Bonfires, Beetroot and Bacon Butties

My birthday celebrations last Friday - however, the day didn’t quite go as planned!!   We have 3 dates a year when we go out for a meal for sure and have exactly what we want no matter the cost ---- our wedding anniversary, Dai’s birthday and my birthday --- and can usually find somewhere a bit more special than your average boozer!    So, we were moored at Great Haywood but only the local boozer there, so off we went  but ---- could only just get through the door, the place was heaving and definitely no tables to have a meal.   So, off we went to the other local just up the road, but this was dead as a dodo and no food.   We had a couple of pints, then decided to call in the local Spar shop for fish fingers and cackie white sliced bread to have one of our flavourite meals - fish finger sarnies.     Alas, Spar shop had shut 15 minutes before.   What to do?    Back to the boat for a feast of bacon butties - that’s what!!

I did have to bake my own birthday cake but you can’t have a birthday can you without a cake!!    Fav pressie was a jar of picked beetroot from Martine and Philippa of Cool Canals which was extra special as we knew beetroot sarnies is there staple lunchtime snack and reckon this must have been one of their last stock jars!!

We happened to be moored at Great Haywood opposite the shugborough Estate on Bonfire Night so were treated to a massive bonfire and super firework display standing on the back of Jandai.    Shugborough House is now closed for the winter season but is a great National Trust property to visit - we thoroughly enjoyed our visit there a couple of years ago.

Bonfire burning brightly

Just smoldering the next day

Martine and Philippa joined us for dinner the other night so Dai had to put his hand to veggie cooking again - he did manage a splendid meal though which we followed by a blackberry jam (homemade of course) steamed pudding which I baked in the steamer on top of the fire.    We had a really good night, full of good conversation with lots of laughs.


First frost of this autumn/winter on Sunday night so we kept the fire in overnight but since then it has warmed up again so not lighting the fire until after lunch even though the last couple of days have been dank, misty and mizzy --- we did see the sun for a couple of minutes today as we were travelling though!

Sunset over Shughborough

Moored by Shughborough Estate at Great Haywood

Dai had a blast from his past - or rather his mad, bad past (as told to me via email later) on Sunday as he was walking Foxxie up the towpath.  Someone recognised his voice even though they hadn't seen him for about 30-odd years!!!   It was Jim and his wife Lyn who were out for a trip on their narrowboat.   Fortunately for Dai they had to move on quickly so I didn't get chance to find out more about this infamous past!!    


Right now we are moored between bridges 99 and 98  near Stafford on the Birmingham/Worcs Canal and plan to be in Penkridge for the weekend.


Since last blog we have done … 12 miles and  3 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1472 miles and  1194 locks