Friday 17th August 2007
Tixall Wide - Wood End Corner (12¼ miles, 3 locks)
The dogs woke us up early so we abandoned our lie-in and took them for a walk round Shugborough. We were all pretty knackered at the end of it.
Jen bought a rag rug off a boat near the lock where I hade bought a new bow fender the previous evening. I shall wait until we get to the new marina before attempting to fit it, rather than risk dropping it in the water while I fumble with chains and shackles.
Jen had a call from the Mad Dog agency, asking if she was available as an extra in the film Hippie, Hippie Shake due to start filming in September. I think it's about Germaine Greer in the swinging sixties. What a varied life Jen leads...
We stopped at Rugeley for shopping and lunch from a sandwich bar. More good food for an unbelievably low price, or is it just that the south of England is a rip-off.
We planned to moor near Wood End Corner, but had trouble getting close to the towpath. I leapt across the gap with the stern rope, not realising that I had it looped around my left foot. My right foot made it, but my left leg was pulled up short and then dropped into the canal. The amazing thing about waterproof shoes is that they are so much better at keeping the water in than keeping it out. We abandoned the idea of mooring there and carried on for another few hundred yards while I squelched around at the tiller, mumbling to myself about the growing list of stupid things I must remember not to do again.
We had bought a slow-cooker in Stone and it had been simmering quietly for the last 8 hours. The result was delicious.