Preparations

I went over to the boat today to deliver our new chair - a high backed grandad type, and a load of logs for the fire. It was a good job I had recently measured the boat entrances. The rear hatch is 60 cms wide and the chair was 58, so it only just went in. It looks good in its proper spot (I'll do a pic next time) and it should be comfortable for resting in the evenings. The fire logs came from a fallen tree (or part of) in a friends garden, and are(I think) sycamore. It remains to be seen how they burn. We're off cruising from Friday, so we'll soon find out.

Tomorrow (16th) is the day of the Save Our Waterways protest cruise past the Houses of Parliament. There's a heck of a lot of water hurtling down the Thames at the moment, so I hope they don't come to grief. I'll be with them in spirit, and I expect we'll see something of it on the news. Going up the tidal section of the Thames at any time of year in a narrowboat is not for the faint hearted. Not only can it be choppy, you have to watch out for all the big Thames trip boats and barges. Remember what happend to the Marchioness!