Results from an experiment in living differently

Our “Let’s give it 2 years and see what happens” experiment in living and working afloat has just passed 5 years! In that time with our 50ft floating home/office/workshop we have travelled 3,530 miles, worked her through 2,328 locks (counting locks we’ve officially lock wheeled for others in that time we have worked 3,043 locks).Continue reading “Results from an experiment in living differently”

A week of Ws

Work. Wood. Wall cupboards. Work. Weirs. Waiting. Wallpaper and a bit more Work. That’s our week – how’s your week been? This weekend, we will be getting the wall cupboards and the final work done on the kitchen – thanks, Ben. It’s been a week of sanding, oiling, seriously admiring and stroking the tactile curvesContinue reading “A week of Ws”

Everything you ever wanted to know…and some you didn’t!

We seem to be a novelty after the floods have abated here in this part of Leicestershire. It is one of the lovely things we find about narrowboat living – people are curious about how we live because it’s a bit different. Additionally, we can often be found outside alongside or easily available sitting outContinue reading “Everything you ever wanted to know…and some you didn’t!”

If you think it’s worth it – give it a go!

Well we made it – we scraped the profile gauge that was supposed to be the indicator of whether we would get through the lowest openly navigable tunnel on the inland waterway network, but thought it was worth a try. If you think it’s worth it – give it a go – seems a worthyContinue reading “If you think it’s worth it – give it a go!”

What next? Where next? And How?

It’s been steaming this past week on the canal in more ways than one. Met up with steam-powered narrowboat Tixall on her way from Audlem to the River Weaver, and of course there’s been the heat from the weather, let alone a furnace producing steam! We’re starting August in a strange place in more waysContinue reading “What next? Where next? And How?”

Hooked on giving therapy, income and joy

Life alternates for us these days between a static floating existence at point A and frenetic activity before returning to point A. It seems perhaps how we used to live in the years before we moved afloat. It feels like living for a while with more gentle sunsets than electrifying sunrises. Family needs mean thatContinue reading “Hooked on giving therapy, income and joy”

365 Boatdog days

It’s a year since our ‘new’ furry Boatdog came aboard. She is her own character – nothing like her beloved furry predecessor Cola and definitely with a mind of her own. She spent the first six and a half years of her life as a breeding bitch, producing 4 litters of cockerpoo pups in thatContinue reading “365 Boatdog days”

Give, give up & give time to feel good

This weekend in London,  50,000 of the 500,000 runners who applied will run the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon. It will be the culmination of hundreds of hours of training for each runner, many long, lonely cold, and wet hours through the winter, getting their minds and bodies ready for this moment. Since itContinue reading “Give, give up & give time to feel good”

We’re a mine of information this week

For the first time ever we’ve a new reality beginning this week. Soon we shall be moving just a little for some time. Gone will be the long journeys across the country, or countries for a while. They will be something to look forward to and plan for the future, but for now we canContinue reading “We’re a mine of information this week”

Into every life, some rain must fall.

The British and boaters are obsessed with the weather. It plays a major part in how we live, enjoy and in our case, move, our floating home and office. Walking this morning as rain and sleet, hail and wind whipped my skin and Boatdog shivered beside me, I was in full agreement with the manContinue reading “Into every life, some rain must fall.”