Sunday 25th September, 2016 at Autherley Junction.
A pretty morning and, based on the forecast for sunshine and a lack of rain, M did a wash and hung it on our rotary washing line to dry. The forecast was inaccurate (as usual!) as there were showers all day but there was also sunshine, so the washing did dry - much to M's satisfaction!
For the last two nights, we had moored under trees, so MM's roof was covered in leaves, twigs and generous but unwelcome donations by birds roosting in said trees. We always try to avoid mooring under trees, but sometimes there's no choice. R set to work to brush all the bits off the roof and then to wash it down, while M cleaned the windows and the bow deck, all of which bore the evidence of the number of locks that we have done recently.
Peter and Annie, who run the hire base at Napton, have become friends over the years and we spent a happy hour in their shop having a lively catch-up and a welcome cup of tea. Peter very kindly allowed us to move MM to their service bay so that the washing was not under any trees (or birds).
When passing Wolverhampton Boat Club (one mile back along the canal) yesterday, we had been surprised to see a small notice advertising a play with music based on the subject of the "Idle Women" of World War 2.
To our delight, the performance was scheduled for 1:30 today. We had been aware of the touring show but had never expected to be in the right place at the right time. As soon as we saw the notice, we had decided to moor up for the day and to walk back to see the show.
So, we walked the mile back up the canal to the Boat Club where a fairly lively crowd had already gathered and we were welcomed with open arms and an open bar. We purchased some raffle tickets and two glasses of local real ale. We rarely drink beer but it felt appropriate on this occasion.
There was no charge for the event but there was a retiring collection for the two performers, who appear as "Alarum Theatre". R sat down to enjoy the ale and study the program.
The first half was a one woman play called "Isobel's War", beautifully researched, written, directed and performed by Kate Saffin. It told the story of a "typical" young woman who joined the boats, was trained by Kit Gayford (one of the leading trainers) and then went on to crew her own boat for the next year. The second half consisted of poetry and songs written and performed by Heather Wastie and called "Idle Women and Judies", the later term referring to women who served on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, who were known as Judies.
The picture on the front of the program is a well known publicity shot taken of a lady called Audrey during the war, posing with the long shaft on the butty "Dipper". Audrey, Evelyn and Anne were the crew of the motor "Sun" and the butty "Dipper".
It was a brilliant performance and much appreciated by everyone present, all in all a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. The two ladies are always on the look-out for new venues and we couldn't help thinking what fun it would be to get all our narrowboating friends together somewhere back home to see it - they would love it!
To top it all, we won the raffle twice! But we took only one prize - some chocolates for R.
On the way up, we had walked part of the way on the road as the towpath was on the opposite side of the canal and the bridge across to the Boat Club was locked.
Luckily, one of the members offered to unlock the gate on the bridge for us so that we could get across the canal and walk back on the towpath.
We walked back to MM in sunshine.
Across on the other side of the canal to MM was nb "Victoria", hired by Charles, Emma and their friends from Napton's in September 2010.
A pretty sunset brought an end to a nice relaxing day.
Today: No miles but 3.0 hours for power.
Trip: 447 miles, 308 locks and 311.4 hours.
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