Turned on the engine to warm up the boat. Have decided the radiators definitely get hotter with the engine running, so although you can run the radiators with the engine off, it is not as efficient. An hour or so of engine power allows enough hot water for a hair wash, shallow bath and a basin full of washing up water! Such a precious commodity. The next time we fill up with water we have to reverse into a lock and open the swing bridge. It may take a few hours so you can see why we do not want to waste water. We have at least 30L of portable water containers so we can keep refilling them so extend the time between tank refuels.
Turning on the engine does involve opening the hatch from our bedroom cabin to get outside, usually when I am still under the duvet. Today R was greeted with the Marie-Celeste of Milton Keynes – a humdrum workboat sans crew being gently wafted along the water. Somehow it ended its journey straddled across the canal having glanced off a moored boat, with the owner of said boat busy on phone, probably to the Canal River Trust!
We went for a very wet walk. The rain was spitting as we left the boat and grew steadily heavier. We would never have ventured out if we had known how hard it would rain, but I am so glad we did. Rain or no rain, I always feel so much better after a walk. It’s so funny, so many of my friends are dog owners and thus dog walkers. Many of them seem to think a walk is pointless without a dog. I totally disagree. Of course if you have a dog that is lovely, but even without one, a walk is one of the best forms of exercise I can think of. It doesn’t cost anything, you can choose your pace, your route, your companion. As long as you dress for the weather even inclement conditions can be overcome and there’s nearly always something of interest to see. It might just be cloud formation, or shapes of trees, or graffiti on a wall. If lucky, you may see birds of prey or deer or new shoots peeping through the ground. Reminders of life and the beauty of God’s amazing creation. You may also squelch through mud and puddles and see litter discarded thoughtlessly, but if you are a good citizen like R and occasionally set forth with a litter picker and a rubbish bag, you can combine your walk with your good deed for the day! I prefer to set forth with a mask, sanitizer and a plastic card in the hopes I will pass a decent coffee shop! And you never know who you might meet on your way and what unexpected conversations you may have. So I was excited today even in the rain to explore Fenny Stratford and see what delights it might have to offer along the high street. In truth to say I was disappointed. Obviously I didn’t expect to see non essential shops open but there just were hardly any shops at all! A few takeaways and a couple of convenience food stores were in evidence but not a lot else.
One disadvantage of a wet walk and a small boat is where to hang your wet outer clothing on return and how best to dry out sodden footwear. However once the stove is lit and the kettle on, its a lovely feeling to be in the warm, with the rain rhythmically drumming on the outside of the boat, knowing you don’t have to go out again and by the time you do, all the wet gear will have dried from the heat of the stove. Having said that it is a good idea to put the dry clothes away before bed or the damp will seep through as the air cools overnight. R, now we are warm and cosy in bed has just reminded me that I forgot to put anything away! I was distracted by two lengthy Zoom calls with friends, making and eating supper, and an episode of ‘Vera’ followed by an episode of ‘Mum’. Amazing where the time goes!
NarrowboatTLC 