under fire!

[jim and pat dalton]

We are newbys to this game

 

But having spent a week on an nb last month in order to explore the possibility of a new adventure and living aboard, we loved it and are tidying up the house for sale in order to make the leap.

 

 

Breaking this news to friends and rellies has unleashed a minor firestorm in the form of incredulity and critisism. From the plain "you must be mad" to "how will you cope when you get old?" (i'm 55 and the lovely Pat is a little way over 21) and "don't you feel responsible for looking after Pat? you inconsiderate XXXXX " plus "you'll never get back in a house when you "need" to, what are you going to do then?"

 

Oh! and the one that makes us laugh is the daft "what about all your friends you are leaving" as if we are going of on the mystery of the jungle queen( silly b's)!!!

 

Weve tried explaining that we have always done " lots of things and want one last adventure", but all that happens is peeps sit there agast repeating the same middle class brainwashed diatribe about not living in a house! We tried explaining that we are not going to sit in a house with ( hopefully) £200k equity and give it to the council in exchange for a sweaty chair in an old folks home...........nope, they just can't get it.

 

Frankly, tho I quite like stepping of an edge, I would like to find a way of getting people to understand what we are doing or maybe we just have to get our heads down and get on with it, but its rude not to answer isn't it?

 

But we wondered how liveaboards on this forum coped with the reactions of friends and rellies to the news or maybe even somehow squared up the answers

Edited February 20, 2011 by jim and pat dalton

[Chertsey]

Well, you will soon have a whole new lot of friends who do understand. Everyone else is just jealous.

 

Oh, how appropriate my sig is for this one.

Edited February 20, 2011 by Chertsey

[carlt]

 

But we wondered how liveaboards on this forum coped with the reactions of friends and rellies to the news or maybe even somehow squared up the answers

As the original plan was to harbour hop, around the coast, but didn't sell the canal boat in time, the reaction was a bit low key, for me.

 

But, had the reaction been negative I would have referred them to my forum signature....

 

Oh, how appropriate my sig is for this one.

Snap!

[jim and pat dalton]

Well, you will soon have a whole new lot of friends who do understand. Everyone else is just jealous.

 

 

What a very good point, we were impressed with the number of friendly and helpful people we met on our little january break

 

 

Jim

Edited February 20, 2011 by jim and pat dalton

[muddywaters]

As we are planning on doing the same thing in the futurw good luck to you.

[NiceNarrowboat]

You know the adage 'you find out who your friends are during times of strife'?

 

Well the same goes for lifestyle changes! Whenever you make a decision for you, which your friends don't necessarily understand, you'll find out soon enough whether they were mere acquaintances or true friends.

 

That's my philosophical £0.02's worth.

[Smelly]

My elders were all quite glad I was settling down at last...

[Tim]

Smile politely at them and go do it.

[dor]

Whilst I would express caution on completely changing your lifestyle on the basis of a week's hire:

 

We have some friends who took to the water; he was 64 and his wife was 56. They sold the house, bought a boat with the plan to cruise the waterways for 5 years. In the end they stayed on the boat for 6 1/2 years but came back onto land a couple of years ago. He would still be on the boat now if he could. They now rent a cottage with countryside all around and probably have more genuine friends now than they had before they took to the boat.

 

So if it really what you want to do, then don't listen to the negs and you will soon find out who your real frineds are - they will be the ones that make an effort to come and visit you.

 

But make sure it really is the right thing for you before making the final jump.

[Laurie Booth]

Say to them they are right and you have changed your mind and thank them for the advice.

Then do it!

[steelaway]

Hi

 

After only two two weekends on our NB, two friends of ours went home and put their huge retirement bungalow on the market.

They bought a little semi and a new Jonathan Wilson NB, Both were in their 60's, she had had 2 hip replacements and he had raging arthritis.

They eventually sold the semi and moved aboard permanently. Eventually after many years they were too infirm to carry on and sold the boat.

They put themselves on their local councill housing list and within weeks had a lovely rented, wardened, pensioners flat.

They had brilliant time and have no regrets.

 

Life is too short and you are dead along time.

 

You are not here for a long time - You are here for a good time.

 

Alex

 

 

 

[DeanS]

You are not alone We are currently beginning to take stuff to the tip, emptying a house of our unneeded "stuff" and moving a few things to storage. Friends and family think we're nuts. We're tired of four walls, and we have no idea how we're going to make it through the winter, but we're going to fight the elements as best we can. All the best!

[tony collins]

Welcome to the forum. Are your the Jim and Pat who were at Bourne Aerodrome last year organising a fly-in?

 

If so I was one of the ground crew.

[GUMPY]

It has taken me a while to get back onto the housing ladder.

When I gave up the previous house I thought good I am rid of that. However over the last 20 years things have changed and we now have a flat, the rent from which will provide us with a supplement to our pensions when we retire in 6 years time.

 

If you can manage with your pension/income as it is then fine but there will come a time when you may need the land base.

[sueb]

Hi

 

After only two two weekends on our NB, two friends of ours went home and put their huge retirement bungalow on the market.

They bought a little semi and a new Jonathan Wilson NB, Both were in their 60's, she had had 2 hip replacements and he had raging arthritis.

They eventually sold the semi and moved aboard permanently. Eventually after many years they were too infirm to carry on and sold the boat.

They put themselves on their local councill housing list and within weeks had a lovely rented, wardened, pensioners flat.

They had brilliant time and have no regrets.

 

Life is too short and you are dead along time.

 

You are not here for a long time - You are here for a good time.

 

Alex

We have kept the house but wonder if we shouldn't sell, spend the money, and get the council to house us when required.

Sue

[jonk]

Hi,

The decision needs to be yours and should be what you want. It must seem quite a drastic step for friends and family if they are not familiar with boating, but most will come round when they visit you on your boat - assuming they choose a good day!

We have been intending to do similarly for the past few years - we want to see the seasons change from the river/canal, but have had to put back plans for a while due to little things like cancer and grandchildren Our plans are now to start in 2012 so hope to see you on the cut!

Go for it - you won't regret it!

 

John

[Lady Muck]

We have kept the house but wonder if we shouldn't sell, spend the money, and get the council to house us when required.

Sue

 

Why don't you downshift instead? Sell up and get a little flat?

[twbm]

Think of a definition of 'friend' that tests the meaning of the word - perhaps someone you can guaratnee will turn out for you at 4 o'clock in the morning without quibble. Apply that to your circle of aquaintances. If you can get off the fingers of one hand with the Yesses, think a bit more about what you may be leaving behind - but then they are probably the people who are encouraging you anyway.

 

Question about the council housing thing: Locally there are generally waiting lists and priorities for council houses. Is it safe to assume you can present yourself on the steps of a town hall one day and expect to be looked after immediately?

 

Maybe sell the house, buy something smaller you'd be happy to return to eventually and rent it out in the meanhwile.

[jonk]

Think of a definition of 'friend' that tests the meaning of the word - perhaps someone you can guaratnee will turn out for you at 4 o'clock in the morning without quibble. Apply that to your circle of aquaintances. If you can get off the fingers of one hand with the Yesses, think a bit more about what you may be leaving behind - but then they are probably the people who are encouraging you anyway.

 

Question about the council housing thing: Locally there are generally waiting lists and priorities for council houses. Is it safe to assume you can present yourself on the steps of a town hall one day and expect to be looked after immediately?

 

Maybe sell the house, buy something smaller you'd be happy to return to eventually and rent it out in the meanhwile.

 

I second that!

[sueb]

Why don't you downshift instead? Sell up and get a little flat?

'cause the house is earning us money

Sue

[mickp]

my family/friends were worried they wouldnt see much of us when we moved afloat,but now they travel miles to get out of there houses to visit in fact i us and no longer talk negatively about our move.in fact one friend has started asking serious boaty questions

[steelaway]

We have kept the house but wonder if we shouldn't sell, spend the money, and get the council to house us when required.

Sue

 

 

Hi

 

Why not rent it - you could have £100 plus A WEEK!!!

 

Alex

[cazberry]

I had exactly the same reaction when I told everyone of my plans to sell up and move onto a narrowboat, especially from my two grown up children. I stuck to my plans, and eventually my children et all have come around to my way of thinking. Ever since my husband passed away and the children had 'left' home, once the front door was shut it was just me, the cat and dog...but now...its me, cat, dog, numerous other 'wild' animals and lots and lots of boaty friends, and I haven't even moved on properly yet!! (within the next couple of months all being well)

My children are happier about it because they see me being much happier.

I'm a great believer in living for 'now' as no one knows what's around the corner...I'd rather say 'I gave it a go' than 'I wish I'd done it'. My only problem now is...how I am going to accommodate all my eager visitors..might just forgo that sofa bed!!

Good luck...and go with the moment because every moment is precious

Edited February 20, 2011 by cazberry

[mrsmelly]

We are newbys to this game

 

But having spent a week on an nb last month in order to explore the possibility of a new adventure and living aboard, we loved it and are tidying up the house for sale in order to make the leap.

 

 

Breaking this news to friends and rellies has unleashed a minor firestorm in the form of incredulity and critisism. From the plain "you must be mad" to "how will you cope when you get old?" (i'm 55 and the lovely Pat is a little way over 21) and "don't you feel responsible for looking after Pat? you inconsiderate XXXXX " plus "you'll never get back in a house when you "need" to, what are you going to do then?"

 

Oh! and the one that makes us laugh is the daft "what about all your friends you are leaving" as if we are going of on the mystery of the jungle queen( silly b's)!!!

 

Weve tried explaining that we have always done " lots of things and want one last adventure", but all that happens is peeps sit there agast repeating the same middle class brainwashed diatribe about not living in a house! We tried explaining that we are not going to sit in a house with ( hopefully) £200k equity and give it to the council in exchange for a sweaty chair in an old folks home...........nope, they just can't get it.

 

Frankly, tho I quite like stepping of an edge, I would like to find a way of getting people to understand what we are doing or maybe we just have to get our heads down and get on with it, but its rude not to answer isn't it?

 

But we wondered how liveaboards on this forum coped with the reactions of friends and rellies to the news or maybe even somehow squared up the answers

 

Tell em all to sod off. They are like most people and afraid of their own shadow. You dont need a house it is only one of many ways of living and very boring. We owned our house and got rid, best thing we ever did it has given us total freedom and can afford to cruise when we wish to.

You will meet many like minded people and many new friends for life...

 

See you on the cut......

[tillergirl]

Oh Hum................I empathise with you as we've been getting exactly the same for the past 18months. We've even had:

1. "You can't do that yet what about XXXXX? - shes still at university"

A. Oh you mean XXXXX who says shes never come back to this poxy town?

2. "What about us ?" (children)

A. Sorry we thought that at 27 and 29 you could look after yourselves now.

3. "What about our inheritance?"

A. What inheritance? I thought what we'd worked hard for was ours to do with as we pleased. In any case you've all got/going to have good jobs and possibly not even in the UK.

4."How are you going to manage for money?"

A. Its called work - when we feel we need to.

5."What about grandma?"

A. I don't think at 85 she'll want to come with us let alone remember that we've gone.

6. "What happens when you can't get about very well?"

A. That might be tomorrow or it might be in 20 years time.

7. "You'll never get back on the property ladder again"

A.Who said we wanted to. In any case there are things called council houses. Would you be too embarrassed to visit us if we ended up in one?

 

At the end of the day its your choice, your life and any of us only ever get one shot at it. Better to be happy and in any case who wants to conform? I never was a conformist.

 

Just tell them to put up or shut up or else they don't get free holidays when they want one..............

 

I'd rather have 5 years boating than end up living in one room downstairs in a house I can be arsed/can't afford to maintain. Some inheritance that would be!

Edited February 20, 2011 by tillergirl