Monday November 30th - Wood Lanes

Hello, we’re still here!

I haven’t been blogging lately because really there hasn’t been a lot to report.  We have had a week of ups and downs weatherwise, mainly high winds bumping us up against the bank and lots and lots of rain!  It has also turned quite nippy of late!

We have been pootling up and down the Macc, basically killing time.  The great excitement of the week was a trip to the hairdressers in High Lane for me!  Ooh it was lovely – I really enjoyed the feel-good factor of having someone else washing my hair and then getting it trimmed and tidied up a bit.  The hairdresser was astounded when I took my clip out and she saw how long my hair was!  I don’t really think about it much but I realised a couple of weeks ago that I haven’t actually been to a hairdressers for a trim since January!  Clive usually trims my fringe for me so that I can see where I’m going but that’s about it!  The girl not only washed, trimmed and blow-dried my hair, she also used straighteners on it (I haven’t a curl on my head!) which had the effect of smoothing it completely, then she put some“product” on it, which made it all glossy – I walked out of the salon feeling like a Hollywood movie star, or at least one of those girls with gorgeous hair that you see on the L’Oreal adverts – well why not, I’m worth it!!!

On our way to High Lane a couple of days ago we passed a large building called Goyt Mill, presumably named after the River Goyt which flows through this valley.  As we were passing it I happened to glance back and spotted a launderette!  So on Thursday we turned the boat around and left High Lane to cruise back up to Goyt Mill.  We managed to moor up right next to the bridge. I soon had all the laundry sorted out and we headed over the bridge to Sudz!  A couple of hours later I was back on board with lots of lovely clean clothes and towels – wonderful!  It is amazing how the simple things in life can make you feel good.  Clean laundry is something one just takes for granted in “normal life”, it’s no big deal really but when you live on a boat it takes on a whole new meaning!

During our cruise back from Goyt Mill I had stayed inside – Clive didn’t need me!  I wasn’t complaining though, it was raining! However Clive opened the hatch and called me up on deck at one point and told me to bring the camera – this is why!

Somewhere over the rainbow!

Our last bit of excitement was on Saturday – we had cruised back down to Wood Lanes again the day before because we knew there was a bus stop just a short walk from the moorings. We got up bright and early and caught the 9.43 bus to Macclesfield to go on a shopping expedition!  There were a few bits and pieces that we both needed for the wedding next Saturday and one or two other things besides – well it is nearly Christmas!  Macclesfield is actually a very nice town, all the shops are within easy walking distance of the bus station and we had a lovely time strolling about, especially with the Christmas decorations everywhere and the buskers playing Christmas carols.  Then, having purchased everything we went for, we got the 3.20 bus back again in the afternoon.  It was a very successful day all told.

Just to round the weekend off nicely we went out for dinner at the Miner’s Arms again on Sunday night – lovely.

We have now made the decision about where we are going to be for Christmas.  On Dec 18th the stoppages reopen.  We have decided to head back to Kidsgrove and get onto the Trent and Mersey again heading North this time.  There is a brand new marina at a place called Church Minshull, which is between Nantwich and Crewe. We passed it a couple of times whilst it was under construction.  We phoned them the other day to see if they had any short term moorings available for Christmas and they said yes!  So we have booked in for a week from 23rd to 30th December so that we can safely leave Lady Arwen with an electricity hook up and spend Christmas in Huddersfield with relatives.  We are both really looking forward to it.

So, it is Mark and Zabrina’s wedding on Saturday – itis going to seem very odd getting into our gladrags on board and making ourselves look presentable, especially without a full length mirror!  It will be a bit like Cinderella for me – transformation from boatee to glamour queen in one morning!  Wish I had a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand!  Well at least my hair should look nice!  Clive of course only has to trim his beard and put a suit and tie on to look the business – why is it that men always have it so easy!

After the wedding we will have another couple of weeks to wait before the stoppages reopen on the 18th and we can finally “escape” from the Macc!