Somebody on the UKRECW channel (namely Roger Murray) waxed lyrically about
the joys of returning to one’s boat. I was filling up with emotion when I
read it. Now we’ve had two days of boating which dispelled the accumulated
gloom of 2009.

Or was it 2008 ?

Wednesday part 1 – Barlaston to Harecastle south portal. About 4 hours, no
queues. Stopped for lunch (just the one glass), declining immediate
passage through the tunnel.

Wednesday part 2 – through Harecastle tunnel in a respectable 40 minutes
with just one other boat. Bumped head on roof & cap fell off. Saw the
moons of Jupiter but no concussion. On as far as Church Lawton. No queues.

Thursday – 8:30 start after cereal & fruit breakfast. Ptttaah ! Clearing
skies, little traffic, no queues arriving Lock 57 by 11:30. M6
reassuringly intrusive. Plan to buy newspapers at Lock 57 foiled – they
don’t do ‘em. Bought gas cylinder instead – 13kg orange £21.60. Walked
back to Rode Heath for newspapers about 1pm, couple of pints in The
Broughton Arms – would have been rude not to. Walked enthusiastically back
to Lock 57 for intended lunch. We were too late, so bottle of red and some
snackery on board. Creamy chickeny slow cooked supper for serving with
gnocchi smells good. Remnants will mutate into Jalfrezi and Bombay potato
flavoured repast for later in the weekend. The weekend has started, hasn’t
it ?

Plan for Friday –

1)      wake up
2)      get diesel from Lock 57 at 83p 50/50
3)      if they have any
4)      chug Middlewich-wards
5)      fish & chip supper

Beeky

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