How to tire your dog

This is the result of a hard day's boating:

Go away, I'm tired!

Most of the day went entirely to plan. Sheila got us away at half six, after a bit of a struggle to unstick Sanity Again from the towpath. By the time we got to the foot of Bosley, we'd all had breakfast and were ready to get stuck in. After a brief pause to change the radio batteries, Elanor opened the bottom lock. It was just ten past eight.

Some locks were with us, some against us, in no particular pattern. We were clearly the first boat up the flight and, indeed, didn't see another boat on the move until we reached the top, where we dumped rubbish and recycling. It was then ten to ten, so an hour and forty minutes for 12 locks, our fastest time yet.

I had started a batch of bread dough before Bosley and now knocked it back and shaped it into rolls, putting them into a just warm oven to prove. It was just as well that we were self sufficient in regard to lunch supplies, as a couple of boats coming the other way warned us of a tree down further on. The first of these, a RW Davies Northwich Trader, had taken an hour to struggle past jammed up against the towpath. However, the steerer added that CRT were on site and working on removal.

Sure enough, in due course we came to a tree fallen from the offside and nearly reaching the towpath. Two guys were working away with chainsaws, but it was clearly going to be a while before there was a bigger space through which to pass. We tried to get SA through up against the towpath, but she quickly ran aground. Deploying a long line from the bow and with Sheila pulling on the sternline, we got a bit further forward, but there was zero chance of getting through.

So we pulled back and waited, drinking a mug of coffee to pass the time. And baking the bread. And eating lunch.

By just before one, we'd finished eating and could get underway. In the meantime, a couple of shallow drafted boats had been able to get by. I was going to write an enconium in praise of CRT's prompt attendance but seemingly the tree had been down for three days...

Royal Oak swing bridge is easier to work now that they've changed the pedestal for a better one and rotated it so that you don't have to stand with your back to the traffic to work it. Danes Moss bridge, on the other hand, was stuck solid and only consented to move when I shoved it from the towpath side. The bit of the parapet the extension bar is mounted on is alarmingly wobbly, no doubt as a result of all the shoving and kicking it's been getting.

And I had trouble getting it to let me take my BWB key out when I'd finished...

Heigh ho, loads of room here at Lyme Green. Elanor and I staggered up to the Co-op for some shopping, but otherwise we're all comfortably ensconced in the cabin, one of us at least snoring gently.

She's having a very good holiday...