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Yesterday afternoon I decided to make the most of the fine weather by going for a local walk.  Nothing serious, just a few kilometres.  I had just commenced walking away from the boat with the camera when I noticed a walker coming towards me.  Then I recognised him.  It was Halfie (John) from nb Jubilee.  Then Jubilee appeared from around the bend with Jan at the tiller.  They moored two boats in front of us.

John invited us to join them later for a drink at the Wharf Taven.  On walking up into Hockley Heath I realised it was a low socio-economic area.  Across the road from the pub was a car dealership.

Yes, they were selling McLaren’s and Rolls Royce cars.  For some reason I had assumed Rolls Royce were made to order.  It was almost disappointing to realise there were five sitting on the showroom floor waiting for an owner.  We didn’t buy a Rolls, however today Jan did buy some sausages from the nearby butcher.
There was a sign on Stratford Road pointing to a Baptist Church on the adjacent Spring Lane.  I walked down the lane to the church.  Two things immediately caught my eye.  The church was C of E rather than Baptist and the spire was made of brick.

St Thomas Church
Wikipedia states the church was designed by John Cotton, a red-brick structure in the Early English style, was built in 1879 and consecrated on June 30, 1880, having cost £2,500. It was dedicated to St Thomas, as a compliment to Thomas Burman, of Warings Green, who, as the chief subscriber, laid the foundation stone in 1879.  I found the brick spire particularly interesting and wondered of the bricks had been specially made.
Whilst trying to find the above information I also read Hockley Heath was bombed by a Zeppelin during WW1.  Apparently the Zeppelin had been attempting to bomb Birmingham but had been driven off by anti-aircraft fire.
Jan wasn’t feeling well and I left her sleeping whilst I wandered up to The Barge for the meeting with Halfie & Jan.  Halfie kindly bought me a beer lager (sorry Halfie).  I did confess to not being enthusiastic about the warm and flat stuff.  I had a very pleasant couple of hours enjoying Halfie & Jan’s hospitality before creeping back on board Waiouru trying not to disturb Jan.
This morning there was another of those brief boaters meetings when Jubilee departed for the Lapworth Flight.