44 Years

On this day 44 years ago Jan became the luckiest girl in the world.  Of all the girls to choose she was the one I selected.  There isn’t a day that passes where I pinch myself as a wake-up to remind myself how lucky she is.  If you asked Jan she would probably tell you she has now completed the equivalent of four life sentences for murder!  We were married on my 21st birthday.  That means….. woo hoo…. pension time.

Blog reader Robin left a comment yesterday evening.  Well actually it was this morning his time because he and Jenny live in that little piece of paradise called New Zealand.  Robin wanted me to know Open Live Writer was now working with Blogger.  Of course yesterday was the first day I hadn’t checked to see if OLW had been configured to work with the Google security protocol.  Thanks Robin.  I’m now using it to write this post.

We quietly slipped away from our neighbours moving down to the water point to fill the tank.  It’s not that we needed water; rather we like to keep the tank full.  The last of the rubbish was disposed in the large CRT bin and then we headed down the staircase locks.

Jan loves working locks on her weeding wedding anniversay.

I happened to notice the plaque on the top lock gates.  It doesn’t seem like Canal & River Trust has been in existence 2+ years!

We stopped in the pound between Lock 1 & 2 to buy some red diesel.  Sack trolley was assembled and the cans taken from storage.  I wheeled eveything down to the service station only to discover they had run out since my visit late yesterday afternoon <grrrrrr>.  Everything was disassembled and put back into storage. 

Shortly after passing under the former Tattenhall to Whitchurch railway we noticed a boat approaching.  With all the Christmas glitter on the front it had to be nb Qisma.  Sure enough Jan appeared in the cratch complete with camera.

It was one of those passing boatie moments where there’s only time for fleeting conversation.  Jan and Alastair are planning to spend Christmas and New Year on the Llangollen whilst we are likely to be in the vicinity of Chester.

I think the last time we met was In Aldermaston on the Kennet & Avon back in early 2013.  Jan introduced us to sloe gin.  Naughty girl!

 

All that Christmas glitter.  Bah Humbug…… I must remember to turn the coloured lights on tonight!

It was nearly 2.30pm by the time we reached Wrenbury and we hadn’t eaten since breakfast.  Jan suggested a late lunch in the Cotton Arms followed by a very light self-help dinner.  Peter & Margaret (nb Kelly Louise) took us to the Cotton Arms back in 2011.  We remember the pub being very full and the food was tasty.  This time we found the pub was full of wrinklies having an early Christmas lunch. To avoid contamination, the staff seated us away from them. Now I’m an OAP I did wonder if Jan would be sent to the childrens section and i’d be forced to sit with the other wrinklies.

Jan opted for a pork and black pudding dish whilst I had the steak & ale pie.  But only after confirming it was made with short pastry.

The servings were huge and the food delicious. Jan couldn’t finish her’s so I had to assist.  We old people are like that.  You may wonder why I took her to the pub for lunch.  Well there wasn’t a MacDonalds nearby!