Arrived at Midland Chandlers with our son George and a car full of ‘necessities’ for the boat – who knows if I really need my biggest fluffiest dressing gown and at least 5 sets of thermals! I think Richard has been far more disciplined than me on the clothes front but I dont like the idea of being caught short. However the boat does have a washing machine and once I master what an ‘inverter’ is and what it does I am sure all my electrical appliances will work perfectly. We came up on Thursday with a carload of things so all I need to do now is find homes for everything and make sure I can remember where I have put them.
Met up with James who gave us an explanation on how everything works and then we are ready for the off. George meanwhile has picked up his girlfriend Miranda from the train station and we all embark on the Oxford canal, with Richard at the helm. I thought, with extra pairs of hands on board for 24hrs, it would be best to tackle the Braunston tunnel and 7 locks but James assured us this was a bad idea on a Saturday and persuaded us that it made far more sense to travel along to The Folly pub, stay the night and return the next day. Being Covid aware and not liking the look of the canal water, I have plenty of hand sanitizer to hand. Or at least I did until Richard decided to take a corner at a sharper angle than necessary and bang, we knocked our first bridge, hand sanitizer, all 500ml, disappeared into the water, never to be retrieved. Lesson number 1 – keep everything loose in the boat, not on the roof. At least the fish are Covid free!
Well, it was worth the journey. The Folly pub was exceptionally well run, all outside with a wonderful firepit to keep us warm and food served in disposable boxes which were then compostable (the landlord assured us that by peeing on them first, they produced the most wonderful compost for his wife’s vegetable garden!) . The food was delicious and the atmosphere incredibly friendly and welcoming with lots of chat around the firepit. By the time we returned to Wind Rose the wood burning stove had done its job and we were toasty warm. Infact so toasty it was like a sauna, and if it goes on being this efficient I certainly won’t need my fluffy dressing gown and furry Ugg boots!
Reflection Luke Ch 8 v22-24
One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
On my Instagram it reads ‘Narrowboat TLC’ Richard, Mary and God.’ I very much feel that God is part of our journey on this boat and it’s exciting to think what adventures we may have. I remember being told that a rope with three strands is much stronger than a two stranded one and that is why, if God makes up a constant strand in our life, he can help in the strengthening of our relationships with others. One thing I have already learnt is that ropes are an essential part of boat life!
NarrowboatTLC 