Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

A Very Merry Christmas to all our family and friends - we hope Santa brings you all you wish for.


Jandai is now Christmassy - homemade wreath on the front; Christmas tree up; greetings on the windows; coloured lights up; holly tucked in here and there - I just have to persuade Dai to let me have the lights on (“my poor batteries” is the eternal cry!!).

think we must have had one glass too many
when we stuck these on the window !

"My Poor Batteries!!"

Cupboards are packed to the brim - in fact, I don’t think I can stick another bottle of wine or port anywhere.   Just got to get the Christmas meat - don’t know what we’re having yet - I’m catching the bus to Nantwich Friday so depends on what I find!!  Still got to fill the cake tin with mince pies but that’s no problem!!

We are today on Audlem Embankment and quite surprised to find it not as full as we expected - some space where we are and above the Shroppie Fly lock it is empty as it is above “Niagara Lock” as we call it - the one just under the bridge with the biggest bywash on the system (lock 12 of the Audlem Flight).  Looking forward to the Audlem Carol Singing event tomorrow night in the Square.


On our way between Adderley Locks and Audlem Locks we came across BW dredgers at work.  Despite a warning of 30 minute delay, their boats manoevred out of our way with no waiting.   Then around the next corner, BW were preparing for the dredgers by building a retaining wall ready for the dredgings to be dumped.

It was so sunny and mild today that we ate our lunch (from the local chippy) in the Square which was lovely!   Dai has fixed up a bird feeding station (mini tree trunk with branches he found down the embankment) attached to a wooden railing but up to it getting dark tonight, the local birds hadn’t ventured forth for the fat balls, peanuts and seeds - sure they’ll find it tomorrow!

They'll come tomorrow !

Whilst we were at Market Drayton earlier this week they gave out snowstorms overnight last Thursday so was expecting to wake up to a winter wonderland.   Didn’t happen!    What did happen is that we had a couple of terrific snowstorms but each time after about 15 minutes it turned to sleet and then to rain!    No ice on canal here yet and with the current forecast, we’re not likely to get any for at least the next week.

Is this the biggest badger sett on a canal towpath?

                                              
                                       Happy Holidays !


Since last blog we have done … 10 miles and  23 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1549 miles and  1234 locks