The drought has broken ...

The score is now 6 - 1. No one is gloating; no, of course not! However at the beginning of the game he did declare he'd throw himself out of the window if he lost. I wasn't worried - we are only on the hotel's first floor ...

Who's a happy boy then?

We are back in Birmingham for an 8am appointment with the Prof tomorrow, and then we will head back to Smeaton Westerby to pick up Mick and Julia from their mooring, drive them to their place in Desborough to get sorted for the few days with us, then back to the boat.

If we get back in time, we will have a pump out and move out of the marina a wee way, so we are ready for an early start on Thursday. The plan is to get to Norton Junction for late Thursday arvo. There is probably a big queue at the top of the Braunston flight give the locks are closed for 3 days, so there's no point in going through the tunnel. And if there is space available, the moorings at Norton Junction are lovely. Of course, if there isn't space, the moorings are pants ...

M&J have a plan for the days and the timings to get us up to Alvechurch, so the catering corps will have her work cut out, and David will have to work fast to be up to Julia's exacting standards!

In preparation for lunchtime sandwiches, we went to Waitrose in Northampton today and I purchased all 3 loaves of the Vogel's Soy and Linseed bread that were on the shelf. That is a treat in store for M&J. It is extremely yummy, and I have only seen it in Waitrose Market Harborough and Northampton so far. Not at any other supermarket chain though. It's worth trying, folks.

Lesley has been WhatsApping from hospital today - she went back in yesterday and had an operation to clear out the infection that has taken up tenancy in her gut. She has mechanised pump up stockings to prevent DVT, a suction pump thingie to keep the fluid moving out of her gut, and a cannula for something.

Somehow her cannula was not in her vein, so the fluid was going into her arm. Good thing it was found or she would have closely resembled the Dumpster blimp ... She has to do waving the arm above her head to encourage the fluid to take advantage of gravity. So the arm isn't really waving, it's drowning ... Perhaps she could have it tied above her head for the night?

Last night, this duck and its friend were swimming around the boat. I think it is a mandarin duck and very handsome.

 OK, time for David's eye drops, and then it's bed for me. It's still light but the curtains may take care of that. And I do have my eye-mask with me ...