Car collection day

Sunday 22^nd October; Astwood bottom lock to Hanbury Junction.

Just a short cruise today, as Dave went to fetch the car.  We were awake early, and were on the move well before 9.  On our way to the junction we saw our first flock of winter thrushes (redwings and/or fieldfares from Scandinavia or Russia).  This year’s crop of berries for them is pretty good.

Red sky and mist at 7.30

By 9.20 Dave was on his way to Droitwich station.  After sorting out the bow locker where we store kindling and logs, laying the fire and turning off the fridge to defrost it, I took Meg out for her walk, past the Hadzor permanent moorings as far as bridge 32.  On the way back to the boat I collected an armful of ash twigs which will dry off in the cratch over winter and I hope will be ready for spring fires.

Taken by accident as I was trying not to drop my ash twigs in the mud

I was trying to get my camera out as there was a kingfisher flitting about up and down the moorings, but of course it had disappeared by the time I was ready with my camera!  Once back at the boat, I got on with the end-of-season tasks in the galley such as packing up half-used jars and packets and anything else that could be damaged by damp over the winter.  While cleaning out the cupboard above the cooker, I twigged why it is so awkward to use - we have to put cups etc in carefully so they don’t tip over.

Shouldn't there be a floor to cover the cables and battens?

NSM, the firm that did the original fit-out, hadn’t quite finished the job!  There should be a floor to the cupboard.  Another little job for Dave, though not before we go home.  We actually met the guy who did the fit-out earlier in the trip – he called out from the towpath.  He was very pleased to see us and we were very polite.  Although the fit-out is very good in many respects, there are several short-cuts we wish he hadn’t taken, but we didn’t mention them of course – what would be the point after so many years?  Dave did mention the mismatch between the well deck fitting and the inlet to the water tank, and the need for care to avoid flooding the cabin bilge – and at least we now know the kind of hose that will be needed.  But getting the work done needs some careful planning as we don’t live close to the marina.  

The towpath was busy on and off with walkers and groups of cyclists.

Dave was back by 2.30, luckily before the afternoon's rain.  He changed trains in Birmingham at Smethwick station, whose platforms sit on a bridge high above the main line, though you can’t see anything of the canal from up there.  He recognised a lot of spots on the canal as he travelled north to Stafford.  during the afternoon we did more bits and pieces of tidying and cleaning before we went for a meal at the Eagle and Sun at about 6.  For a carvery only an hour from closing it wasn’t bad at all, though some of the veg were a bit tepid.

1½ miles