Strange times.

It's been a while...  (apologies picture heavy!)

Sometimes, life gets in the way of boating. A sad state, but true.

When we returned home after our summer cruise in late 2018, all seemed set for us to continue the following year. As usual, bless her, Ali got a job for the winter. A new role, in a different location, but a challenge she was more than up to. So we were set for the norm, new home , new job, boat at Dunchurch. All good.

Then life throws a twist. Whilst I have always been relatively healthy,  despite being an ex smoker, things were just not right. To cut a long story short, I spent the summer of 2019 in and out of hospital. A couple of invasive procedures, and one operation, sadly rescheduled, saw the end of the summer. It was a somewhat worrying time and boating, plus the blog took a second seat.

But I must say, a massive thank you to everyone within the NHS. We have this fantastic facility, rightly the envy of the world. Whilst at times, the road through seems a little disjointed, the treatment is brilliant, as are the staff, every one of them, from cleaners to surgeons. Thank you all.



And that was before Covid...

So, as it panned out, 2019 was not going to be a boating year. Ali was requested to extend her contract. The project she was working on needed her continuity. This fitted in with my somewhat haphazard appointments.  Not just the one problem to sort for me it seemed!,,

We did manage a short trip down the South Oxford  on the boat. A trip on a Mersey ferry from Liverpool to Manchester, a few hops up and down locally and the Leicester ring though. But not our normal treks by boat.

Mersey Ferry from Liverpool to Manchester May 2019

Leicester Ring July 2019

Oxford Canal September 2019

 HS2 destruction

Then came 2020....

Thus far, we, as with many others,  have sat it out at home. Ali is still working, albeit from home. Post lockdown, we have visited Market Harborough,  winded at Saddington, thence cruise the top pound of the Leicester line.

Still boating, but not as we formally knew it!

And, we are back at Crick. Seems to have an illogical hold on us, despite poor wifi, no TV and water pressure on a par with me going for a pee...

Leicester Line March 2020

Times be strange...

But we are lucky to be able to use the boat again and have this on our doorstep!

Leicester Line July 2020