While we were waiting for the work on the lock to be finished I got chatting to an elderly woman who has come along to the flight because CRT are refurbishing lock 8. She has been complaining about it for a number of years because it is too narrow for her to get her boat through, although she used to be able to get through many years ago. Apparently CRT contacted her to let her know that the work is nearly complete and she is to be the first boat through that lock and up the flight. Later on in the day a friend of hers arrived in another 70 footer and they intend to go up the flight together.
Overnight the friend got up for a wee and had a heart attack on the tow path, so although she went through the lock she then reversed back down through the lock. We carried on oblivious and only heard about it a day or so later. During my chats with the woman she told me of the expression "Using the companies horses" which refers to the practice of opening both top paddles of a lock to flush a boat out of the lock. In other words using the power of the water to get the boat out rather than your own horse pulling the boat out.
Loads of Ash. It needed some getting to but well worth while. Big logs suitable for splitting if I can manage it. Took a few days to process it all and stow it on the boats.
19th Bridge 162a 4½ miles 5 locks
Discussion with the doctor, the blood tests have come back. Kidneys OK, Liver OK, Lungs OK (double up on the inhalers), Heart OK. Both ankles a little bit swollen so cut the Amlodipine down to 5mg a day instead of 10mg a day. This means I will have to cut the 10mg tablet in half.
Decanted 5 litres of wine.
Shopping.
The sight of our 'stranded in the floods with no gear box' winter. Very different this time.
