Farewell to our Dear Aussie Friends.

 Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August 2022 in Brewood.

Another clear sky at dawn and the prospect of a very hot day again. Luckily, we were in the shade except for a couple of hours around midday.

Around mid morning, we met up on Lazy Bee for tea, coffee and biscuits. The four of us chatted away with lots of stories, laughter and fun as the time slipped by without our even noticing. Suddenly, Shelley realised that it was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon and we had been chatting for hours!!

Between M and Shelley, a brilliant pick-up supper was put together and we set out the chairs on the towpath and had a veritable feast, accompanied by more excellent white wine.And lots more laughter!

As we started clearing up, M carried a tray of stuff back to MM. The tray tipped and a crystal wine glass and bottle of salad dressing fell into the water next to MM. Robin and Harley employed Boy Scout inventiveness and created an improvised fishing net using a colander on the end of a hooked pole! Almost immediately, they retrieved the salad dressing, covered in mud (so it went in the bin). But no matter how hard they tried, we couldn't find the wine glass. Luckily, we have spares. We are very attached to the set of crystal glasses, as we bought them from the Royal Doulton outlet shop in Stoke-on-Trent in 2013 on our second season on MM.

Again, we sat out on the towpath watching the sun set and chatting until it was time to retire.

Saturday morning saw us back in MM having coffee and cake before we reluctantly parted company.

As we both prepared to leave, M took a close up of nb "Lazy Bee's" lovely lazy bee to send to our dear friend Bee in Oxted, as we thought that she would like it.

A final photograph together, with M behind the camera as usual.

Lazy Bee's tiller pin is so fitting! She even has a Joey in her pouch!

It has been an utterly wonderful two days together and we have agreed to get together again next year and maybe go into Liverpool together. They are such special people, warm, fun, generous of spirit, and a joy to be with. Safe journey back to Swanley Bridge and then back to Western Australia in September, lovely friends!

Soon after, we set off towards Brewood (pronounced "Brood"). On the way, we passed over the A5 on the Stretton Aqueduct. We always like to hover there so we can wave in an imperious fashion to the cars going underneath. Sadly, the railings are in need of some serious TLC.and some vegetation clearance wouldn't go amiss...

We agreed with the quote on the side of this boat. "Believe me my young friend there is NOTHING, absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats". Marvellous!

Brewood visitors' moorings were quite full, not least because they are all in shade. So, we went on and, just south of Brewood, we found a great mooring with shade and armco. Shade + Armco = Perfect!

Today: 3 miles, 0 locks and 1.6 hours.

Trip: 356 miles, 223 locks and 194.1 hours.