Hedgerow Jottings: Rainy Skies and Surfing Beans

Sleepy cygnet still in bed

Morning All

What a very wet week it's been. We used the last of the sunny weather to move from Brewood ready to go shopping in Newport on Tuesday morning. We caught the bus from outside the Navigation pub in Gnosall, leaving Tricky sleeping in her new favourite place - a blanket outside the bathroom. We don't know what we have done to offend her, she has a perfectly good bed with us in the saloon (living room) but prefers to sprawl across the width of the corridor, where she is right in the way. So where was I ... oh yes, waiting for the bus in Gnosall. There was a 'hold your breath' moment as we flashed our bus passes at the machine. Mine is well travelled, but Carl was using his for the first time, and we were both relieved when it beeped acceptance and we trundled off to town to find Waitrose and B&M for supplies. We couldn't resist making the most of the sunny morning and found a table outside Deli 49 for our very first latte of the boating season. Carl was overcome with the success of the bus pass and decided to order the Full English breakfast to celebrate. Unfortunately for him, just as his breakfast arrived, the heavens opened and it pelted down. Being English, we put up our rain hoods and ignored the beans trying to swim off Carl's plate. My handbag filled with water (I'm still drying out a soggy letter, but I fear it is beyond hope) and my best going-out trousers clung soddenly to my thighs while the cushion I was sitting on soaked up the rainwater and transferred itself to my bottom. The waitress rushed out with a brolly and helped us clear our plates to a table inside, everyone thought it was jolly good fun and no-one minded in the slightest about the puddles that dripped off us. Five minutes later, the sun was shining again - don't you just love our English Spring weather!

Before the rain came!

We took an evening stroll along the towpath one evening and rediscovered the Stafford to Newport Greenway. A very pleasant place to take in the views over the Shropshire fields, green and luscious thanks to the recent rains. I think we might have walked further but, in the distance, I glimpsed a cow coming round the corner. Now, I know I'm a country girl but I'm very cautious around cattle. Who knew how many more of his mates were out for a 'moo'ch into Gnosall for a pie and a pint! Back at the boat, we watched the sunset and crossed our fingers that the next day would be dry so we could be measured for our new cover.

Evening Stroll on the Greenway

We arrived in Norbury in bright sunshine and met with Tony from Bethsaida Covers. It's a very interesting process - first he unrolled a huge sheet of thick tracing paper over the cratch structure and then began to create a paper pattern using tape and a marker pen. Unfortunately for us, a huge black cloud hove over the horizon before the job was half finished and we watched anxiously, as it edged across the valley towards us. When the first drops of rain fell, there was no choice but to abandon the measuring and get the old cover back on. Tony has so much work on that we don't know when or if he will be back. We have waited here patiently for a suitable gap in the weather, hoping to get the job finished but this is the third day of high winds and rain and we may have to chug on without getting any closer to a new cover. (very disappointed emoji).

Tricky and Carl braving the rain!

So, here we are, still moored in Norbury with the solar panels laid flat and everything on the roof tied down to prevent it blowing into the next county when we are hit by sudden squalls. The wind blows hard through the gap in the trees next to our boat. The gap meant extra power to our panels when the sun was out but now we are being battered as the wind tussles with our ropes and rocks us till the glasses tinkle together in the cupboard. Tricky usually waits for the worst of the rain to come along before asking to go out and Carl has raked out a particularly fetching pair of 'sawn off' wellies from the bottom of the 'shoe step' He trudges along the towpath, following Tricky, who is urgently looking for the 'toilet' - why do dogs need to sniff every blade of grass before eventually finding the right spot? Apparently, there is a shortage of wellies so I'm thinking we might put these beauties on Ebay, they might be worth a few bob towards the new cover.

Nightfall at Norbury

On Saturday we awoke to a calm, still and drizzly morning. Brolly up and we were off just after 8am and hoping to reach Market Drayton in time to bag a mooring somewhere suitable to be collected for a home cooked Sunday lunch with Shropshire family. The brolly was up and down for the first few hours and then, as we arrived at Tyreley Locks, the sun peeped out and it was briefly hot and steamy. It didn't last long and we were glad to tie up in Market Drayton and throw a log on the stove to warm us up.

Surfing down the Tyrley Locks - the run off here is quite fierce

We're cosy and warm in the cabin tonight, full of roast chicken and apple crumble and tired after a day of love and laughter with our family, who we've missed so much. The rain is beating on the roof, Tricky is snoring loudly from her makeshift bed outside the bathroom and I am racing to finish this before the laptop battery runs out. Such is life on board the Lady Aberlour. I'll be back next week, we're hoping to get to Audlem and maybe, if the sun comes out, we might be able to share the beauty of the Shroppie in spring.

Love as always from

The Floating Chandlers

ps Woodseaves Cutting was even more dank and dismal than usual and we had to tip toe around some serious landslips with our fingers crossed that we didn't meet anything coming the other way.