Wednesday 30 July 2014

Almost chilly

It was overcast with a chill breeze this morning, so that sweatshirts were de rigeur and I almost put long trousers on. We made an early start, setting off at seven, as we wanted to water at Spode House and then shop in Rugeley.

This timing worked out well; as we were filling the tank another boat arrived to use the water point and a second turned up as we left. The pressure there is no more than adequate, so queues probably build up at busy times like these.

At just after nine there wasn't a lot of space on the Rugeley shopping moorings, but we got in on the end just after the rail bridges. Two trips were made, one into town for sundry bits and bobs and the second to the new Tesco. We'd planned to get bread at Morrisons but they've stopped doing the nice multigrain farmhouse, so we bought some Staffordshire oat cakes instead, correctly surmising that Tesco wouldn't have them.

Back at the boat, Sheila prepared to steer off whilst I stowed the loot. Boats were now coming and going, it being nearly eleven, and it took her a while to get clear of the pack. It was beginning to warm up and we had a very pleasant run to Taft Wharf.

(I've continued to label this mooring as Bridge 69 for the sake of continuity with earlier despatches from here.)

There were plenty of spaces here; we've stopped at the Rugeley end, before the trees start.

We've been busy this afternoon, too. The whole boat is covered in dust as a result of various agricultural activities in fields opposite our recent moorings, so we've made a start on the clean up by washing the roof.

Tomorrow, we need a start timed to get through Colwich and Haywood locks before they get busy but to arrive at Tixall after some spaces have become free. We reckon this means leaving here around eight; time will, as they say, tell.



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