Nikita came to stay

As it’s half term holidays from school, Nikita came to stay for a few days while we are at Rufford. Tuesday was bright with a brisk wind, which wasn’t quite as strong as over the weekend, so we went for a cruise up to Tarleton, where Nikita met one of her friends while we were pushing the swing bridge. We nipped up to the village while we were there to get some treats. We topped up the water tank at Sparks Bridge where all the CRT work boats were obviously having a day off, in fact, it’s easier mooring against them to get water than the bank, as it’s got huge bolts sticking out.

Monday this week was quite busy, we caught the bus and train to Wigan so John could have his back manipulated by the chiropractor. He put his back out picking up his t-shirt last week!!!! Then back to Burscough on the train to give blood at the mobile centre set up at the Royal British Legion hall. This was a new experience for us as we’ve only ever donated blood at Edgware and Luton which are main centres where John used to give platelets. John now has to donate whole blood, as to be a platelet donor you need to be able to commit to a couple of hours each week at the same main centre. Last September we donated at Leeds which was also regional centre. Then we got the bus back to Rufford for Heather to drop off Nikita.

Last week we went to Liverpool on the train. Mark, the chap that fell in the canal at Wigan, is spending winter in Salthouse Dock. We gave him a knock and went aboard for a cuppa. He invited us to join him at The White Star pub for his weekly sea shanty session. We had ‘scouse’ (we’d call it stew though!!!!!) for lunch and couple of pints at The Baltic Fleet pub. Mark had another surprise visitor that day, Peter one of the Wigan lock keepers that had helped us down the flight had dropped in too. We chatted to a chap that played the uilleann pipes, which is a 7 reeded instrument that’s powered by an elbow bellow. It was an excellent afternoon and evening.

Heather dropped the boys off at the boat mid afternoon while she took Nikita to the dentist last week. I asked Magnus to pick up some toys and he said “I’m too tired”. I suggested he lie on the bed and to our shock he fell asleep and then Lance did too. Heather was amazed when she got back.