"I live on a boat
because the canal is too wet."
Alice Thompson
FB London Boaters
15/11/2022
because the canal is too wet."
Alice Thompson
FB London Boaters
15/11/2022
Living on a boat, traversing big cities, small towns and distant rural parishes is a fact for me ... My boat is the centre of my universe
That centre is constant. The area is a persistent variable, but will always contain the place where I can buy a pint of milk and the furthest point to which I am able to walk. The village may change twice in a week or once a fortnight depending on my finding cosy pitch where I may tarry awhile. Once I up sticks that village no longer exists. Where I am in space and time will be a constant of course. That is my boat and my boat is at the centre of my universe. .
On completion of each move a new 'village' becomes established and defined around my latest mooring. I locate my artisan butcher, my sourdough baker, my candlestick-maker and I acquaint myself with new neighbours while I locate that bus stop.
That centre is constant. The area is a persistent variable, but will always contain the place where I can buy a pint of milk and the furthest point to which I am able to walk. The village may change twice in a week or once a fortnight depending on my finding cosy pitch where I may tarry awhile. Once I up sticks that village no longer exists. Where I am in space and time will be a constant of course. That is my boat and my boat is at the centre of my universe. .
On completion of each move a new 'village' becomes established and defined around my latest mooring. I locate my artisan butcher, my sourdough baker, my candlestick-maker and I acquaint myself with new neighbours while I locate that bus stop.
Where to get the milk? ?
Where is the bus stop?
Where can I find groceries?
A gas bottle?
Where is the bus stop?
Where can I find groceries?
A gas bottle?
All mod cons could be available
but I choose to have mod cons stored away
so I can live off-grid, independent of
The New Normal,
The Old Normal,
Imagined Normal.
I have survived tempest blizzaed, tories and brexit
I have survived the past thirteen years
without freezing or even being cold.
The Big December Freeze of 2022
was survived off-grid with no shower
with no central heating
without running water
but also without frozen pipes
or cracked radiators.
LOADSAMONEY
Off-grid has gone serious.
But that was what
led me to buy
the boat
in the first place,
wasn't it?
but I choose to have mod cons stored away
so I can live off-grid, independent of
The New Normal,
The Old Normal,
Imagined Normal.
I have survived tempest blizzaed, tories and brexit
I have survived the past thirteen years
without freezing or even being cold.
The Big December Freeze of 2022
was survived off-grid with no shower
with no central heating
without running water
but also without frozen pipes
or cracked radiators.
LOADSAMONEY
Off-grid has gone serious.
But that was what
led me to buy
the boat
in the first place,
wasn't it?
