Ah, the social whirl….

We’ve not so much socialising for ages. On Sunday afternoon we had my sister Kay and other half Paul, along with the canines Elvis and Ruby, over to visit.

Taking up the towpath

It was a fine day so we sat outside apart from when we had a rather ad hoc dinner, prepared by yours truly. I can’t do with sharing my food with the local fauna. The dogs are bad enough.
The washing up bowl is drinking water for the dogs. Ruby can suck a standard bowl dry in 5 seconds flat. When they came to see us at Derwent Mouth Lock near Shardlow I got so fed up with going in to fill the water bowl that I started to fill it from the canal. I was not favourite brother the next day; Ruby had the squitters, and believe me, a St Bernard with the runs is not a pretty sight…

Kay and Mags posing
Yesterday we were collected and taken to brother Andy’s for a BBQ. ‘Tother sister Sue and hubby Trev from New Zealand are stopping with them. It was good to see them again, they’re both looking well. We really will have to try to get over there, they live in the mountains in South Island, and it looks fabulous, like a mega Lake District.

Today we thought we really must cruise a bit, so set off to Loughborough. Just before Junction Lock we came across Dave and Dilys on Trundle. They are on their “weekend” off from running Raynsway, and had arrived last night while we were out.

Dilys on Trundle
And Dave at the lock
We stayed together to Barrow, where D&D stopped to go to a grandson’s first birthday party.

Here we picked up a day hire boat out of Sileby, so we dropped down Barrow Deep Lock with them.
Pillings Flood Lock was chained open as expected, with the dry weather we’re having at the moment.

Through Pillings Flood Lock.
We turned down to the wharf in Loughborough, but the pontoons were full this time, so pulled onto the facilities mooring. I emptied both loo tanks then left the water tank filling while I dashed off up to Argos to redeem a voucher for a free 16” LCD TV. It’ll just do nicely in the bedroom…

Services at Loughborough Wharf. Everything but rubbish disposal and spotlessly clean, but you have to make the effort to get up there…
We turned back, retracing our wake to moor for the night just above the flood lock. We should have gone through the lock and moored on the lower landing really. It’s not in use with the lock fixed open, and TV reception is much better there.

Swan stand off at Nottingham Road Bridge. They shall not pass….
We’ll head back to Sileby tomorrow, where we’re picking up Sue and Trev. They’re staying with us overnight, so we’ll head north again, probably up to Devil’s Elbow, for the night.

Locks 5, miles 12½