I forgot to mention that when we were “doing” the Wolverhampton flight, I had looked back at the lock we had just left and saw this bloke also looking back, then he ran back, then he threw his bag to the ground and ran across the lock.  Summats Up, as they say in Yorkshire, so leaving Mick , I ran back( he later mentioned that he hadn’t realised that I could run- cheeky) and found this bloke getting out of the empty lock with a very small, hairy and wild-eyed little dog in his arms. In his brummie accent he told me that his wife would kill him as it was her little dog. I offered to dry rat-dog off on our boat, but he said that he only lived across the park. Make sure he has a bath, says I, as the canals are teeming with microbes of one sort or t’other. Rat-dog will now be on a lead, I reckon.

Its  lovley is the Shroppie, and after a night and morning of heavy rain we all decided to move off and find a country mooring.  Next day off again and as we sailed around the corner, we found a large tree across the canal. There were 2 boats in front of us, pulled up, and we found out that BW blokes had been out and had a look, but  they did not have  a boat??? What BW = no boat?  How strange. Anyway, they said that they would be back. Yeah right, what in a few days ???  but low and behold, 40 mins later they were back with a chain saw and a winch, and soon we were on our way, but not before some bloke who was LAST in the queue decided to jump past 5 boats.!

Mick – Hey, you, there is a queue, you know, and I believe you should be at the back?

Queue Jumper – eh? Don’t know. Mutter mutter

He just carried on, with no apology.  However, as he entered the lock , he made a right mess of it. It was like watching a pinball machine, first he hit the right side, then the left, and then the right.  Hey ho.

So we are watered up and fuelled up.  The last time we fuelled was down at Weedon on the Grand Union. And as most boaters know. Wheaton Aston is brilliant for its fuel price and the owner of the garage is a real nice chap, as well.

It was the Last Supper with J&M+2. We went to the Hartley Arms and had a great meal, and 3 of them had deserts. !!!  pigs !. look at the size of them

See you in the autumn.

Next morning we were off on our todd. And as we were trundlin’ along in the rain, look what was sitting in a tree.   Now birders, is it a scops owl or a tawny. The pics not that clear and it was to telephoto lens.

Moored Shebdon and guess what its Friday- Poets Day. And we are near a pub, AGAIN.  This has to stop. !!!!!