Well it's been a while since my last blog, but nothing much has changed, who knew a year on and we'd still be doing the 4 point check every time we leave the house, keys, phone, wallet and of course mask - 'has anyone seen my mask' was a question that I don't think I'd uttered until about a year ago, now it's one of my top three most frequently asked lock down questions. Not that anyone of course wants to borrow my mask, (unlike the car keys or my credit cards), it's more a matter of principle and a mental agility test to see if i can remember what I was wearing the last time I stepped out of the house. This usually results in a hunt through the pockets of clothes that have been thrown into the washing machine before I just give up and put on a disposable mask on instead. 

Friday and the end of our annual narrowboat adventure, in some ways it comes as a bit of a relief, the thought of returning home to a comfy bed and eating and drinking normally (you will have probably spotted that we have slightly overindulged on food and drink). I can't wait to see Oscar the dog and check up on the chickens, oh and of course it goes without saying seeing my wife and daughters. I will miss the camaraderie, the boys chat, the beer and the slower pace of life on the boat; but it's not over until the fat lady sings and we still have lots to do.

Thursday morning was beautiful, cold but with the sunshine starting to break through the trees. So following breakfast we set off on our journey returning to Stone, leaving the Staffs & Worcs canal and back onto the Trent & Mersey.

There was a bit of a debate between Captain Neil and Sous Chef/Commander Stevie, about how long the journey would take. The best way to calculate distance and time on the canals is to use Nicholson's Guide, which shows you standard mile markers and the locks you have to pass through. Added together these give you lock miles, eg if the journey was 12 miles and you pass through 3  locks then you are travelling 15 lock miles. Divide this by 3 (mph) and it tells you how long your journey will take, in this example 15 lock miles = 5 hours. The calculation for today indicated 7 hours but Captain Neil was clearly expecting us to get a spurt on (within the speed limits of the canal of course) predicting 6 hours. Well the proof will be in the arrival time as they say. I'll let you know who was closest.

Wednesday morning and we awoke to rain, nothing too heavy, the drizzly stuff, you know, wet rain. Our day's schedule is to turn the boat around just beyond our overnight mooring in Penkridge, then head back to Stafford, approx a 3 hour journey. The Captain has granted the crew shore leave for the day, to explore the pubs of Stafford. We have visited Stafford before and have some favourites to revisit. 

Yesterday, by October standards was a very busy day on the canal, it might have been the sunshine that brought all the fair weather boaters out, but this meant that we had a few delays at the several locks we passed through. Although we helped several people to fill and empty the locks, the knock on effect was that we lost time against our schedule and we had to miss our planned stop at the Bod in Baswich. We did however make it to Penkridge in good time and had a few beers in the Littleton Arms, before returning back to the boat for meatballs in goulash sauce and some red wine.

It's Tuesday morning, following some overnight rain, we are told the temperature today will rise to a balmy 16 degrees, so I am going to have to dig out my shorts ready for the heat of the day. 

We awoke Monday morning to a lovely still day, with the rising sun burning off the low lying mist that floated above the canal and across the adjoining fields. We had travelled down the Trent & Mersey canal from Stone to our overnight mooring in Weston and our destination pub the Saracens Head. The mooring was noticeably quieter than the busy towpath in Stone with just the occasional dog walker passing alongside the boat. 

It's an annual event that takes place anytime between October and December and considering the amount of alcohol that is consumed, the close proximity of water and the use of mechanical winding gear, the fact that it usually passes without incident feels close to being involved with a supernatural event. I am of course referring to the annual boys narrow boat trip. 

This year the boat is moored at Aston Marina near Stone in Staffordshire and although I believe we have a general idea of the route we are going to take, the direction of travel is pretty much determined by the availability of pubs en route.