Market Harborough to Bridge 57

Hi Folks.

It has been another busy day, but before I ramble on about today's events, I thought I would post a photograph I took the other night. It would have been ideal for Halloween night with its spooky atmosphere.This morning I set off early on foot into Harborough to get a puncture repair kit so Keith could repair the puncture in the trolley tyre. Keith was going to go into town to try to get another trolley, but his back decided to go again yesterday, and having to unload 32 bags of coal and deliver them didn't help. Whilst in town I went into Greggs and bought some Mince Pies, which were recommended by Virginia on NB Wilver and yummy they are too. I also purchased some Pudsey biscuits, which we had with coffee. I feel like I have done my bit now for 'Children In Need' which takes place this Friday. When I returned with the puncture repair kit we set off for Foxton locks. As we were ascending them a boat started down from the top, so we had to pull into the side at the middle pound and wait for them to pass. Foxton Locks closes on the 29th November for 3 weeks for Winter maintenance and it looks like they have even more work to do now, because the towpath has sprung a leak. The strange thing was a BW man came along with a bag of gravel and poured it over the leak, I have no idea what he thought that was going to acheive, as it certainly did not plug the leak. We had intended to stop just above the locks, but decided to carry on a bit further as we had a coal delivery to make, and having found the customers boat at Bridge 57 we decided to moor there for the night, and to get the puncture repaired so we can deliver the coal.
Keith tried 2 puncture repairs, and both having failed, the 2nd more dramatically by ripping the inner tube, We have given up on that score. The problem is that unlike cycle tyres where the tube is similar in size to the tyre, so doesn't expand too much. However the inner tube of our trolley is far smaller than the tyre and has to inflate and expand quite a bit to fill the tyre, thus any repair gets stretched and fails. As a temporary fix we have stuffed towels inside the tyre and will try it out with our next customer to see if it works. Keith is rather surprised that the inner tube is that much smaller than the tyre, he will take it up with ATS who supplied the new tubes and tyres at the first opportunity. Whilst Keith was trying to repair the tyre, I got on with delivering the coal, by throwing the bags over my shoulder and walking up the towpath. All deliveries made, I then sorted the hold out and lowered the side sheets to make it easier for me to get the coal off. With the hold so empty it has become more difficult for me to haul the bags over the side sheets and with Keith struggling with his back, I don't want to make it any worse.
I took Paddy for his walk, so that Keith could rest his back, but because I hate walking alone in the dark, he went early up the towpath, which did not bother him, because I will let him off before we go to bed for a wee.
It is now dark and the TV is on, I now have to think of something for dinner tonight. So I will say goodnight.