there were three in the bed

Well it's official, after three years we now have cabin fever. They said it would happen, and actually we didn't think it would take this long, but three years down the track, with the end in sight, the boat all of a sudden seems to have gotten smaller. Nate's toys seem to be bursting out of his toy basket, our clothes out of our wardrobe and even the kitchen cupboards seem to have shrunk.

Only we still don't know where we're going next ...

no fixed address

It never fails to amaze me how much of a spectacle a narrowboat passing through a lock becomes. Add to the equation a flashy modern boat and a cute toddler and crowds are drawn, infinite in number and unrelenting in their stare.

This afternoon I had another disturbing phone call from Woz. This time he and two mates had taken the boat out to Paddington. I was of course planning on coming home and relaxing but once again, a familiar conundrum presented itself. How is it that I can go home when indeed my home is not at home at all?

The answer today lay in the number 29 bus where I jumped off at Camden Lock to meet Woz, Dobs and Martin. Our past experience of Camden has been either passing through on the underground, an exercise which results in only a brief interchange with Camdenites, or to pass through via the canal, where the younger Camden crowd come face to face with the lock, and almost with ourselves. Venturing through Camden High Street on foot on a warm sunny afternoon however is an entirely different scenario. Pushing a buggy through the immense crowds who are knee deep in Doc Martens, clothed in black and sporting multi-coloured mohawks is an experience not to be forgotten and certainly one that left me feeling out of place.

I finaly met up with the guys at the lock, where millions of visitors (no word of a lie) photographed and recorded us as we passed Nate over the railings, then the buggy, then me.

I don't get it ... Boat goes in, gates close. Boat goes down, gates open. Boat goes out again. It's not that exciting.

But still they stare ...

mooring anyone?

What a rollercoaster ride the last few months have been.

On New Year's Day we had a phonecall from someone who had seen our site and was interested in viewing the boat. We'd only listed the boat a week or two before, and over the busy Christmas period so we hadn't anticipated much interest. We acted immediately and scheduled the viewing for later that afternoon. What a great start to the year!

The viewing took two hours as the enthusiastic couple questioned us on every detail and inspected the boat inside and out, getting very excited in the process. They left us high as a kite with full intentions to buy the boat. We then stopped taking viewings and put everyone else who contacted us on hold. A fortnight later with great reluctance they came back to us, regrettably unable to finance the purchase and terribly disappointed.

So were we.

But not for long, with viewings back on the cards our second intersted buyer came along. He too loved the boat and after a quick 20 min early morning viewing before work he too set off to organise the finance on the boat. A week or so later, he had bad news for us, and once again, our hopes were dashed.

I'd like to say we were very level headed about it all but in all honesty we had a few dark days there when we realised that the hard bit wouldn't be finding someone who loved the boat, but finding someone who could finance it. It really felt as though we'd never find anyone.

Last weekend we scheduled a third viewing ... she offered and the process began again. Things don't feel like they're on hold this time though as we've been busily exchanging emails and paperwork. Having given notice to British Waterways, if things go ahead we could be moving in as little as a month ... but where to?

According to our poll, our readers think that we should opt for a bigger boat. We're still searching, and should a mooring come up we'd love nothing more.

Anyone got a mooring up their sleeve?

slightly different from yesterday

like sunday morning

cashed up?

Of course there is always a plus side to publicity, particuarly when you have a captive market of obviously interested punters. At the risk of being completely inundated with questions, potentially making our leisurely afternoon into an advertising campaign we put up a 'For Sale' sign on our boat. Lots of photos just like this one were taken. Now we play the waiting game.

camera shy

Every man and his dog was out walking along the canal today. It was our first trip out since last Summer and somehow over the Winter months we had forgotten the amount of attention boaters receive when stopped at the locks. Everyone was looking into our boat, watching us working the lock and taking photos. Their unrelenting stare proved a little too much for me at times (ever the wallflower) and I realised I'd have to get used to it again, sort of like soft winter feet walking bare in the dirt again after months of socks and boots. At least that's what we did in the country!

gothic city

Those who have travelled with us through Camden Lock on a sunny day will know it is known for it's masses of young gothic revellers, loitering around the lock, sitting on it and generally seemingly unaware that it is used for anything other than a meeting spot for other paleskinned, dark haired friends.

On a winter's afternoon it was staggering (no pun intended) to see how many were out and already hitting the bottle. To me it seems such a waste but then maybe I'm just getting old.

Spot the odd one out.

have boat will travel

What to do with a gorgeous sunny Saturday? Invite friends over and take the boat out. At least for a little while ... all too soon our home will no longer be ours.

Today Lindsay and Delilah came over for lunch and we took the boat out for a short jaunt along the canal towards Paddington. Nate loved every moment (well at least the ones he was awake for).

everybody needs good neighbours

sundrenched

Basking in the morning sun. Hard to believe we're not even half way into February yet.


The forecast snow not only didn't arrive but in fact the sun shone most of the day and has done for most of the week. At this rate our deathly pale skin might even get a bit of a glow about it.