Posting from the canal

Yep, we are out on Waterlily this weekend. As she was facing south and we arrived a little later than expected on Friday, we ambled down to Branston waterpark on Friday afternoon. we were mainly headlong into a very brisk and cold easterly wind. It made boat handling tricky but we managed ok until mooring when I got the boat across the cut after changing my mind about mooring locations at the last minute. Two guys came off their boats and helped pull her in against the wind - much appreciated.


Last time we tried the bridge pub at Branston it was empty and not serving food. This time it was the opposite - full, very full. We then realised the menu was pizza or pasta. we stuck it out only to be given a table (6 seater) with four guys out for a loud Friday night drink. we advised our hosts that it was just too noisy and left. The landlady was very nice about it. The pub is very small and needs to segregate its eating and drinking......

we retired back to the boat and ate..............pasta and drank our own wine, much better atmosphere and much cheaper. We tried to watch a DVD but we were both worn out - some late nights earlier in the week.

Today (Saturday) we were planning a trip to Willington, but further cold wind changed our mind. We winded at Jannell boat yard and took on some diesel 68p per litre and coal £7.85 per 25kg bag ( have put these in to remind me what I paid in time to come....)

There is very little moving on the cut - passing Barton turns I counted 9 Shakespeare boats moored up, another boater told me there would be 4 more near the new pub. To contradict myself we then met three boats at Wychnor. Rachel took the tiller for the river section back to Alrewas and skippered excellently in the wind.

We are now moored up just after bridge 46 in Alrewas, the boat is toasty warm and we are about to enjoy a veg curry with beer/wine. No TV tonight as I couldn't be bothered with setting the satellite dish up so its Classic FM on the DAB and a book or maybe a DVD later...... I'll read this at work next week and wonder why I haven't retired (very early) yet.

nev