Armitage (Plum Pudding) tunnel towards home.

PFollowing a shopping trip in Rugely for essential supplies and some additional hooks for clothes storage I retired to bed for the afternoon feeling distinctly below par. Whilst I was asleep Karen and Steve requested a move to nearer the Plum Pudding pub and assisted Lynne moving through the Armitage "open top" tunnel to a new mooring spot virtually next to the pub, so I awoke in totally new surroundings with the intrusive sound of the A513 main road extremely close by, persistent throughout the night. It was similar to mooring on the central reservation of the M6, if that were possible. Needless to say the night's sleep was not my best and the below par feelings were heightened considerably. I do not intend detailing the reasons, but as a hint, they are linked to my body's waste management systems. The earliest doctor's appointment Lynne could arrange is for next week so I will have to live with the problem till then I suppose. Whatever happened to Andrew's liver salts?

Lying in bed, suffering with stomach cramps and sleep deprivation, my thoughts returned to my "meetings" with "Mad" Frankie Frazer, the chief torturer for the notorious gangland murderers the Kray twins. Not that I was ever part of the London gangland scene you understand, but our paths frequently crossed during my latter working days in London at a café very near his "retirement" home and my office.

Despite his reputation I found him to be a very nice man with a good sense of humour, but I can imagine him mooring my boat on the A513 during his "working" days, if I had upset his bosses.

Our rear toilet became a "cloakroom" with the addition of 4 double coat hangers, whilst the rear drying cupboard gained hooks for my life jacket and Lynne's cruising jacket.

The weather quickly turned from hot and sunny to breezy and chilly so it was mutually agreed to moor near Alrewas , a considerable distance from a main road, railway or other disturbance.

A quick walk to a chemist in Alrewas solved my plumbing "blockage" speedily and painlessly ( Lactulose ).