Letters Home

June 01, 2006

My sister's answer to mid-life crisis

part painted boat.jpg

She is not doing things by halves. She has bought this lovely old canal boat in Bristol, in fact it is right across the water from my brother's boat "The Bee", and she is going to do it up, sell her house in London and move down there next year. Great for me to because then I will be able to fly from Bergerac to Bristol and visit my two sisters and one brother - plus most of my nephews and nieces - in one fell swoop. Bristol is a great city and both boats are right in the thick of it. Ah! I'm already thinking about the sun crossing over the yardarm and Pimm's on the deck. Fantastic.

Comments:

Does this boat have a name?
Posted by: mum | June 01, 2006 01:48 PM

I don't think so. Kepler thinks it should be called The Flower. For him, it was some sort of connection to The Bee. Talking of bees I stood under our linden tree today which is all in flower and I heard a loud and high droning and when I looked up I could not believe just how many bees there were up there.
Posted by: Sarah | June 01, 2006 02:04 PM

You must tell her to read Penelope Fitzgerald's "Offshore" if she hasn't done so already. It's about a leaky barge and a woman having a mid-life crisis.
Posted by: Lesley | June 01, 2006 07:23 PM

The Boat does have a name its "Elysium" although I think Kepler's name is better. From mobile phone camera to the web not bad for a phone pic... oh and if you look carefully Amanda is just at the back of the picture behind the ladder
Posted by: Brian | June 01, 2006 09:13 PM

Just think about all the books she will be able to read with a radically simplified life. I'll definitely mention the book although it might begin send her off on a descending spiral of doubt - the leaks I mean. Although my brother knows a lot about boats so hopefully any leaks will be quickly plugged ;-) and she will be able to read it with a certain degree of smugness. OK, Brian I am looking carefully ... are you sure that's Amanda and not a couple of binbags and a plastic barrel? Good phone picture though!
Posted by: Sarah | June 01, 2006 10:01 PM

Definitely there, I was trying to get her in the picture, blue jeans, blue coat with little red back back, though it does match the blue paint on the boat in terms of colour and width, but she's there, slippy character your sister when you try to take her picture..
Posted by: Brian | June 02, 2006 09:26 AM

oh and the book "offshore" is heading its way to Amanda via those chappies at Amazon
Posted by: Brian | June 02, 2006 02:56 PM

Yes Amanda hates having her picture taken. I do have some though but ANY pictures of herself that I show her - she loathes. crazy. Hope the book doesn't put her off ;-)
Posted by: Sarah | June 02, 2006 02:58 PM