Mixed day!

A mixed day today! Woke up this morning and it was raining. A 'should we, shouldn't we' decision had to be made. A quick look at the forecast on the BBC website for the area sugested that today would be better than tomorrow so we set off. Sure enough the rain eased and only the occasional shower dampened spirits as we headed towards Autherly junction.

Finally mooring just after bridge 73, Latches Bridge on the Staffs. and Worcester. Not a bad spot; an acceptible satellite signal, a couple of bars of GPRS and a decent towpath.
Spotted at Gailey - worth noting the 'keep to the right' sign if you need to use the BW facilities. If you pee to the left you'll find it's actually the wash basin!!

The waterway landmark, (is that an oxymoron?) of The Roundhouse at Gailey.

Worth mentioning a couple of dampers to the day.

If you ever see this delightful pair, (probably still moored under the same bridge - Woodbank Lane Bridge; 87a) do say hello from me! Bless them, I think they spoke in English but it certainly wasn't a form of the Queen's language I was used to as I passed by on tickover. I did recognise the words 'slow down' amongst the rest of the somewhat limited vocabulary that was grunted from behind his fishing rod. It even stirred my frustratingly patient father's inner annoyance as he blurted out the fantastic one liner, 'you sad little people - are you boaters or do you just sit there all day?' Laugh? I nearly choked on my minestrone until I noticed the lock waiting area just beyond and realised we had to venture forth from the relative safety of our little steel floating shell!

Fortunately the passage passed with no further hindrance and the only other minor frustration was the elderly gentleman and his grand children who pulled out right in front of us, (I mean less than a boat length,) as we emerged from the top a lock. His actions were clear when we realised that the next lock was just round the corner and he was clearly in too much of a hurry to want to let us go first!

Ah, well - tomorrow Autherley and onto the Shroppie for a short trip before turnign for the journey home. We want to be back home by next Thursday ideally so that we have some time for work on the railway!

Many thanks to all those who wished me a happy birthday! I actually only put it on there to see if anyone responded as it would show me if anyone ever reads this drivel! I so enjoy playing little games and it massages my ego a tiny bit when I realise that people do!