Last night it was more apparent than ever that we don’t need a TV when we’ve got entertainment galore on the cut! I recently posted about our new cow visitors in the field opposite our boat bubble. I’m not sure if said cattle are to human voices, craving company, or just too lazy to walk to the other end of the field for a drink from the water trough provided by the farmer. Whatever the reasoning, we’ve watched them jostling amongst themselves for the best ‘canal drinking’ spot since then. The barbed wire wasn’t cutting anything – in fact, they appeared to enjoy scratching themselves on it. No deterrent there then!

We’ve all said one of them will fall in soon. Last night, as our baked potatoes were cooking on the brazier, it happened. Not one cow but two! We suspect the second slippage was due to a poor attempt at giving the first moral support to the first, and ended up needing it instead. These creatures are surely not the most intelligent, but their eyes look pleadingly at you and they really seem to care about each other. More on that to come …

Boaters To The Rescue

Once we’d all gazed in horror at the sight of two cows in the canal, we formulated a hasty plan. Not a lot of formulating to be fair – Plum jumped on his bike and headed to the farm, Kim jumped on a bike too and ripped her trousers so gave up on that idea, I did a Google Maps search (as a ‘Google Guru’!) and searched for farm nearby and called the number to explain what had happened. The helpful woman said it was a farm of theirs and they’d get in touch with the farmer. Plum meanwhile had arrived at the farm and knocked loudly, eventually finding someone. The phone call had come in and they were preparing to make a rescue attempt.

With Plum returned, and the farmer and his mate at the cows side, we offered to take the boats across to try and ‘herd’ the cows towards them. Of course the cows couldn’t haul themselves out even if they wanted to. It’s a known fact that falling into a canal is made even more dangerous by the fact that the sides are high and it’s nigh-on impossible to get out. Especially when you’re soaking wet.

The cows had worn away the barbed wire fencing over the past few days and created a trough-like area to lick up the decidedly dodgy dirty water. Realising there was no hope in hell of the cows coming out without help, the farmer went off to get equipment. At this stage, I stopped taking photos, and instead started a live video on the NB Areandare Facebook page. That video is over 46 minutes long. It took that time to get the spotted cow out, using a pelvic winch. Oh my goodness. It was touch and go. We thought we may be having a beef barbecue instead of milk.

Here’s a few of Barry’s shots …

Once the second cow was forcibly extracted, it was amazing to watch a dozen or so of her mates running over to see how she was. They licked her and snuggled into her as if they were just so pleased she’d made it out alive. It was so sweet.

Heidi’s (badges on board and pirate) Facebook post was a classic, and I’ve got her permission to share it here:

“What a day! Two cows fell in the canal – one after the other splish splash splosh!! They couldn’t get out after trying so hard bless em and some shouts of encouragement from us boaters. So after a phone call to farmer Giles he rushed down to try and entice Gertie and Daisy back onto dry land! Not a bleeding chance… Daisy stayed quite close to where she dived in and just ate the grass from t’other side without a care in the world so she was back on dry land quite quickly, but bloody Gertie decided to go on a right adventure so we had to get the boats out to block her passage and stop her heading off into the unknown – well …. that’s where it got hilarious 😂😂 Barry trying to block her going one way and Plum the other (she got past Plum 5 times – he will never make a goalie) 😂 but he always got her back… anyway after a while, Plum and farmer Giles managed to get a rope around Gertie who was very tired by this time and with a whoop on farmer Giles’s tractor – out she came! All the other cows came to kiss her and check she was ok – they have now all buggered off to get their teats squeezed”

Recurrence Prevention Tactics

This morning the farmer and another mate were up early mending the fence, putting the barbed wire back on, adding fence poles, and best of all erecting an electric fence. The cows were let back into the paddock this afternoon, and it’s as if they know not to come near. They’re all now lying on the opposite side and haven’t ventured close to the canal again.

Barry had a chat with the farmer across the canal, asking how the cows were. He said it didn’t seem to do any lasting harm – and they all gave more milk than usual last night so he was happy!

A Complete Change of Subject …

A few days ago Pip and Mick, from NB Oleanna, told me about a local company (Nantwich Veg Boxes) that deliver fresh fruit and vegetable boxes. They’d already tried them out and had a box delivered to the bridge where we had our Off Licence delivery. Pip said if I wanted to order a box, they were collecting one today. So I did. A mixed fruit and veg one for £12. Awesome. All sourced locally. Thanks guys!

Headache Resolved Thankfully …

I’m feeling a lot better today, so no symptoms reported to the COVID-19 Symptom Tracker. Barry is fine too. Kim, on the other hand, is feeling a little unwell. Hopefully, it’s something and nothing …

On the website they report that there’s now “… 3,001,113 members of the public supporting the NHS and scientists in the UK. Together we can get out of lockdown safely and beat the disease.”

If you’re not signed up yet and you live in the UK, USA or Sweden, please do so, because of what they say above.

Hopefully this evening will be a little calmer on the cut. Earlier today I saw the most magnificent flower full moon from our bedroom portal. What fantastic weather we’re having again; thank you Mother Nature 😉