Time Is Moving On

But we are staying stationary for a day

We have been zipping along at speed for the past few days, we left Tixall Wide a bit later than planned as we needed to wait for a phone call.  Once that was done, we moved on to Great Haywood for a water top up, very necessary due to the amount of washing I had done in the previous few days !  I took the opportunity to visit the farm shop butcher which is on our favourites list. We had the pork chops for dinner last night and they were just lovely again .

A very large Gunnera just outside Little Haywood - unfortunately you cannot see the flower stems growing in the middle

Cute little piglet seen on a farm outside Rugeley

We cruised through to Rugeley where we stopped again to stock the cupboards. The plan was to head for Morrisons BUT a huge brand new Tesco’s had opened the day before and is right by the canal at bridge 66.  While I put away the groceries, Andrew popped over to Morrisons to see if he cold find the dehumidifier crystals that we need. They were not available in Tesco’s but not at Morrisons either. Andrew thinks Morrisons are going to struggle now with the new Tesco’s just across the canal ! 
As it was still reasonably early we decided to continue on to Fradley Junction. Well….it took a bit longer than we thought and when we finally arrived there, al the moorings were taken. We tried a couple of times to moor up past the 48hr moorings but just could not get in to the side.  So while I got dinner on the go, it was already 6:30pm by now, Andrew continued until he was able to find a suitable mooring spot.  Finally at 7:30pm we were moored up and were able to eat dinner ! 

Captive Buzzard outside Rugeley

 

 

 

Shaggy Ink Cap

On Saturday we were up again at a reasonable hour and on our way but yesterday seemed to be telling us something when after just 20 minutes we saw a boat well known to us moored up.  Naturally, we pulled up and moored to have a coffee and chat with Allan, on nb The Lovely Lisa aka Lucy Lowther.  We had not seen Allan since we met going in opposite directions on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal mid July.  After a long chat and now we are going in the same direction, we moved on with the plan to meet up later in the afternoon.

Allan

Our plan was to head for the bottom of the Atherstone Locks a fair number of hours away.  But this was not to be, as we reached Fazeley junction, there was yet another familiar boat, nb Islonian who we had spent some time with on the Llangollen Canal just a few weeks ago.  So once more, quick reverse and pull in. After another cup of coffee, or three, we could not be bothered with moving on so a quick text to Allan about the change of plan once more!  Allan turned up later in the evening and we all ended up spending the night here in Fazeley Junction. 
It is so nice to be able to change plans so easily, we are staying here for a few days, there is a nature reserve just up from the junction which we shall move to today or tomorrow and then we shall carry on towards London.  Allan has moved on but we shall catch up to him along the way and stop again for another coffee and chat.

Cows in the Cut :)