A magical few hours and I get a date for my op.

Tuesday 12th

 Last nights wonderful mooring.

Up with the lark, dressed and ready for the Kingfishers. For over an hour I stood concealed on the back deck. Having decided they were not going to show themselves I went below to make a cup of tea. Time now 7.30am. Then the unmistakable cheap cheap as one of them returned. Didn't think I could move that fast but I was back on the deck in a second. There they were. Not one, not two but three!!! And a right ruckus they were making too. The third was obviously an interloper and not welcome. So I spent the next three hours watching and photographing the pair. Here are just a few of the photos as there are to many to post here.

Chasing off the interloper

Just about got it going in

I would have loved to stay all day but now we had a definite journey to go on. My post op appointment has come through and it is on the 20th April with the operation  (surgical decompression for spinal stenosis ) is scheduled on the 9th May.. Having lost 10kg in weight my back problem had improved considerably and I had hopes that I wouldn't have to attend. Phoning the consultants secretary she still advised me to go, as there could be more underlying problems that have not shown itself. So it looks like we will make for Bunbury and get a hire car from Crew. Ian phoned Anglo Welsh to see if we could use their mooring and it looks like we can stay for 3 or 4 days. So we hope to get there around the 18th and may stay for the weekend at Hack Green. The Secret Bunker has always been something we wanted to see so it seems to good opportunity to miss.

Got to the Anchor pub and stopped to see what one of the oldest pub on the canals was like. Run by generations of the same family for over 100 years the present landlady Olive is 82!
Only 6 people in the Anchor all night and two were us.  But the atmosphere and friendliness by her and the locals was outstanding. One was Mal from the fender maker boat Becky who some may well know. Leaving well after 9pm we then had to find our way back to FS in the dark with only Ian's phone light to light the way. Not just the mud to contend with but doggie do's as well!

How quaint is that bar.

And apart from the Kingfishers