This winter has felt harder so far than either of the other winters I have spent on the boat. I think this is due in part to the freeze happening much earlier than usual and also that I am usually disgustingly healthy but have had 2 nasty colds in a row since my birthday. The current one is taking a long time to work through and I am not patient with my own illnesses or anyone else's for that matter either!
I finally managed to move the boat yesterday, for the first time since November 17th. It was such a relief to pump out and take on diesal and water. I was also delighted to turn around and so to be moored the 'proper way round' on my mooring. There is no right way of course, but for some reason I much prefer being moored facing Alrewas than Fradley - I don't know why, it just feels right!
Bonny has outdone herself by smashing her personal best for refusing to come back on a walk. Her previous record was six and a half hours, but Sunday before last she ran off at 7.45am at the beginning of our morning walk and returned at 6.30pm! I say returned, but she only got near home when I finally caught her; I don't know if she would have crossed the lock alone and come all the way back to the boat. What made it infinitely worse was this was a working day! So I had to take unpaid leave at a time when I really can't afford it. Usually when she run off she barks or pops out of the bushes every so often so I know she is OK. This time she utterly disappeared for all 10 and a half hours! So she is now permanently in bondage and I have made a vow to keep her on the lead until her second birthday in May. Meanwhile I will do loads of training with her. I don't know why I hate having to keep her on the lead so much. Apart from loving seeing her racing at full stretch after a rabbit / squirrel / anything that moves, I think it is because freedom is such a high value for me at the present. However her safety and my sanity are even more important to me so bondage it is!
On a brighter note, having filled up with diesel and done my sums I can now officially announce that my new fridge has just about cut my diesel bills in half! I now rarely have to run my engine in the morning and as long as I run it in the evening when I am drawing the most load - with cooking, washing and telly watching, then I am using around a litre and a half a day as opposed to just under 3! Just as well, as the EU has interfered again and we now have to use a different sort of diesel in our boats and surprise, surprise, it's more expensive. That coupled with the rise in fuel costs generally means my bills are rising uncomfortably, especially as pay rises are unknown in the company I am working for. What with VAT going up to 20%, my annual mooring fee due in February and my car heading towards senile dementia, life is challenging at present. But then, what would life be without challenge and risk?
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