Going, going gone

Today whilst filling my water tank at Fradley Junction I watched a woman slowly and gently fall in!  Made my day as it is my first sighting of this rare event.  Luckily for her neither myself nor any member of her family had a camera to hand.  It was in the style of - hands on boat feet on land - gradually getting further and further apart ending with a hanging just by the hands from the boat.  Quite elegant really - although the getting back onto land was less dignified.

She was very good humoured about it.  Her husband having failed miserably to let her get back on after the swing bridge then seemed to forget to let her back on at all.  I offered my front deck as a crossing point but he decided he would rather she walked further down the canal rather than come close to my boat. 

When we got to the boat on Saturday the smart guage was reading C14 Oooops.  Started the engine immediately and after Rob had fitted one of the cleats we then set off to Rugeley to turn around, cooked baked potatoes on the move and then he fitted the other one. 

Sunday I tootled to Fradley Junction after cleaning and tidying the inside of the boat so not an early start.  Decided to moor above Shadehouse Lock behind the sunken boat, no need for my fenders as I was no where near the edge!  Chris off Belle came to have a look around and give me some advice on the battery situation.  By now it was reading C72 from the morning reading of C47. 

Basically the upshot of that was that he suggested I travel for long enough to hopefully get it back to C100 - I am pleased to say that particular Nirvana was reached at 2pm.  So I was able to stop, have lunch and do wages as well as clean the outside of the boat.  Yes you read that right I have given the boat a bit of a wipe down.  It won't win any prizes for best turned out in class but at least it looks better than a pig in mud which was it's previous condition.

No photos as despite having the battery on charge for ages there is no life in the camera.  I think it is broke.