How does your immediate world look? In these times of uncertainty it can be invaluable to focus on the minutiae of life, the things we can affect, and to ensure others know the good parts, the best bits. We’ve been struck this week by how unique our individual maps are. We’ve travelled this week –Continue reading “Mind maps – mapping the past for the future”
Tag Archives: travel
Offering thanks to ‘The Schemer’
We are only here moored this week in Derbyshire because 260 years ago an Act of Parliament brought into reality the vision of a self-taught engineer united with the foresight of two wealthy businessmen. Without James Brindley, politician and industrialist Lord Gower and Josiah Wedgwood a famous potter, the Grant Trunk Canal now known asContinue reading “Offering thanks to ‘The Schemer’”
It is just FAB in action
FAB aka Fading Affect Bias has been enacted on board nb Preaux in just a few days. Within hours of the flood warnings for navigation being lifted and the repairs to a lock ahead being complete, the sun came out and off we went. By the time we had navigated through Barrow Deep Lock, underContinue reading “It is just FAB in action”
Living in yesterday today
Guess what – we are still moored on the River Soar, and because we are back in flood again it seems we might be waiting a little longer! John Flower, a renowned landscape and architectural artist of the 18th and 19th centuries was known as ‘the Leicester artist’, and he knew the Soar intimately. HeContinue reading “Living in yesterday today”
Changes
The world is full of gloom and uncertainty but our own small world has changed completely in these past few days too. A week ago after a a day of dry towpaths and sunshine, the evening turned to rain – torrential rain. All night it rained and by the time we awoke the towpath hadContinue reading “Changes”
Live your dream
Many of us start a new year with a reflective look back at the old, but for us circumstances have resulted in a rather further look back than usual. With a new grandchild very imminent we are back in the area where we started our narrowboat living journey over 5 years ago, and that hasContinue reading “Live your dream”
What to do when the only certainty is uncertainty
2025 has been been a dramatic year living afloat on the inland waterways. It started on New Year’s Day with a large breach of the Bridgewater canal at Little Bollington in Cheshire, a breach which is still being repaired. It ends with a dramatic breach on the Llangollen Canal near Whitchurch. Luckily neither of theseContinue reading “What to do when the only certainty is uncertainty”
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from all of us aboard nb Preaux
Coming, going and an invitation for you
It’s been looking a lot like Christmas this week. The on/off flood situation continues and water remains an issue both around and in the boat. And Christmas is edging nearer. Last weekend saw our annual four generational family meal, which the boating community made easier. The river was rising as Boatdog (in a coat toContinue reading “Coming, going and an invitation for you”
Soar-ing deep, high and demanding
In one of his 43 poems – yes, 43 – about the life of a river, Ted Hughes observes: The winter floods have ruined her. She squats between draggled banks, fingering her rags and rubbish.” And so it is as the flood waters drop on a river leaving debris hanging from overhanging branches andContinue reading “Soar-ing deep, high and demanding”
Pickingupducks 