Salad days

Toddled up to Barton Turn Lock to help a single hander down and hovered happily in the sunshine waiting for MR to stick her nose in the lock. Then heard himself making loud shouty noises. Couldn't understand a word, so nipped back over the top gate to see what all the fuss was about only to meet Daisy chirruping her way up towards me by the side of the main road! So THAT'S what the shouty noises were about! She'd legged it, as he entered the lock, through the brilliant fly/Daisy screens that he'd sewed together the night before. Errm - modification required.

Passing the church at Wychnor.

Moored in Alrewas and went for a pint with Carol & Noel off of Willy Nilly from the Chesterfield canal. The cottage here is still for sale, as it was in February.

Took the dogs down to the river for a swim (and a paddle for us) and then stopped for a pint with Carol and Noel on the way back - traded some good advice about travelling on tidal rivers for a bag of salad before they headed off to the Indian for dinner with friends. This salad stuff is quite good currency, but does anyone want to swap me for something edible (mushrooms, courgettes, tomatoes, etc)?

We shall be re-united with Caxton & crew over the weekend; don't tell anyone I said, but Lesley will be as old as me a week Saturday.

Muttley is somewhat embarassed by his new hair cut but he should be a little cooler. They do struggle in this heat with their double coats and I can only walk them early mornings and late evenings at the moment - being back with Floyd & Fletcher will soon perk them up though.

Talking of heat, I turned the hosepipe on the boat today after watering - wow; you should have seen the steam rise & hiss. It's a bugger keeping on top of the gardening in this sauna.