the things we do for the hound

Beeston Castle

It rained heavily in the night but it stopped by 8.00 and started to clear - that’s my kind of rainy weather. We put Lottie’s muzzle on last night and it worked, her bandage was intact this morning. When I checked it a scab was forming. At last! I was determined to keep her leg wrapped up to prevent her ripping off the scab and making the wound bigger.

The hound was on the mend but the Captain’s back was worse. He moved like a cripple slug even with the pain relieving gel.

We started out late partly due to the rain and partly due to the Captain’s lack of mobility. The sun was inviting but the gusty wind made steering difficult.

moored working boats

I worked the first two locks and then a boat pulled out from a mooring as I prepared the next lock. It was good to have company as they closed up each lock leaving us to go ahead. We rose through the Bunbury staircase together without the assistance of a lock keeper, and then we moored up for a late lunch (1.50) at Calveley visitor moorings. If we hadn’t paired up with the other boat the Captain would have stopped long before the staircase lock.

After discovering that sitting made his back worse the Captain set off again just after 3.00. within minutes the road thundered alongside us. We stopped briefly to dump the rubbish then stopped again next to the busy road where there was a garage and a pet food store.

Swan family at rest

This was a problem. Lottie needed food and this was a short walk from the shop, but it was too windy to hold the boat on the centre rope. The Captain compromised by banging in a pin and tying the rear of the boat to it. He took two attempts to climb the bank then disappeared across the road. As soon as he had gone a hire boat sped around the corner. Realising he wasn’t going to slow down for our boat I grabbed the front rope and hung on.

The force from the wash pulled the boat backwards even with my weight tugging the front rope. Slowly the back pin rose out of the ground but thankfully it stopped half way up. The boaters seemed puzzled at my hanging on with gritted teeth. Did they really expect a cheery hello at that speed? 

where are those cygnets?

The only other boats we saw moving were working boats probably on their way to Audlem for this weekend. Other working boats were moored within easy reach of the show.

The captain reappeared with rations for Lottie and pulled the pin out with ease. Soon the road disappeared and we had a lovely afternoon cruise. 
We passed some swans resting with their cygnets. when I looked back the cynets were almost invisible

We moored on the embankment at Nantwich which was a pleasant spot for Lottie. as soon as we stopped she was off along the towpath sniffing outside the boats for signs of other dogs. The Captain had hoped to go further but he was tired and the next moorings were three miles and two locks away.