Tuesday, January 10, 2012

We return to the boat

After birthday celebrations we returned our hire car and got the train back to Stafford. The prearranged taxi was waiting to take us to the boat at Market Drayton. Geoff had kindly got the radiators on so the boat was warming up a bit when we arrived. The fire took a while to get going due to the gusty wind. Geoff n Margaret invited us on board Seyella for a very welcoming bowl of hot home made soup. Then we set about unpacking and taking down the decorations.
Next day we moved back a bit to get the diesel tank filled before chasing after Seyella. Geoff, ever helpful, assisted us down the five locks at Adderley where we stopped at the bottom. The expected storm arrived with gale force winds and rain over night and continued the next day. Our fire was turned off in the middle of the night for fear that it got blown out. The only problem with our oil burning fire is that the oil continues to drip in even when the fire is out! It was so windy that our satellite dish moved a bit and the terrestrial aerial actually got blown off the roof!
More help from Geoff got us all down to Audlem where Rock n Roll had arrived a few days earlier.
Once settled it was not long before we all met in the Shroppie Fly for an evening meal. Water was taken on to fill the tank before moving on down a few more locks, this time with George’s help. Geoff and Margaret had moved on the previous day. We all met again at the Pilate moorings. Our thanks to the Shropshire Union Canal Society for providing so many moorings with picnic tables and mooring rings. Another boat called Armadillo, travelling the same way, has stopped here as well. Graham & Jill are currently suffering from winter colds so we wish them both a speedy recovery. “Don’t get too drunk on the medication you two!”

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