Holiday ended!

WOW! What a day! Scorching temperatures, blue skies, moored up on a wide grassy bank with little yellow celandine plants all over the waters edge, field of sheep one side, field of bright yellow rape the other, little family of ducklings paddling around - couldn't be better. This is the kind of day boating was made for. I spent the whole day doing absolutely nothing! Sat outside under the sunshade with Simba panting at my feet reading magazines and drinking cool glasses of coke and fruit juice. Tomorrow - back to work and bells, timetables, marking, planning, meetings............. what a contrast of two worlds I live!

Now, off the canals for a few moments....
I was reminded of a chance meeting at Hopwas over the Easter holidays I had with a very nice lady whose partner was sadly killed on the Hercules that went down in Iraq. She has set up an excellent charity called 'Purple Salute' which aims to enable a platform for the public to say 'thank you' to the servicemen and women of not only the army, navy and RAF but also those of the police, fire and medical profession. Whatever ones opinion is of the Iraq conflict, we must admire and honour those men and women who do what duty and the country calls them to do, even when their own conscience might not agree. I would encourage people to visit this site and add their name to the signatures of those who simply want to publicly say 'Thank you'.

I have a 6 week half term to get through until the May half term break. As has become a tradition, my father and I take a totally non boating holiday. We go walking! This year, we are hiking up the Peak District. We have a caravan from some friends, (since my fathers motor caravan was stolen,) and are staying on the farm of someone my father knows to use that as a base for our walking. If we get the weather we had last year it will be superb. It also acts as a break from the canals so that the long summer cruise down the Kennet and Avon is even more eagerly anticipated!