A nice paint job done at Hopwas

Moored Hopwas, Coventry Canal

Carol finished painting the roses this morning and we cruised north to find the turning point which in my Nicholson’s Guide was at Huddlesford some 4 miles away, so I was well pleased to find a winding hole to turn between Tamhorn House Bridge and Tamhorn Farm Bridge.  The bridges in this area do not have numbers just names, which is most unusual.  On the way back the rain poured down and I was hoping and praying that the painting that Carol had done earlier had totally dried or it would have dulled.

All was fine when we got back and the sun appeared again and soon dried off the sides of No Problem, so once again Carol got down to work outlining and putting in the base colours..

So here is the finished pattern on the back panel, this is where No Problem’s name will be put in a curve above the roses..

There is no hurry in Carol’s work, and after finished this and the others on this side we all sat and chatted over cups of tea and pieces of cake.. Well the sun this afternoon was warm, and we all took the opportunity to soak some for once.

Time for more roses then, and the back cupboards got their first base coat before tea tonight..

The panels for the doors will be done later for us.  Tomorrow I think we might take off towards the south to try and find somewhere close to wind (turn), but I have a feeling we might have to go right back to Fazeley Junction 3 miles away.. 67ft is a lot of boat to turn and needs a big place!

When we get back Carol will finish the back cupboards, then we will make haste towards Fradley Junction, where hopefully we will arrange to meet Tim Salt of Staffordshire Canopies to talk about the designs for the cratch cover and also the back pram canopy (wigwam for whimps!).

I went into Tamworth this afternoon on the bus, it only took about 10 minutes, a nice town, but it was only when I got back that someone on the towpath told me that I had missed the best bit.. the castle apparently is superb.. “Even better than Warwick Castle” I was told.  I might go have a look next time we are through this place.

We had just finished tea tonight when we had a visitor looking for scraps!..

 I am afraid tea tasted so good tonight there were no scraps for him at all.. but I gave him a bonio instead.. well he was cheeky enough, and he sat there for ages wondering if we were going to leave anything!