Late crop fruit harvested

Tuesday 23rd September

Graham was up and at ‘em at snoozle o’clock again, I put my head out just as Son 1 phoned; a quick stop-over in Manchester to sort out a passport. We were able to have a quick chat but not able to give him the answers he needed as we had no internet connection on board – and I was completely unable to top-up my Three account successfully due to the Visa Secure system failing to work when I tried to use my card. Never mind, all was eventually sorted by the time he got to the passport office in Liverpool.

The time advantage that Graham created by starting early was spent harvesting fruit from the offside of the canal. Blackberries were found in the cutting above Brinklow and the same Plum tree at Clifton still had some serviceable plums left on it’s branches. As we passed Armada Marine at Brinklow wharf Graham spotted the diesel was a very good price (£1.02p per litre 60/40) and so we stopped there to add 150 litres to Jannock’s tank.

On down through Rugby where CaRT contractors are edging and dredging opposite Willow Wren’s yard; little boats all over the place with two tugs returning having just taken a dumb barge full of mud down to the road. At the road bridge we met a strange little craft sprouting wires everywhere and manned by blokes wearing what looked like deep sea divers suits. They were EA folk who were stunning all the fish and counting the species. They told Graham that they had very few Zander when he enquired.

We were moored up by 4pm, ready for a car shuffle and home. Another successful Cutweb rally , thanks guys. And as for the Pork rolls and roast beef at the Samuel Barlow  .  .  .  .  .  .  I have never seen so many doggie bags being asked for after a meal. The food was too good to leave on the plate, and far too much for many of us to finish. We were so pleased that we had not ordered a dessert to follow Sunday lunch. Mind you, that looked so good we also wish we’d had room for some as well. We drank Bonkers Conkers as well as playing it, we played Boule, we treasure hunted (and we won) we quizzed (and we didn’t win) we ate cake, we enjoyed Cutweb company and the rally had a new company of auctioneers – Floggit, Loggit and Droppit! We hope to do it all again next year.

Brenda