In Parbold no-one can hear you scream

It's ridiculous but despite us having three separate devices we couldn't get connected to the Internet when we arrived at Parbold yesterday. Pathetic really when you consider that someone from abroad would be able to connect to the best signal available. Time to give us free roaming I say!
We are at Spencer's Bridge now and fully 4 gee'd up so I will recap. Thursday we jumped on the free train to Burscough to get some shopping done. According to The Trainline it should have cost £7.50 but that presumes the conductor will arise from his posterior and actually sell you a ticket. He didn't, so we saved £7.50! Shopping done, it was time for a quick pint at Gathurst's Station Inn, one of our favourite pubs. The owner is friendly but not as friendly as her two Staffies!

Elaine on tickling duty!

We made the familiar trip to Parbold yesterday, highlight of the day being the two deer we saw after Dean Lock. The downside, and quite a worry, is the spread of this unidentifiable weed

Horrible!

This stuff is spreading like wild fire. Heaven knows what next summer will be like, but good mooring spots like the disused arms at Dean Lock and Appley Lock are already overgrown. Something needs to be done!

As usual, Charlotte and the boys tracked us down at Spencer's Bridge. I'm sure she's just using me because I know all the walks! We went through Newburgh and what we call the Christmas tree forest

The return route to Parbold of course involved a stop at The Stocks Tavern then the ice cream shop before Elaine and I left them at the car park to walk the last mile and a quarter back to Lottie. Given that I had the honour in both the pub and the ice cream parlour, perhaps it's more than my memory bank of walks that Charlotte is taking advantage of!