Happy New Year,May We All Enjoy a Great Year Cruising.

Well 2010 was a great year for me, not only healthwise, as my operations have been successful, but I managed to buy my narrowboat Caberfeidh. Everything I touched seemed to work in my favour, well, apart from my suggestion that we should Liveaboard.
The boat is looking good, and most of the conversions are nearly done. Not bad, considering the weather we've been having. I'm still working on the wife !, hopefully, she will change her mind, but I know that whatever happens, I will be a permanant fixture on Caberfeidh at the start of this season. I have learned a lot by reading the many great blogs of the canals residents, and some of the fantastic Forums online. The supportive messages from wellwishers have only encouraged me that it is possible for me to go it alone. So as I wave goodbye to 2010, and life on the bank, I will raise a glass and look forward to a new life on the cut. Happy New Year Everyone, may 2011 bring health, wealth, and happiness to all my new friends.

Digging in for a Long Cold War

The bombshells been dropped, and now I'm sittiing among the shrapnel & debris. I've had it all, the tears, the anger, the hurtful slanging match, and now...Listen, hear that ? thats the sound of  'The Silent Treatment'. I'm just glad that we don't have any kids, as I couldn't go through with the ''Tell your father his dinners ready'' etc,etc. A  few things were said in anger, ( I hope), like, ''I just wasted 5 years of my life lookin after you'' and ''I wish I never allowed you to buy stupid boat''. Allowed ? I think she's taking marriage vows too far, Love honour & OBEY.
Oh well, I suppose I know the answer to her joining me on board now, something about Hell freezing over, which shouldn't be too long now, if weather forcast is anything to go by. -{thinks}' Wonder if the dogs wanna share their bed'.
So it's on to planning my life aboard Caberfeidh, I'll have to get on to the forum, as I need a lot of Newbie Liveaboard/Constant cruising questions thats gonna need answering ? Ducks to avoid low flying quilt. Oh, so its the couch for me then I take it. Night night.

The other side of me.

Just in-case you wonder what I do when I'm not working on the boat,in my spare time, I'm a stage hypnotist. it's lots of fun and goes down well at parties. See an example here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80j2xrVHc_c  This was me in Las Vegas where I did my training.

The Seven Year Itch ?

I sat here the other night (at home), staring out the window at the snow, it's -16 degrees out there, and my thoughts are with those out there on the cut. How are they coping ?  god, I've so much to learn if I'm to be one of them next year. ''Can you imagine being out there on our boat right now'' I said to Brenda, -'' No bloody chance'' says she, as she turns the thermostat up a few degrees.  Mrmm, not the right time to tell her that that's my intention then, eh ! ?  She has me by the proverbial testiclaires, as they say, as she has had full control of my life and where I go, since my accident. She does all the driving to and fro, has been steering the hireboats whilst I did the locking, ( I have to rest the paralysed right arm after  my last operation, to allow the transplanted muscle & tissue to grow). Damn, that driver, gone are the days when I could just jump on the motorbike, with tent on my back, and disappear for a few days.
We celebrated our 7th anniversary last week, both of us had come out of a previous bad relationships, and been on our own for years. I'd swore blind never to go down that road again, but here I am.  Apart from boats,we always had shared interests, and she was a regular pillion passenger on my trips to the MCC rallies. Don;t get me wrong she likes the boat, once I persuaded her to join me, but sees it as a holiday destination, escape, and not as I do, as a way of life. ''You love that boat more than you love me'' she just said, and I blush, she could be right ! Oh oh, I feel a guilt trip comin on. I almost feel that I'm having an affair, and I've just been caught out.I have already planned the 'new name trip' for next year, the route, places to see, things to do, features like the Pontcysyllte aquaduct,Anderton Boat lift etc just to say 'I've done that'.

So, we need to talk, and as the time draws nearer, I have to decide if I could go it alone, theres plenty out there who've done it, and I'm sure if I get stuck then I could always ask help from the many people I've met out there, and those I've yet to meet. Will she, won't she ? We'll see. Watch this space.