Older boats are like older houses. You start one job and another 6 make an appearance. They also demand because of their dimensions that doing work anywhere affects another area because everything has to move to produce working space. This week is a major milestone aboard Preaux, a week when we are making another massiveContinue reading “Living Jenga = excitement & chaos”
Tag Archives: decisions
Go slow and say no for a better life
We move slowly through life living and working on a narrowboat, but we get as much if not more done than we used to, at a fraction of the stress. Our stresses are perhaps different, but the pace at which we approach and deal with them appears to make that difference. I am particularly awareContinue reading “Go slow and say no for a better life”
New waters and nerve-wracking decisions
A change of scene does us all good, as boaters know only too well. This week we’ve begun exploring the Caldon, somewhere we’ve wanted to travel for the past five years. Problems with locks and water levels have stopped us until now, but now we are here. The Canal takes off from the Trent &Continue reading “New waters and nerve-wracking decisions”
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?”
Make your own choices
This week, after months of trying, we completed our journey down the Rochdale Canal. It was the only one of the three trans-Pennine canals we had yet to navigate. It has been a passage that has taught us much about the benefits of physical effort, determination, and making up our ownminds, making our own decisions.Continue reading “Make your own choices”
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?”
Locked into a communication cycle & going nowhere?
Years ago I ran a higher education Master of Arts degree in communications. This week has brought home to me again just how vital good, clear communication is to us all. In the mass media we’ve seen again the resulting maelstrom of rumour and speculation that takes off when hard facts are not communicated clearly.Continue reading “Locked into a communication cycle & going nowhere?”
Tough decisions, backtracking and emergencies – one hell of a week
Making tough decisions that result in backtracking on plans, goals and going against peer pressure are always tough, even when the vociferous peers in question are total idiots. That’s what we encountered this week, the oddest week we’ve had in our years afloat to date. We sat at Tarleton on the Lancashire coast last SaturdayContinue reading “Tough decisions, backtracking and emergencies – one hell of a week”
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”
Pickingupducks 