Sadness

As the sadness comes and the tears follow, it occurs to me that with all happiness comes some sadness and perhaps happiness alone is a life unfulfilled.
To have someone taken away, one of the good ones, the great ones, seems unfair, but we mustn't be selfish and should share the spirit of the special ones and relieve their pain.

Thinking of all those suffering the pain of loss today.

Rxx

Flying time

4 weeks ago today I started my big adventure, here we are again in Newbury Marina where it all started!  

Can't believe this has been my life for a just about a month, it really has flown.

I haven't long finished work and am completely shattered.  So no long ramblings tonight, just wanted to pop in.

We are heading to Aldermaston tomorrow, through Reading on Tuesday and slipping onto the Thames!  Lassoing lessons commence!

Night Night all.

P.s ran into an old friend yesterday in Hungerford, nice to see a familiar face, good to catch up after 4 years.  So much has happened in that time, for us both!  Great to see you Carrie.

P.Ps.  I decided that each week on my night off, I would go and have dinner.  A good hot meal, break away from work and time to chill.  Last night, I failed, I was too tired and not that hungry, so got a pot of Houmous, a bag of Tyrells, a bottle of red and sat in bed with my book!  Rock and a rolla!

Rxxx

Breasting

How enjoyable breasting up against Rebecca was last night.  Everyone does need one for a pillow after all!

Our breasting fun was in Great Bedwyn, we now know so well.  4th time of sleeping in the sleepy village.

We are now parked up in Hungerford and ready to deposit our guests tomorrow, very ready!

What an interesting week it has been.  Hmm interesting, very ambiguous.  I felt the best way to to describe them and the week we have had would be in a poem, I can't write poetry!  Perhaps if I find my self pint in hand tomorrow afternoon I shall give it a go!

I normally feel a pang on Fridays as I have say goodbye to the lovely folk, but this week it feels more of a relief, I am determined to refill the boat with positive energies and get our spirits back up again.

Wildlife spot of yesterday:  seeing a munk jack deer at the side of the canal, then sprinting into the aligning woodland.

Food of the day:  pork and leek terrine, makerel fillets with roasted veg and lemon mousse!  I even over heard a, that was nice comment!  I preserved it in vinegar and will send it back to them!

Smiles moment of the day:  Looking up and seeing a black lab half in the kitchen window drooling all over the surfaces, inches away from the mackerel fillets!  The poor owner, she was mortified!

Acheivement of yesterday:  At the top of the Crofton flight, the top gate was so very indeed stiff, I was there for about 5 minutes, with no movement, no nuffink not a whisper.  I ended up just leaning away from it, holding on, looking helpless, eventually I got it and it moved, just as the man on the boat waiting for us, started running over to help.  Bless him, he then said you deserve a pay rise for that!!  i did it though, me and my bicep!!

I love how people keep saying, wow what an amazing job.  It is a great feeling to have something other people are envious of and fascinated by.  Even on more difficult days, it makes me see, yes it really is wonderful!  I can take 5 minutes, sit on the roof with a cuppa, feed the baby ducks and all those issues just float away with all the other scum floating about on the canal.  By that I mean debris and pop, not actual people!  Everyone is so nice and friendly, I often get held up by chatting to people for ages.  There are of course excepetions, but I can't even remember any, most people are lovely and will do anything for you.  It is like it's own community on the waterways.  

Looking forward to my evening off tomorrow, no plans, just need some chill out.

Lotsa watery love

Rxxx

Caen Hill Part Deux

Completed!
We left our spot just outside Seend this morning, early doors.  Started locking at just before 8 and finished at about half one.  Still fun doing Caen hill but as much as the first time.  Beautiful sunny day though and still as amazing to look at the second time around!
I am crackered!  Just had a lunch stop in Devizes and now we are heading off to Honey street, so another 3 hours, but no locks.  I am ready to sleep, bring on 6 oclock!!

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Rxx

Annabelle

Thanks to the lovely soldier boys who let me gategrash their Stag evening on Sunday.  I had a blast.
We got chatting to them at Bradford-on-Avon whilst waiting to get through the very busy lock and then I bumped into them in tut pub later on.  They very generously baught me drinks and put up with my dirty mind and potty mouth!  I had such a giggle and haven't laughed that much in ages, I was in pain through laughter by the time I put my sensible hat on and headed home just before 11.
Was hoping to bump into them again yesterday but I did see the Father of the bride just now in Devizes!

Annabelle is now my alias, it was decided that being a hobo I must be on the run so should come up with different cover stories for each place I visit and each time someone new has to come up with it for me, so my version of Dave Gorman's goodle wack adventure!  Rosies Canal wack adventure!

I was also decided that I must be in some kind of Sweeny Todd story, the day in the kitchen the next day, just didn't feel the same!

Thanks guys
R xxx

Tiptriffic!

Change over today.  Always sad to say goodbye, but I am loving this tipping milarki!  Bloody brilliant! Everyone is so generous.  So I am hopeful I really will have managed to save money by the end of the season!
New people seem nice, but much more understated than we have been used, to hope they perk up!  Need to hear more laughter!

Achievement of yesterday:  I ate in a restaurant all by myself for the first time ever!  it was odd and scarey but was great.  I read my book with a couple of glasses o vino and a nice spicy pizza!  Go me!

Unhighight of the day:  Biting my tongue so hard that is bled.
Highlight of the day:  A duck coming up to the kitchen window and sticking his head in!!  For pure cheek value, I gave him some toast!
Giggle moment of the day:  Bottle of HP sauce throwing itself out of a basket on to the dining table, hitting the end of the spoon in the sugar bowl, caterpaulting brown sugar from one end of the table to the other, quite stunning!!

Leaving Bath in the morning, heading back the way we came, though Dundas and the amazing aqueduct and to Bradford on Avon.

I stocked up today on my little bedside stash, bottle of red, 4 beers, 2 packets of kettle chips, a packet of cashews and a packet of polos!!  Sorted for the boonie stretch!

Nighty night
R xx

Aquamazing

The person who came up with the idea of aqueducts is a god!
We moored last night at Dundas, on the top of an aquaduct, incredible!  The very concept still amazes me,  water up high, thats just crazy!!  Odd place though, tried to find a pub last night and ended up coming back to the safety of the boat after scaring the bejeesus out of ourselves in what seemed like the set of an 80's American horror movie!

We arrived in Bath today, here for the weekend and I have the afternoon/evening off!  Yippeee!  I am shattered, been chilling for a bit and now needing a pint so off for a wander.  I have dried out my wine stash, so need top ups, keeping a bottle of wine and several bars of dark chocolate on the shelf above my bed, does make me look like I have issues!!  Ah well, issues smissues!

HIghlight of the day:  yesterday's was hands down going over two aqueducts and seeing the canal, road and railway below.

Been a quiet day today, so not much to report.  Last night of passengers and newbies tomorrow.  Each week it's that little tingle of anticipation and hoping they are lovely!

R xx
P.s my feet are freezing, the boss soaked the floor of our bedroom in a lock and carpet is on roof drying, brrrr!!