living alone/tunnel anxiety/night visitor/diesel theft

[tagulablue]

Just like to say thanks to all the positive encouragement I feel a lot more confident and I am going to have a good go at the challenges ahead.. I am currently bulk baking so that any member that comes across Tagula Blue will be welcomed with a cake and tea or a cold beer. Planning to go from Willington to Fradley over next weekend so give me a wave or better still call in for a drink and some cake.. Thanks to everybody x

[QCat]

Hope all goes well for you tagulablue xxx

[tagulablue]

you too Qcat ... watch out for me and hopefully, we will hear all about the boat soon xx

[Cheshire cat]

I can't help feeling there's an opportunity for a buddying system here. I have wondered if I would have the same enthusiasm for the canals if I didn't have my wife. To a large extent it is about sharing the experience.

[tagulablue]

well all packed (well almost..) cakes baked (1 already eaten by neighbours) and off to boat tomorrow.. Decided to head for whaley bridge and I set up a calendar system so friends and family could mark in dates they would like to visit... they have been brilliant and i already feel like a hotel boat!! I have planned it so that I will have a few days on my own and then visitors for the flights of locks so all being well I will gain confidence on the single locks but not hold anyone up on the flights.. so if you see me out and about make yourself known... beer and cake for everyone !! x

[RLWP]

I can only give you one greenie for that, and I think you deserve a lot more

 

Enjoy your boating, be happy and be sad as you need. And use your friends - that's what they are for, the times when things get a bit rubbish

 

And the very best of luck. Take care

 

Richard

[Horace42]

well all packed (well almost..) .....off to boat tomorrow.. .... I will gain confidence on the single locks...... beer and cake for everyone !! x

Best news I've heard today. Good luck.

[tagulablue]

woldn't have done it without you all xx

[RLWP]

woldn't have done it without you all xx

 

 

Richard

[Athy]

Greeno from me too! I hope your trip goes well.

[HappyDayz]

Hi tagablue,

I to offer my sincere condolences, obviously feelings are very raw being so recent. I'm not widowed but over the years i have lost both perants and close freinds.

 

I can't offer a magic way to stop the grief, it is part of life but i find i can lessen it when i'm blue, thinking of the the many good and or helarious times i had with all of them..

 

If you like It's kind of my way of paying homage to them.

 

Alan

[boots]

Hi Tagablue,

 

Glad to see that you are able to move forward in a more positive mind. As someone has said, your loss is so recent - it must be so fresh, I'm impressed if you can even think straight. Lost my parents just over a year ago, and nothing any one could have said or done can prepare you for how it feels. Yes, you will hear all the comments that life gets better etc. No - it gets different. At first I found the despair of the loss, but strive each day to get to the point where I can celebrate their lives, rather than grieving for what has gone - still not there yet - and that was over 12 months in my case.

 

Yes, on these forums you will tend to see a lot of negativity - but in one respect, that is one of the good points - this is somewhere where we can go when we have problems and in most cases find a friendly, helpful response. yes, we've had issues - but none have been as bad as some that you read on here - I would argue, you tend to only hear of the worst case scenarios.

 

I would say, the canal community is the most friendly, helpful bunch of people we have come across. Take each day as it comes, live & enjoy the moment and try not to focus on what 'might' happen.

[Dave Payne]

Glad to hear you are heading out on the boat, i am a fairly new live aboard, whilst i have not lost my wife in that way, we did split last year, have said this before on here on another post, i felt so alone, being in a narrowboat is also very hard when you have spent 40 years in large houses, it felt like the walls were closing in on me at some points, but i got my head down and started my own business and got to working on the boat.

 

I am now drifting around the midlands, the boat feels like home and i would not go back to a house, the posts about thefts and intruders are worrying, i do sometimes get a little freaked out when i am alone with no other boats around, but i am getting better at that, in fact most of the time now i prefer to be alone so i can have peace and run my engine if i want, but then if i know i will spending a day or two away from the boat i will find a spot where other boats are present, safety in numbers and all that!

 

Spend some time at Fradley, its a lovely spot with plenty of boats around, build your confidence up and most of all enjoy it, its worth it wheen you are sitting on the deck, glass of wine, feeding the ducks, sun shining, no cars thrashing past your front window, no police sirens, no horrible kids!

 

I hope you get through this with the boat in your possesion still.

 

If you come down the coventry at any time keep an eye out for me and bring cakes, i love the cakes!!

[ditchcrawler]

woldn't have done it without you all xx

I hope the sun shines for you every day

[cuthound]

Well done, you are brave taking life by the horns!

 

Hope everything goes well for you from now on.

 

Have a greenie for the offer of beer and cake ☺

[RLWP]

I hope the sun shines for you every day

 

And remember we are here if it doesn't

 

Richard