. . . well, strictly speaking it was a canal. Part of the old Somerset Coal Canal. 'Er Indoors had said she would like to me to hire a boat for her birthday present so, being an obedient hubby, I obliged and today we set off to Limpley Stoke to have our trip.
The boat was an electric powered day-boat. It was so quiet you had to listen hard to hear the motor running. In fact the bilge pump made more noise than the main propulsion motor.
It was idyllic sauntering along at the maximum-allowed speed of about 4 mph just watching the world go by around us. Ducks, geese, mayflies and many birds were spotted in grand abundance - including several broods of ducklings being shepherded by their mums!
We found a place to stop and banged a couple of stakes into the bank to moor the boat while we ate salads and fruits for lunch. We both had great fun trying to steer. At first neither of us could get used to the fact that when you turned the wheel it took a year-and-a-half before you could detect any reaction from the vessel. There were some quite narrow sections to get through but we managed it without bumping (more or less!)
All in all, a beautifully tranquil trip which we both agreed we would like to repeat.
It somewhat makes up for the postponement of my wife's flying lesson. But, as she said, it still leaves her something to look forward to!
Meanwhile - the idyll is about to be destroyed!
Tomorrow the wife goes to Cheltenham to bring Offspring Junior home from university. He's finished his course and is now just awaiting his results to see if he has gained his degree.
Then, on Friday, we all go to Birmingham to listen to Offspring Senior's final recital for his degree and then bring him home as well!
Oh shit!
The peace and quiet will no longer be peaceful nor quiet.
I think it will take both of us a little while to get used to being part of a larger family again.
Don't get me wrong - I'm very proud of both my kids. They've both worked hard and deserve to get their degrees.
But it is going to take some getting used to the idea of being four instead of two . . .
The boat was an electric powered day-boat. It was so quiet you had to listen hard to hear the motor running. In fact the bilge pump made more noise than the main propulsion motor.
It was idyllic sauntering along at the maximum-allowed speed of about 4 mph just watching the world go by around us. Ducks, geese, mayflies and many birds were spotted in grand abundance - including several broods of ducklings being shepherded by their mums!
We found a place to stop and banged a couple of stakes into the bank to moor the boat while we ate salads and fruits for lunch. We both had great fun trying to steer. At first neither of us could get used to the fact that when you turned the wheel it took a year-and-a-half before you could detect any reaction from the vessel. There were some quite narrow sections to get through but we managed it without bumping (more or less!)
All in all, a beautifully tranquil trip which we both agreed we would like to repeat.
It somewhat makes up for the postponement of my wife's flying lesson. But, as she said, it still leaves her something to look forward to!
Meanwhile - the idyll is about to be destroyed!
Tomorrow the wife goes to Cheltenham to bring Offspring Junior home from university. He's finished his course and is now just awaiting his results to see if he has gained his degree.
Then, on Friday, we all go to Birmingham to listen to Offspring Senior's final recital for his degree and then bring him home as well!
Oh shit!
The peace and quiet will no longer be peaceful nor quiet.
I think it will take both of us a little while to get used to being part of a larger family again.
Don't get me wrong - I'm very proud of both my kids. They've both worked hard and deserve to get their degrees.
But it is going to take some getting used to the idea of being four instead of two . . .
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