A mammoth journey

Well folks, I've had a chance to rest and reflect on the events of the last couple of weeks. It has been an amazing one both physically, emotionally and spiritually.

We have:

• covered 146.28 miles, 137 locks and 26 moveable bridges
• re-wired the engine and 12v circuits completely
• replaced almost all of the diesel fuel feed piping
  
• heavily modified the 240v circuits and installed a new inverter and battery charging system
• brought the gas piping up to the necessary standard
• removed 2 stoves and installed a new one
• moved all the batteries into the engine bay and out of one of the bedrooms
• constructed 2 pieces of Ikea furniture
• screwed the table back on to the wall a couple of times
• bandaged innumerable bumps, cuts, bruises, and burns
• so many things that I can't remember right now.
  

but I should point out that my dad has done an awful lot of the work whilst Relativity has been under way. We have managed not to drop a single spanner or screwdriver in to a canal however we did lose a length of gas pipe at one point.

During the journey we have been looking after my mum's dog whilst she was on holiday. He has run along the tow path almost all the way. As I type he is lying asleep under my feet. A well earned rest for a very fit dog!

Life is a journey. Our family and friends join us for various bits of life's journey and some of it we must travel on our own. The last couple of weeks have been just like that. There are times where I have stood on my own in the rain whilst steering Relativity through the canal network. There have been times where friends and family have come and stood by me in both wind, rain and sunshine. we have laughed and cried together (especially when things have broken) and we have struggled with, and overcome, all sorts of challenges. I have been immensely heartened by the love, care and interest shown by the loads of you who have been following this blog and especially by those who have been able to find the time to come and visit or even just phone or email encouragement. Those who have turned up with food parcels have been particularly welcome ;-)

One of the big changes in my life is the recovery of hospitality. I love having visitors and I hope that those who have come and visited have found the atmosphere on board Relativity to be a welcoming and friendly one.

So what happens next? Well, now that I'm back in Reading I need to get on with the business of finding paid employment, working out how to live alone, and working out how to be an effective father to my children whilst not living in the same home as them most of the time. This blog will now become a record of that journey rather than the physical journey of a boat.

She is, however, a wonderful boat and I'll still be posting pictures and stories of her progress and restoration.

This really is the end of the first chapter in my new life and the new life of Relativity. I hope that you will enjoy the following chapters and, in whatever way makes sense, play your part in the story.