I have completed my first proper week's cruising and it has been good fun despite a couple of very wet days. I started out from Tamworth after having a nice walk along the River Tame and around the castle and the park there. I moved on up to Fradley village and the next day I went to visit the National Memorial Arboretum, because I had never been there despite passing this way two or three times. It is so much bigger than I imagined and really pleasant to walk around. The central memorial is stunning. I am sure it is a peaceful place for those who have lost someone through hostilities. The next morning I met one of my single handing boater friends on her way down to Gloucester via Braunston and Hatton and the River Avon. Sounds like one to put in my schedule for another year. I am, at the moment, on canals which I have done before so I tried to stop at places I like and hence I moored at Great Haywood where I bumped into another of my single handing boater friends!! Only a short hop the next day, stopping at Weston and from there onto Stone, where I met one of the canal traders, Lorraine that I had bought a hat from at the floating market. I also just missed Phil and Jackie whom I have known since I first got the boat. They left early before I had surfaced. I have tried to walk over the 10,000 steps recommended but some days I couldn't quite make it. Looking back though I averaged 10,000 a day so that's ok then.

The National Memorial Arboretum

The National Forest Way

My old deckboards

New deckboards

One of the Tamworth pigs

Cruising 2017

I started out from Braunston a few weeks ago but I always make a slow, considered start as I work out what needs fixing or updating before the main event. I also had a couple of distractions as I met up with Heather in her beautifully newly painted boat for a short trip and a pub meal. Her boat now sports fabulous artwork by Andy Russell in the style of Steampunk iconography. I omitted to take pictures but if you see a boat emblazoned with cogs, clocks, compasses and so forth it will be Heather. The next day we picked up Tench and took her from Sutton Stop to Rugby where she was making her way down to London for this: Alarum Theatre's recreation of the Idle Womens' journey from London to Birmingham and back.

Back to odd jobs, I found I had a leaking kitchen tap and was very pleased to fix it myself using O rings, especially after two hardware shops could not figure out what was needed. The tap is from the 1980s which was probably before the shop assistants were born!! I am also about ready to install new deckboards courtesy of my son, Tom, who was able to source some Buffalo Board, cut it to size and fit a lifting ring. I will try to put up before and after photos but be assured that the old boards were well past their use by date. Anyway I am currently heading North through Nuneaton, Atherstone, Tamworth and shortly arriving somewhere around Stoke on Trent. Although I travelled this way in 2013 I have not done Heartbreak Hill since 2008 so that should be fun.