Wed 8th July
Tixall Wide
With rain on and off most of the day, we decided not to
move. It was also very windy.
We caught up with the blog, sent emails to Stafford Boat
Club, where we would like to moor for two nights. We also emailed Wilsons
Covers in Kinver, where we hope to have our canopy repaired. It has developed a
tear, and one of the straps is coming apart.
Silly conversation over a crossword puzzle:
H: “European bear – five letters?”
J: “What about Black, or Brown?”
H: “The third letter is a G and the last letter is R”
J: “That’s no good, then”
H: “Badger is too long, and I don’t think it’s a bear
anyway”
J: “I thought I was good at wildlife, but I can’t think of
this one.”
H: “How many types of bear do they have in Europe?”
J: “I don’t know. I give up. You’ll have to look it up”
H: “And the answer is – lager. I didn’t know there was a
bear called lager”
J: “Perhaps that’s why there used to be a German brand of
beer whose slogan was Follow the Bear”
H: “I think that was Hofmeister”
J: “Just read the clue again carefully please”
H: “Oh! European beer! It’s not a bear at all!”
J: “Should have gone to Specsavers!”
They say that laughter is good for you.
Later James went for a two mile walk past Tixall Lock, and
he saw the chap on Awesome Wonder, and met BCF member Marian, on Brimble.
Tixall Lock
No boating today
Thu 9th July
Tixall Wide to Stafford
Tixal Wide and the
Gatehouse
Beautiful weather today.
Lovely sunshine and a pleasant breeze.
Several boats had already left, including Awesome Winder,
but Brimble had arrived by the time we left.
Tixall Lock was the only one of the day, with one boat ahead
of us going up, and another coming down before it was our turn.
Entering Tixall Lock
A very pleasant cruise through countryside, at one point
crossing the Sow on an aqueduct, and passing under a lovely turnover
bridge. We also saw the place where a
lock used to take boats onto the Sow to make the journey into Stafford. There are plans to restore this link.
Milford turnover
bridge
Junction with the
proposed Stafford Riverway Link
We moored just after the Radford Bank and caught a bus into
Stafford. James had his haircut, and
then had his glasses adjusted. They always seem to slant to one side. We think
it because one ear is higher than the other!
We pottered round the market, bought some items at Boots,
and finished off at Sainsbury’s, where we found some Shropshire Red cheese,
which is lovely.
We took another bus back to the boat, and moved on a few
boats lengths to get away from traffic and have a view of the water meadows,
with some lovely rosebay willowherb on the bank opposite.
Rosebay willowherb
We got chairs onto the bank and downed some wine and dips as
the sun was setting. Hugo was rushing around, pouncing out on us as we walked
past him.
1 lock, 4 miles
Fri 10th July
Stafford to Stafford Boat Club
We started the day with a huge eat-what-you-like breakfast
at the Radford Bank. Very good value but
you had to time it well to get fresh eggs rather than well baked ones.
Radford Bank
We had a long chat with Ian and Dawn from Moonshadow. Then
we had a chat with a photographer who had set up his tripod on the towpath by
our boat.
Moonshadow went past before we set off, slowly, for
the mile journey to Stafford Boat Club.
We checked in and found our mooring OK.
We took our visitors form to the office where we found Joe Lockwood, a
friend of ours who used to be treasurer of Byfleet Boat Club. It was good to
see him after several years. We found
out that Graham and Brenda Thick, who we were also hoping to see, had sold
their house and were living on their boat, Rosewood.
Returning to the boat, we decided to turn it round as, that
way, it was closer to the electric and water points. It was very warm, and we watched Andy Murray being defeated by
Roger Federer.
Moored at Stafford
Boat Club
Having skipped lunch after the mega breakfast, we had a
light salad, using up the expensive ham we had bought at the farmers market in
Lichfield.
James opened up the engine hatch and put new grease in the
stern greaser and tightened up the stern gland. He also put up the hood in anticipation of forecast rain.
Hugo surveys the new
surroundings
We went to the clubhouse later and met Peter and Aud from Sam
Hardy, whom we met last year at Ellesmere and Trevor on the
Llangollen. We also met a couple who
just bought Beez Neez – Graham and Sue.
0 locks, 1 mile.
Sat 11th July
Stafford Boat Club
We had a very pleasant and relaxing day at Stafford Boat
Club, chatting to a few people and watching boats going past. We walked up the road and a path through a
housing estate and found the school where tomorrow’s church meet, and we went
to the Co-op for some supplies.
We went to the bar again in the evening for the usual chats
about batteries and toilets. A friendly
crowd of boaters.
No boating today
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