Day three of our little narrow boat holiday and I am really enjoying life in the slow lane. In fact I think each one of us is and we each have different reasons to savour this. Without doubt, it really is what the Doctor ordered for us and it seems to be working a treat.
Yesterday I had a 3+ mile run in the morning as we were emerging from Milton Keynes. Thoroughly enjoyed it but it did seem a bit of an effort with ankles which are a bit puffy these days (kidney stuff). If ever there was a reason or season to take exercise, this is it.
Occasionally we get to talk to others on the canal, at locks or when filling the water tank. One man, the Numbers Man, spoke in numbers. When he knew where we were heading he said….
“oh that will take you 10 to get there, mind you, you have those 7 locks which you might get through in 2. You know lots of people live on the canal and work in town? Yeah it costs 4 to have a boat on the canal and you save 2 in Council tax and another 1 or 2 in other bills. It only takes 50 to get into town from here and you can easily make 30k there”.
Another man, Steve, told me he retired a few years ago and lives on the canals all year with his wife. He commented on how the dog-eat-dog nature of “life out there is creeping into life on the water”.
I asked him what he meant and he explained the selfish side of people, their greed and impatience is appearing on the water these days. When he first switched over to life in his newly purchased boat he was taken advantage of by someone who covered over a number of serious defects in his boat. Since then he’s been on his guard it seems, although he did speak of most as being nice folk. Life on the water had made him appreciative of things and the honest nature of people. As always, I love hearing these stories.
Mind you, life on our little boat has also been interesting. At one point when I was with Rachel and Hannah at the front, Becky suddenly appeared which caused me to quickly ask “Who’s steering the boat Becky?”
”Oh it’ll be okay for a minute on this straight bit” I rushed to the back and take the tiller and quickly gain control. This is classic wedding speech material, which is coming up soon!
Hannah went for a little paddle in Eric, the kayak. All was so peaceful at dusk while she clocked up a couple of miles. I walked along the towpath and tried to keep her in sight. It was idyllic.
Our route took us through the Blisworth tunnel, which we have done before. Quite a testimony to those Victorian engineers who constructed the canal system with such skill, tenacity and (probably) a measure of coerced labour. It took us about 30 minutes to get through and it was so lovely hearing Becky and Hannah singing Ave Maria with all the echoing effects.
Below are a few photos depicting our holiday so far. It is very relaxing and the effect of travelling at 4mph is almost hypnotic; you lose all sense of time as the landscape drifts by.
I am truly thankful this beautiful middle England remains the same year after year. We have enjoyed soft, hazy sunshine which make the gentle landscape seem so restful. Yellow rape seed is starting to appear. Hedgerows and trees are in blossom or are sprouting new leaves for the summer ahead; how lovely. Somehow the wranglings over Brexit, the craziness of Donald Trump and all other news seem so distant here. Yes, we are truly blessed here.
