What do you do?

That is an interesting question.
And one to which I don’t have an interesting answer I’m afraid.

Making small talk at the Queen’s Sapphire Jubilee celebration, it seems the residents think we are older than we are, as I was asked if I could remember what I was doing when it was announced King George VI had died.
I had to reply that I hadn’t been born yet, which raised a few smiles, and although I couldn’t recall what I was doing when Kennedy was shot, I can remember exactly where I was when they said on the radio that Elvis Presley had died.

I knew a lot of people by sight who all seemed to know us too but not our names.
One particular gentleman seemed fascinated that we lived on our boat. By all accounts he and the family had hired one for holidays and travelled the canals (which we haven’t yet) but had never thought what it would be like to live permanently aboard.
He asked what I did when I was not aboard, and you know I had to answer, ‘Not a lot.’

I must come across as quite a bore at parties, as although I can usually hold my own in conversation, I don’t seem to do very much with my time.
I mean, I don’t work, voluntary or otherwise, and we don’t have a TV so can’t comment on recent programmes or the Soaps. If we’re not aboard, we’re doing mundane things like shopping or walking the dog, and I have my Slimming World meeting once a week.
Admittedly these past few weeks have been spent going to and from the hospital, we’ve had a few meals out, met up with N and her husband for coffee a couple of times, played scrabble with MSM, and hopefully this week will be going down to see MOH as we haven’t seen him since Christmas.
Photo: our marina basin (and Maggie) before work commenced on the other side.

Here on the marina, we converse with everyone we see, and of course everyone makes a fuss of Maggie, so we’re not exactly isolated or standoffish.

When we are aboard, we clean, prepare, cook and eat our meals, blog, read, write (letters or poetry), I make my cards, and Hubby does the maintenance. We also sleep very well!
If we have visitors, the kettle is always put on, and cups of tea/coffee on offer, biscuits if I have them, a meal or cake if I know they’re coming, though I’m sure I could rustle up something even if I didn’t!
If we go anywhere in the boat, we operate locks, take photos, stop and admire the wildlife and our surroundings, then settle down for a peaceful night out on the river.

Our days go by very quickly, yet no two are identical and we are rarely bored. I guess that’s a good thing.
Photos: two views of Comberton Quay on our travels.

So, how do you spend your ‘free time’?

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