Trent and Mersey Canal:Barlaston

All the plans etc.!  It was raining hard at first light.  It's unpleasant and I was not anxious to expose myself to that since there is no emergency as such.  So I thought that it might just be a rest day.   Then the rain abated and I needed some groceries to make the planned evening curry meal, so researched nearby supermarkets and found a Morrisons about 20 minutes walk away.  I do enjoy Morrisons.  So much fresh food on display that it is impossible for me to come away without something I had’t planned.  The rain forecast was basically all day, but my walk had been just some drizzly stuff, so decided to change my mind go for it.  However as I had now delayed the start I reduced my target to Barlaston, instead of Stone.  There was a volunteer on duty for the first two locks, but he insisted on proceeding very slowly, like 1/2 hour to empty the top lock, saying that there was an issue with the weir.  I suggested he filled the lock below as the first lock was draining down, to reduce the overspill which he did.  Going down the next pound I saw why.  C&RT was rebuilding the bank behind some new piling and were in the process of pouring concrete using a concrete pump situated in a yard behind the hedge.  A huge surge of water coming down would have been disastrous as the concrete was only an inch or two above the waterline.  I was left to myself for the other locks, but had an opposite at Twyford Lock, so that was helpful.  Then a straight cruise to Trentham Lock, where, once I had filled it a boat appeared below and I had a free ride from a charming couple.   Barlaston was reached at 2:15pm.  I could have gone on I suppose, but there was more rain in the forecast and I thought I can now get to Haywood Lock as a reverse of my upward journey tomorrow and pick up some time gradually, still aiming for a Sunday arrival at Barby.  I did the curry and with the right ingredients it was worth the wait.