Marion Babysitting Grandchildren.

Saturday 28th June to Monday 30th June, 2014 at Lichfield.
Saturday morning early, we walked down to Rugeley train station and M went off to Oxted to babysit for Eva and Tilly. M was a little nervous to be looking after both of them, especially little Tilly who is only seven weeks old!  M was also staying overnight as Elle and Matt would not be back until very late.
R walked into Rugeley town centre for a "few bits" (for once, a very few, as he knew that he had to carry them!). Back on MM, he set off toward Fradley Junction.
There are moorings just above the two Fradley Locks, but the last space was taken by the boat in front of MM, so R took her down through the locks and turned on to the Coventry Canal where he moored up just south of the junction before walking back to the junction for tea.
Sunday morning, M was woken up by Tilly at 4:00am and so didn't get much sleep - but both Eva and Tilly were very good and (apart from a marked lack of sleep) M enjoyed herself.
R continued on down the Coventry Canal towards Lichfield and moored up just next to the new King's Orchard Marina. In the afternoon he walked in to Lichfield past the end of a private airstrip.

Lichfield was in festive mood with an Arts Festival in the pedestrianised centre of the town. The Industrial Revolution seems to have passed the town by and it is a beautiful example of a county town. R resolved to bring M in to see it when she was back.
On Monday, R cleaned MM's roof and then went into King's Orchard Marina to get a new gas bottle - the last one lasted one year less a day!
R walked in to Lichfield Station to meet M, whose train arrived on time - to the second! The walk back to MM was very pleasant, the last half from Streethay being along a narrow, overgrown footpath round the edge of a potato field. Staffordshire is well-known as a potato producing county; the reddish soil hereabouts obviously suits them.

MM was moored in a pretty, rural spot which was surprisingly quiet, given the proximity of the busy A38. We had a very welcome quiet afternoon reading, snoozing and then polishing brass.
In the early evening, we walked down to Huddlesford Junction, a picturesque spot where we had spent a happy weekend at their annual "Historic Boat Gathering" last September. The finger post points the way to Birmingham Ogley Junction - although it may take another decade before the restoration of that waterway is complete.

The towpath had just been mowed by the CRT men, leaving a most inviting grassy trail flanked by tall reeds. We could hear yellowhammers singing in the fields.

The Plough Inn stands beside the junction and we decided to treat ourselves to dinner there before walking back as the sun set. A very agreeable evening!
Three Days: 12 miles, 3 locks and 8.2 hours.
Trip: 25 miles, 8 locks and 15.4 hours.