Our enthusiastic support of a local business yesterday, caused a cascade of unavoidable delays to our loose plans. We’d envisaged an overnighter to Nantwich Embankment but it’s turned into two nights after spending five and a half hours waiting for our ‘essential’ alcohol and mixers to be delivered. It surely is classed as essential, otherwise, why would it be open?

Our main challenge was due to Kim and I working much of today, so Barry was unable to turn the boat around and head to the facilities for a pump-out and water. By the time meetings and teachings had completed, Nantwich Marina & Canal Centre was closed. The WIFI signal is terribly temperamental at the moment even in stillness; on a moving boat, it’s just too frustrating.

Creative CRT Signs

The hastily printed and laminated sign that had been pinned to the post a few weeks ago, seen below requesting people to limit their use of the towpaths, has been taken down. Whether that was an intentional act, or done by a local who wasn’t best pleased, I’ve no idea. In it’s place though, in a position where it’s not possible to be removed, is a very professional looking large print banner that surely can’t be missed?

It’s not made much difference sadly, and I’ve felt rather uncomfortable being back on the embankment, as the foot and cycle traffic bustling by the side of the boat is busier than ever. I guess there are scores of locals who love walking along the water, and who can blame them? For me though, it’ll be a relief to be back at our temporary ‘home’ near Hurleston Junction tomorrow with far fewer passers-by. We’re becoming recluses like the rest of society I guess?

Buying Provisions and Chains

Barry managed to buy himself a new chain for his recently ‘acquired’ bike today. He’s just got to work out how to fit it now. Seems it’s confounding his kiwi ingenuity!

He did succeed in taking a few fabulous photos on his morning walk I can share (hoorah, Barry’s photos I hear you exclaim!), of the quaint, smart and colourful Wrights Alms Houses. Built circa 1683, they’re incredibly impressive and well-kept.

He also captured an eerily empty shot of the centre of Nantwich. When I walked into town this afternoon, I realised I’ve become accustomed to the quietness of the streets and shops. I’ll find it a struggle to go back to any semblance of ‘how it was before the world changed’.

Provisions wise, we’re all stocked up again from Aldi and Morrisons with fresh fruit and vegetables, tins and meat. Thankfully we didn’t have to concern ourselves with carrying heavy bottles of wine or litre bottles of soda or tonic! It was worth the long wait …

Happy Earth Day!

No surprises to hear that in the 50 years this has been celebrated, this one is possibly the starkest in its ‘novelty’ and uniqueness.

“The skies are clearing of pollution, wildlife is returning to newly clear waters, a host of flights have been scrapped and crude oil is so worthless that the industry would have to pay you to take it off their hands – a few months ago, environmentalists could only dream of such a scenario as the 50th anniversary of Earth Day hove into view.“

The Guardian – Pandemic Side-effects Offer Glimpse of Alternative Future on Earth Day 2020

It’s reported the waters of Venice are clear. Lions lounge on roads previously suffocated with safari jeeps in South Africa. And Coyotes and bears are enjoying the empty accommodation at the Yosemite National Park in California.

Here in Cheshire, the cacophony of bird-song is noticeable in the extreme. Barry and I were woken in the early hours by a loud and persistent knocking nearby. It wasn’t ducks eating the green on the hull, but a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest-building. Barry eventually ‘spotted’ (!) it with his binoculars and we looked it up in our bird book.

Still COVID-19 Free

Once again, I’m thankful to record that none of the occupants of NB Areandare has COVID-19 symptoms. There’s a part of us that wonders whether it’d better to just get it, suffer the symptoms, hope that we recover without needing NHS care, and produce antibodies. Kim would certainly prefer to get in here in the UK, as much as the NHS is struggling due to years of neglect and incompetence (enough said there, more important people than me are finally waking up to this fact at the moment!) it’s still preferable to being ill with it in Nigeria where she will surely have to return at some stage.

Such uncertain times we’re living through. I felt bless to be present for another yoga session on board with Nischala on Zoom this morning, and almost immediately afterwards Write-Club with Al. I’ll leave you with my ‘noticings and gratitudes of the current stillness’:

I notice that …

• Birds are singing joyously
• Woodpeckers and pecking repetitively
• I am breathing contemplatively
• The earth is sighing gratefully
• People are smiling anxiously
• The air is clearing thankfully
• The world is joining thoughtfully
• Politicians are leading – some badly, others incredibly!

I’ll leave you to recognise where your particular leader stands on the final point. For me, New Zealand and England are scarily stark opposites of the world in other ways than location currently and sadly likely to be so for the foreseeable future 😉