A Long Gap

 Yes I know - it's been AGES.

Why? - well to be honest, I've just not felt like it...  when life throws curve ball after curve ball at you, sometimes it's best to keep things to yourself and 'man up' ... I know that's not a popular phrase  these days but life isn't all a bunch of roses is it?

Nope!

I'm not gonna give any explanations for my absence other than to say I just didn't want to do it - and there are enough things in life you HAVE to do that you don't WANT to do as it is, so when you HAVE control over something, it makes sense to utlise that power.

I know, I know - I'm talking in riddles.

ANYWAYS - here we are into the boating season with strange weather (and on occasion even stranger guests lol)... most so far have been lovely (guests that is) - the weather less so quite a lot.  #legsellis are getting tanned enough ... as is my leathery old face but it just feels like it's been overcast and windy for months.  Hey ho.  

Winter chores on the boat got (mostly) done - a few carried over to next winter and they may well get carried forward another one (replacing the chairs being one of them as that's a big chunk of money I still don't have spare) - Ellis is booked into Dry dock for DIY blacking in mid October and I'm hoping to utilize the "curing days" to repaint the rest of the hull too ... with luck I'll be able to get it sanded down during my last 2 week trip (which is a repeat of the Warwickshire Ring)...  the guest coming aboard is quite a car painting enthusiast so I'm hoping to rope him in to an hours sand and filling each day when we stop cruising... we'll see if that is well received.  IF not, I'll just go at it like a whirling dervish (however you spell that).

SO far this season, I've bumped into lots of boaters I know from previous years and that's cheered me up quite a bit - the feeling of belonging to a community ... as disparate as it may be at times, a familiar chat or picked up conversation is heart-warming.  

A few weeks ago I turned 50 eek!...  that had been weighing heavily on my mind for ages... I'd been clinging on to 49 with every breath in my body - chronology cannot be halted though so I've just had to accept it is what it is and embrace it - ergo, I'm now 50 and fabulous!   nuff said.

During the winter months I did manage to lose 3 stones of fat - alas a lot of folks I've met again this year, hadn't seen me during the covid "fat" period and haven't noticed the difference... it's massive to me though as it means I can take my shirt off on that hot day that was summer and get some sun on my back...  heaven.

Doing this solo again this year HAS made me THINK about how much miss being part of a couple... trouble is, being a 50 year old bender living on a boat moving around the country 6 months of the year isn't conducive to finding a new life partner... DATING becomes almost impossible as "down time" is actually cleaning, shopping and laundry time...  WHERE I'm supposed to find someone is anyone's guess.   OK so there is the gay boaters group on facebook but I don't mix well with other benders generally... actually, that sounds worse than it is... I just don't generally feel the need to shout about it I suppose (I realize the irony given that's exactly what I'm doing now) but I mix and get on with 'normal folks' far better than the dance backwards brigade.

Hmmf.

If anyone still reads this tripe, and knows of someone who may be suitable for me, please pass on my details lol.  I live in (diminishing I admit) hope.

Another option might be to try and find a student on a gap year or something for next season who fancies 6 months free board and lodge and travelling around playing on a boat. WHERE do I find one of those though?

Life continues to throw challenges in my direction that I just don't have a solution for every time.  Luckily, I STILL love boating and all it entails so it's enough to keep me (relatively) content... even if a bit lonely at times.

Until next time...