Firstly back to New Years Eve ... Diane from NB Ferndale blagged us some tickets for the New Year's Eve do up at The Exchange in Stone. I have to say I was a bit apprehensive as most of the previous pub New Year dos I have been to have been massively over subscribed and consequently you end up whafting smelly armpits and can't get near the bar because of the crowd. The Exchange do was fantastic, just the right crowd! We had the premium seat by the window plus getting a pint or 2,3,4,5...was a piece of cake. They even supplied plates of free nosh ... we polished off the first plate in seconds then another punter, realising we were starving refugees from Camp Aston Marina, offered us their plate of rations, which were also gulped down in gusto.
We stayed at the pub till after midnight then headed back to Caxton for the official Stone firework display.
We had a bit of trouble lighting the left over sparklers from firework night ... I think they had gotten damp in one of our cupboards!
Light you B**tard ...
Dot and Gordon sported trendy new hair styles ...
We stayed at the pub till after midnight then headed back to Caxton for the official Stone firework display.
We had a bit of trouble lighting the left over sparklers from firework night ... I think they had gotten damp in one of our cupboards!
Light you B**tard ...
Dot and Gordon sported trendy new hair styles ...
There you go, Sydney and London eat your heart out!
We finished up the night back on board Caxton for a cuppa and some of Diane's brownies! It was a really great News Year's Eve ... thanks guys!
On New Year's day we had friends from Manly Australia arrive for a few days; they stayed at a local hotel in Stone.
Graham soon met one of the Stone locals ...
Where to take Aussie visitors in Stone on New Years Day?
Up to the exchange for a real ale ... although Graham would have none of it and stuck to the lager!
January 2nd started off a treat....
.....we were up early to meet another friend from Manly Australia (Lesley) who was arriving at Stone railway station at the unbelievably early hour of 9.50am! She too was staying at the same hotel as Graham and Andrea.
As the title says this was the day the Manly Ferry lived up to its name as we had three passengers from Manly aboard, five if you include us!
It was such a fantastic day we all went on a mini cruise from Stone back to the marina, we had to go through Stone to wind (turn) so all up we did eight locks.
Lesley got right into it even though she was jet lagged ...
Pull girls pull ...
Aston Lock, the last one of the day ...
Graham and Andrea left today, heading back down south via the Peak district. It was really good to have a catch up.
In the afternoon Elaine, Lesley, me and the doggies went for a good walk up the Downs, which were incredibly muddy but still very beautiful in its winter glory.
This tree had shed a load of
Lesley is an avid photographer and was loving the winter vistas ...
Elaine, Lesley and the muddy boys ...
We finished up the walk down by a deluxe chook shed.....
.....with some very happy and contented, free range chooks.
We are having a quiet night tonight and will carry on showing Lesley the delights of Staffordshire tomorrow.
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