Foggy mornings.

Yesterday I woke up to a foggy start and this morning was the same.

Yesterday it was a slow and sedate start to the day, with me not getting out of bed until 9am. I was awake, but had a cup of tea in bed before getting on with my day, which started with Paddy's walk up the towpath towards Meaford Locks. Breakfast was eaten whilst the generator was charging the batteries for the day. There then came a knocking on the boat, it was friends Ian and Ruth who called to say "Hello", sadly they know longer have their dog Buster, who Keith saved a few years ago from drowning. Buster at the age of 14 has gone to the kennels in the sky. It was great to catch up with them both and to hear all their news. With goodbyes said, Keith and I locked the boat up and headed off into Stone to check out the Farmers Market which was on with the Food and Drink Festival. The town was absolutely heaving. We wanted to get to the hardware shop to get a few bits, which would include a coal shovel, but firstly had to fight our way through the throngs of people looking and buying from the farmers market. Eventually we made it to the hardware store, got everything we wanted but the coal shovel. We browsed the stalls as we walked back up the high street. I always love to look, but find farmers markets so pricey, so very rarely buy. 

On our way back to the boat we stopped off to say "hello" to Scooby and Rita on NB Festina Lente, we also got chatting to Daisy on Tug Hector, we ended up having a coffee with Rita and Scooby, before they had to go out to pick up a few items. I always enjoy nattering to Rita and Scooby. We may not see them again this year, so as we left them we wished them "A Happy Christmas", because if you have not realised it is approaching fast, or so the shops would have us think. I got to wave and say a quick "hello" to Tina our boat painter and a good friend. 

Back on board our boat, it was time for some lunch and the TV went on for the afternoon movies. Little else was done all day, because to be honest I could not be bothered. I cooked dinner, fed ourselves and the animals, it was then time for the X-Factor live shows. I thought the over 25's were all fantastic, as was Ella Henderson and Jahmene Douglas, as for the rest they need to do better. This is of course just my opinion for what its worth (not a lot). I cannot understand why MK1 got put through, rapping always drives me mad and I do wonder if they can do anything else. Rylan Clark seems to be dividing opinion and I am keeping an open mind for now. Every year I say to myself "I am not following the x-factor this year", but every year I get drawn in and to be honest their are some good singers in it this year. 

After a fantastic nights sleep, it is now Sunday and it was another foggy start, which saw cobwebs glistening in the dew.

Such a piece of art work.

Whilst I walked Paddy, Keith cooked us breakfast. The in built generator was run to charge the batteries as usual and then it was on with some jobs. I sorted out our Summer clothing and put them away in the hold box, whilst the Winter clothing came out of hibernation and got stowed away in the cupboards. I think I only wore my shorts a couple of times this Summer, mind you that was probably a good thing, because I do not have the best legs. So the fleeces and thick shirts are in and the shorts and t-shirts are out until next year. I also sorted out clothing that had not been worn for the past 6 months, this will be heading to the charity shop tomorrow. After a coffee I then had the hold to sort out, as it had gotten a little untidy, with wood strewn all over the place. When I get a proper shovel, I want to shovel the loose coal into a pile, because the heap is now going down and I am finding it harder to get down into the hold, but that will have to wait until I get my shovel. I did manage to bag some house coal up ready for the back cabin coal box, so that was another job done. My attention then turned to the other end of the hold, which we keep our bits and bobs, this looked like a dumping ground, with bits and bobs all over the place, so I sorted everything into their respective boxes and got a bag of rubbish together, which will go to the bins when we leave next week. Anyone would think I was Spring cleaning, but it was jobs I had been looking at and putting off. Jobs all done for the day, I am going to spend the afternoon watching the F1 GP from Japan and after that I guess it will be X-Factor time and of course Downton Abbey.