Maureen and Rob's visit.

Saturday 13th July, 2013, still in Gnosall.
Maureen and Rob, who happened to be in the area, came for the day. It was a trip down memory lane for all four of us; for us, because we had done our Helmsman's course here with Terry, but especially for Maureen and Rob because they used to live here.
They arrived mid-morning with Maureen looking super glam (as ever!).  As this is such a special place for them, we opened a bottle of the "pink-un"; even more appropriate because tomorrow is Maureen's birthday.

After a brief catch-up, we set off for Norbury Junction just a few miles north.
On the way, we came across a narrowboat that had broken down and the skipper asked us if we could give him a tow into Norbury. Both R& M immediately recognised him as Adrian Palmer, who for five years acted with the Mikron Theatre group which tours the canal network on nb "Tyseley" and  performs on the canalside. It was wonderful to see him again and we happily took him, and his son and daughter, in tow. At least, we tried! His boat was right on the edge of the canal and had run fast aground and, in trying to pull him off, we had run aground too! No problem though. We waited until two other boats had gone past and then pushed both boats back out into the middle of the canal and towed him slowly in to Norbury.

Happily, they were able to fix the problem and by late afternoon were on their way again.

Norbury is one of the waterways' "picture postcard" spots with its old wharf and lines of moored boats. It used to be the junction with the Shrewsbury canal, which has long since gone.  Now only the very beginning section of it still exists and is used for mooring. There is a restoration trust, so who knows, one day it may be possible to return to Shrewsbury by canal starting here:           

Norbury held a very special meaning for Maureen and Rob, as it is where they did their "courting" forty-three years ago. They say that they are still on their honeymoon!

They used to meet in the Junction Inn and we had lunch there to re-kindle old memories. However, they declared that the inside seems to have shrunk since their youth!

At the large chandlery, R bought M just a very small tin of Brasso - there is a lot of brass on MM! (note from M - could she say she felt a trifle brassed off at the prospect?!!)

Contented and well fed, we cruised in a lazy fashion back to Gnosall. In the early evening, we had dinner at the Boat Inn, which turned out to be excellent. At first we thought that we wouldn't get a table, but a large party that had booked didn't arrive - so we quickly got a table and had a lovely evening before Maureen and Rob set off home. What a super day!
Today: 5 miles, 0 locks and 3.1 hours.
Trip: 220 miles, 180 locks and 181.5 hours.