After getting back to Milton Keynes from Cambridge, I needed to do housekeeping and maintenance on my boat. So today I went up to Yardley Gobion (about an hour away by boat) to get diesel and a pump out. I loaded up with 169 litres of diesel which is the most I have ever put in the boat at one time. This was not entirely surprising, as I last filled up at Peterborough on the way to Cambridge. Since then I have gone to Cambridge and all the way back to Milton Keynes. En route the dilapidated state of the boat's paintwork was massively evident to me, and since it was such a nice day, I determined to restart work on the paintwork when I got back to base.
The paintwork on the roof is so bad in places that I am going to have to strip it back to bare metal. So the first thing I did was to go out and buy a band sander and a lot of bands. I also bought some other bits and pieces to assist in the paint preparation.
Got back and started tackling areas of the gunwales that I had previously prepared that had deteriorated since I did them. To do this I had to run the generator. It is quite a long time since I last ran the generator and first I had to fill it with petrol. Then it took quite a while to actually start it. As usual I connected the generator to the battery charger whilst I was working. Part way through the day the battery charger started resetting itself, which is usually a sign that the charge to the battery is interrupted. The last time this happened, it was a sign that the generator's oil was dirty and needed changing. I did not get to this today, but is definately something for tomorrow.
Anyway, got to applying the primer, and went through the three quarter full tin of metal primer I had. So tomorrow I'll need to get some more.
Finally, I started packing up and putting tools and materials away. In the process I noticed how filthy I was - oil and petrol from the generator; primer; coal dust from tools I got out of the storage area under my tug front which tends to get covered with dust. This led to me having to clean the generator externally. It also showed that I would need a bath and a complete change of clothing. As I went to store the generator I tipped it, and spilt petrol in the boat - this is not a good idea. It meant that I had to clear this up immediately.
So half a dozen jobs down; another half dozen jobs generated.
Tai Ji Summer School
For a large number of years the Nei Chia association, of which I am a member, has had one or more summer schools, lasting between three days and a week. I am going to the one being held at Rugby. Today was the first day of the summer school. As seems to have become a tradition, the weather during the day was good.
It was good to be doing practice in a group again. Working in a group always seems to benefit all participants whatever experience they have.
It was good to be doing practice in a group again. Working in a group always seems to benefit all participants whatever experience they have.
The desirability of routine
While I was doing the CELTA course, I was working to an (arduous) regular routine. This involved, among other things, getting up early, driving into Cambridge, doing an hours Tai Ji practice and then working on course work. I was then working hard all day, which is something I haven't done for quite a while.
The routine, the regular practice, and the hard work all proved to be good for me - I felt better, I was operating effectively, and I was happy. Getting back to my permanent mooring, without the enforced routine has also involved me lapsing back into fairly formless daily activities. The routine, the practice, and the hard work all go.
So although I know that these things are good for me, I don't do them without an imposed routine. How do I provide myself with the motivation to do the things I like, enjoy and are good for me? A mystery.
The routine, the regular practice, and the hard work all proved to be good for me - I felt better, I was operating effectively, and I was happy. Getting back to my permanent mooring, without the enforced routine has also involved me lapsing back into fairly formless daily activities. The routine, the practice, and the hard work all go.
So although I know that these things are good for me, I don't do them without an imposed routine. How do I provide myself with the motivation to do the things I like, enjoy and are good for me? A mystery.
Preparations for Ladakh
Today was spent travelling down to London to attend a meal (in lieu of a formal briefing) with Master Travel, who are organising the trip I am going on in August. I am going to Ladakh, the very northernmost point of India, and formerly one of the independent Buddhist kingdoms. It is high altitude - most of the trip is about 3400 metres, but we do go over one pass at 5578 metres. I had arranged to pick up my passport with Indian visa at the meal. There were only three of the party (of eight) plus a couple of people from Master Travel. The restaurant they had chosen was a good Italian restaurant near Waterloo. A very pleasant meal and discussion.
After the meal I went down to the South Bank, and found a spot to have a large glass of red wine, while I wrote a few emails. This was not made easier when I found that I had not transferred my address book to the new netbook I was using, so had to find the email addresses of the friends I was writing to by roundabout means.
I then wended my way back to Euston, and back to the boat. A easy going gentle day. The only other thing of note is that I have, at the prompting of one of my friends, joined Facebook, and this blog is now being fed through to that network.
After the meal I went down to the South Bank, and found a spot to have a large glass of red wine, while I wrote a few emails. This was not made easier when I found that I had not transferred my address book to the new netbook I was using, so had to find the email addresses of the friends I was writing to by roundabout means.
I then wended my way back to Euston, and back to the boat. A easy going gentle day. The only other thing of note is that I have, at the prompting of one of my friends, joined Facebook, and this blog is now being fed through to that network.
What is Normal?
I am now back on my permanent moorings in Cosgrove. I came up the River Nene really rather quickly doing some long days to do so. The limiting factor when I am cruising is my own stamina, and how prepared I am with foods that I have on board.
Now the CELTA course is over, I am having to reconsider what I am going to do in the future. All the advice I am currently getting suggests going with the flow and accepting whatever comes. This is fine, but in spite of a lot of attempts I am not very good at either recognising the flow nor going with it. Certainly my tentative plans for Tibet at best have been put on hold for at least a year; at worst it is not meant to happen.
Now the CELTA course is over, I am having to reconsider what I am going to do in the future. All the advice I am currently getting suggests going with the flow and accepting whatever comes. This is fine, but in spite of a lot of attempts I am not very good at either recognising the flow nor going with it. Certainly my tentative plans for Tibet at best have been put on hold for at least a year; at worst it is not meant to happen.
Return to Milton Keynes
Since Friday I have exited the Middle Levels and have been travelling up the Nene. I have been travelling for fairly long days, and have reached Rushden and Diamonds Football Club, where there are some extensive moorings, and facilities, and the shops are within walking distance. The very hot weather has broken, with some light showers of rain and temperatures in the low 20s rather than the 30s.
After the CELTA course
I have just started to journey back from Burwell, where my brother lives, and where I have been moored for the CELTA course I was attending in Cambridge.
I have gained a lot from the CELTA course, but none of the things I booked the course for. The course is very intensive - during the week I was working 16-18 hour days; with weekends being somewhat lighter - only 12-14 hour days. Even so, I found that while I could deliver the required standard of teaching English as a foreign language, I could not deliver according to their four week timetable. As a result I withdrew from the assessement process at the end of the third week - but not from the course. This means that I can refer to myself as CELTA trained, but not CELTA certified.
I then cruised down the Burwell Lode to the pub at the end of it. This was so weed encrusted that I took two and a half hours to do four miles. Yesterday I entered the Middle Levels (the Fens) ready to cross them to Peterborough tomorrow. Today I crossed most of the Middle Levels, ready to leave the Fens at Peterborough, to start up the Nene again.
I have gained a lot from the CELTA course, but none of the things I booked the course for. The course is very intensive - during the week I was working 16-18 hour days; with weekends being somewhat lighter - only 12-14 hour days. Even so, I found that while I could deliver the required standard of teaching English as a foreign language, I could not deliver according to their four week timetable. As a result I withdrew from the assessement process at the end of the third week - but not from the course. This means that I can refer to myself as CELTA trained, but not CELTA certified.
I then cruised down the Burwell Lode to the pub at the end of it. This was so weed encrusted that I took two and a half hours to do four miles. Yesterday I entered the Middle Levels (the Fens) ready to cross them to Peterborough tomorrow. Today I crossed most of the Middle Levels, ready to leave the Fens at Peterborough, to start up the Nene again.