An omen for the start of our holiday.

Friday 2nd September 2016

As Graham did a day and night shift yesterday, finishing at 02:00 this morning, he knocked off work early and we were able to be aboard Jannock by 13:00.

We knew things were not going to go right as we spotted three snow ploughsheading South on the M40 sign written “Mission Christmas” - be warned!

As I was stocking the fridge with all the stuff we brought from home I realised that tonight’s supper, a whole chicken I had cooked last night and then quartered ready for our trip, was AWOL. Panic – we didn’t want to get home in 10 days time to find it walking around the kitchen. Thank goodness for good neighbours – crisis avoided. I had been top of the class in food hygene and had stored it in the fridge ready for packing. We hope Gladys enjoys it.

Instead I opened a tin of delicous haggis, procured while we were McBoating. We set off from Alvecote and were immediately overtaken by another boat that didn’t like our idea of slowing down to pass moored boats. This meant we were behind them in the queue for Glascote top lock. Through them and onto Fazely where we turned left onto the Birmingham and Fazely canal. We last came this way in 2009 prior to joining the nBCNS Explorer cruise but I didn’t recognise a lot of the places we passed.

Much of the journey was through Middleton Lakes, an RSPB site on old gravle pits. A lovely place to walk, watch birds and general wildlife. They say they charge ‘for facilities’ so carpark, loos, the hides? Maybe a walk is free.

We moored for the night at Bodymoor Heath opposite the wharf. After our haggis dinner we wandered up to the Dog and Doublet. It’s a good old fashioned pub. The specials on the menu board were faggots, chips and mushy peas etc. The beer was good too and the bar was full of chaps who’d been harvesting and had come in to quench their thirst.

Brenda