How rapidly things change for us, and not just river levels!
Last week we were awaiting the arrival of a grandchild. He finally arrived in the early hours of a Tuesday morning, a big lad whose arrival proved very uncomfortable for himself and his poor mum. Both are, we believe, recovering. He looks gorgeous and has thrilled his big brother.
We were delighted to be on hand to help grandson no. 1 – the Original according to him – while his baby brother was en route. We had some ferocious board games together and he totally hammered me at digital games! Once the new family member came home we returned to the boat as they all wanted to recover together. I’m on hand if needed or wanted, and the Skipper is now living up in Greater Manchester helping with the oldest member of the family, his nearly 95-year old mum.
That means I’m here without a car, on a river in flood. Because navigation is unsafe when the river is in flood I cannot move the boat to get water, or to empty the toilet. That didn’t matter when we had the car, we could load water containers and toilet cassettes and drive to the nearest Canal and River Trust disposal point. It’s a 7-mile round trip, so a long walk with the trolley and liquids are HEAVY! But it, as they day in France, “pas de probleme”, because it is at tines like this that the community around you comes into play.
A private boatyard a very short walk away has offered their Elsan toilet disposal point any time I need it and so many people from my hairdresser to a pub have offered water. At this rate I could have more water than the river does because of people’s generosity!
A lock ahead is due to be out of action from 2 February until mid March so if the flood waters subside (which doesn’t look very likely to be honest according to the weather forecast), then Noatdog and I may seek to move the boat north off the river Soar, and up the River Trent to the Trent and Mersey Canal. The boating community women, many of whom are singlehanded boaters, has been incredible in the numbers coming forward to offer their help on the journey. Not sure the boat is big enough to hold all who have offered to assist!
Think of your life and how strong and active the community around you is at home and work – and it is always worth us each thinking what we contribute and offer to our communities too.
Being moored in the strong-community village, from which we left bricks and mortar, has great advantages within walking distance there are supermarkets , cafes, buses, pubs, doctors, hairdressers and a farm shop.
I have also been able and grateful to acquire more work, with regular days scheduled across the year. It is work that can be delivered remotely but while I’m here can also be in person. 0
Being back in a familiar area has made me feel quite nostalgic and enabled reflection. I love living afloat but within the next 5 years I recognise as we age we will probably want and perhaps need to live differently. Within that time we may try a fixed mooring option somewhere we like, to discover how that goes. We will probably criose for part of the year and remaining fixed for part. It is an advantage living afloat that the options exist and are many and varied. Maybe the next 5 years are the chance for us to try all options to see what works for us. It’s an exciting thought.
In the meantime, I wish for the newest member of our family, our future, that as he grows up in a place that has a wonderfully strong sense of community, he will benefit from that over the years. They say it takes a village to raise a child – his parents have chosen a great village to support them to do that.
I hope he grows to love the countryside and wildlife around here, enjoys the beauty of the river (even when in flood) and cares for the environment around him as we do. We look forward to introducing him to the natural world around him as grows, showing him the beauty and the positives of life so he appreciates and values them as he grows up.
A new baby is a wonderful reminder that there is always hope and gives us a spur to make our world better for them in any and every way we can. Babies herald new beginnings for us all.
Pickingupducks 