Gull on a road trip
One of the surest signs of spring is Jinny and Millie coming back to their narrowboat on the Kennet and Avon canal, after three months spent wintering in West Wales. And look, there's blackthorn blossom, which must mean it's time to go and pick them up from Pont Abraham services in Carmarthenshire, a sort of halfway house between Newquay, in Cardiganshire, where the family home is, and their mooring near Trowbridge in Wiltshire.
First, though, a quick walk for Cwtch around the playing fields near the street where I spent the first two and a half years of my life, and where I like to park when we go there. And look how the people living directly opposite my first home have painted their house!
I can honestly say, my parents would have had a fit if they'd drawn the front bedroom curtains every morning and been confronted with this. 😎
Then, two quick stops to drop Cwtch back home and get petrol, and I was off over the Severn and on into South Wales, on a beautiful morning, hazy morning. The only thing lacking was red kites - I didn't spot a single one - but since I saw eleven on my recent trip to St Albans, it felt a bit greedy to complain.
Jinny and Millie were already waiting for me at Pont Abraham when I arrived, and after their belongings were transferred into my car, we headed back along the M4 to England. It always feels such a shame to me when visits to Wales have to be flying ones, but there was a lot of driving to get done, and that was the focus.
Back at Jinny's mooring, there was a cluster of purple crocuses waiting to greet her and Millie by the steps to their boat. And then the carrying and barrowing of all their stuff from where the car was parked to the boat; a salutary reminder to me of what hard work life is on a boat. (I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to hack it, and I salute those who manage to.)
And then the promise to get Cwtch and Millie together for a walk soon, and an easy drive up to the M4 and back home. A good day's work.
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