What a good haul

It was back in March that I posted pictures of the first part of the Erewash canal cleanup. An impressive amount of rubbish had been collected between Gallows Inn and Sandiacre. Yesterday C&RT arrived with their barge filled to capacity with an even more impressive haul, mostly dredged up from the bottom with a grappling hook and strong muscles. It all came from the second part of the cleanup, Sandiacre to Trent Lock. I suppose I shouldn't be amazed by what was thrown in and discarded in our canals. It is, after all, a glorified dumping ground to the masses!

Got quite a list to it!

ECP&DA work party arrived last Friday to finish the repair job at the Lock Cottage started at the end of March. With the leaking pipe now sealed, all that was left to do was enclose the stop cock and concrete round the area.

ready to start

Looks like Norman is doing all the hard work.

Michael doing the finishing touched.

Good job well done. From L to R Norman, Roland, Stephen and Michael

Ian has also finished the table. Oak MDF veneer with oak edging strip and 4 good coats of varnish to finish the look. Before we sat down to our first meal, Ian had to hunt for the table mats in the garage, not an easy task considering the amount of stuff crammed in every nook and cranny. I was a bit paranoid about hot plates touching the top and marking the wood. Still, it was ever so nice to sit down at a proper table for a change and not have a plate perched on ones lap as was the norm.

Table finished just need the fixings on the opposite side to store it when the sofa arrives.

Cant wait for tomorrow when we finally pull pins and get underway. First, though, it was a trip to Asda to stock up cupboards and fill the wine rack. Then a visit from Alan and Carol at lunchtime saw us all off to the Bridge Inn for a meal. Enjoyed another huge Sunday Roast and well worth the £6.  Back at FS coffee helped dilute the meal and all to soon the time had come to see the pair depart for Alan's mum. This left Ian to get the final bits on board FS from the garage before our departure in the morning.

Had a tremendous rainstorm about an hour ago. Wind picked up causing proper waves on the canal, soooo glad we were still moored. In fact the whole day has been windy with FS rocking and rolling.  Crested Lark, the boat breasted up to us, had his fenders at such a position to rub our blacking. Not wanting to move them out of the way, we put up with the fact some touching up would be needed to restore the bitumen at a later date.

And before the storm a Mallard landed on the boat in front. It's mate was on the otherside of the fence so maybe he thought it a good vantage point to see where she was.