couldn't order until nearly half past and it was not until quarter past seven that we actually had something in front of us, even though we had been second to order.

Sheila's slow cooked pork shank was ok, but my steak and ale pie was mostly pastry and gravy, whilst the accompanying chips had been presalted and were almost inedible for someone on a low salt diet like myself. There was no warning on the menu or when we ordered that this would happen, or I would have asked for them plain.

We saw a 3663 van unloading during the afternoon; I think that this pub must now be thought of as no different from many another, serving cook/chill food of by and large adequate but not exceptional quality.

We won't be going back.