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”
Tag Archives: alternativeliving
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.”
Coming out makes us appreciate life
Leaving the marina, after a month of shuttling between there and bricks and mortar, to return to continuous cruising is liberating and also strangely different. We’re back living off grid, no longer connected via a 24volt shoreline to the mains. The gas hob automatic ignition no longer works, the shore light no longer operates andContinue reading “Coming out makes us appreciate life”
Slow boat to New York
This week we started our fourth year living and working from our 50ft narrowboat on the inland waterways of Britain, and in that time we’ve taken her the equivalent distance of the UK to New York. To date we’ve worked 1969 locks, travelled 2917 miles (43.5 of them underground in tunnels) and moved 193 bridgesContinue reading “Slow boat to New York”
Sink or swim?
Sink or swim is the refrain running through my head…along with waving or drowning. Our plan to beat the stoppages blocking our route to the Rochdale Canal has given us insights and challenges beyond our expectations. We’ve made our way across the country from west to east and are now moored in Nottinghamshire, on theContinue reading “Sink or swim?”
Taking control can change everything
We started our week in Marple, feeling frustrated and stuck. We finish it 52 miles, 31 working locks and 1 tunnel further on, feeling positive and upbeat in one of our favourite places. Moored as we now are at Great Haywood, on the edge of the historic Shugborough Estate, we are treating ourselves to aContinue reading “Taking control can change everything”
Frustrated, stuck and keen to be part of a solution – but how?
There is only one way to go right now for us, and that’s retracing our steps – literally. We are currently moored some yards from the junction of the Macclesfield Canal with the Peak Forest Canal having come up the Macc this week. Our aim was to head down the Peak Forest Canal via theContinue reading “Frustrated, stuck and keen to be part of a solution – but how?”
Intergenerational learning
Holidays can be delightful opportunities to catch up with family and friends. As more hire boats appear with families on board, we left the canal last week to catch up with significant others in bricks and mortar life. Lovely as it has been, it’s also lovely to come back to our gently rocking home. PossiblyContinue reading “Intergenerational learning”
Still afloat though it’s not all been plain sailing
We took a boat 34 years ago to our wedding not a narrowboat but a ferry boat with Jimmy the ferryman at the helm. I wore white with white wellies. The waters were not a canal but those of Loch Linnhe. Our destination was the Cathedral Church of St Moluag on the Scottish Island ofContinue reading “Still afloat though it’s not all been plain sailing”
Pickingupducks 