NbMuriel: Communication

Yesterday morning was damp and cold, there was no 3G signal and we got rammed by a hire boat. The dampness and cold are purely down to the time of year, so all we could do was wrap up warm and have the coal burner going all day - it makes it really toasty down below for when you stop. The 3G signal on Sue`s iPhone has been, on the whole, good the entire trip with only a few days seeing us without wi-fi for the laptops. Yesterday was one of them days, so we just read instead of blogging. (Sue`s phone is on the One plan from the company 3. She gets unlimited data plus generous phone and text allowances). The hire boat came flying through a blind bridge and couldn`t stop. Thankfully, M`s approach from the other side had been at tick-over, so we were able to come to a halt, reducing the crunch factor. They were far too fast, as I told the chap holding the tiller - he was, as you`d expect, of the opposite opinion. At that speed the least he could have done was given a blast on the horn - giving us a chance to dive for cover.

We stopped at Great Haywood last night, close to Shugborough, and continued down towards Fradley today. We are now moored above Woodend Lock, so an hour or so will see us in Fradley tomorrow. The weather has been clear but cold; it`s been a woolly hats and gloves day. We stopped at Rugeley to shop at Morrisons (wine), visit the local pet shop (gravy bones) and have lunch (turkey `bacon` sarnies). Sue went into the Nationwide to inform them of our change of address, having been told over the phone that phoning was not an option. She was told, personally, to phone, as a personal call was not an option. I sat outside with Vera.

Clear blue sky at Rugeley`s market square

Vera had a bit of a barney with an Alsatian in the market square; well, barney`s a bit strong, it was more of a roll over and beg for mercy. She`s too old for that sort thing and, although active, she likes quiet routine above all else - except food, of course. V wakes us at 0710 every morning for me to take her out; she does whatever she has to do and is back on the boat munching breakfast before I get back carrying a bag containing whatever it is she`s done; at 1630 she gets very affectionate; at 1631 Sue feeds her; by 1900 she`s sparko.

V`s spot in M`s cabin - the coal burner`s not far away

This afternoon we continued down the Trent & Mersey through Armitage, the site of Hawkesyard Priory, and finally stopped just short of Fradley. Most notable along this section has been the property. Yesterday it was the adjacent open countryside but today it`s been the canal side houses. The area is far more built up than further north and some of the houses have been great. As I said to one lucky owner as we passed - boat at the bottom of your garden and a workshop next to it, and a nice part of the country, fantastic. He smiled and gave us a thumbs up.