Fireworks

We had a quiet day today in Middlewich. 

It was drizzly in the morning but cleared to a lovely day.  We had a good walk around Middlewich, another shop at Tesco to finish off our shopping list, and then I did some work while Mick finished refitting the timberwork on the newly cut back radiator. He also made a couple of shelves to store things out in the engine bay.  We wanted somewhere to put our cruise guide, hats and scarves, coffee mugs, walkie talkies and other bits and pieces while we're cruising along.  Later in the afternoon Mick went off for a pint at the pub so I could read a book in peace. 

The other day as we were walking across a canal bridge I spied a fantastic idea.  The fellow on the boat had a flat box with a perspex lid with his canal guide inside.  He had it sitting on the sliding hatch of the roof so he could look at it as he cruised without it getting wet.  I have it on my list!

Tonight we've been rushing to the window every five minutes to watch the fireworks being set off in nearby backyards.  Sometimes we can't see them because of the trees but we did watch an excellent display from a house just over from the canal.  It's a real novelty to see fireworks set off from backyards.  They've been illegal in Australia since I was a kid.

We had a catch up with our mums tonight.  Mick's mum hasn't been in the best of health so he's been trying to ring her as regularly as the phone reception will allow.  Tonight we had fantastic reception and she was in a very positive frame of mind.  Great to hear.  I also stumbled upon my mum online in Google.  Somehow... and I'm not sure how... but we managed to get a video chat to open.  It really only allowed a still picture as the reception mustn't be good enough for actual video but it was still lovely to see her face - she and I both in our dressing gowns!

We'll be moving on tomorrow.  We need to do washing and we need water.  The logistics of trying to get water and come back to our present mooring were all a bit much.  We would have to go down a lock, turn around at the junction, moor up right on the edge of the junction at the solitary water point, turn back into the Middlewich Branch, back up the lock, cruise a couple of miles down the canal to the nearest winding hole, turn around, cruise the couple of miles back and hope that our mooring is still here.  We decided we'd make do with the water we have and head off on our way tomorrow.  Much easier!

Photos : she returned today with a friend!