DD part 4 – 22nd September 2019

Douglas Diary Autumn Hols part 4

Part 4 Etruria Junction – Milton

Well in couldn’t last, summer that is – that was. Last night you would not believe it! The rain was drumming on the roof of my bedroom (he calls it quite correctly the engine room but I like it and find it cozy) so noisy it was I couldn’t sleep and so I went and woke my pets up for a chat at about 3:00 this morning. It was the thunder and lightening that I particularly did not enjoy and that which I wanted to discuss but they did not appear interested.

Anyway, miraculously it stopped raining at a reasonable hour (about 8:00) in order to take my bearded one for a walk around the park in which we are moored.

Having climbed the last two locks of the Stoke five yesterday we left the Trent and Mersey and entered the Caldon Canal.

Etruria junction is where we are, moored in a splendid park with grass and squirrels. Here is situated the Etruria Industrial Museum and the strangely named Etruscan Bone Mill, an interesting piece of architecture – I like the sound of that!

There is a service facility here for long kennels and therefore, taking advantage of what transpired to be a short spell of clement weather, my bearded one attended to some necessary service of my facilities which not exclusively included emptying and filling tanks.

All this is in preparation of the imminent arrival of two old crew members. My long haired one’s sister Mo and husband David. They joining us for our exploration of The Caldon Canal.

We welcomed them on board my photo today is just as we start, this is a staircase lock so called as two lock chambers are connected the top lock feeds the bottom lock etc. The sky is grey but the rain has abated, we propose a short cruise while this weather lasts. I will report on the Caldon tomorrow.

Love Douglas x