Autonomy

Hey Everyone..

 

I've been back on the boat for a while now, but been putting off blogging. Sorry about that. Truth is, I am sick to death with hearing about bloody islam. and how all the religious violence and terrorism in the world, is "nothing at all to do with islam". I am appalled with the BBC for rebranding 'islamic terrorists' as 'militants'. I am appalled by Labour councils enabling and defending paedophilia. I'm also appalled by the current shower of government, doing absolutely bugger all about bugger all. But I am at least thankful, that as we live on a boat, we don't have to pay for any of their blatant propaganda, lies and bullshit. Beyond what they can wheedle out of us on VAT.


Moving swiftly on..... We recently heard from our good friend Peter Roberts.... who had this to say....

"I have brought myself up to date with your blog, interesting life you people lead. but you have let it tail off this last 6 months, as though things have stopped happening. I am sure that is not true. and you could easily find some one to upset, so that you can insult them or it."

well, yes... there are 1.6 billion idiots I could upset, quite easily. you know, the ones that mustn't be insulted with satirical pictures of their 'prophet', because they don't live in the 21st century, like the rest of us. the ones who hate the west and it's freedom of speech so much, yet love it's adidas trainers, mobile phones and it's tolerance of them spouting vile hatred against it's institutions. any opposing voices get prison sentences for "racially aggrevated behaviour". even though a manmade religion is clearly, not a race. people have been arrested for holding a contrary opinion to the "religion of peace" on twitter and facebook (neither of which i use anymore, naturally). The politically correct world is patently insane, and one must now be ultra careful what one utters in a public space (ie: the internet). Sometimes, it has been best to say nothing at all. and remain at liberty.

Music ~ Absolutely Haram

So, moving swiftly on, before I insult anyone else...

Our lives have changed very much, since Sheena's mum died. I spent the winter landlubbing down on the Devon/Dorset border, where our mobile phones didn't work. You can get a phone signal out in the deepest Sarangeti, but not on the Devon/Dorset border. Xmas and new year came, and went. Many days passed by, in a grey drizzly blur. The wind blew, but the house didn't move. It was odd to be so cut off from nature. Whereas on the boat, we are in amongst it. Mostly, we were biding our time until probate could finally be resolved, and our normal life on the boat could be resumed again. As of today, things have still not been resolved fully, and probate trundles it's way inexorably onwards at it's own snail's pace. Which means that Sheena is still not back here full time. The river has red boards all along it's length. So nobody is going anywhere, at present. The cherry on the top, is that our tenants in London, are threatening to withhold the rent we need to survive, because of a damp problem (which they caused). Our shit, at the moment, is incredibly tight, so to speak. And as the old nautical saying goes, we're sailing "very close to the wind".



Nice new Chimney

High points of the last few months.... Watching film four's Werner Herzog season, with Sheena, on the boat, in front of the glow from a well stuffed Squirrel. Finally getting myself a "cheap ass" chinese laptop (only took 3 years), stuffed with ad and spyware which needed removing. Replacing the chimney that Sue and Vic donated to us years ago, because it had corroded away so badly. (thanks Sue and Vic, it did us proud). Sumo, in good health, and back snoring on the couch, where he belongs.

Sheena says "There are no mosques on the river bank". And she is, of course, right. So there is plenty to be thankful for. And our life that can be led, away from the stupidity of other people and their bronze age sky fairies. Didn't John Paul Sartre have something to say about that? So, no complaints, really.

6.5 tonne of Aluminium

Now I've broken the ice, and actually posted my first blog entry for many months, I will try to keep things more up to date. On a day to day basis, as long as I remember to stay away from the news, and the newspapers, I am fine. I'm in good health. And high spirits. Sorry if my rant has offended you, but I firmly believe that followers of the doctrines of organised religion are mentally ill. Hence, our boat name.

Hope you all are fine too.



Happy New Year

Happy new year, everyone.
Hope you are happy, warm and in good health.

We're fine. Sumo gets a nice countryside walk every day. Past a babbling brook (the river Lym), which he can jump in, should the fancy take him. He's also got a nice comfy armchair to sleep in.

Our phone battery has died, and it will be a while before we can get a replacement. If you've been trying to contact us and failed, that's probably the reason why. Sorry.

We aim to be back, as soon as we can. But still don't know when that will be.

Our News

Sheena's mum passed away peacefully in her sleep on monday morning.

I've just completed an epic three day journey downstream. Day one: Abingdon to Beale Park. Day two: Beale Park to Temple Lock. Day three: Temple lock to Bourne End. A lot of hours at the tiller. But, the river was kind, the engine behaved and the journey went without incident. Apart from mister scuffing up the bed in Marsh Lock. Why that particular lock should annoy him so much, I don't know.

Oh, and such was my desperation for pork pies, and wanting to say hello to Vic No Problem (at Reading Tesco), I ever-so-slightly bounced off of Still Rockin's bow. Oops. Sorry. And then attempted to take off while still tied up! Classic. Managed to catch up with Sue near the milk, and conveyed the news to her. It was great to see them both, however briefly. Sorry I didn't have time to stop and chat, George.

To sum up the 2014 season, I would say that it's been "very quiet". There have been the usual manic bursts around the bank holiday periods, as per usual. But boating conditions have been near perfect. With hardly any flow, and beautiful weather to accompany it. Upstream of Osney bridge, it was practically deserted. For, me, personally, there hasn't been the stress of finding somewhere to moor up this year. And with the river being so gentle, manuevering single handed hasn't been that much of a problem, either.

So, that's me for a while. Don't know when I will be back. Sumo is fine, and seems to have forgotten all about his operations. We're needed down in Devon now. Cheers everyone. As my grandmother used to say :-

"Make sure you live every day".

As a liveaboard on the Thames, you get to see this every day. What the picture doesn't convey is the total absence of modern day noise. You can hear the birds sing, and the wind in the trees. There are no car alarms, police, or ambulance sirens. If there is a road or a railway track, it is tucked away at a considerable distance, discreetly behind some trees. Before I moved onto the river, I didn't think such a thing was possible.

Quiet

That is, until a "Le Boat" hireboat decided to moor right up my arse, and then run their water cooled inboard generator (splash rumble splash rumble) *and* engines (loud rumble rumble rumble x2) until 23:30. I blame the hire fleet for not explaining to them that such behaviour would get them labeled as "inconsiderate assholes" by other boaters.

Abingdon WW1 Historical event

The young lad on the white horse was a nice touch. Very poignant. There were a number of other people in period costumes and uniform. Unfortunately, all of them far too old for military service. And rather (shall we charitably say) portly. The event, appeared to my eyes, as more about charitable donation than rememberance. It would have been nice to have seen more young people involved in it. Though, all credit to Abingdon, for putting on something out of the ordinary again.

Autumn is coming

Stopped off briefly at Wallingford, so that mister could stretch his legs. The willows are starting to moult.

Beale Park

He always has a whale of a time here. The perfect place to run around like an idiot.

Pootle

Pinkhill Panorama

Tucked up, yesterday

Tail-Up swim sesh

Northmoor Beach

Pinkhill Lock ~ Self service

Ye Olde Lock Wheel

Trip Hazard

I love this bridge at Oxford Cruisers, Eynsham. It's amazing it's stayed up for so long. Or is even allowed in this health and safety obsessed day and age. Looks like it was made by a concrete hobbyist with astigmatism. "Oh f*ck it, that will do", I imagine they said. Brilliant.

Not a puff or ripple

Basically, I've just "fannied around upstream" for a bit.

I wish I could say it was "without a care in the world", but our lives are such a juggling act at the moment, it was nice to tick a few days off the calendar in such a relaxed way. With parts of the world in complete turmoil, I fully appreciate that I am lucky to be able to just put things to one side, and bimble about (or not) as the fancy takes me.

Anyway.... No accidents, No dramas, Nothing broke. We had enough food, and the milk didn't curdle. Hard to believe it's nearly mid september, because the sun was full on shorts and t-shirt style.

On the busiest day, I think I saw three boats.

Every time I come up past Osney bridge, I'm struck by the completely different character of the river. The pace is considerably slower, because you're not getting bumrushed by GRP cruisers racing to the next lock. The upper reaches have a lot of wide open meadows, which are in stark contrast to the curtain of willows further down. When it's raining, and you have the wind full in your face, it's not quite so lovely, sure.

But we had sunshine and dragonflies.

Getting the Sniffs

Pinkhill. All to ourselves. Not a cloud in the sky. Awesome.

Apologies for the lack of updates recently. The connection between iPhone and laptop has been tempermental. And the sky has often been overcast with a blanket of grey. The boat is fine. We are fine. Just waiting for Sheena to come back, so we can have some quality time again.

PS. We met the boater who disposed of the "Mooring Fees" signs at Cliveden Islands, all those years ago. So, I stand corrected.

All Clear

Sumo's lumps turned out to be benign. His last stitches come out on Thursday, and then we can travel again.

Eight Quid

We've just been charged £8 for stopping on the Cliveden islands. Both of us were too tired and stressed about Sumo to argue and put forth the "No signs..... No money" proposition. Though we are thankful to report that a few boats downstream did. The gentleman who collected the money said that some signs had gone up three years ago, but that they were vandalised and disappeared almost immediately. Not to call him a liar, but we've never seen them. and we've been coming here quite a bit over the last 5 years.


We're not expecting the bushes and trees to be cut back. or to see the moorings dredged. Based on the evidence of my own eyes, I assume they'll be left to become more overgrown and shallow than they currently are.

Huge wodges of the river are now fee paying for an overnight. Many of these places seem to settled on the sum of £8. Even though they provide no services whatsoever.