Sharing enriches and reinforces life

For so much of the past year we’ve been unable to share our lives, our experiences with others in person. It’s one thing to write about life and work afloat, another to experience it. This week we’ve been in the company of three groups of delightful people – learning from them, sharing with them howContinue reading “Sharing enriches and reinforces life”

Life and Death and Tiller Itch

Tiller itch was something I first heard from Robbie Cummings and I agree with him  – it sounds revolting! (If you want to know what life is really like living on a cruising narrowboat Robbie Cummings’ Canal Boat Diaries are a MUST). It has been a month now since we arrived in Leicestershire and we’ve notContinue reading “Life and Death and Tiller Itch”

It’s down to us all

We had a delegation from the future on board nb (narroboat) Preaux this past week and I am proud to believe they left impressed – apart from one who was aghast at how we could live without a 96 inch TV on board, even though I have no idea if one would even fit! IContinue reading “It’s down to us all”

20 tips to make the most of any holiday – afloat or even ashore

Top 20 tips drawn from hard experience – ours and others – here to help you have a fab holiday. Packing – whatever you think you need in terms of luggage – halve it! If you think the old waterproofs from the back of the hall cupboard will be fine, put them on and standContinue reading “20 tips to make the most of any holiday – afloat or even ashore”

Communities that care

This week has reinforced both the diversity and importance of community for us. There have been times we’ve needed help and there have been times we’ve been glad to help others, and to celebrate with them too. We’ve seen communities that have been created with vision and communities which have developed organically. We’ve recognised howContinue reading “Communities that care”

A new take on life

What we think of our world depends on how we look at and interact with it. We’ve chosen to move more slowly by living and working afloat and we know that has allowed us, in fact given us the priviledge, of seeing things differently. It’s possible to see more of the world unfolding in frontContinue reading “A new take on life”

Ice inside and out… nature lessons… and our few last nights locked down

To mark our extended stay here in Willington, South Derbyshire we commissioned a figurehead for the boat from the talented Paul and Christine on Foxtrot (@Foxtrotand Wood ‘N’ Crafts). Willington Will, our guiding mallard duck will see us right! We’ve also had our first Easter living on the boat so Happy Easter everyone. I reallyContinue reading “Ice inside and out… nature lessons… and our few last nights locked down”

Frightening fire onboard! Treats and making a living afloat.

The small 24 ft fibreglass cruiser behind us had a fire onboard on Sunday afternoon. The first I knew was clouds of what looked like yellow smoke billowing across the towpath – it turned out to be powder from a discharging fire extinguisher. The new boater on board fortunately was OK and so was hisContinue reading “Frightening fire onboard! Treats and making a living afloat.”

Planning our great escape from lockdown

Lockdown has been a long haul this time – not a long haul that takes us to new locations but a long haul to nowhere which has reinforced why segregation is used as a punishment in prisons. It seems ironic that taking off on a boat to enjoy a panoply of changing sights, sounds andContinue reading “Planning our great escape from lockdown”

Making changes – reducing impact. Positive wins in lockdown and beyond

Hunkering down on a canal can, we’ve recognised, be a good place to be during a storm as water levels are managed in a way that’s difficult (if not impossible) on a river. We sat listening to Storm Christoph winds howling (and stealing a piece of fake grass off our roof which was protecting theContinue reading “Making changes – reducing impact. Positive wins in lockdown and beyond”