Racing the rain

Audlem (lock 14) to Audlem (lock 3) : 2 miles, 11 locks
To date : 1123 miles, 806 locks

We expected it to rain all day today but when we got up this morning the forecast had altered a little and the rain wasn't arriving until around midday.  Carol and Barry must have checked as soon as they got up too because while I was in the shower the phone rang.  They had the same idea - we should high tail it to the top of the locks to reduce the amount of work for tomorrow.

There were boats heading in both directions so every lock was in our favour.  We all but flew up.  Mick went back each time to set them for Winton's Folly behind us.  There are lambs everywhere we look at the moment and at one lock there was a little group of about 5 running around together.  It was just like toddlers in a playground.

The clouds looked rather ominous on and off and in our last lock it began to rain. We stopped between locks 2 and 3 at the top.  It's a nice open outlook.  Mick went back to the locks to help Barry and Carol through the last couple and I walked up to the top lock to buy some eggs at the lockside stall.  I had read with disgust the other day on the blog of No Problem that someone had stolen the honesty tin from this stall the other day. 

I had looked back as I walked away from the boat and noticed Mick chatting to a couple of passing walkers.  On my return journey from the top lock I saw the same walkers approaching and the main reason for Mick talking to them became clear.  They had a gorgeous pair of black labradors.  We stopped to chat for a moment that stretched on to a good half hour.  They went on to just below the lock in front of us to let the dogs have a frolic in the water and play fetch with their stick.  We chatted some more when they walked back past us on their way home.  Such a lovely couple.  I have no idea of their names but we certainly enjoyed the chat.

When I got back in the boat I checked our bank account and the deposit from our boat buyers had arrived.  Happy days..... we can now announce that the boat is sold.  We've had an enjoyable correspondence with the buyers, Tore and Kirsten, for the last 3 or so weeks while we waited first for a friend to come and look at the boat for them, then to negotiate the terms of our sale contract, and finally for the deposit to arrive from Denmark.  It pleases me that all the household things we've bought and will leave behind on the boat are going to be useful to the new owners.  The day we agreed the deal they booked flights to come out next week to meet us and to see the boat for themselves.  We will now make our way towards Rugby where Parisien Star will be moored once we leave her.  We have another 5 weeks to get there.