another new beginning

On 28th December, amid freezing fog and icy towpaths, I moved Don't Panic from Barton Marina to Fradley Junction. Not to the mooring I actually bid and paid for, but to a mooring a little way up, tying to chains rather than mooring rings. That makes it interesting in a lock flight, since the water level is constantly changing and so I could come back to find the boat hung up on the wall if I tie her too tight. But having the ropes loose means that every time I move about on the boat, she rocks and thumps against the side. It is also dark on board because the wall is quite high which makes getting off and on interesting! However I am at least here and not in the marina any more and Fradley is lovely - even in freezing fog.

I managed to speak to the senior moorings manager, who has visited the site. It was like pulling teeth, but eventually he did admit that the description of the mooring site 'contained inaccuracies'. He refused to admit that it was actually a different mooring they had been advertising, and when I pointed out that the boat on that mooring had an expired mooring permit, he said he wouldn't know anything about that! Strange, considering he is the 'senior moorings manager'. I won't bore you with our tediously drawn out conversation, but the result of it was that I will be provided with temporary free parking while I am on the chain mooring. If I don't feel safe there, I am allowed to go onto the visitors moorings opposite, on a temporary basis. Then he has agreed to look for a more suitable mooring in the New Year. I was happy with that, until he said that if they find another mooring, I will have to pay the guide price for it, rather than the amount I won the bid with, which is likely to be more money. I pointed out that it would effectively mean I would be paying for British Waterways' mistake. Still, one argument at a time. I will wait to see what, if anything, they offer me and then negotiate the price. They are amazing though. He wouldn't budge an inch to start with - even trying to make out that they couldn't give me free parking as they weren't in control of the car park. When I pointed out it was a BW car park, he said 'Oh, well I mean it's not my department'.

So I am off the umbilical cord of the Marina. It's quite scary really. If I run out of diesal, I won't have any power (because I wouldn't be able to charge the batteries) In normal weather that's not really an issue, but we have had frozen canals here recently and if I can't move her, then I would be without water as well as power. It also crossed my mind that if I slipped and injured myself - or worse - nobody would know and it could be days before anybody noticed! So I need to keep reminding myself not to panic and to remember one of my favourite sayings - 'Don't let your fear stand in the way of your dreams'.

Having calmed my fears somewhat, I commuted to work for the first time today and my car broke down!! That hadn't been a worry of mine until it happened. Fortunately I had reached Barton when it happened, but I had a horrible picture of Bonny and I having to walk the two hours home in the dark and pouring rain. But helpful people helped me at Barton and it turned out that all the water on the road had temporarily drowned my engine. At least I hope that's it - I'll find out in a couple of hours when I return home.

Despite the difficulties and anxieties, I am still sure this is the right next move for me. It is refreshing in a way to worry about such basic requirements as warmth, power and water. It puts other anxieties into perspective and in a strange way it makes me feel more alive!

So, at the dawn of another new year, I face another new start. I hope for all my readers that 2010 will be a great year of challenges overcome and hopes realised. Happy New Year!