Bartimaeus

We had a short drive to Nantwich on Wednesday and arrived in the morning to find most of the moorings were only for 48 hours so it was a long slow meander past other moored boats looking out for a space. We slipped in between two boats, thinking we were beyond all the 48 hour ones, but no, when we had got tied up we found this stretch was also just for two days and we needed at least a week so Shane went for a walk along the towpath in search of a longer mooring allowance. He came back with a recommendation and we cast off and drove on. As we were heading out, a very smart new boat named Speedy Whippet II was mooring up. We had seen them earlier when we were stopped for waste disposal, and guess they had gone down and then turned searching for a good spot.

We found the space Shane wanted, still available, and moored again. This time  there were no rings and we needed stakes.  In the previous mooring we had used a mooring ring at one end and a chain at the other as the rings are not always ideally spaced and a chain attached to the corregated metal edging is a more flexible option, but unlike a fixed mooring ring, you have to step off and retrieve the chain rings when you cast off. While getting the stakes out, Shane noticed that we had only one mooring chain. We knew we had had two just 15 minutes earlier so one must have got left behind. Shane was flummoxed that he could have left it behind, as he is normally very careful about it, but it is possible that the half and half mooring method meant he was thinking of us as on rings, not chains when we set off. They are handy kit I wouldn't want to be without, so I hot footed it back to see if it was on the grass or attached to the metal where we had been. I saw Speedy Whippet II again and realised that, while we had moved moorings, so had they.  They had preferred our space that we had vacated, and I could see too that they were using a mixture of a chain and a ring as we had. Their door was open so I called to them and asked if they had come across a chain while they were mooring, as we had just left one behind. The man replied that he had and that he had used it himself to moor up! He rooted around in his stern locker and took out a very shiny brand new mooring chain and handed it to me. I said ours was much older than that, but he said they were all the same and just to have it. After mooring twice he obviously would rather hand his over than untie again. So I was suitably grateful and we had a chat about mooring problems in general before reurning to Shane with the news that we had regained a full complement of mooring tackle and even had an upgrade! We now have a very unmatched pair, one new and sparkling and one rusty!

We weren't far from town and were there in time for lunch. Shane pointed out the railway station on the way in, good to know we were at the station end of Nantwich. We revisited the bookshop and cafe and made use of both their products. It wasn't where I expected to experience a south African hotdog, but I couldn't resist the possibility. I can recommend the place for flavour, ambience, and staff banter. 

The next morning we had lightly packed bags and walked to the station. I was a bit confused as I have bought, some time ago, a pair of silver lace up summer shoes that I  thought might do for a casual summer occasion, but I searched and they were not in my shoe storage box. I have not worn them in earnest yet. I wondered if I had taken them to Edinburgh. I also meant to pack my sandals but got distracted and forgot to put them in, so just had fingers crossed that Edinburgh would have suitable footwear.  

The station had a bit of character and had been designated "best kept station in Cheshire". There was a curry house in one of the station buildings and planters and bright shelters.

Large beds were full of greenery and many were herbs.  Shane remarked the curry place could pop out and get some. There was coriander so that would be a handy ingredient. I am not sure how much use they would make of lavender, sage, chives, marjoram, rosemary or oregano but mint might be nice too and there was loads of that. There were some herbs I didn't recognise too.

When we boarded our train we were looking for a seat. We often like a table seat but this time we skipped it as the seats were scattered with leaves. I prefer the plants outside and the leaves still on the plants.It was a change from 'leaves on the line'

It was only a ten minute journey to Crewe. We were disappointed the Gambian cafe we had used once before was not there. We had plenty time between trains though so had time to wander further afield. Going through a mall, I was looking at a display about a campaign to have a statue to a Crewe factory girl, Ada Nield Chew, who was also a suffragist and human rights advocate.

When I caught up with Shane I found he had made the unusual choice to visit a shoe shop. His sandals were wearing in the inner sole. He found a pair with the same magnetic clip he likes and though they didn't have the size he had on, he tried the smaller one and found they fitted comfortably. Without further ado he accepted them and said he would keep them on and dispose of the old pair. The shop assistant said they recycled the shoe parts so they would happily deal with them. The sole and straps were in good condition. We heartily approved of the idea that someone might get new shoes from his old sandals! 

We found a quick serving cafe nearby and were in plenty time for our train, even with the diversion of buying shoes. I even had time to get a picture of the beautiful tiling I had seen in a porch on the way.

Once in Edinburgh I was pleased at the sight of our clematis in bloom. Walking around the next day there were some very impressive flowers cascading all over.

I passed some cameras in our street too one seemed to be filming an amateur project but another was a photographer getting a shot of a couple dressed in coordinating outfits under a blue blossomed tree. I tried not to get in their way. 

I looked out clothes and got some ironing done but did not find the silver shoes. I did find an infrequently worn pair of summer pumps that went well. I was going to an informal party for my sister who turned 80 on Saturday and the sun shone. What a lovely day we had!

I overheard my niece, Lorna, talking to her brother's partner, who was admiring her shoes. I saw she had a similar coloured outfit to mine and even had similar shoes, though hers looked new. She said how comfortable they were and you could get them any colour, including gold and silver. I might need to find out more about those. Comfort is high on my list of priorities in shoes.

Shane of course probably has the newest shoes of all, but probably no-one admired his outfit at all. But they were comfortable and that is all he wanted.