Waiting for the weekend

Whitchurch Arm has a 48 hour time limit on mooring. 

We need to be back for the festival but obviously can't stay put the whole week.

So on Monday I went for a walk, down to Grindley Brook to check out the bookshop.

and to explore the town a little. Some grand buildings next to the church: almshouses, infant school and grammar school, all end 17th/ early 18th century.

The church was built at the same time, after the collapse of the medieval church's Tower, and consecrated 1713. It would have been a somewhat old-fashioned design by then, but that's what the architect and mason were comfortable doing, and no worse for that.

Tuesday morning kicked off with blackberry foraging,

 and then I got on the move. This meant spinning at the top of the Arm, cruising to the next winding hole as you can't just turn right, spinning again, and then operating the lift bridge, the first time I had tried this on my own. Took everything steadily and methodically, and since there was a dog walker waiting to cross, I shanghai'd him into dropping the bridge while I was tying up
again.  As it happened the boat offered her bum up to the bollard on the off side beautifully so I would have been fine, but it cheered him up to be trotting off with minimal delay.

The next excitement was bridge 30, when I met a CRT work boat right at the hole. I had been pootling so was able to back up with no dramas. Turns out, it's the trip boat Andrew and I will be driving at the weekend! They were kind enough to wish us good luck..

And then to the water point (collecting a compliment for my very slow driving), my third spin of the day, and back to visitor moorings for lunch.

Next on the agenda is walking back to the service block to dump rubbish and have a seriously long shower. Lovely!

Andrew got in touch at end of day, now home from Shrewsbury festival, and we decided I'd stay put rather than move up to Whitchurch just yet. A quiet morning therefore, and an even quieter afternoon, as Andrew arrived just in time for a siesta.

Rather than cook, we then celebrated our reunion at the Horse and Jockey, with food even finer than I remembered.

Also, the best selection of gf desserts I have seen since Audlem!

On Thursday I realised there was no wheat bread for Andrew so headed off to Aldi. It was 11am when I was passing our allocated spot for the festival: so I phoned Andrew to let him know. He said he'd bring the boat up while I stood guard. Immediately there was a procession of 6 or so boats that he would have had to let go by before he could get moving, but eventually Vegvisir showed her face around the corner.  It's a nice spot, with lots of sunshine on our solar panels.

just waiting for everyone else to turn up now.

Set up Friday morning.