May 17

Wow.

Here I am in Middlewich, all cool and laid back… Met Nick again: he is on his boat on the Trent and Mersey at Stoke, and this is his old home town. He has a car, so journeyed up to Middlewich so we could visit and plan. Had a great day visiting with some of his ex-neighbours and friends. Then a quiet  (?) night. Great mooring and all to be anticipated for a quiet night. Then at 0426h, the sound of something going into the water just by my ear. On the boat? someone fell in? A duck? Nope, much less familiar with the water… I arose and went to the front of the boat, and there was definitely SOMETHING in the water, on the canal side. I stuck my head out, and then a small bedraggled head met mine, climbing sort-of, up the  starboard bow fender rope, but not really successfully. I reached over, and grabbed a smaller, bedraggled, and VERY excitable cat by the scruff of the neck and heaved it inboard. Recalling that I really didn’t have a great time to get fully dressed (!!), I tried to prevent serious damage from the frantic claws of a frightened kitty. It went across the front deck, only caught me once on the arm with a back claw, and off it went, one less of it’s nine lives intact. I hope it can dry out and calm down without further trauma!

I tried to return to sleep (it WAS 0430h!) but that was not very successful, and so on to boat projects… I now have the preparation for a new bathroom floor: insulation and vinyl. Now, all is needed is a remote rural location to set up the saw to deal with the hardwood.

Middlewich is such a canal town: the major junction between the Trent and Mersey, and the Shropshire Union, plus 2 hire boat companies, means there are lots of boat movements, and  the support in the town. All great news. I’ll try and ring tomorrow, then move along towards Northwich where I hope to establish a base for a couple of months for mail, and parking my car.

Thanks for your input, feedback and support. I appreciate your comments.