It was lovely weather for the ducks in the garden opposite this morning. There was no rush to get started so we waited for the rain to ease off before setting off. Without a knock on the door telling him patisseries were baking, Bryn got up later too. He hadn’t missed any cruising anyway.

We had got a surprise message while we were waiting though. The sofa we ordered in June was ready and they asked when we wanted it delivered. The clothes drier is up and we have some clothes and shoes in the main living space since we are sleeping in there. I am wondering where the sofa will fit. Amazingly we are only about 30 miles away so can be delivered pretty soon! We are heading their direction so I asked them if they knew of a good access point and they suggested The Tame Otter pub. We remember seeing it and the name making sense once we knew it was on the River Tame. 

There were some locks to do so Shane set off when the damp was barely noticeable. Bryn and I brought out some warm dry squares to sit on. Water birds however don’t care and we saw plenty geese splashing themselves with enthusiasm. Certainly they weren’t hiding. I tried a picture of a moorhen but black brown on a black brown background was excellent camouflage. It is hiding but not from the rain.

Bryn and I got out to do the locks. I had noticed these information boards along this route. We haven’t seen a kingfisher for a while but looks like one on this notice. I have left Bryn opening gates on his own. He can manage!

 

After lunch there were more locks to do and Shane wanted to work them and be warmer, so we swapped over jobs after lunch. Apart from some smirr on my specs, all went well. We had in the meantime passed the garden with a lock we remembered from before. I hadn’t noticed the gate saying Boat yard and I am sure there were no model sheep then.

 

 

After the last lock we moored up in Stone.  We didn’t explore Stone last time so we had an explore. Shane was on the lookout for take away food places as he thought a carry-out for Bryn’s last night might be nice. He pointed out a pizza place and a thai…oh no that’s Thai massage, perhaps not what we’ll have for Bryn’s last night! Bryn seemed keen on a Chinese and we picked the best of the three. Bryn made an on line order and paid. Bryn and Shane went to collect and then I got a phonecall. Plan B… The place was shut but their website didn’t say so. Plan B could be making a Chinese noodle dinner…just like last night, but we opted for the pizza place. It took cash only. Bizarrely the bill was exactly the same as for the Chinese £30.30 and more bizarrely that exactly the amount of cash in my purse! All very tasty. Bryn has got a message refunding the credit card from the Chinese so all is well. 

Meanwhile Bryn has introduced us to a new game on our phones: wordle. It involves guessing a 5 letter word  in six goes with feedback (like the mastermind game in the 70s) of whether any letters were right. Both Stone and Stoke would be possible as words as well as being the places we have travelled between today.