One For Each Bedroom. 8th October

Tescos, Rugeley to Tixal Wide, Stafford and Worcester Canal.

Mick started sorting clothes for a wash this morning. Now that the weather has turned a bit chilly we both realised we’d only two pairs of jeans each. Having another pair in reserve would be a good idea. After breakfast we headed into Tescos to see what they had to offer. Why are there SO many different types of jeans for ladies these days? Mom, Wide leg, straight, bootcut, jeggings, cigarette, carrot! Please can I just buy some plain ordinary jeans that fit! Cigarette seemed to be the nearest to what I wanted, they’ll take a bit of getting used to as they are tight on my calves and a bit baggy round my bum.

Boats had moved off before us and others arrived for top up shops. We made our way westwards slowly passing all the moored boats. The Fund Britain’s Waterways garden with all its pirates is getting quite over crowded now.

Over the River Trent. Past where Dexter used to sell diesel at good prices. They seem to like rusty old VW Beetles now. A very jolly boat came towards us, flowers hanging from the roof into the well deck. Pink and blue, was this Sebrina from the Boat Women group? It was, I waved and made a comment on her recent paint job.

Colwich Lock was waiting for a boat to come down. The lock cottage having some work done to it with scaffolding at one end, the owners stood in the doorway feeding a robin from their hands.

The boat coming down was out for the day, friends had joined the crew for a jolly. Three of us worked them down then it was our turn to ascend. The bottom gates with their short beams are heavy, the top gate beam still a stack of planks, a temporary beam until one is made for it from oak.

**Shame about the scaffolding and lock beam**

I walked on ahead, nearly 2 miles to Haywood Lock. Not quite as chilly as yesterday, but keeping up a good pace kept me warm. There was space below the lock, several boats looked like they’d been here a while. Up ahead a Stone hire boat was just going into the lock to go up. I went to help as Oleanna was still a bit behind.

The chap asked about a waterpoint just round the bend on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. I explained where the tap was at the junction, straight on just before the bridge, I showed him on Waterway Routes. Another person saying they’d have to update their app! We checked where he was wanting to wind and that information was correct.

I reset the lock for Oleanna, the bottom gates with short beams heavy to move again. It took a while to get one side closed, I walked round to do the other. A very helpful, well meaning man walking the towpath walked up to the gate I’d just closed saying, ‘Would you like me to open this one for you?’ NO!!! was my slightly rude reply, NO thank you. The thought of having to close it again really wasn’t appealing!

**If we were here longer I’d walk round to get a different angle**

There was a bit of a do-ci-do at the junction with a boat having just turned out onto the T&M. Mick swung Oleanna round under the bridge and headed for Tixal Wide. Walking ahead I expected to see quite a few boats. One gap with an angler sat right in the middle. But further along with the best view of the gatehouse there was plenty of room, we’d just have to contend with the really low bank. The sun was just catching the gatehouse rather nicely, I took lots of photos. Maybe this winter I’ll do a painting which could hang above our bed, that will be two paintings of buildings from near the canals, one for each big bedroom.

The washing went out on the whirligig, Tilly disappeared into the friendly cover for quite some time. I had a walk back to the farm shop to see what there might be, maybe a nice joint for Sunday. However, there being very few prices on show put me off buying meat. I selected a few items, gluten free black pudding and oatcake mix, some cheese and a sausage roll for Mick’s lunch tomorrow. Definitely a treat shop at over £20!

Back at Oleanna I checked things out with Frank, today so far had been quiet, but not so after checking his notes! Photos of pieces of set came through from Jamie, I requested a slightly bigger pipe, which was sorted within a few minutes.

Late afternoon it started to rain, the washing had to come inside!

***It was good to start with, but not so now!***

Two potatoes got wrapped in foil and popped in the firebox of the stove, the last of the weekend’s chicken was mixed with carrot and greens for a chunky coleslaw to accompany the baked potatoes. Very nice.

6 miles, 2 locks, 1 left, 5.17 miles walked, 2 new jeans, 1 jumper, 7 odd marks, 12 oatcakes to make, 1 flushing loo, 0 DOB or name, 1 rendezvous arranged, 1 more in the pipeline, 2 visits from Tucker, 3 Frankness members wondering about Charlie Bigham.