OK, so the boat that just squeezed in in front of us on the VMs here in Alrewas promptly got out and started a Honda suitcase genny :(, but apart from that we've had a very good day. As planned, we set off just before half seven on a fresh sort of day but by no means unpleasant. I steered most of the time with Sheila taking over for the locks.
Anyone who didn't know us would think I was some dreadful chauvinist who only let the wife near the action when he had to (shut up, you lot ;) ) but in practice it's working out about right. Until the swelling is well under control, there's no need to take chances with Sheila's recovering foot and anyway, I need the exercise.
Land and Water were blocking the winding hole below Wychnor lock, dumping dredge and reeds on the banks around the hole, but we weren't kept waiting long before getting through. All the locks were against us and it was gone nine before we started meeting boats coming the other way. On the other hand, there was plenty of room on the moorings just above Alrewas lock, which we reached just before half ten.
After coffee, I took a walk into the village to buy some supplies, including indulgent Cornish Pasties from Coates's. Mind you, I didn't know Cornish Pasties were 50% peas... Still they made a very filling lunch after our exertions.
That excellent chap Nev from Percy is stopping by on his way home from work with a serious spanner set to see if we can nip up the oozing joints in the fuel pipework. It's not a major worry, but that smell of diesel does get everywhere from even the merest smear. It is so good to have friends, it makes all this blogging worthwhile.
The forecast is not too good for tomorrow, so we may well take a rest day here before pressing on on Thursday. The next section involves quite a lot of locking and therefore steering for Sheila, so letting her foot recover for a day seems advisable.
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