Blog - Feb 24th 2007

Well today was our baby’s due date.

Still might happen yet, I guess. But so far it feels like waiting, waiting and more waiting. And it still might go on for days or even weeks!

Sean has been lucky enough to take a couple of weeks off work, and we have been getting our birthing spot together – with the hope of having the baby at home on the boat, should all go well.
So far the inside of the boat looks a little like an S and M dungeon. We have fold out mattresses for the floor, hammocks and ropes for Julia to swing off the ceiling, a birthing ball to rock on and God knows what else. There must be a pair of handcuffs stashed away somewhere here?! We are a little worried it might shock the midwife. So we have stocked up on chocolate hob nobs to placate her.

All in aid of natural pain relief we hope! (That’s including the hob nobs.)

Outside Sean has managed to sculpt our mooring into a kind of semi-suburban set up of which Alan Titchmarsh would be proud. We have a firepit in case we want to go outside in the cold, woodchip shavings all along the path to save everybody’s wellies from being permanently caked in mud. We even have some kind of water feature by to the boat, where the stream run-off comes through this tunnel next to us and empties into the canal. Sean insists the sound of running water is soothing. Julia likens it more to Chinese water torture and is enduring it the best she can.

We are lucky we guess to have been granted this mooring at all, however. After some harassment, British Waterways did grant us permission to moor next to what is locally known amongst boaters as the “birthing bridge.” It basically has easy road access in case of an emergency and is quite secluded – so those S and M facilities can be more comfortably employed.

Its nice to be somewhere were you know countless women have given birth before you – all part of the living tradition of boating!

Although we have had mostly good wishes from being settled here a while, we have still had the odd idiot espouse their bigoted views about our lifestyle. Just the other day we were faced off by some Daily Mail reading local, who obviously didn’t approve that we had been here a while! Rumours have flown along the cut also, reported to us from Dusty the Coal Man, that we shouldn’t be moored here. Such lack of goodwill towards a pregnant couple who basically just need somewhere to stop for a few weeks is quite unbelieveable. Unfortunately, in a fit of hormonal rage it was the Daily Mail reading local who eventually copped it from Julia’s foul mouth. “A bald-headed twat” is, we are afraid, what she called him. Before calling to him for a fight. Yes, that’s at nine month’s pregnant.

It was all over before she realised what she’d done, profanities galore falling out of her mouth before bursting into a heap of hormonal tears. Luckily for her the local was about 70, and she was standing next to Sean who was banging in a pin with a rather heavy looking lump hammer, so at least it was unlikely that she was going to end up getting battered.

Perhaps we should lay down some more woodchips? It may help us fit in a little more?

Other than that, Sean has managed to get us a My Space profile – which can be viewed at www.myspace.com/thedoolallysmusic

Its all very exciting – and Sean does a little gleeful jig every time we gain a new friend! In fact, we are even friends with Seth Lakeman now. Although we were a little surprised when we went to his Aylesbury gig the other night that he didn’t seem to recognise us at all. But then that’s the price of fame, we guess. Eventually you must just lose touch with those close to you.

Nevertheless, it has to be said that Seth’s gig was wonderful. It was just so heart-warming to see someone with talent get successful for a change. His solo fiddle songs were particularly jaw-dropping. But all of them really – a truly fantastic night. Try and catch him live at some point.

Do go to the My Space page and join our growing list of friends however. We promise you you will make Sean so happy.

Other than that life on our little boat is lovely as ever. Sean is hosting a traditional and acoustic session at the Perch Inn in Binsey on the last Sunday of every month. Its turning into a great happening – very warm and amenable with all sorts of musicians turning up to play besides the log fire. Babies and children are welcome also, and the place is largely non-smoking, which makes it more comfortable. It starts at three o’clock – and we may see you there on the 25th if Julia has not gone into labour yet.

Congratulations must also be sent out to a wonderfully talented local musician, Colin Fletcher, for his recent contribution to a folk award winning CD with Tim Van Eyken. (Both narrowboating folkies also by the way!) It seems that Reading may be the armpit of the South East, but it does produce talent: first Ricky Gervais, now Colin Fletcher. Both Tim and Colin are also linked to our My Space site if you wish to hear them.

The Floating Tionol sessions are fast approaching – and we would love to see some of you there in May. A really special concert is planned as part of the five day event – details also on the website and My Space. With Leo Rickard – piper extraordinaire from Dublin headlining (http://www.leopipinghot.com/), locally talented Dr. Andy Letcher on border pipes, and even a family band from Oklahoma – Kealkill – doing there thing on May 14th at the Jericho Tavern at 8pm. It will be a really blinding night. (By the way, all vegeburgers with melted dolcelatte are now off the menu at the Tavern. Shame on them.)

So for now, we must log off. This may be the last blog for a while as we anticipate soon being up to our eyeballs in nappies and well meaning relatives. Send us your good vibes please! As if this baby doesn’t come soon, we may be in for a “stretch and sweep” with the midwife. An altogether scary prospect which had Julia running for the door in the surgery screaming that she was not a frigging chimney. (Dearie me the girl can’t stop swearing.)

Over and out.