Friday 14th October

“Operation De-Flea” starts today! I had changed the sheets on the bed last week but had stashed them away to take home to wash but they had to come out and be washed. We have worked out a plan of action so today is day one!!! We set off for a short day, just long enough for the washing machine to do it’s bit and then stopped so the washing could dry . There are five locks at Tyrley which we seemed to fly through and then pulled over for water – all this washing will deplete our water supply quite fast! The approach to Tyrley Bottom Lock is most unusual as it appears to be blasted through rock, however it is very attractive. At the top lock there is a field of, what looked like, tall rush like grass. Richard was chatting to a BW man who said that it was Elephant Grass. I Googled it and it appears that the crop grows up to 10 feet high and can be made into a biofuel and sold to power stations. Gardeners may well know it as Miscanthus. After Tyrley is Woodseaves Cutting - a very narrow and dark passage which was blasted through sandstone. During construction there were frequent avalanches and even today lumps can fall off into the canal which is why a 2 mph speed limit is imposed. I was very pleased when we emerged into a wider and nicer part of the canal and we moored up at Goldstone Wharf. We spent the afternoon de-fleaing the boat. Richard was down on his hands and knees hoovering every square centimetre of the carpet and soft furnishings while I washed down all the surfaces and sorted out my “basket” where I keep all our papers and my handbag lives – Millie likes to sleep in it. Everything that could be was then taken outside and sprayed, including my handbag! Fortunately it was a lovely afternoon so things were put on the roof to air and de-smell! The bed was hoovered and the sheets changed. We then vacated the boat for a while – Millie had already gone walk about so didn’t have to be put in her basket on the roof! Everything was put back and we moved back inside. We noticed that we were alone – when we arrived at Goldstone we took the last place on the mooring but gradually each boat left and no-one came back in the evening – I wonder if the word got round about our predicament! It was a fantastic evening so I took the opportunity to take some photos.