From Friday to Saturday we moved Serendipity from her usual mooring on Stourbridge Common to Hartford Marina to facilitate her sale. She's been up for sale now for a while but we came to the conclusion that it'd be better for prospective buyers to have easy access in order to fall for her charms.
It's been so very difficult. Even walking to the boat from the footbridge along Riverside was hard. I've cycled along that stretch every day for about 15 years either taking sprogs to and from school or going to work or just sauntering around Cambridge shopping or meeting friends. Not sure I'll be doing that route again.
Once I got to the boat I said my goodbyes to a neighbour and hugged Sparkx. Then it was off on our way. We made good time and moored overnight at the Lazy Otter before continuing to Hartford past Earith and St. Ives. We did it very quickly but not quickly enough - I wanted to do it and move on.
So very many memories are in that boat, so much laughter and joy and so much sorrow latterly. I've been a bargee for over a decade and think that the lifestyle suited me right down to the ground (or water). I couldn't've afforded to live so close to my boys without being aboard and it's worked its way into my perceptions of myself to such a degree that it comes right after being a Father and Yorkshireman when I describe myself. That's an interesting game to play isn't? What words do you use to describe yourself and in what order do they come? Mine were:
- Father
- Yorkshireman
- Bargee
- Husband
- Developer
- Son
- Nurse
- Smoker
- Beer Drinker
- ...
...but the order changes depending upon who I'm with and where I am I guess - or what's happening around me.
Anyway, Serendipity is for sale. She really was a lucky accident for us and I hope that whoever buys her loves her as much as we did and has even half as much joy and none of the sorrow we've had.
I was going to document our trip like last time but am really finding it far to difficult to, spent much of the weekend feeling really rather sorry for myself :-(.
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