cobwebs blown away?*

I think the wind and rain cleaned my head out. It seems to be nearly working again though I haven't stopped taking the tablets. Might try that tomorrow!
Next week but one we're off again, back to the North and the Rochdale canal. This time hopefully, to travel all the way into Manchester and possibly venture underneath Picadilly (Manchester Picadilly) Railway Station where the canal slithers into oily darkness between big concrete pillars and the thunder overhead is the sound of trains. Once seen, never forgotten. Not a romantic or pretty place but splendidly Dante-esque and just a little bit scary. One step below urban and as is always the case with canals, a whole staircase beyond the norm.
Mind, the main part of the journey will be over the Pennines again, locking up and down through twisty ways to one of the most beautiful summit pounds in the country.
I'm not a canal anorak like Barney. But water that carries you uphill and down and all the strange, huge, creaking structures that allow it to do so, are endlessly fascinating and wonderful. The tales (told of an evening in the boat or pub, by Mr Anorak himself) of the men who built them are worth a listen - I wish I had his kind of memory sometimes so I could tell you more.
I wish, even, that he'd write a blog. It would be a wonderful source of traditional and historical interest. If only he could type! (But you might as well say, 'if only dinosaurs could speak' :)

Well, and there will be pies :) (There were rather nice pies in Bampton - the best of the southern kind with thick gooey and crusty pastry and real pieces of chicken and mushroom).

And Oh look! (no not a chicken) The sun's coming out :)See you tomorrow maybe :) Have a Happy Friday.

*I wonder why they're called cobwebs? Is cob an old word for spider?