C.L. Peache's Blog, page 3

Time to have a bit of a rethink… Day 312

Wednesday 29th May – Day 312

We cruise for a few hours today as we make our way up the Paddington Arm towards the marina and it really is a lovely stretch of canal. There really isn’t much to report as it’s a bit like groundhog day as we cruise, I work and then we find a lovely mooring and chill for the rest of the day and think about the days ahead.

I cannot believe by Sunday lunchtime we will have done the Thames and this big planned journey will be done and then we will need another plan; which will be loosely cruising the south before heading back up north to our mooring in Hinckley and finding some work for winter so we can carry on cruising next year.

At this point we’ve had a bit of real life chat ((4th June in the real world)) and decided I’ve taken on too much with the freelance work, publishing two books, vlogging, blogging, trying to keep up with social media and everything else in between, so it’s time to let some things go and get back to enjoying this life for as long as it lasts cruising the network.

((That’s a bit cryptic Peachy!)) It’s not meant to be, I just need to reassess all these things I’ve taken on and decide if they are financially worth the amount of time and stress which goes into them. Anyone who is self-employed knows how hard it is and I need to start prioritising our financial future, whatever that maybe. I will update you when I’ve figured it out!
Day done. Until tomorrow. x

Time to leave Paddington… Day 311

Tuesday 28th May – Day 311

It’s time to leave Paddington Basin as these bookings have a maximum stay of seven days and also it costs £25 a night, which is cheap by any standards in London but with our limited funds we cannot afford to stay any longer.

At 9am we leave the basin and watch everyone on their way to work after a bank holiday weekend. We are lucky ((you’re always jammy!)) as the facilities at Little Venice are empty so we moor up, fill with water, empty the bins and toilet as we as setting everything to charge. As it’s been mixed weather conditions we have just about maintained our batteries ((Once Peachy had to suffer a Marks and Spencers coffee as there was not enough batteries to make a coffee on the boat – oh how she suffers)) Yes, thanks again to my cousin, Fi and Melanie who have bought me coffees recently.

I stand close to the coffee machine as we cruise and crack on updating this blog, uploading the vlogs to Patreon and YouTube as I’ve caught up now and so going to get up to date by releasing one Friday, Saturday and Sunday ((Oh the joy of seeing you on the TV every night! Might have a social media break for a few days!))

We are lucky to get into the Little Venice facilities again so all persons to battle stations and then we set to and cruise back up the Paddington Arm in search of fuel. Day Done. Until Tomorrow. x

Enjoying Greenwich despite the rain – Day 310

Monday 27th May – Day 310

Bank holiday today and I’m feeling a bit more myself and so we faff about in the morning and then make use of the buses and visit Greenwich. It takes about and hour and half to get there with one change, but we travel through some wonderful iconic areas. It really is the best way to travel. I try to get some pics for my mum as she and my dad were born in London. Even though mum has been out of London for decades she still has her cockney accent!

The threatening clouds deposit their rain as we get off the bus at Greenwich but we have our minds set on street food, so queue up in the pouring rain as proper British people should and enjoy some Chinese food. We have sweet and sour tofu, vegetable spring rolls, noodles and rice stood in the entrance to Greenwich market hiding from the rain and it’s wonderful. Such a treat as not something we normally cook at home. Food consumed it’s a wander past the Cutty Sark as the rain has thankfully stopped and we have a wander onto the foreshore but sadly we don’t find any treasure.

Then it’s a quick drink in the pub ((Of course it is!)) and then the bus back to the boat as the sun sets. A wonderful day done. Until tomorrow. x

Narrowboat, author and Youtube life / Mon 27th May – Sun 2nd June Day 310 – 316. The end for now!

Monday 27th May – Day 310

Bank holiday today and I’m feeling a bit more myself and so we faff about in the morning and then make use of the buses and visit Greenwich. It takes about and hour and half to get there with one change, but we travel through some wonderful iconic areas. It really is the best way to travel. I try to get some pics for my mum as she and my dad were born in London. Even though mum has been out of London for decades she still has her cockney accent!

The threatening clouds deposit their rain as we get off the bus at Greenwich but we have our minds set on street food, so queue up in the pouring rain as proper British people should and enjoy some Chinese food. We have sweet and sour tofu, vegetable spring rolls, noodles and rice stood in the entrance to Greenwich market hiding from the rain and it’s wonderful. Such a treat as not something we normally cook at home. Food consumed it’s a wander past the Cutty Sark as the rain has thankfully stopped and we have a wander onto the foreshore but sadly we don’t find any treasure.

Then it’s a quick drink in the pub ((Of course it is!)) and then the bus back to the boat as the sun sets. A wonderful day done. Until tomorrow. x

Tuesday 28th May – Day 311

It’s time to leave Paddington Basin as these bookings have a maximum stay of seven days and also it costs £25 a night, which is cheap by any standards in London but with our limited funds we cannot afford to stay any longer.

At 9am we leave the basin and watch everyone on their way to work after a bank holiday weekend. We are lucky ((you’re always jammy!)) as the facilities at Little Venice are empty so we moor up, fill with water, empty the bins and toilet as we as setting everything to charge. As it’s been mixed weather conditions we have just about maintained our batteries ((Once Peachy had to suffer a Marks and Spencers coffee as there was not enough batteries to make a coffee on the boat – oh how she suffers)) Yes, thanks again to my cousin, Fi and Melanie who have bought me coffees recently.

I stand close to the coffee machine as we cruise and crack on updating this blog, uploading the vlogs to Patreon and YouTube as I’ve caught up now and so going to get up to date by releasing one Friday, Saturday and Sunday ((Oh the joy of seeing you on the TV every night! Might have a social media break for a few days!))

We are lucky to get into the Little Venice facilities again so all persons to battle stations and then we set to and cruise back up the Paddington Arm in search of fuel. Day Done. Until Tomorrow. x

Wednesday 29th May – Day 312

We cruise for a few hours today as we make our way up the Paddington Arm towards the marina and it really is a lovely stretch of canal. There really isn’t much to report as it’s a bit like groundhog day as we cruise, I work and then we find a lovely mooring and chill for the rest of the day and think about the days ahead.

I cannot believe by Sunday lunchtime we will have done the Thames and this big planned journey will be done and then we will need another plan; which will be loosely cruising the south before heading back up north to our mooring in Hinckley and finding some work for winter so we can carry on cruising next year.

At this point we’ve had a bit of real life chat ((4th June in the real world)) and decided I’ve taken on too much with the freelance work, publishing two books, vlogging, blogging, trying to keep up with social media and everything else in between, so it’s time to let some things go and get back to enjoying this life for as long as it lasts cruising the network.

((That’s a bit cryptic Peachy!)) It’s not meant to be, I just need to reassess all these things I’ve taken on and decide if they are financially worth the amount of time and stress which goes into them. Anyone who is self-employed knows how hard it is and I need to start prioritising our financial future, whatever that maybe. I will update you when I’ve figured it out!
Day done. Until tomorrow. x

Thursday 30th May – Day 313

It’s a bright blue day as we crank it along the Paddington Arm and make it to the marina where we top up with fuel. They say it’s good to have a full fuel tank and water tank as it makes the boat more stable on the Thames.

Tank filled, we wind the boat ((Turn the boat)) around in the marina entrance. This is a no, no when boating normally but Clare who sorted the fuel out from the marina said we were okay to do it. It’s a little tricky but we get there in the end and we cruise to find a mooring not too far away where we settle for the night ahead of doing the Camden locks tomorrow. We are about a thirty minute cruise away from the Little Venice facilities which then lead onto the Regent’s canal which will be a new stretch for us. We will aim to get through the locks and to our booked mooring at Islington Eco mooring.

We are certainly glad we booked the moorings in London as we didn’t see one free one until we got far past the other side of Victoria park on this busy stretch and we really didn’t want to moor next to people we don’t know. Day done. Big day tomorrow! x

Friday 31st May – Day 314

We wake to a drizzly morning as it’s time to finally do the Camden Locks! Which are actually called (add name) First up it’s Little Venice for the boat services, that done and it’s through Maida Vale tunnel and onto the Regent’s canal! ((Which Peachy only just realised as she went through it!)) past very large mansions, London Zoo and all the other iconic things to see before we arrive at Camden Lock! There doesn’t seem to be anywhere obviously to moor so we glide to the lock gate and pull the boat in. As I’m setting the lock with thankfully only about 50 people watching. On a nice busy day there will be hundreds!! A lockie turns up and once The Plot is in he wanders up to the next lock leaving me to close this one.

It’s windy as well today so the boat end up on the wrong side of the lock. There is no option but for chris to throw me the rope and for me to pull the boat over so he can leave the lock. My Yorkshire muscles ((You go Peachy)) do me proud and I yank the boat over knowing many people are watching me and I can not mess it up. When I’ve done a bloke watching said ‘WOW’ haha. Then it’s out the lock, close the lock and the scary people watching lock done and onto the next lock.

I’m really impressed by the next stretch of locks, they are easy to do and once I’ve relaxed I really enjoy them. It’s mixed weather with the rain stopping and starting but we are soon through the locks and then it’s Islington tunnel which we get through in a blink of an eye and before we know it we are moored at Islington Eco-mooring and find our pals Jon and Greta on Narrowboat Boo Boo. We have a good old natter with them and plan to do the locks and journey to Limehouse basin together.

Chris and I take an interesting wander around Islington and get some shopping and another big day ticked off the list.   

Saturday 1st June – Day 315

We are rudely woken, well I wasn’t as I was awake at 6am creating vlogs, by another boater cruising past, then revving the engine because they didn’t want to go through the tunnel and then reversing and bashing into our boat and Narrowboat Boo Boo. These things happen but generally the accepted time is cruising from 8am so if you do crash into someone boats it’s not daft of clock!

Our neighbours we up and as they set off to get some water whilst we get ourselves ready and by 8.15am we are in the first lock of 8 today as we make our way to Limehouse Basin and hope there is a mooring spare! ((What’s going on with these moorings?)) There is a bit of an issue with CRT and boaters as CRT want to make London more accessible to people like us. Apparently people don’t want to come here because of the problems with moorings and to be quite honest, unless you moor on the Paddington Arm and crank it through Little Venice to the other side of Victoria park or want to double or triple moor with someone then you won’t get a mooring unless you pay to use one of the CRT ones.

We don’t mind paying. It was £25 per night in Paddington Basin and £35 at Islington Eco mooring which is the ones we have just left which for the centre of London is cheap but as a boater who has been living here for a while I understand why they feel they are being pushed out. I don’t think there is any easy solution which will please everyone. But with the society we have if you use something you have to pay for it and unless they don’t use the any facilities, they still have their boat on water which is managed by CRT and if they didn’t manage it then it probably wouldn’t be suitable for a boat! Like i said i don’t know the answer to this one. ((That’s count for most stuff really Peachy))

Anyway, off we go and after lots of locks, cruising and chatting we arrive at Limehouse Basin and manage to get a mooring and Narrowboat Boo Boo moors alongside us.

I then decide its time for a power nap whilst Chris takes down the cratch covers as we decide we don’t want them flapping around and checks the engine etc ((What whilst you’re sleeping!)) I said I would help but I needed a nap after being up at 5.

Once I’m up and coffee drank I started faffing around moving things which could fall and break then we wander to the shops to get some supplies. When we get back a cruiser boat is heading out the lock so Jon and Chris wander up to watch and Greta brings out the fizz. Then the boys come back and we spent a pleasant time chatting on the stern until it’s time for tea and to pop in the boat and wonder about tomorrow. Day done. Last day tomorrow folks and then the blog might be quiet for a little bit! ((Promises, promises!)) x

Sunday 2nd June – Day 316

Well, what a day and a fitting place to leave the blog for a little while! We woke up early after a disturbed night naturally thinking about the big day ahead and because we were tied up against the wall with a boat tied to us, every so often the tires banged and woke us up but no matter.

As we opened the stern door at 5.45am to bright blue sunshine and no wind, we knew it was going to be a good day to cruise the Thames. We did the final prep of moving things off shelves etc just in case, and then had a coffee and some breakfast. Just before 7am three other boats got ready to go in the lock and we wandered up along with Jon and Greta from Narrowboat Boo Boo who we travelled down with yesterday. We watched them go through and before we knew it, we had the lifejackets on and we were in Limehouse Lock!

When you get to this point the nerves are tingling ((That’s excitement not sciatica)) and there is no turning back, so it’s time to just enjoy this epic journey we have been working towards since we decided in winter to come to London.

A blast of the horn as we come out of the lock and we are on the mighty Thames and what a trip. Beautiful blue skies and no wind create the perfect day to cruise and we glide past and under in the case of the bridges up the river Thames. The trip boats which are very fast don’t start running until 8.30am so we are lucky we only have a few waves to deal with. We spot the prop sticking out the water on our friends boat!

If you want to really get the feeling for the journey then please do have a look at the YouTube vlog which should be very soon all being well. London from the river is a sight not to be missed. Everything goes as well as we could have hoped until we arrived at Thames Lock and there is no-one about to let us through. We had a look around but it wasn’t one we could operate ((Thank goodness for that!)) like on the River Trent. They normally have lockies but you can operate them yourselves.

Anyway, after trying all the numbers for the locks with no success, I resort to ringing the emergency line ((It’s always an emergency if you’re about!)) I have to say I wasn’t overly impressed that the person barely seemed to even know what the river was or much about it at all. I imagine it just must be that they have a screen with the locks etc on and they log the call but at first they couldn’t even find Thames Lock on their system! Anyway, someone from CRT rang us back and there had been a problem with the booking and they weren’t expecting us for an hour ((OH Peachy!)) hey, it wasn’t our fault. When the lockies turned up and let us through we then cruised to Brentford lock and chatted to the lovely lockie there and showed him our booking – which was correct! For some reason they had us down from Teddington to Brentford but we booked Limehouse to Brentford.

Anyway, at least we got off we had visions of the tide turning and then many problems would arise! Although leaving Brentford lock, Chris set off and there was this almighty bang and then water started spraying everywhere. Turned out a bottle of pop had got stuck on the prop, it had burst it and it was spraying everywhere! Chris got the brunt of it. The lockie said he’d never seen anything like it! So we ended our Thames trip with a bit of drama but I would rather than be at the end than on the Thames itself. What an experience and I would love to do it again! ((Your mum says absolutely not!))

Once through, we quickly moor up as the facilities are here then it’s on to find a mooring as it’s 12.15pm now and we are ready to stop and have some lunch. We don’t have to go far before we find a beautiful spot in the shade and it’s job well and truly done.

What next I hear you cry ((I don’t think you do peachy!)) As I’ve said this is the last regular blog for a while. It’s time for me to take a deep breath and evaluate my future plans as I said earlier in the week, I need to refocus.

In the next few months I will edit the canal book ready for publication. Finish my freelance work for Newark Book Festival as we get closer to the event itself. I’ve already spoken to my publisher and made the decision to delay the publication of my Jersey book. The vlogs are scheduled until the end of June and then I’m going to decide if I continue with those or not. No rash decisions on these things, just a little time off to have a think about what I want to do.

This journey we are on was always going to be a trial and error as we try and carve out a new, different way of life and at the end of the day, I need to earn money for prosecco and Baileys! ((Exactly. Priorities Peachy!))

For now… thank you so much for reading the daily blogs and giving me encouragement for nearly a year now! I hope you’ve enjoyed the adventure so far. Thanks for reading and putting up with my grammatical and spelling errors ((we need therapy!)) as I type too fast and don’t have time to edit properly – it’s real life, live as it happens lol.

Until next time… from me, ((and from me)) xx

((Peachy will still be posting on Instagram and Facebook so I suggest you block her if you also need a proper break! I’m quite sad it’s all over. Someone pass me a tissue… maybe i should sneak in a few takeovers… shhhh don’t tell Peachy!))

Hormonal rage part 2 and a change of plans – Day 309

Sunday 26th May – Day 309

Well it was supposed to be moving day today and the Camden Locks but my hormones are still being right bitches to be quite honest and so Chris makes an executive decision and books us in for two more nights in Paddington Basin. We have to move across the basin to the other side as this pontoon is booked by another boat but we are soon out of the space and in our new mooring.

As it turns out it’s a fortuitous move! ((that’s a big word for you!)) we get chatting to a couple moored behind us and they are doing the Thames next Sunday. After a bit of chatting and checking of the weather and it looks good at the moment and we decide to book it! ((WHAT???)) I know! The couple are going with other boats and one has a pilot and another a VHF radio so it makes sense to go with other people so we can all look out for each other. So, all being well next Sunday at 8am we will be leaving Limehouse Lock and cruising along the mighty Thames! ((I’m having heart palpation’s!)) Exciting and terrifying but another big tick off the list of things we want to do living life aboard.

The promised dodgy weather arrives so we chill on the boat and watch some bike racing before having a nice Sunday dinner followed by a little evening wander around Little Venice. Day done. Week done. Remember next week is the last week of daily blogs ((So sad!)) for a while as i concentrate on promoting the Jersey book, finish writing and editing the canal book, getting my website upgraded to start selling books and a list of boat jobs which need finishing as well as a visit to Jersey for my birthday! I will probably stick to a monthly update but will share bits and bobs on Facebook and Instagram if you want to see what’s happening! Thanks for reading and sticking with it so far! Peachy ((And me!)) xx

Hormonal rage – Day 308

Saturday 25th May – Day 308

Today was a bit of ‘meh’ day. My hormones were kicking my ass. Goes to show it doesn’t matter how good your life is, when the bitching hormones decide they are going to make you stress and worry about everything there is very little even a stubborn Yorkshire Lass can do about them. Luckily, I’ve learned to just accept it is what it is and it will pass. So in the spirit of no-one being subject to death whilst i’m in a hormonal rage, I suggest Chris goes out for the day on his pushbike.

I think this is why we have made it nearly to 26 years. If he’d have stayed in I would have annoyed him ((How’s that different to any other day)) and he would have annoyed me for no reason other than raging peri-meri hormones so instead, he goes out an enjoys himself and I wallow in misery, ranting whilst I’m creating vlogs, writing my blog and editing my novel when I don’t feel like it, but it’s good to get the rants out. ((No-one feels sorry for you! Pull up your massive middle aged pants and just crack on!))

I manage to get my book finished and sent to my publisher, so all the big structural edits are done now so it’s just the final copy edits to do and then it should be ready to get the cover designed and the book ready for publication!

So, that’s day done in misery, in London, feeling sorry myself. I know it won’t last long. Tomorrow we are cruising the Camden locks and then onto the London Canal Museum for our two night mooring there. Although we realise that because it’s bank holiday the museum will be open which means we will have to move in the daytime so the trip boat can use the mooring so we decide to cancel and just have the one night tomorrow instead. Let’s see what happens tomorrow! Day done and it can do one!

Boat anniversary – Day 307

Friday 24th May – Day 307 – OUR ANNIVERSARY!

I totally missed the opportunity to share that our boating life is two years old today on socials ((I’m everyone is devastated they missed it))! This time two years ago we squatted in our old house – with the owners permission as we’d completed on the house sale the day before. We cleared out the final bits, dropped the keys off with new owners. Chris dropped me at work and went to see the boat before picking me up after work and driving us to Mercia Marina where we bought the boat and the rest is history! No going back and it was the right decision as we love this life and couldn’t imagine going back to a house now.

The toilet waits for no-one though so at 8.30 am we are wheeling our toilet cassette through the posh Paddington Basin to the Little Venice on the trusted Cassette Carrying Vehicle which is the electric bike. This really does make life so much easier as the alternative would be to wheel the toilet cassette through London and I’m not sure that’s really appropriate or to carry it which would break our already old and broken bodies.

It’s a lovely pleasant walk and still a little surreal that this area is our home for now. It does take a bit of getting your head around even after two years that you can just tie up and live somewhere different. It certainly is a unique way of life and one we cherish and appreciate even if i do get a bit grumpy ((A bit!)).

Boat facilities done, we catch the bus to the wonderful Natural History Museum and enjoy a pleasant time wandering the corridors and rooms. It’s much quieter here and we have time to mooch around. Museums are such fascinating places and a real privilege to visit. Then it’s back to the boat ((Back to the boat Frodo!)) and day done!

Doing things which make you scared! Day 306

Thursday 23rd May – Day 306

I’ve received my Jersey book back from my publisher so have been working on some of the final edits today as we are aiming for a June publishing date ((That’s only so you can go to Jersey – working!)) So, I spend the morning editing and then we head out and catch the red bus which is our favorite way to travel in London. For anyone not familiar with getting around London; a lot of people use the tube and we used to, but the novelty soon wears off and the normal red buses are brilliant. The tour buses where you get commentary are great if you haven’t been before but expensive ,whereas the buses are approx. £1.75 per trip and you get to see London from above on the double deckers, much nicer than the underground.

This has been our preferred mode of transport in London for a while. They are so reliable and there are so many of them. To go long distances across London sometimes you have to get off and change to another bus, but again, so easy to do and so cheap and more often than not we manage to get the front seats upstairs for the best view.

Today we get the bus to Limehouse Basin to have a look at the lock where it exits into the Thames, a journey we are hoping to do soon… erm, we wish we hadn’t decided to come! It was a little windy and bit choppy but not overall bad weather and still the thought of taking our un-navigable narrowboat with the worst buoyancy and maneuverability is quite scary but fortune favours the brave or so we hope! ((Peachy is open to offers for spare rooms should the worst happen – Peachy think of the YouTube Hits if you sink The Plot!)) do not even suggest it. It would be terrifying! We treat ourselves to a drink to calm our nerves at the Pride of Whitby a lovely pub overlooking the Thames and think about the journey ahead.
By the time this blog out we will have hopefully tackled the Thames!

A trip to the Science Museum – Day 305

Wednesday 22nd May – Day 305

It’s up early ish as we make our way to the Science Museum. It’s not quite the experience we wanted, not that these places are ever quiet but we must have picked a day when the school trips were out in force so it was a little difficult to concentrate with screaming in the background. ((Grumpy old woman!)) I know! But particularly when you live on a boat and most of the time it’s just Chris and I, crowds and lots of chatter can be quite overwhelming. We eventually find our way to the picnic area on the third floor and enjoy our butties whilst we wait for the kids to clear off.

Then we have a bit more of a wander but there are a few things either being worked on or VIP area’s closed off for events but we still see quite a lot and enjoy the visit. We might try our luck again another day as there is still a lot more to see and it’s rare to be able to do everything in a museum in one visit.

It’s then back to the boat to relax and get some vlogs uploaded. Day Done. ((I can tell you’ve had enough of blogging! Where’s the detail about living in Paddington Basin? The walk through Hyde Park and the streets of Paddington? The description for the reader to immerse themselves into environment walking past the hospital, thousands of people the sights you’ve seen??)) It will be in the book! ((Oh charming! We have stuck with this blog for months and months and it will be in the book! Give me strength))

Typical British Weather – Day 304

Tuesday 21st May – Day 304

Well the wonderful weather has left us already and we wake up to heavy rain which we don’t really mind. At least we were treated to a lovely day yesterday which made all the difference as we glided into London. ((Glided? I would like to see that Peachy! Now that would make a good YouTube Vlog!))

I decide to work in the morning as we haven’t got anything in particular planned today, so it makes sense to work whilst it’s horrible weather. In the afternoon it clears a little, so we wander to Ryman’s stationery shop as I’ve created a poster for the window to advertise and wanted to get it printed ((Oh LORD! I dread to think!)) my books and YouTube channel might as well make the most of the thousands of people who walk past the boat! We end up chatting to a lovely lad in the shop who is studying English Lit I think he said, but he wants to publish a book on the structure of poems so I told him everything I know ((Bet that didn’t take long)) about how to publish on Amazon and generally about the process of submitting to try and get an agent etc.

I really hope he goes ahead and tries to get published, it’s such a hard industry to be successful in. Sometimes it comes down to luck at submitting at the right time, sometimes it’s down to who you know, sometimes just sheer bloody hard work, obviously if you have a good book it helps. I’ve heard every different reason there is from authors who have become successful – the main one is work hard! ((you’re out then!))

That done we finish off the day with a wander into Hyde park and then it’s our first day in London done and it’s wonderful to be here.