Contact From The Multiversity

Monday 2nd August.

The water tank ran out of water, so we cast off the ropes and headed up the cut towards Harlow. There is a tap at Moorhen Marina. But below the next lock we found it is wide enough to turn the boat. Shall we carry on or turn around? We have a brief debate and quickly agree that we’d like to stay in this beautiful place for as long as possible. So we wind the boat and head back down to Roydon Lock, where The Lady of the Lock allows boaters to fill up with water at her tap. Moored in the lock with hosepipe in position we let Big Sister pull the bell string to summon The Husband of The Lady of The Lock. Friendly and down to earth, I can read “Love and Hate” tattooed across his knuckles as I declare that I would like to buy a dozen free range eggs and a loaf of bread.

We then return to the field, but moor a little further up in an even better place with an even better view. We have effectively moved to an even better part of heaven.

But today is the last day of our holiday. The Doctor is supposed to return to work at The University tomorrow, and I wonder how I will feel, once more being starved of adult conversation and trying to multi-task my ass off for most of the day.

Then, The Doctor takes a telephone call. He wanders up the towpath to talk without being disturbed by the children, but I can ascertain that it is news from The Multiversity. The complicated and convoluted route that the research funding takes, is taking another detour and to cut a long story short The Doctor cannot return to work until at least September.

We sit on deckchairs in the field with a glass of whisky each, and absorb the news. Our girls play beside our feet on the play mat. We decide that this is it. If only for a month, we live the dream. We live in a beautiful place and begin to write. We will alternate writing days and childcare days. We will write books and look after our children. We will live beside a beautiful meadow on a narrowboat.