Jackie's Blog

 I'm writing this retroactively, therefore there are some insights in it that there would not have been at the time.  The Sunday before we were due to pick up the narrowboat (Monday, July 1st)  we left Cathy and Mike's house with a very full car! I was already panicking that I had packed too much but it wasn't just clothes. I had also bought things that I felt we needed on the narrowboat that were not listed in the inventory we had been sent. After all, the boat was going to be our home for three months, and I would be cooking regularly, washing and cleaning as usual, as well as entertaining ourselves when we were not at the pub.  I always think of my sister Jane's advice on going on any self catering holiday- take a good frying pan (supplied ones are always scratched to bits and never non stick) and a good sharp knife (which are always blunt). I bought a rather large paella type pan in order to cook one-pot meals- it does work brilliantly but barely fits on the gas ...