A Pause, then Progress

Mid week is dictated by mobile signal.. the Shroppie is very rural and has poor reception along much of its length. At Brewood it's just acceptable for an online meeting Thursday evening. So we stay put to take advantage. It's no hardship really 

On Wednesday we thought we ought to patronise the Bridge Inn,  since we are moored almost in its shadow. But the kitchen was closed so we had to replan. Indian food is almost always safely gluten free so we went to the Curry Inn, and had a wonderful meal, a terrific welcome too.  Walked back the long way round to shake it all down!

Have been surprised to hear a raven calling in the last couple of days. I wouldn't have thought wheatfields were their normal habitat. But there are SO many pigeons.. perhaps they are predators of squabs? Second thoughts.. probably a particularly hoarse, basso profundo crow.

Thursday, and I have a Mission. One of my Facebook friends put up a message to say their grandkids have grown out of their life jackets and did anyone want them? Cue urgent checking about size and weight

 before sticking my hand up and saying yes please! And they're only 2 bus rides away.. Walked into M&S Stone at 11.30 on the dot, and had an excellent chat, finding lots in common, before having an expensive but lovely M&S shop:

and then for the busses which were both, fortuitously, late..

Interesting seeing territory familiar from canalside, from the bus. No slacking allowed in Acton Trussell:

For the greater good!

Grandstand view of Stafford as the bus circled the centre, including going past Patties n Ting - twice - where we had lunch back in June. Interesting that the bus goes nowhere near Penkridge railway station.. in fact, that was the case at Wolverhampton too. Go figure! Gailey.. a pub, a corner shop and a garden centre, that's it folks. Respect to bus drivers though, they get down some really tiddly lanes.

Back at base, and having made potato salad,  realised we needed more mayo. So back into town, and then, having had enough of traffic, went walkabout. Found a nature reserve at the back of town:

that's more like it! It was a sand quarry that is now managed for nature and very good it is too. Round the corner from there a path took me back to the canal.

Berries are starting to ripen and soon I won't step out of doors without a takeaway box in case I find something to harvest. 

Not these though,  pretty though they look.

Andrew's meeting from the pub garden worked well. I sat next to him so he wouldn't look so odd talking to himself!

And Friday, we are free to move. On the go before 8am. Apart from a single lock at Wheaton Aston, nothing to do but drive. Sometimes very slowly, past miles of moorings. The weather much cooler with a frisky wind and the canal often shaded through deep cuttings: so I caved and pulled on a fleece, to be sneered at for being a big softie.

Past Canal and River Services Ltd, which are presumably contractors to CRT: a gazillion small tugs like Samson here:

and work boats

We stopped on the approach to Norbury Junction as we could see that ahead was very busy. Friday Feast and a film: lovely.