Very chilly this morning, with a ground frost. But the sun was coming up over Beeston Castle when I took Macc out for his walk.
We took the footpath down to the canal and walked along to Bridge 112.
Then just before 9 we all walked out to the main gate, where our friend Billy picked us up to take us to collect the car we’ve bought. He drove us to Northwich to the slightly odd little car place where I completed the paperwork and transferred the money — all in double quick time as the guy had a dentist appointment! The car didn’t actually start first time, the battery needed a bit of help, but it”s been fine since. It’s just a good value runaround that we can use for the months we’re here, and then decide whether to keep or sell again.
While I got Macc and myself sorted in the car, (and went to fill it up at a petrol station, which was a bit painful!) Billy took Adrian on to Leighton Hospital in Crewe, which fortunately was on his way back to Nantwich. Adrian had an appointment at the fracture clinic, where he was hoping they’d take his cast off; the hospital at Burton had sent him an appointment for this week, and he managed to get it moved closer. Macc was amazingly good as I drove down to Crewe. We’d feared he might make a fuss, but he just settled down on the back seat and had a rest. We’ve got him a strap that pugs into the seatbelt socket and clips onto his harness, to keep him as safe as possible. We got to the hospital and found a parking space before Adrian’s appointment time. I left Macc in the car while I popped in to find a loo, and eventually found then he just took it in his stride that he was being left alone for a bit. Eventually Adrian had a x-ray and saw a consultant — who said the cast needed to be on for mother two weeks. She seemed a bit bemused that Burton had thought it could come off so quickly, as that sort of fracture needs longer. It means we’ll have another trip to Crewe in a fortnight, but it will be much easier now we have our own transport.
For lunch, we considered the nearby garden centre, but dogs are only allowed in the outside seating area there, so we went instead to the Waterside Cafe at Aqueduct Marina. The building has had an extension since I was last here, with a sort of inside-outside overflow for the cafe.
The drive back to Tattenhall took in plenty of country lanes, right past Beeston Castle. I imagine we’ll get to know this area quite well over the next few months.
Also this morning, Adrian had a call from the vet who treated Macc on Saturday morning, checking how he’d been over the weekend and making sure he was ok. We were impressed that she’d followed up like that.