Skirmish at Curdworth

Yesterday we broke out and did 7 locks where the ice wasn't too bad (we thought it had all gone, but it had disguised itself under 2" of rain!). G then picked the dogs and I up and we headed for the water point with the 3rd load of washing on the go. This was a long pound, compared to the previous short ones, and the ice was much thicker making steerage very difficult. Struggled through the last lock and moored up at Curdworth somewhat gratefully as it was bitterly cold.

Wandered into the village for, amongst other things, some potatoes and a pint in the Beehive.

Started to prep dinner and the potatoes were black all the way through. G volunteered to take them back this a.m. whilst doing a reccy of the ice situation. He came back with another bag which were totally rotten on the outside so I took them back this p.m. to be told, " I can't give you your money back because my farmer won't refund my money". I mentioned that she couldn't sell people rotten produce & had she not heard of 'fit for purpose'? She then told her assistant to give me a pound back. I told her that if she was so hard up she could sti... keep her pound. This then led her to upping her offer in a sort of upward haggle ..... I couldn't believe it. She sold me potatoes with blight; replaced them with smelly, actually rotting, ones and seemed to think it perfectly reasonable not to refund my money. 'Tis a strange world we live in.

On a completely different note, Dot & Derek on Gypsy Rover are heading this way & have the Hatton Flight to do. We are heading their way and have the Aston & Farmers flights to do. The lovely Paul has offered his lock wheeling assistance to us both so we are trying to co-ordinate our plans- even more difficult with the vagaries of the current weather and unpredictability of comms signals.