Best laid plans.

As always the best laid plans never come to fruition. we had planned on leaving Stone after the Food and Drinks Festival, but Keith had a doctors appointment, which resulted in having blood tests and an ECG at the local hospital, so we need to stay around Stone for those results.
We then had our yearly appointment at the dentist, and Keith needs a crown, which will keep us here in Stone for a couple of weeks. It just goes to show you should never plan anything ha ha ha.
So we will get underway hopefully once everything is sorted out. In the meantime we left our mooring below Star Lock and came back up the canal to Canal Cruising, to fill up with diesel. The diesel at Peter and Karens is 79p a litre at the moment, which is a very good price right now. Canal Cruising Co. Ltd, has been a boat hire company for over 60 years now, celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year. They have been operating longer than any other hire company on the canals.

We got chatting to Karen about the diesel derogation situation, and she told us that they would not be selling diesel to pleasure craft once the derogation comes into operation on 1st November 2008. She read us some of the information she had received from the British Marine Federation, and it was a mine field. we cannot help but feel, many of the marina's, chandleries and diesel boats will also go the same way and not sell diesel to pleasure craft. The one thing I got from what she showed us, was it was not written in good old plain English, so can make it difficult to understand. I reckon only time will tell, as to whether it will work at all, and at the moment we both think it will not work.

So having filled up with diesel, we made our way to a mooring just past Roger Fuller's Boatyard for the night. Tomorrow we will take a trip up to Wedgwood for a couple of days. We have to be back in Stone for Monday, so Keith can go to the dentist.

The one thing we will get time to do over the next few day's is catch up with the rag rug and knitted blankets. Keith is doing well with the rag rug, it really is looking lovely. I cannot wait to scrunch my toes up in the pile. When it is finished it will be Red, White, Blue and have a Black border. I need to cut up more t-shirts, so Keith can get a move on with it.I on the other hand have caught the knitting bug, since finishing my first blanket (below). I have also just finished my shawl for my boatwoman's costume, which I found great fun to do, it only took me 2 days. I am now knitting another blanket for the back cabin (above). This one is a little more complicated as it is not individual squares of Red, White and Blue. But I am enjoying the challenge. What next I wonder?We have enjoyed a beautiful day weather wise, we sold four bags of coal and enjoyed chatting to a couple who live on board N.B Innisfree.
What ever your doing, have fun and stay safe.