Annually our Rector at church organises a Quiet Day for anyone who would like to join him, somewhere not too far to travel, and it centres around thinking about passages from a chosen book. I really can’t remember if last year’s QD happened or was cancelled but today the it was held on Zoom. That reduced the numbers as so many people are Zoomed out! But for those of us who joined it was really worthwhile and we had some very interesting discussions about the role of the church today; what it means to be a Christian, how we are perceived, what difference we can make in our local communities etc. R and I were pleased to be able to join in. In previous years that wouldn’t have been possible and if our boat trip had been as intended we probably wouldn’t have even been thinking about the QD. As it is our connection to our home church and other supportive Christian friends has really helped with our enforced isolation. Keeping regularly checked in with God in many different ways has encouraged us in the deepening of our faith as we have had time to reflect on the meaning of life and what our purpose is.
Our Quiet Day was slightly unusual as we had to combine it with moving the boat along an 11 mile stretch of water, that was thankfully lock free, and hope that when the reconvening moments in the day occurred we were somewhere suitable to moor up, with internet connection! It actually worked a treat and by 4pm we were even moored up at the exact place we needed to be; the top of a flight of 5 locks. I had reflected whilst on the helm and R had pottered around the boat. He was probably relieved to have a few hours of an unusually silent wife!
Easter wreath 
Boat garden 
The time pressure is to ensure we get to Banbury by tomorrow evening. We completed the flight of locks after the QD ended. For a change, R took to the helm whilst I worked the locks which were all manageable, with no impossibly heavy gates to manoeuvre. The single chambers fill so much faster than the GUC doubles. By 5.30 we were moored up, ready for tackling the remaining 7 locks tomorrow, in inclement weather if the forecast is to be believed. Today has been a dry coolish March day but plenty of blue sky.
We really feel like we are in the middle of nowhere as we are surrounded by fields and birdsong, with only the occasional distant freight trains rattling by. No car traffic humming in the background. The Oxfordshire rolling countryside is just that, fairly flat large vistas of green with animals gently grazing. Idyllic but a bit lonely. I don’t think I would like to be so isolated in the boat on my own.
Predictable evening of supper followed by Endeavour. We are rattling through the series. I went off to bed leaving R watching an episode of ‘Last Tango in Halifax’ and was rather surprised how late he came to bed. Transpires he fell asleep on the sofa!
NarrowboatTLC 