Memory Lane

On the way back from Stourport we had a visit from Starcross' previous owners. Mark and Mandy, with their daughter Mika, were back from Tasmania, where they now live and as part of their tour of friends and relatives had asked if they could have a couple of days aboard Starcross with us  -and of course we were happy to oblige!
Having a car available, we picked them up at Kidderminster station and brought them to the boat at Wolverley, moving on later as far as Kinver for the evening. Pre-dinner drinks in the garden of the lockside Vine Inn were disappointingly served in plastic glasses but when it was my round I was allowed proper glasses "because I looked a respectable sort of person!".
Mark and Mandy thoroughly enjoyed their time with us and it was great to see them again, especially as we could be completely relaxed about having them on board and helping with the steering and lock work - which isn't the case with all our visitors I'm afraid.

Mandy, Mika and Mark

Even Mika helped with the steering - under close supervision of course - and like most children or other non-car drivers understood the basics of it pretty quickly. From what I've read, children not much older than her were regularly seen steering loaded working boats in the old days.

Five Five-and-three-quarters year old Mika at the tiller