Well I hope that you enjoyed the videos yesterday... From the emails that I have received today it sounds as if you did!

It dropped a bit cool again last night, although it was nowhere near as cold as earlier last week. There was a slight frost on the tops of the boats as I took Annie out for a walk. There's a lot of water around at the moment. The ground must just be that saturated that the slightest drop of rain seems to result in big puddles everywhere! I know that Denise has been having a long drive to work as she has been instructed not to drive through the puddle that has once again formed underneath the disused railway bridge in Gnosall. I have driven through it a couple of times recently and it isn't that deep and I am sure a car would get through OK if you just go steady.

It's been a quiet day today although the tearoom did have a sudden burst of activity around lunchtime which kept Ange and Denise on their toes... Bernard has finished the engine service that he has been in the middle of and since then has been servicing the macerator toilets on the hire boats that are fitted with them. It really isn't a pleasant job, but it has to be done every year to ensure there are no issues with them during the season. Steve has been doing some internal odds and sods on one of the hire boats which other than checking tomorrow is now ready to go out.

I've heard reports today that the canal is now open to the North. I am not sure how true the rumours are but I know that some of the boats that were waiting for the stoppages at both Shebdon and Woodseaves to lift have headed North. I am still to see a boat come South...

We've got a special visitor coming to see us tonight, but thats a story for tomorrow!

Until then... Best regards,

David.