All good things

Ah well. All good things must come to an end, they say, and Friday morning has us waking up fairly early, passing on breakfast while there's a blitz of tidying and packing, before we drive the boat the last few yards to the home basin to moor up. Dad and Mrs S bring the cars over so that all the luggage can be unshipped and stowed in the cars.

Mum, Dad and various Silverwoods take small fistfuls of money into the hire shop to buy souvenirs, mugs, fridge magnets, maps and books ready for next time, sweeties etc. We hand the boat in, Mum 'fessing up about the cardboard in the DVD player (we were insured anyway, but we also agree not to get re-imbursed for the pump-out, so it's kinda quits). We say our cheery goodbyes to Susan at Shire Cruisers and to the guys who are already crawling all over the returned boats preparing them for the next customers. We say our farewells too, to the Silverwoods, who are off to "Thomas Land" (Thomas the Tank Engine at Drayton Manor) next and we head South.

It's been a brilliant holiday, and we are all excited about maybe doing the "South Pennine Ring" next year, but it is lovely to be back en famille with our nice quiet car-ride home, nice quiet house and a chance to get sorted out over Saturday and Sunday before the humans have to go back to work Monday.

It's been a blast

Deefski