Just before we set off from Hawkesbury, nb Grace appeared alongside and so we arranged to meet Terry and Chris again at the bottom of the Atherstone flight later that day. We then untied and passed through the stop lock immediately behind them and turned onto the Northbound Coventry canal. The weather was a little better today but I believe we have a case against the Met. Office - not as described. We passed Grace when they had to pull over due to some rubbish on the prop. We waited untill they indicated that all was well again and then continued on our way knowing that they planned a brief stop with their friends en-route. At lunchtime we stopped at Hartshill yard for a water fill. We saw a chap unlocking the cellar door - at cut level - of an old building - at road level. It's a very interesting building so we paid attention to his access. He said he was going in to tune his banjo and opened the door of a wonderful music studio. We chatted and he invited us in to look around and then he went on to play Blue Grass music on his banjo for us. Sausage rolls and a serenade during a water fill - how nice. Once the water tank was full, we moved off and then descended Atherstone flight to moor up after the eleventh lock and await the arrival of Terry and Chris aboard their new acquisition nb Grace. We sat on the towpath and had tea and scones during the first bit of sunshine all day. Simon (No.1 son) came and joined us for evening meal and then stayed on for a days boating on Sunday. A 'boat warming' mini-GiG ensued and our bad diet was rounded off with late night chocolate chip flapjack made by Christine - delicious!
Graham www.jannock.org.uk [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
