Not a day for boating

We have a couple of days in hand and the weather forecast for today was extremely discouraging, so we've treated ourselves to a lazy day on the towpath, just as if we were still continuous cruisers. As it turned out, if we hadn't been keeping tabs on the forecast, we might well have been deceived. It was a pleasant morning at first, sunny intervals, not much wind, just the threat of a shower.

But the rain arrived from ten o'clock on and the wind steadily built up until it was really very unpleasant out there. I did make an expedition to the marina to dump a bag of rubbish and to get bread and some more kindling from the shop. They didn't have fresh bread in yet when I went, and I certainly wasn't going to go back later, so it will be part bakeds tomorrow. I'm hoping that the skin on the back of my hands will get a move on and do its moulting soon so that I can restart baking.

I lit the fire quite early on and have frankly been loafing about rather since. Sheila has been much more virtuous (not an unusual situation) and did a lot of finance stuff, bank and credit card reconciliation and the like.

I have exchanged emails with sister Jane in the States; she reckons that she'll be able to pay that dollar check into her account if I endorse it, so I'll get that off in the post to her when we get to Alrewas. One bright spot in the day, at least. Another was having a quick chat with fellow blogger Geoff on Seyella as they came past; it's been a while since our paths crossed.

After lunch I ran the engine for quite a while. The batteries were still drawing 7.5 amps when the SmartGauge said they were full; another decent run tomorrow should sort them. Elanor and Sally are coming over later, Elanor bringing one last lot of cheap chicken. She'll have finished her assignment in Ashbourne by the time we get back, I expect.

Tomorrow, we'll make a prompt start and boat to Branston Water Park, stopping off at Shobnall to dump the old oil that's been lurking about in the well deck ever since I changed it last October.