Astute readers will note that Erin Mae's chimney is now in place – September has struck!
Starting up the first few locks of Audlem flight we said farewell to a couple of people who had been at the folk session on Monday night. We had 18 locks to do today, so it was good to find a few boats coming the other way, sharing the task of working the gates. One of the nicest sights is of a boat emerging from the lock you are about to enter!
But what about the pork pies? There was a big box of them on sale at the top lock of the Adderley flight – home-made at the farm through the fence and absolutely excellent. Having done our 18 locks we were ready for some sustenance, so they came at exactly the right time. My only regret is that I didn't get a photo of ours before we consumed it. I suppose we also ought to regret the amount of saturated fat and processed meat product that found its way into our bodies – probably about a month's allowance. I consoled myself by thinking of my father, who absolutely loved pork pie!
A couple of other things of interest on our way back to Market Drayton. First, a flock of sheep with black feet and black faces.
They were all heading back towards the Cheshire boundary, so no doubt that's where they belonged, in black and white country. I suppose the breed is called "black-faced sheep" or something similar. If our friend Iain had still been with us he could no doubt have told us, being something of an expert in such beasts.
The other point of interest was NB Radagast.
That's three new boats so far on this trip for my Tolkien-themed boat name list, which hits the 25 mark.
Arwen Evenstar
Aragorn
Bilbo Baggins
Brandywine
Earls of Rohan
Frodo’s Dream
Galadriel
Gandalf
Goldberry
Hobbit
Lord of the Rings
Lóthlórien
Many Meetings
Pippin
Radagast
Riddles in the Dark
Rivendell
Shadowfax
Silmaril
Smaug
Strider
The Arkenstone
There and Back Again
Thorin
Tom Bombadil
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