Friday morning, before we went to London, Ken set to and checked the batteries and the greaser. Then he got the back room ready for the chaps from the marina to do a full engine service while we were away. We had a lovely weekend in London and returned Monday afternoon. After dinner the wind, which had been pretty strong all day, dropped so we decided to get out of the marina while the going was good. We did so and moored outside the marina office ready to pay in the morning before continuing our journey.
This morning, after paying for the service and the moorings, we left Alvecote and travelled 8.5 miles and the 2 Glascote Locks to Whittington. It was not a bad trip with only one significant shower which was blustery with hail and took about 4 hours due to the slow going negotiating all the groups of moored boats in Tamworth and beyond.
We decided not to stop at the sanitary station at Peel’s Wharf as we will be in Fradley tomorrow where we can avail ourselves of the facilities. We originally had thought to moor at Huddlesford but as the weather seemed to be getting worse and we had been lucky thus far with avoiding the rain we stopped at Hademore House Bridge, just short of Whittington.
It pissed down just after we had finished mooring up so we made a good decision. When it stopped raining we went in to the village to go to the shop and of course the pub.
In The Bell most of the clientele were a little eccentric! Shortly after we had sat down, near the door, a couple of women left the pub and upon opening the door declared that it was nice and bright with it open and did we want them to leave it open? This was despite the gale force, arctic blast which was blowing in! We said no.
Then a woman came staggering in from outside and remarked that it was cold out there. We concurred and she said she really must go home as she was a bit anaemic. I thought she meant she had to go home because her anaemia was causing her to feel the cold. Ken pointed out that she had actually said she was a bit inebriated! And indeed she was, especially when she eventually left some time (and a few more drinks) later!
Shortly after this another couple opened the door and stood there peering under our table. All became clear when they asked us if we had a dog. They said their dog was a bit anti social and they wouldn’t be able to bring him in if we had a dog there. As we didn’t they brought him in. A little while later the woman said she was going to ask the barmaid if she could bring her girls in as she was worried about leaving them out in the car. I thought they had left the kids in the car but it transpired that the ‘girls’ were two pet mice!
We did have a very nice and informative conversation with this couple about various things including local churches and castles, the canals, living on a boat and Norfolk.
See what we would miss if we didn’t go to the pub!
Tomorrow we are off to Fradley or Alrewas.
