All together again, surprise visit and a short cruise.

I drove across to Wales on Tuesday to collect Mags from our good friends Val and John’s house where she been staying since her discharge from Macclesfield Hospital. She’s been well pampered while she’s been there, but they’ve also kept up her physio regime.

John and Val, with Meg and Harry looking out of the window

This was taken after Meg had finally got off Mag’s knee!

The hens have kept Mags amused (and fed) during her stay…

Left to right (put me right Val if I’m wrong…) Maggie (nearest) Emily, Yen, Abby. Maggie lays tasty double-yolkers.

We arrived back at the boat at around 17:00, Mags tired but happy to be home.

In her usual spot

You can see she’s been well looked after.

We had a visitor yesterday. Late morning there was a knock on the roof and there was Maffi and Molly. He was moored just around the corner on the Coventry Canal, having come up from Hopwas the previous day.
We had a good natter over a cup of tea, then he joined me in a visit to Tesco on the way to dropping off the hire car.

Today, with the weather being dry and bright after a frosty night, we decided to head back to Alrewas. With a few days of dry weather in the offing I hope that the river will be passable by Monday.
We went up Junction Lock, winded and came back down again.

Back down Junction Lock

We were filling with water when Maffi turned up again, and borrowed a windlass to kindly lock us down through Keepers and Hunt’s Lock.

Maffi and Molly at Keepers Lock

Neville off NB Waterlily came up to say hi as we dropped down Hunts, then we pulled over to lay alongside NB Callisto for some bags of solid fuel.  

With Mags now back aboard we’ll be using a lot more of the burnable stuff!

I sorted out the fuel as we dropped down Common Lock, then moved on to moor just above the road bridge near Bagnall Lock. We’re a bit nearer to the road than I’d like but it’s busy here today. Never mind, the traffic quietens down later.

Mags was under strict orders to stay in her chair while we moved, and, although she was chafing to help, she did as she was told. Good girl.

Locks 5, miles 1¾