A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL

YES!! It's that time of year again. Once more, I am doing without Christmas cards, preferring to send e-greetings, and donating what would have been spent on cards and postage etc to a worthy organisation. This year it will be 'Help for Heroes' - a charity that 'Supports full time, reservists and veteran service men and women from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.'

The BIG news from this end is that plans are afoot to take my narrow boat 'Rosy' - and Fanny the Woof - back to France in March/April 2014. The intention is to stay there for several years. This is not yet definite, but beware - if it doesn't happen, I am highly likely to become an exceptionally grumpy old man.

This past year has been exceedingly pleasant. We left our winter moorings in Rugby and headed northish and westish to explore the Welsh canals, in company with the good ship Clarence. We were testing out our compatibility, with a view to cruising together in France next year. We visited Chester, spent long, lazy days on the River Weaver (below the Anderton lift) and cruised through Wigan. We had just decided that 'Yes, we could get along together' when we had to make a major change of plan. Business pressures caused Clarence to abandon the French cruising plan. Indeed, Clarence zoomed back to Rugby to concentrate on work. I cruised back down south a little more sedately, and went on down the Oxford canal to Banbury and back, ending up at Brinklow Marina (near Rugby) where we are over-wintering.

In recently abandoned Rosy for 3 weeks, and went up to London, to spend several weeks with my sister. Minor problems with Fanny, who is used to open country. The best we could do was to walk the towing path of the nearby Grand Union Canal - my sister's house is not too far from the Islington tunnel. Originally, the London visit was planned with the idea of helping her to move to a new, flat, but she has now decided to stay put - and to merely move downstairs. Whilst in London I celebrated my 70th.

Physically, I'm still in reasonably good nick - though one of the advantages of France is that the canal locks are either automatic, or are worked by a lock keeper. I am also becoming somewhat forgetful, especially of happenings and conversations in the immediate past - so I spend a lot of time searching for things, doing things twice over (as I had forgotten that I had already done them), and keeping notes of what has to be done - and when it needs to be done by! I also forget recent conversations and meetings. Its all a bit frustrating!! I'm pretty sure that Fanny plays on this forgetfulness, and puts on her 'Where is my food' look when I have, in fact, just fed her - hence the recently established FFR (Fanny Food Register).

That's about it for this year. The next update will be earlyish in 2014!!

TO KINDLE OR NOT TO KINDLE?

One of the many things that I like about living on 'Rosy' is that every day is different. At school, university and work, there was a definite routine. On 'Rosy' the only routine is the preparation of the bed when it's time for bed, the stowing away of the bed in the morning, feeding myself and Fanny during the day and organising a shopping trip once a week.

Along with other live-aboards (I know, as I've asked them) its quite important to have a watch that not only tells the time, but also shows the date and the day-of-the-week. Even with these guides, things can still go wrong. I got out of bed the other day, breakfasted (without the radio on) and then set off with Fanny for the mile or so walk to the post office, as I was expecting some mail. The post office was closed - as, indeed, it should have been, as my watch - when, at last, I consulted it - said that it was a Sunday.

I am re-reading 'Brideshead Revisited' by Evelyn Waugh. I have a go at it every 3 or 4 years, so my paperback copy - I acquired it 2nd hand - is now in 3 separate bits. Its going to be a toss-up as to whether I get a new copy, or a new (for me) 2nd hand copy, or a DVD of the excellent TV production from the 1980's. Decisions, decisions!!

I have also decided to acquire a Kindle which, for the un-initiated, is like a small (6 inch) tablet for reading books. Currently, I have a Kindle app on my computer, but the 'proper' Kindle can store 1,000+ books and does not need nearly as much charging-up as my computer.

An additional Kindle plus point is that Fanny will enjoy it too. Currently, I read whilst sitting on an arm-chair (bought from IKEA on the Canal du Midi). Of an evening, I sit on the chair, Fanny sits on my lap and the book rests on Fanny. Fanny is not overly keen on this arrangement, especially when the tome is a bit hunky-chunky.