Re-Stock the Larder

Surprisingly we both slept later than usual, not waking until just after 8! This meant that it was around 10:30 before we were ready to go into Wellingborough.

We say 'go into' but in fact we only skirted the very edge of the town, doing what we wanted to do at two of the edge of town retail parks.

We opted to charge the car first as it was likely that one part of our shopping involved chilled medication. We did not make the same mistake as last time (using the slow chargers outside Tesco which refused to let go of the tether) but headed to the faster charging points outside Halfords which we managed eventually to use last time.

Whilst the car was on charge Christine went to Tesco and Mike to B&M. We planned to do most of our shopping at Lidl but first Christine wanted to locate a wine box which usually Lidl do not do. Mike was also on the hunt for two sizes of plastic storage boxes to replace ones that were life expired. A 5l one was needed for Mike's meds (the top had fractured on the last trip - it travelled up successfully yesterday by being held together with copious parcel tape) whilst the 11l one for the expanding hose pipe which has had 'useful' drainage holes in the bottom for a few months now. He was successful with the latter but, despite the store having many different sizes, none that was just right for the meds. The parcel tape will have to do for now!

When we both had returned to the car it was just over 90% charged (good enough to get to Brinklow - we hope!) so next stop Lidls on an adjacent retail park. The list was somewhat larger than Mike had estimated so when we got back to the marina he had to fetch a trolley to carry it all back to the boat! Our own folding shopping trolley, which Tardis-like can usually carry a most of a full shop, together with a large shopping bag, were insufficient.

By now it was lunch time. Afterwards the main outside task to be done was to fill the water tank - transferring the hosepipe to a new box afterwards.

Fingers have to be extra crossed for tomorrow as Christine heard from the marina office that the lock at Whiston (the first we need to pass through) was closed yesterday because of high winds although open today. Looking at our photos of the lock it is not obvious why, but apparently a strong cross wind makes it difficult to navigate into the lock. We shall see!

Later we found the formal notice and it was weed not wind that was the problem which has now been fixed.