This dramatic sculpture, made from over 100,000 knives, tours towns and cities across the UK as a statement against knife crime. I’ve had the privilege of working with young people seeing the Knife Angel first-hand this week as it arrived in Milton Keynes where it will be officially unveiled today (Saturday 3 December). It’s aContinue reading “Cutting edge philosophy”
Author Archives: pickingupducks
Who knows what lies ahead? We can but hope.
The narrowboat travelling life can easily be seen as a metaphor for every life. We never know what’s round the corner or what tomorrow, the next week, the next hour or even the next minute will bring. If it’s bad now, it may well be brilliant in a moment (or not) but change is certain.Continue reading “Who knows what lies ahead? We can but hope.”
In deep water living afloat
We have water water everywhere, under us, over us but not a drop in our tank! Finnish readers (or reader to be accurate) may be startled to know that in England since the year our narrowboat home first went in the water (1989), water provision has been privatised. Until then it was considered a PublicContinue reading “In deep water living afloat”
Not rote but boat learning
Absence makes the heart grow fonder they say and distance gives space for effective reflection. We’ve found both to be true this past 2 weeks on enforced, planned exile from our floating home and office as she enjoys a bit of necessary pampering in dry dock. It’s given us time and space to appreciate theContinue reading “Not rote but boat learning”
High and dry without a home or office
Moving home and office is something we know all about as boaters – we do it regularly, casting off our mooring ropes and cruising to new places week in, week out. But leaving our home and casting ourselves off the boat is something we don’t normally do. In the past two and a bit yearsContinue reading “High and dry without a home or office”
Frustrating politics of being NFA
The political turmoil of the past 10 days let alone the past five months has brought the subject of a General Election to the fore, then it seemed to have receded, reappeared and perhaps by the time you read this it will have receded and reappeared once more. One thing is certain – in orderContinue reading “Frustrating politics of being NFA”
Learning from other worlds
It was a delight this week to learn of an entire world far removed from the selfishness and greed of UK politics. A world that thrives by connecting, communicating and supporting itself and others, whether they look like it or look differently. I mean the world of… fungi. Going on a foraging course I reallyContinue reading “Learning from other worlds”
Accessing services on the move
People often ask how we manage, living as happy narrowboat nomads, to access the services they take for granted like doctors and dentists. Fortunately we haven’t yet needed anything in an emergency and even more fortunately we are continuous cruisers in the UK with its incredible NHS (something we must fight to protect). We haveContinue reading “Accessing services on the move”
Stresses and strains of getting certified
We were glad that we weren’t in Birmingham this past week. Can’t imagine our old boat dog would have been too impressed to find a sniffer spaniel checking out our danger level to the Tory party conference. We know of other boaters who did travel through, encountered posses of politicians, had a sniffer dog checkContinue reading “Stresses and strains of getting certified”
Under the weather
The Autumn equinox and Michaelmas Day this past week have shepherded us fully into Autumn. The winds are blowing the leaves from the trees and days of rain are swelling our waterways once more. We can only hope none of this water bounty is being wasted and reservoirs are gradually filling once more. The returnContinue reading “Under the weather”
Pickingupducks 