DIY delayed ...

Another swelteringly hot day, but we’re definitely not complaining unlike many English people who it seems just can’t be happy unless they're moaning about the weather; be it too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry!! I think it’s just something that's in-bred into us Brits for some reason. Barry didn’t get time to put all of the photos on from yesterday, so here they are:

The first of 11 locks for the day. Too hot for locks

Lovely looking canal side home

A thermometer attached to a wooden bollard by the lock. Sure it got hotter after this

Sandra helping some guy who told me he'd been chatting her up

Oh for a bit of shade!

Lock keeper's cottage
Meredale Hall on the hill at Atherstone. This privately owned 19th century mock tudor mansion sits on a steep ridge to the west of the canal
http://merevale.com/

The butty part of a pair of working boats. They'll be 100years old in August

Lovely calm and warm evening. On the way to the pub

We saw these unusal lights in the sky from the pub. Turned out it was the moon shining through small holes in the cloud cover.

Barry & Gary. Look like a couple of convicts.

Sandra and her godson Mikey with the mooring pin!

Maggie & Gary, Sandra & Mikey

On the way home after a few drinks

We moved just a little way up the canal to Glascote todayas we wanted to walk into Tamworth to have a look around and also to fill up with water. Barry's waiting to chat to someone ‘in the know’ about how to begin the narrowboat painting experience without going too far and losing too much precious time. We are arranging to meet up with a knowledgable person tomorrow, then hopefully once we’ve got all the tools and paint we can make a start and then continue on our journeys and do a bit each day for a while. Otherwise we’ll never get up north and back down again by the end of September!

Another Scorcher. Lunch by the towpath in the shade

Walked into Tamworth for a look around. Landscaped garden by the castle

Tamworth Castle dating from the 12th century, sitting in themiddle of town
http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_midlands/139/tamworthcastle.htm

Statue of Sir Robert Peel. Founder of the police force

http://www.thepeelsociety.org.uk/

We're apparently half way through the 6 months in 3 days time (Barry's counted the days!), doesn’t time fly too quickly when you’re having heaps of fun …