Yogi's Living History Lesson

Finally got my ebay orders upto date :0) so a trip to Kidsgrove Post Office was in order.

I have to write a list before I go out now as if I don't, by the time I get to where I am going, I've forgotten why I went!  So, according to my list, I needed to post my parcels, check if my prescription had arrived, order some spark plugs for the chainsaw, check out the charity shops for bargains and get a few bits from Tesco (using the money off vouchers I'd got from the last visit). Get my prescription done, (if it had arrived) and finally grab a carrier bag to collect litter in on the way back because I had promised myself I would.  

Parcels posted, prescription collected and done, spark plugs ordered, charity shops pillaged and Tesco's sorted I stand outside to check my list. Ah, forgot the carrier bag!  

Back in Tescos, grab empty bag.  Decide I deserve a drink and a scratch card for being good, win £4, buy two more, win £10. :0). Quit while I'm ahead, go back outside, celebrate with iced coffee. 

The fruits of my litter picking efforts :0).  

List all done, I walk back to the canal for litter picking.  Feeling pretty pleased with myself for ticking all my boxes. It's only about half a mile and with 'ol lady trolley in tow, shopping is easy. I got a few funny looks and a couple of thumbs up for my efforts, which is nice. :0)

As I rounded the corner, I saw an unusual sight, there was a big brown horse on the towpath, apparently unattended?  As I drew closer, it became apparent that he wasn't alone as his handlers were making up a makeshift coral in the clearing behind the trees.  There were two ladies in period costume and a man dressed in white shirt and waistcoat. Had I been transported back in time??  Sadly no, I was still in the present but I had been fortunate enough to stumble across Sue Day of the Horseboating Society and Bilbo Baggins a magnificent big Bay, who was busy having his lunch before carrying on down the locks making his way to Rode Heath at the end of the day. 

Sue tacking up Bilbo Baggins.

I hurried back to Yogi to let him know they would be coming through.  There were three boats moored below the lock and they were going to take some negotiating. I sent him up to take some pictures for me while I put the shopping away.

All tacked up and ready to go, Bilbo makes his way down the towpath towards the locks.

This is where the photos get a bit scarce as Yogi ended up getting roped into helping them through the lock. 

 Sue was having trouble getting the rope through under the bridge, so Yogi ended up on his belly with the rope on a hook passing it through to her! Obviously that bridge wasn't there in 'olden days' ;0).  I was totally unaware of this as I was busy watching the stall below the lock.  When I did see Yogi again, he was fully immersed in the historic horse boat experience!!

There he was, behind Bilbo with this long pole with a hook at the end. He was playing 'keepy ropey uppey' over the moored boats!!  Well and truly roped in!!  We had already removed all chimneys and arials previously which was lucky, but even Yogi was struggling with the weight of the boat pulling the rope behind him and Bilbo pulling it in front. It was pretty intense there for a minute, specially as the rope got dangerously close to our beloved solar panels!!  

People were jumping about grabbing stuff off of their respective roofs and moving it to safety, there was shouting and arm waving and Bilbo, clip clopping away totally oblivious to the wake of panic that was going on behind him!  Yog did a bloody good job though.  He safely negotiated the rope over 4 boats in all without any casualties. 

 Mind the solar panels!!!!

 An unimpressed and pretty oblivious Bilbo waits at the lock as the band of wavy arm people attempt to get the boat in it!!

They did ask if Yog would be able to help them with the locks between there and Rode Heath.......he declined. ;0) After all, he had to work the stall while I cooked dinner :0)