A Gentle Relaxing Day

Friday 20th September, 2013 at Huddlesford Junction.
We awoke to a bright morning and found our overnight "guardian" bathed in sunshine. It was a bit disconcerting at first to think of such a contraption immediately overhead but after a while, we hardly noticed it!

As M predicted last Friday, the swallows have now left for warmer climes and we shan't see them again until next June. Where will MM be then, we wonder? Breakfast was boiled eggs from the farm shop; very large and delicious!

In the field opposite, we watched two large John Deere tractors with reversible ploughs working on the field. We have seen many fields of potatoes around here, no doubt due to the heavy Staffordshire clay soil.

Boats are beginning to arrive for the "gathering" and the line of moored boats grows ever longer. Boats passed by all day in both directions, with those who had not pre-booked searching for a mooring. We had a blissfully relaxed day, cleaning MM's roof and polishing her brass. R did some work down in the engine bay and found that we had the fabric from an umbrella wrapped aroung the propeller!

In the afternoon, we strolled down the towpath to the junction. The gates to the showground will not open until tomorrow, but the chocolatier boat was open for business and we acquired a small sample for later. That's the chocolate boat on the left in the photo below.

As we needed to post an anniversary card, we were trying to find a pillar box. There was no sign of one but then M saw a red van stop in the lane. Could it be Postman Pat? It was, and he was parked next to the box which was almost hidden in an alcove leading to someone's garden. We would never have found it if M hadn't seen the van.

Dinner in The Plough was excellent. After a major refurbishment, the pub had re-opened only five weeks ago. Tonight, with the festival, they were packed, but one has to wonder how much business they will do on a normal night. Still, we wish them well as they have done a brilliant job on the decor and produced excellent food and smiling service by pretty waitresses (so R was a happy man!).

We strolled back to MM by starlight and enjoyed a few episodes of "Shaun Sheep" - and a couple of chocolates!
Today: No movement.