Heavy metal changes our lives

What a week that was – a week that’s wrought a change we’ve dreamed of ever since we bought our boat in 2018. For years now we’ve battled daily with the heavy main stern hatch, which extends the full width of the boat. We open it in the mornings to head out into each day.Continue reading “Heavy metal changes our lives”

Probation – for us and a new crewmate

It’s 5 months since our gorgeous cocker spaniel Cola left us, and they have been long, often lonely months without him, for me at least. We had 15 years together, and he was a brilliant family dog. Non dog lovers may struggle to understand so I shall try and spell out how it has felt.Continue reading “Probation – for us and a new crewmate”

Complete – appreciate – but dynamism demands we look ahead, not back

 A massive thank you from me this week to every generous sponsor whose input willed me on and helps the incredible charity MIND to support individuals with mental health issues, mild and major, and their families. We all need to feel good about being here on this earth, about being us and any work thatContinue reading “Complete – appreciate – but dynamism demands we look ahead, not back”

REPETITION. Boring? Essential? Meditative? The only way to tackle a challenge?

Repetition is a key part of mindfulness, of meditation, of taking time to stop the rush and recalibrate ourselves. It appears in many ways and many forms – the regularity of the stride in running or walking (as so many will experience this weekend), the rhythmic movements of knitting, crochet and many other crafts orContinue reading “REPETITION. Boring? Essential? Meditative? The only way to tackle a challenge?”

Maintenance payments- necessary evil or precautionary tale

We all need a bit of maintenance at times – some of us more than others. Homes, offices, boats and ourselves. The saying goes that BOAT stands for Bring Out Another Thousand, so we’re lucky that all this month’s work has been reasonably economical, although it’s adding up and has cost dearly in time. RegularContinue reading “Maintenance payments- necessary evil or precautionary tale”

Don’t get sent to Coventry

If living and working on the move has taught us anything it’s not to take anything at face value, or live by what others tell you. Go out there and find out for yourself, and test your preconceptions, particularly if they were built on hearsay, or experiences from the past – things change over time,Continue reading “Don’t get sent to Coventry”

Sort your life out – online and in person

Boaters know only too well the impact of too much stuff. Life becomes more difficult – it’s physically more difficult and uncomfortable to move around an overcrowded boat. Life also becomes mentally more difficult – “the clutter effect” psychologists say. It results in increased stress, lower life satisfaction and I’m not talking about hoarders, butContinue reading “Sort your life out – online and in person”

Leaving home

How do you leave your home for the holidays? Empty the fridge, check doors and windows are closed, pull the front door shut, turn the key in the lock, perhaps even set a burglar alarm, and head off.  Similarly how do you leave the office for a break? Put up an out-of-office email, log outContinue reading “Leaving home”

Channelling our inner detectives – hell with water

Living afloat we are very aware of the importance of water for life and for transport. News stories this week warn of a current drought risk across parts of England. That’s a commercial danger for agriculture. The map from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology indicates it could affect our cruising plans this year.Continue reading “Channelling our inner detectives – hell with water”

How are your batteries? Are we running down?

At work or at home how often do you think about flicking a switch and getting power to illuminate your life or recharge your devices? Bet you only really think about it when you flick the switch and nothing happens? Living and working off grid as we do 24/7, power is not something we takeContinue reading “How are your batteries? Are we running down?”