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”
Tag Archives: Canals
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”
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?”
Comfort zone 0: Benefit immense (apparently)
History tells when the Athenians learned the Persians had landed at Marathon en route to attack Athens in 490 BC, a messenger ran to Sparta for help. This first ‘marathon runner’ covered 260 kilometres of rugged terrain in less than two days! A runner (probably the same poor chap) subsequently ran from Marathon to AthensContinue reading “Comfort zone 0: Benefit immense (apparently)”
We don’t know what we’ve got ’til it’s gone
We take so many things for granted – lights that come on at the flick of a switch (thanks to our batteries and solar), water that runs at the turn of a tap (thanks to our tank and Canal and River Trust water points) and these days the apparently vital ability to summon maps, searchContinue reading “We don’t know what we’ve got ’til it’s gone”
Are you well balanced? We’re not…yet!
It’s only too late to get back on an even keel when you’ve capsized… a thought for us all and particularly those of us who live on boats where prevention is definitely better than cure. So this week has been about rebalancing our lives…and our home. It’s so easy when you have a 50 xContinue reading “Are you well balanced? We’re not…yet!”
Go slow in 2023
We float peacefully into yet another year in a world overshadowed by conflict, disputes and environmental threats. Sometimes it can seem that there is little we can do but we do all have a chance to reflect and reset our personal compasses for the year ahead to make a difference. Aboard nb Preaux we’re thinkingContinue reading “Go slow in 2023”
Pickingupducks 