Stoke to Fradley

Sorry for the lack of posts but the signal has been shocking since Stoke. Stephen and the boys arrived at Stoke on the 13th-Aug ready to take us down the five locks a drop of 50ft. My neck felt better but I didn't want to risk setting it off again. The morning was good but with the threat of showers. Wile Stephen and the boys did the locks in good time with Marlene on the tiller and me below preparing a Lasagne for our dinner. One more lock at Trentham then moored at Barlston for lunch, just as the first shower hit. Good timing. Four more locks on the Meaford Flight a further drop of 32ft 6ins. Before we knew it we were mooring on the edge of Stone with easy access to the railway station for Stephen to return home the following day. Friday morning we walked Stephen to the station and saw him on to his train, then we took the boat into Stone and moored near the Star Inn, unusually we didn't go in. On the 15th we went down to Great Hayward and moored above the lock, where we could hear music coming from the Shugborough Estate. Sunday morning we prepared everything for dinner and went into the Shugborough Estate. The music the night before had been an outdoor film day with Frozen in the afternoon and Grease in the evening. We had a nice day finding secret doors in the grounds with different themes behind them. In one was Alice in Wonderland tea party set out. The boys seemed to enjoy the servants quarters then we went down to the farm and Mill, then finally the house it's self before returning to the boat for dinner. From Great Hayward we went down Hayward lock at 4ft 2ins then Colwich lock at 6th 6ins, Max and I walked between the locks while Harry took the tiller under Marlene's instruction. We moored at Worsley Bridge and walked over to the garden park before lunch. That night we moored before the aqueduct on the edge of Rugeley. Shopping in Rugeley the next day, then on through Armitage and Handsacre then mooring in open country for the night. Wednesday we went down through Fradley, which seemed very quiet for the time of year. We moored between Fradley and Alrewas. The boys painted the pole and plank for us while I painted part of the roof. I'll leave it there until tomorrow as I have things to do, then I will bring you bang up to date.