Loo views
Friday, 30 September 2016
New Venture
As the sun sets on my hope of entirely retiring, at least for a year or so, I introduce my new venture, Bonny's Buddies Dog Sitting Services!
The more I thought about finding another slave job, the more my heart quailed within me. So instead, whilst house sitting in Devon, I racked my brains as to what I could do that I actually enjoy. As I looked around the comfortable living room, it came to me: I enjoy doing this; looking after someone else's home and pet, in this case, Maisie the cat. I also love dog walking.
So I launched a Facebook page called Bonny's Buddies. I decided to make a virtue of having Bonny along as, if I got a house sitting job, I couldn't leave her behind! Within a couple of days I got the possibility of house sitting in Bath and looking after a dog and cat there for around a month. Within a week I had a confirmed job of dog walking 2 retrievers, 6 days a week in Tamworth, between October and January! I am hoping that now I have produced some advertising postcards (see above) I'll get some more local dog walking as well.
It is early days, but a really good start. It's quite exciting as well. I'm hoping to get enough work to keep the wolf from the door well into next year and then hopefully be able to go cruising as well. But it may be that I have to remain landlocked just for 2017. We shall see. Bonny of course is delighted to own her own business and is looking forward to making many new friends!
When I have worked out how to do it, I'll put a link on this blog to my Facebook page.
Friday, 16 September 2016
Last cliff top walk
Our time in Devon is just about up. Bonny and I went for a last cliff top walk from Bude. It was pretty windy but so beautiful!
Packing and cleaning day tomorrow and then back to the boat on Sunday. I hope it has survived the thunderous downpours of recent days!
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| I love the rocky coast here |
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| Bonny found it pretty windy! |
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| So we found a little shelter with Bude as a backdrop |
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| What a lovely seaside town |
Friday, 9 September 2016
Landlocked
It's been lovely to catch up with friends and relatives. It has also been a real novelty to live in a house with mains electricity and water, not to mention broadband! Bonny and I have also really enjoyed exploring all the varied walks in this stunningly beautiful part of the country.
However, as much as I love Devon, I am starting to miss the boat a little. Even though it can be hard work and it isn't nearly as comfortable as the house I am staying in, it is home.
This winter is going to be particularly tough as CrT are closing Junction Lock at Fradley for two whole months which means no moving the boat for diesel or pump out. That means lots of hauling of barrels instead. Not only that but my retirement looks like it is going to be short lived. Due to an unexpected change in my plan, I may have to find a job for the coming year.
So I thought I would look back to the sunlit days of my cruise and share some more photos with you.
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| Bonny chilling by the boat |
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| We had some stunning sunrises and sets |
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| Top of the South Oxford |
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| Oh and all those walks! |
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| It was hard work sometimes |
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| With some big locks! |
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| And we had to be careful, especially on the rivers |
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| But I wouldn't have missed it for the world! |
Saturday, 27 August 2016
Carnival time
I am currently house and cat sitting in my old stamping ground of Bradworthy. I had remembered it as a fairly mad place and this was confirmed when I attended the carnival in the village. Here are a selection of sights. God, I love the countryside!
Bradworthy is a truly great village, with madness at its heart!
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| loads of people turned up. Several roads were lined like this |
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| All sorts turned up |
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| Some older than others! |
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| And some madder than others! |
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| Great Shrek themed float |
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| From the film Up and this did go up!! |
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| Brave Pegasus |
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| And of course a Carnival Queen (well several actually) |
Friday, 19 August 2016
Holidays on land
I have been off the boat for a week, visiting friends in Yorkshire. My first stop was Hornsea to see my very good friends Jan and Graham Finch. They lived on their boat, Huff n Puff for 12 years but recently moved back to land living. Here is their very swanky pad, a converted railway station!
One of the few things I miss, living on a boat, is having a bath and this is what I call a bath!!
Graham and Jan have a 5 month old puppy called Albert. Their last dog Bernie, also a Westie, was Bonny's closest friend and so we were fascinated to see how she would respond to this new dog. She was a little reserved to begin with. You can tell the pecking order...
But they soon got closer, thanks to Albert's persistence!
We all went on a trip to Flanbrough Head on a very windy day.
Here are my friends. Jan used to walk Bonny with Bernie when I was at work or when I broke my leg, so it was lovely to see her with Albert and Bon.
I rarely have anyone with me to take a photo of Bon and me, so I took advantage of Graham!
The next day we visited a beach and Bonny had a major breakthrough, thanks to Albert. She has never been a great player of games and seems incapable of playing with another dog. She would rather be hunting. Since she had been so well behaved I took the risk of letting her off the lead. Albert was free too and all at once they were racing each other in circles and Bon was actually playing. It was such a joy to watch. She also loved the sea and showed no fear of the waves. It was a very special time for all of us and when we called them back they raced each other to show who could get back to their owner the quickest!
After a fond farewell, we left to travel to Thirsk to see another dear couple of friends. Brian was my counsellor when I travelled through some very dark times indeed. Now he is my guru and close friend and his wife Cynthia is wonderfully hospitable.
Here is the man who knows me best out of everybody in the world, who accepts and respects me as I am and who has enabled me to heal and grow. We are at Bylands Abbey:
One of the few things I miss, living on a boat, is having a bath and this is what I call a bath!!
Graham and Jan have a 5 month old puppy called Albert. Their last dog Bernie, also a Westie, was Bonny's closest friend and so we were fascinated to see how she would respond to this new dog. She was a little reserved to begin with. You can tell the pecking order...
But they soon got closer, thanks to Albert's persistence!
We all went on a trip to Flanbrough Head on a very windy day.
Here are my friends. Jan used to walk Bonny with Bernie when I was at work or when I broke my leg, so it was lovely to see her with Albert and Bon.
I rarely have anyone with me to take a photo of Bon and me, so I took advantage of Graham!
The next day we visited a beach and Bonny had a major breakthrough, thanks to Albert. She has never been a great player of games and seems incapable of playing with another dog. She would rather be hunting. Since she had been so well behaved I took the risk of letting her off the lead. Albert was free too and all at once they were racing each other in circles and Bon was actually playing. It was such a joy to watch. She also loved the sea and showed no fear of the waves. It was a very special time for all of us and when we called them back they raced each other to show who could get back to their owner the quickest!
After a fond farewell, we left to travel to Thirsk to see another dear couple of friends. Brian was my counsellor when I travelled through some very dark times indeed. Now he is my guru and close friend and his wife Cynthia is wonderfully hospitable.
Here is the man who knows me best out of everybody in the world, who accepts and respects me as I am and who has enabled me to heal and grow. We are at Bylands Abbey:
Then he took Bonny and I on a lovely walk up a very steep hill, where a white horse had been carved into the landscape and we had a picnic looking out over most of Yorkshire!
We are back on the boat now, but not for long. My next view from the loo will be from Devon!
Holidays on land
I have been off the boat for a week, visiting friends in Yorkshire. My first stop was Hornsea to see my very good friends Jan and Graham Finch. They lived on their boat, Huff n Puff for 12 years but recently moved back to land living. Here is their very swanky pad, a converted railway station!
One of the few things I miss, living on a boat, is having a bath and this is what I call a bath!!
Graham and Jan have a 5 month old puppy called Albert. Their last dog Bernie, also a Westie, was Bonny's closest friend and so we were fascinated to see how she would respond to this new dog. She was a little reserved to begin with. You can tell the pecking order...
But they soon got closer, thanks to Albert's persistence!
We all went on a trip to Flanbrough Head on a very windy day.
Here are my friends. Jan used to walk Bonny with Bernie when I was at work or when I broke my leg, so it was lovely to see her with Albert and Bon.
I rarely have anyone with me to take a photo of Bon and me, so I took advantage of Graham!
The next day we visited a beach and Bonny had a major breakthrough, thanks to Albert. She has never been a great player of games and seems incapable of playing with another dog. She would rather be hunting. Since she had been so well behaved I took the risk of letting her off the lead. Albert was free too and all at once they were racing each other in circles and Bon was actually playing. It was such a joy to watch. She also loved the sea and showed no fear of the waves. It was a very special time for all of us and when we called them back they raced each other to show who could get back to their owner the quickest!
After a fond farewell, we left to travel to Thirsk to see another dear couple of friends. Brian was my counsellor when I travelled through some very dark times indeed. Now he is my guru and close friend and his wife Cynthia is wonderfully hospitable.
Here is the man who knows me best out of everybody in the world, who accepts and respects me as I am and who has enabled me to heal and grow. We are at Bylands Abbey:
One of the few things I miss, living on a boat, is having a bath and this is what I call a bath!!
Graham and Jan have a 5 month old puppy called Albert. Their last dog Bernie, also a Westie, was Bonny's closest friend and so we were fascinated to see how she would respond to this new dog. She was a little reserved to begin with. You can tell the pecking order...
But they soon got closer, thanks to Albert's persistence!
We all went on a trip to Flanbrough Head on a very windy day.
Here are my friends. Jan used to walk Bonny with Bernie when I was at work or when I broke my leg, so it was lovely to see her with Albert and Bon.
I rarely have anyone with me to take a photo of Bon and me, so I took advantage of Graham!
The next day we visited a beach and Bonny had a major breakthrough, thanks to Albert. She has never been a great player of games and seems incapable of playing with another dog. She would rather be hunting. Since she had been so well behaved I took the risk of letting her off the lead. Albert was free too and all at once they were racing each other in circles and Bon was actually playing. It was such a joy to watch. She also loved the sea and showed no fear of the waves. It was a very special time for all of us and when we called them back they raced each other to show who could get back to their owner the quickest!
After a fond farewell, we left to travel to Thirsk to see another dear couple of friends. Brian was my counsellor when I travelled through some very dark times indeed. Now he is my guru and close friend and his wife Cynthia is wonderfully hospitable.
Here is the man who knows me best out of everybody in the world, who accepts and respects me as I am and who has enabled me to heal and grow. We are at Bylands Abbey:
Then he took Bonny and I on a lovely walk up a very steep hill, where a white horse had been carved into the landscape and we had a picnic looking out over most of Yorkshire!
We are back on the boat now, but not for long. My next view from the loo will be from Devon!
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