Tuesday 11^th September. Today we motored all of 6 miles. That’s because today’s the day! Today we find out if the replacement thermostat cures the fridge problem. We are visiting Jonathan and Julie and they have been acting as poste restante for spare parts. Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well. Being a big day, and partly because it wouldn’t keep any longer, guess what we had for breakfast – the last of the bacon, the last egg and some gennied toast. The day has been mixed, weather wise. Colder than on previous days with a mixture of sunny and showery spells. Luckily the showers were short and sharp and didn’t spoil the day at all. We ventured up the canal to Marple where we joined the Peak Forest Canal.

Now, I know it was some time ago when we came this way but our memories of the canal are of disappointment and for the life of us we can’t think why. It’s a lovely canal and not at all as we remembered it.

The views are stunning and we are drifting through heaven. (OK that might be overstating it a little bit but we wanted to make up for the negative memories that we had.)

The local boat owners have a certain style when steering their boats.

Part way along the canal there are a couple of lift bridges

but today another boat beat us to it – lucky us – we smiled and waved and then watched their crew member wind the bridge down again.

Didn’t look too difficult and I’m sure Brigid will be able to manage the next one. We have stopped just past an aqueduct that gives access to the track that leads to Jonathan and Julie’s.

For lunch, only because it wouldn’t keep any longer, we had cold lamb sandwiches and beef burgers, game chips (crisps) and an apple. It’s annoying the fridge not working properly but there are some gastronomic benefits.

Have just visited Julie in their lovely home, collected the fridge part, installed it and switched everything back on. Now all we have to do is sit and wait and see what happens. Ah well, if it doesn’t work, it’s lamb chops for breakfast, pork steak for lunch and beef casserole for supper – can’t be bad!