Almost time to go

We've had two days of running around tying up lots of loose ends. The car needed an MOT as the tax is due end of the month, Chico needed his vaccinations, filling up with diesel at the marina etc. etc. Tomorrow we'll leave the car in the garage at the house and head off into the sunset........ well, down and off the Macc......... hopefully for at least a year or so. We're heading for Leicester, hopefully to the boat festival on 4-5 June but we're still waiting for information from the organiser so if it's fully booked we'll change the plans and go somewhere else. As long as it's NOT the Macc. I don't care where we go!
We went to the King's Head last night with Martin & Maggie, but after having a couple of drinks we found out that they weren't serving food so we had to move to Sutton Hall on the other side of the canal. We've been in there several times before and it's always been extremely busy, but last night it was really quiet. The food was OK but nothing to rave about and it's very expensive for the portion size. There was a good choice of ales but at £3.20 a pint it should have been exceptional!
We called back in the King's Head this evening on the way back from the vets and were greeted by the wonderful sight of a beautiful blue steam traction engine called 'Stanley Monarch'. All the men were crowded round this "big boy's toy" with silly grins on their faces and a selected few got a ride down the road.

Gurnett Aqueduct - Again!!!

Yes, I know I said we wouldn't be coming back here for a long time, but it's been SO windy today we didn't want to go any further.
The party at the marina yesterday was OK, if you could keep the food from blowing off your plate and keep the dust out of your drink! It was blowing a gale, in fact it was so windy that when I took the dogs out later Charlie nearly got blown off the pontoon. It's always very windy at Macc.marina but this was just awful. I abandoned the party early as it was too cold for me but Roger stayed and said they had a great time later in the evening when the guitars came out for a jamming session. Mel joined in singing, with Roger, Kev & Gary on guitars.

It's still extremely windy and even with 3 ropes, 2 on mooring rings and 1 on a mooring stake, we're rocking and banging about. I've just checked the weather forecast for tomorrow and unfortunately it says it's going to get even windier so maybe we'll stay here another day.

Back to Gurnett

It seems that boaters moored with us at Bosley last night couldn't sleep as most boats had gone by the time we got up at 8.30. It was busy going up the locks and with everyone going the same way almost every lock had to be emptied before we could go in it which meant twice the work. At one of the locks a grey wagtail had made its nest tucked into the bottom gate. There aren't any eggs yet and with the gate being opened and closed so many times each day I think the nest may be abandoned soon. We'll have a look when we go back down next week.

Because there were so many boats going towards Macclesfield we were a bit concerned that we wouldn't get a mooring at Gurnett, so instead of stopping for lunch after the locks we ate en-route. The moorings were fairly busy (the usual continuous moorers are still here, one has been here for almost 3 years) but we got a spot, moored up and walked to the marina to collect the car. We had a short diversion to get some spare parts and dog food and when we got back to the boat at 5.00 the moorings were absolutely chock-a-block with boats having to carry on past to try and find moorings somewhere else which isn't easy in Macclesfield.