Breaking news

 March 3rd

STOP PRESS... Midland Chandlers to close all their shops. It will be an online service only. We got this information directly from the horses mouth when Ian phoned to see if they had a particular oil switch and if not, could they order one for him to collect. That's when they broke the news. I think the shops will cease to trade by the end of March (20th?) so maybe a run out to the shop for some Blue Loo is necessary!

We had the second of our rabies vaccinations yesterday, both of us hardly felt the needle go in and as the way of the first injection, thought a sore arm was all to expect. But no, last night I started to feel unwell, a mother of all headaches started, I had no energy and I could hardly keep my eyes open. It got so bad I was in bed shortly after 9 pm. I woke in the wee hours feeling hot, covers thrown off but back on soon after when I started to shiver. Ian was totally oblivious to all of this, nothing he could do so no point in waking him, so a pretty rough night was had. This morning I decided to read the leaflet given by the pharmacist and the listed side effects met my symptoms completely. Blast that means the last vaccination on the 16th March will see me going the same way! As for Ian, he didn't even have a sore arm, blooming typical!!

Still not feeling 100%, pins were pulled by 10 am. Paracetamol was taken for the headache, not so bad as last night but more of a niggly one. Anyway the tablets worked their magic and by the time we reached the first lock, it had all but gone. On the way yet another sunken vessel, shame as CRT had successfully removed most of the wrecks along the length of the canal last year. 

Nothing untoward on the journey other than the locks are getting harder and harder. In fact Ian struggled to open a paddle at Gallows Inn and did this!

 

I'm sure he doesn't know his own strength, took some force to bend steel like that! Seriously though, Erewash is going to rack and ruin with no maintenance happening on any of the locks. Paddles are stiff, some cant be worked, gates don't open fully and that's if you can get them to open in the first place. I never thought I would say this, but we are seriously considering leaving the mooring at Langley for somewhere less stressful. It says something when we dread having to do those locks to get back to our home mooring. Anyway after 4 hours we decided to call it a day and stopped by Shipley Lock. Only three more locks and 2 miles to do, and I, for one, will be very glad to get moored by the swing bridge tomorrow.

 

And seen on route, A couple of those awfully low bridges.