Drought, what drought?

On Monday I read that 17 more counties were officially in drought conditions and that the Environment Agency believe the drought could last until Christmas, since then it has hardly stopped raining! Does the weather have a guilty conscience or it it just trying to prove that government agencies can't get anything right?

Normally our cats are very well behaved when we are travelling, they get shut in, we start the engine, they realise we are about to move and settle down. Today Lance realised that Ray had omitted to put the bolt on the front door and he has a knack of managing to open the doors if the bolt isn't on. We were about two foot out from the bank as all three of them leapt ashore! A short delay ensued as we pulled back into the bank and I enticed Gwyn and Nim back within grabbing distance with some cat treats but Lance had other ideas. After he had lured Ray into a game of  'chase me round a hollybush' he eventually consented to come back to the boat.

We had worked out that we were about nine hours from Penkridge with three days to get there so decided a bit of progress each day was the best idea as the prospect for a good cruising day look bleak.

Today was nothing like as windy as yesterday but the rain has been with us virtually all day, varying between a fine drizzle and quite heavy. It has stopped a few times but not for long.

We are now on the Staffs and Worcester Canal not far from Stafford.

Today's journey 4.4 miles and 3 locks

So far this year we have travelled 200.8 miles, 125 locks, 5 swing bridges and 5 tunnels

In 2011 we travelled 461.4 miles, 444 locks, 3 swing bridges, 34 lift bridges and 15 tunnels

During 2010 we travelled 740.3 miles, 642 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 25 tunnels

Since Ray retired we have travelled 1402.5 miles, 1211 locks, 61 swing bridges, 38 lift bridges and 45 tunnels