Well would you believe it we get an award, and whats that on the lock side?

A few more late arrivals yesterday meant the final tally of boats for the weekend was 19. Still way down on the usual amount but that certainly didn't reflect on the amount of people who turned up for the Pie and Pea that evening. Goodness knows where all the cars had parked. Certainly not by the cottage. Only room for a three! Space also had to be left for the bands vehicle so our collection of bollards fished out of the canal and placed at the entrance did the trick. The band arrived on time and very good they were too. By 9pm we called a halt for supper. We dished out 72 pies, peas, gravy and mint sauce and it all went like clockwork. I did my ladling duties on the mushy peas, worrying on every scoop dished out that we wouldn't have enough, but the three huge catering tins was ample and only a scrapping was left after the final pie was served. The Chilly Dogs then continued playing until 11pm and most folk left not long after that.

Some of the pies in the hot cupboard

What a lovely surprise today. The usual few, including both of us, started the big cleanup at the cottage. On the third Sunday of every month (apart from August) the doors are flung open so people can see what 19 century living in a lock cottage was all about therefore the place had to have all remnants of last nights festivities removed. Before the doors were flung open our chairman showed us a certificate. On it AWCC had awarded a highly commended for the Outlook Magazine. Seeing as we are the editors of the Outlook, we were dead chuffed and even more so when he told us this was the ECP&DA's first ever achievement award for the magazine. Had to pose for a photo which of course will be appearing in the next publication of the magazine.
 

Oh and the badger seen at the lock side. A charity walk towards Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire was the reason for this chap dressing up as a Badger. It is the 10th anniversary of Sir David Attenborough opening the reserve.

Couple of photo's to finish. First the wood collected over the last two years and stored in the wood shed at the bungalow and the 8 legged interlopers we had to evict.